Governor Hassan contributors violated state law

NH DOJ: UNION PAC BACKING HASSAN VIOLATED STATE LAW

Concord – The New Hampshire Department of Justice today announced that the Plumbers and Steamfitters Union PAC (Local Union 131 Volunteer PAC) violated State laws by refusing to report donations made to Governor Hassan’s political campaign. The ruling comes in response to a complaint filed by the New Hampshire Republican State Committee on August 6, 2014.

“The Attorney General’s Office has completed its review of the complaint, and we conclude that the LU 131 Committee has violated state law,” wrote Associate Attorney General Richard Head in a letter sent to Local Union 131 Volunteer PAC Chairman David Pelletier.

“Today’s ruling confirms that Governor Maggie Hassan’s union allies broke the law by refusing to report tens of thousands of dollars in tainted donations to her campaign. Governor Hassan has already been caught red-handed accepting $33,000 in illegal contributions from other Big Labor PACs, and her behavior raises serious ethical questions about her administration,” said NHGOP Chairman Jennifer Horn. “The dark ethical cloud hanging over the Hassan Administration has undermined public confidence in state government and called Governor Hassan’s integrity into question. Given the troubling implications of this scandal, Governor Hassan should immediately donate the $41,000 in tainted contributions she has accepted from the Local Union 131 Volunteer PAC to charity.”

Over the summer, Governor Hassan was forced to return $33,000 dollars in illegal campaign contributions from union PACs. The governor still has $41,000 in donations – a $25,000 contribution made in 2012, a $15,000 contribution made in 2013 and a $1,000 contribution made in 2014 – from the Plumbers and Steamfitters Union PAC in her bank account.