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In Case You Missed It, WMUR’s John DiStaso reported that NHDP Chair Ray Buckley sent a letter to the NH GOP to set the record straight that the For The People Act has nothing to do with New Hampshire’s First in the Nation primary and everything to do with eliminating corruption and ensuring fair, full access to the ballot for all Americans. You can read the letter here.
Key points from the letter:
“Anyone who reads the For the People Act understands that it is about combating the dual crises facing our election systems -- corruption and voter suppression. New Hampshire Democrats are so proud of Senator Shaheen, Senator Hassan, Congresswoman Kuster, and Congressman Pappas for their hard work and support of this powerfully important legislation that will rein in the influence of corporations and billionaires in U.S. elections while cracking down on unethical behavior by lawmakers.”
“The For the People Act takes common-sense steps to combat corruption, including making it illegal for lawmakers to take action to benefit themselves or their family members’ financial interest, banning lawmakers from sitting on corporate boards, blocking lawmakers from using taxpayer dollars to settle lawsuits with their employees, and investing in cybersecurity and traditional security to protect American elections.
“67 percent of Americans -- including a majority of Republicans and independents -- support the For the People Act. Nowhere in the For the People Act does it mention changing the Presidential primary calendar.”
“It's alarming that not only have you clearly decided not to take the due diligence in learning about this bill before getting in line with special interests and Washington Republicans who oppose it, but you invited Tommy Hicks, an individual who is the chair of the dark money group America First Policies, to New Hampshire and stood by while he spread further misinformation about this bill. It is no surprise that America First Policies, the dark money group Hicks chairs, opposes this legislation. It is heavily funded by big pharma, tobacco, and fossil fuel groups.”
By John DiStaso
April 8, 2021
THE H.R. 1 DISPUTE. The New Hampshire Democratic Party is pushing back on an open letter released by the top two officers of the state Republican Party calling for Democratic lawmakers to oppose the federal voting bill known as H.R. 1 and the For the People Act.
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NHDP Chair Raymond Buckley responded Wednesday in his own letter shared first with New Hampshire Primary Source. He told Stepanek and Tucker they have “a profound misunderstanding of what this legislation does.”
He wrote that the bill “is about combating the dual crises facing our election systems -- corruption and voter suppression.”
“The For the People Act does not touch the presidential primary calendar,” Buckley wrote. “In fact, it honors the traditions of the New Hampshire First-in-the-Nation Primary and, in many ways, reinvigorates it -- by removing power from billionaires and shadowy dark money groups and returning it to the people who show up at town halls to listen to the candidates debate ideas.”
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