Sunday Columns: Stimulus, Astroturf, Camera-Shy Kelly

by: Jennifer Daler

Sun Aug 09, 2009 at 07:59:48 AM EDT

Good news from Kevin Landrigan's column: The folks in Washington, DC are saying that New Hampshire has been very effective in its use of federal stimulus dollars. Projects around the state include an addition for Nashua Community College, a commuter bus station in Nashua, improvements to Hampton Beach, and construction at the University of New Hampshire. I've seen a few signs in my area telling travelers that stimulus funds are being used for repaving.

Lauren Dorgan opens with a report on the astroturf protest at the town hall meeting that wasn't.

So, right-wing groups like the New Hampshire Tea Party Coalition (which is linked to Americans for Prosperity, a group founded by an oil-and-gas tycoon sometimes called the richest man in New York) urged folks who oppose the health-care reform bill now percolating in the Senate to attend the ordinary office hours held by Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen's staffers in towns including Grafton.

The man Dorgan refers to is David Koch, who, along with his brother, funds most of the right wing activities in the US despite legal and other troubles.

Dorgan presents this as a right wing/left wing phenomenon, with both sides claiming to have real grass roots support. She gives Shaheen's reaction, and that of the Grafton Police Chief Merle Kenyon, who seemed sympathetic to the "protesters". State Representative Jennifer Coffey (R-Andover) was there to protest with the tea partiers.

Landrigan says the legislature will most likely have a special session to handle the Governor's vetoes, among other business. Per Landrigan, House Speaker Terie Norelli and Senate President Sylvia Larsen want an override of the medical marijuana veto.

He also had this to say about the JUA money:

But some confide that JUA supporters had approached Lynch and offered to accept a "withdrawal'' smaller than $110 million from its surplus for state-financed health-care expenses if Lynch would go along with a healthy rebate to policyholders.

Lynch refused as well he should have. To negotiate about this money would be to admit the other side has rights to it. And it seems kind of strange on the part of those claiming the JUA is private. If it isn't state money, it isn't, if it is it is.

Both columns show that Ayotte's backers don't think she's quite ready for prime time. Landrigan, on a fundraiser hosted by Conerstone (bold mine):

The three potential Republican candidates for U.S. Senate in 2010 have signed on as finance committee co-hosts of the event: former state Attorney General Kelly Ayotte, 1996 nominee for governor Ovide Lamontagne and Republican National Committeeman Sean Mahoney.
Those three won't have speaking parts, but will mingle with the GOP stalwarts who are paying $100 a ticket to attend.

Guinta and Horn are supposed to attend as well, but no word on whether either will speak.

Then Dorgan reports Ayotte's appearance in the Lakes Region will be a video free zone:

Winnipesaukee GOP Leader Chris Ahlgren said that while reporters and photographers are welcome to their meeting with Ayotte on Tuesday night, he wants to keep out video cameras.

As this is Lauren's last Capital Beat column, I'd like to take an opportunity to wish her well in graduate school. Details for a farewell gathering are in Dean's post below.

Close Window