CONCORD, NH --New Hampshire Republican Party Chairman Wayne Semprini attacked Democratic congressional candidate Jim Craig today about out of state fundraising. The irony is that nearly two-thirds of Jeb Bradley's money came from outside of the Granite State.

"Chairman Semprini clearly did not do his homework. But we know the facts: Jeb Bradley co-sponsored the Medicare Part D debacle, he flip-flopped on Social Security and the voters still don't know what his position is, and Jeb Bradley voted with disgraced former House Leader Tom DeLay 89% of the time," said Nick Clemons, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Democratic Party.

Washington, DC - Today, Treasury Secretary John Snow is in Manchester, NH, to tout the Bush Administration&. The rosy picture Snow is expected to paint stands in stark contrast to the economic realities confronting working families in New Hampshire and across America. President Bush and the Bush Republicans in Congress have failed to provide middle class tax relief, failed to reduce the cost of health care, and failed to help working families address skyrocketing energy costs.

.html"No matter how hard Secretary Snow tries to spin the Bush Administration's failed economic policies, working families in the Granite State know that President Bush and the Bush Republicans in Congress have undermined the economic security of the American people," said Democratic National Committee spokesman Damien LaVera. "While median household incomes have consistently fallen since President Bush took office, the Bush Administration and the Republican Congress have done nothing to confront skyrocketing health care costs, address out of control energy bills, or provide middle class tax fairness.

The following is a statement by New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Kathy Sullivan on the news reports this morning which expose the fact that Jim Coburn's campaign treasurer was sued for securities fraud while Chief Financial Officer at Presstek -- a case his company was forced to settle for $22 million.

.html"I wish I could say I was shocked by this news. But after years of similar scandals and ethical lapses by Craig Benson's top aides, nothing surprises me anymore. Jim Coburn apparently cares so little about ethics that he didn't even take the time to do a simple Google search on the person he put in charge of all of his campaign's finances. Combined with Mr. Coburn's troubling voting record on ethics issues and his public call to return the state to the days of Craig Benson, this politician is giving voters a lot of reasons not to trust him."

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CONCORD - Gov. John Lynch applauded the state Senate for passing today comprehensive child protection legislation that includes tough new sentences for the worst child sexual predators.

"We must do everything possible to protect our children," Gov. Lynch said. "The bill passed by the Senate would give New Hampshire some of the toughest and most comprehensive child protection laws in the nation," Gov. Lynch said.

Meet Jim Coburn: a politician dedicated to picking up where Craig Benson left off, bringing an extreme right-wing voting record to the corner office, and returning New Hampshire to the days of lax ethics laws and spiking insurance rates for small businesses.

“Voters are not going to stand for Jim Coburn’s extreme right-wing voting record, or his desire to return the state to the days when loose ethics governed the executive branch, a woman’s right to choose was under attack, and insurance companies could discriminate against sick workers,” said New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Kathy Sullivan. “Jim Coburn may want to pick up where Craig Benson left off, but New Hampshire is finally emerging from the dark cloud of Craig Benson, and we aren’t going back.”

CONCORD - Gov. John Lynch today criticized members of the House for giving up on New Hampshire's children, by choosing to call for yet another study instead of real action to reduce New Hampshire&.html"The House majority voted today to give up on New Hampshire's children," Governor Lynch said. "Instead of real action, the House chose yet again to 'study' New Hampshire's dropout problem," Gov. Lynch said. "Well, we've been studying this issue to death since at least the 1980s, if not longer, with little to show for it.

"Today, the Legislature had an opportunity to take bold action. To send a clear message that we aren't going to give up on our young people, or let them give up on themselves. To set a deadline for our state to reduce number of dropouts, instead of just talking about it," Gov. Lynch said. "It's time we stop taking the easy way out, and stop allowing the students who need the most help to drop out."

"But instead of putting the needs of New Hampshire's young people and economy first, the majority of House members made excuses or, in some cases, simply decided to put partisan politics first," Gov. Lynch said.

The House voted today against legislation, SB268, that would have raised New Hampshire's compulsory age from 16 to 18 and allowed students, parents and schools to develop alternative learning programs for students who do not succeed in traditional classroom settings. The legislation is part of an overall state strategy to reduce New Hampshire's high school dropout rate.

New Hampshire is currently spending $25 million a year on dropout prevention and recovery. In addition, Gov. Lynch recently held a summit bringing together 250 educators, business and community leaders, law enforcement and lawmakers to develop strategies for implementing the law. The legislation would have gone into effect in the 2008-2009 school year.

New Hampshire's compulsory attendance age was set at 16 in 1903.

"I will keep fighting to help every New Hampshire child get a high school diploma. We have to stop pretending that young people can get by today with the same amount of education as in 1903. It's just not true," Gov. Lynch said.

The bipartisan legislation had broad support from business and community leaders, law enforcement and educators. The Senate approved the bill by a vote to 17-7, and the House Education Committee recommended it be passed.

Yesterday, members of House Republican Leadership, decided they were going to oppose the recommendation of the House Education Committee and push instead for a study.

# # #

CONCORD, NH – Health care advocates and seniors from across New Hampshire held Congressman Bass and Congressman Bradley accountable for the problems with the Medicare Part D drug program today, calling on them to admit that that the complicated legislation helps drug companies at the expense of New Hampshire seniors.

CONCORD, NH - The New Hampshire Democratic Party called on Senator John McCain to fire his newly-hired "senior advisor" before coming to New Hampshire tomorrow, after new reports revealed that the advisor directly supervised the Republican official convicted of jamming get-out-the-vote phone lines during the 2002 U.S. Senate race in New Hampshire.

"Actions speak louder than words, and that applies to John McCain just like everyone else," said New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Kathy Sullivan.

CONCORD, NH - Congressman Charlie Bass must finally return the $14,233 that he has taken in political contributions from Tom DeLay, who announced today that he will be resigning from Congress in the wake of repeated scandals.

.html"What is worth more to Charlie Bass? His integrity, or $14,000 from Tom Delay?" asked Democratic Party Chair Kathy Sullivan. "Tom Delay is the chairman of the board of the culture of corruption and everyone knows it, but Charlie Bass has been clinging to his dirty money for dear life. He should have returned this money months ago, or contributed it to a charity."

CONCORD - Testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee today, Gov.
John
Lynch called on the state Senate to restore mandatory minimum sentences for the worst child sexual predators to his proposed Child Protection Act.

.html"As you consider this legislation, the first step that I ask you to take is to restore the mandatory minimum sentences for people who sexually prey on children under the age of 13," Gov. Lynch said.

A Resolution Thanking Governor Lynch and Chairman Sullivan for their Efforts to Protect New Hampshire's First in the Nation Primary

CONCORD, NH - On Wednesday evening, Congressman Bradley quietly voted against two separate amendments that would have addressed some of the pressing problems caused by the Medicare Part D program, including state reimbursements and negotiation of drug prices.

.html"Jeb Bradley sponsored these disastrous changes to Medicare, and despite the harm to New Hampshire, he is refusing to fix it," said Kathy Sullivan, Chair of the New Hampshire Democratic Party. "Jeb Bradley is voting exactly the way that the drug companies and the national Republican party want him too, but our seniors are suffering because of it. It&."

CONCORD - Gov. John Lynch today signed bipartisan legislation reforming
New Hampshire state government's ethics laws, creating an ethics
commission for the executive branch, tightening gift-giving rules, and
increasing the regulation of lobbyists.

CONCORD, NH - New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Kathy Sullivan today congratulated Governor Lynch on signing important ethics reforms into law.

.html"The ethics reforms that Governor Lynch signed into law today were the product of two forces in Concord - John Lynch's dogged leadership and a long string of GOP scandals," said Sullivan. "Credit is also due to Senator Larsen and Representative Craig for their commitment to this issue."

CONCORD, NH - The New Hampshire Republican Party must return the $10,000 that was directed to it in 2002 by Jack Abramoff, the Washington lobbyist who pled guilty today to multiple counts of fraud, conspiracy, and tax evasion.

ANTRIM – Senator Flanders’ vote against embryonic stem cell research last week disappointed voters in his central NH district as well as across the state.

“It saddens me to say I am a Republican after witnessing what occurred on March 16,” said Kathy Clark of Antrim, whose daughter Laura suffered a severe spinal injury two years ago. “The one time in my life I go to the Senators asking for their support and I end up feeling deceived.”

CONCORD - Gov. John Lynch today applauded the House of Representatives for supporting legislation to help the hardest-hit victims of the October floods.

CONCORD - Gov. John Lynch today applauded the state Senate for its strong vote in support of legislation aimed at increasing New Hampshire&. The legislation will now go to the House.

CONCORD - Gov. John Lynch today applauded the state Senate for its strong vote in support of legislation aimed at increasing New Hampshire's high school graduation rate.

Let's ring in the New Year by electing two more Democratic Reps to the State House. New Hampshire Democrats have had a string of recent successes in special elections to the NH House, most recently in a very conservative district in Grafton County. The total number of Democrats in the New Hampshire House is now 150.

CONCORD - Gov. John Lynch and Republican and Democratic Legislative leaders said today that New Hampshire state government will act to protect citizens from the problems with the implementation of the new federal prescription drug benefit.

.html"Working Together"
By Tom Fahey, State House Bureau Chief
New Hampshire Union Leader
Sunday, Jan. 1, 2006, Page A1

Article Here

CONCORD -- Gov. John H. Lynch, who directed recovery in flood zones, was key in keeping the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard open and whose biggest challenge -- preserving the first-in-the-nation Presidential primary -- looms, is the 2005 New Hampshire Union Leader Citizen of the Year.

Statement of Gov. Lynch on SB 206

Gov. Lynch issued the following statement today on the Election's subcommittee's amendment today to SB 206, the ethics legislation he originally proposed.

FACT SHEET: NH'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION WEIGHS IN ON THE SERIOUSNESS OF PERJURY, OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE

Following a meeting of the eight Democratic members of the NH State Senate, Senate Democratic Leader Sylvia Larsen of Concord announced a seven point agenda for the 2006 legislative session titled .html"Safeguarding a Secure Future for NH&.

"Providing for a safe and secure future for New Hampshire's families is the goal of every member of New Hampshire&. "In setting an agenda for our next session, we are committing to work on the most important issues of our state".

Here is a statement from Governor Lynch on the vote:

By Linda Pinkow/ Staff Writer
Thursday, August 11, 2005

Medical Equipment Exchange, a business that buys and sells used medical equipment, packed up and moved to Hollis, N.H. on Sunday, July 31.

Its owner, former Selectman Bill Skelley, also owns the building, 130 Trapelo Road in Cushing Square, where the business was located for more than five years.

.html"We need more space," Skelley said in his office, a few days before the move.

But why New Hampshire?

$175,000: Amount of Money that Congressman Bass has taken from Health Insurance Companies.
0: Bass votes this week in support of New Hampshirites living with diabetes.

Washington, D.C. – This week, Congressman Charles Bass voted against protecting health care services for diabetes patients all across New Hampshire. Specifically, Bass voted to gut New Hampshire laws that require health insurance companies to provide coverage for diabetic services in New Hampshire and 45 other states.

Download the clip (7.80 MB).

The big news in Washington this week is that despite the White House's repeated denials, it looks like it was Karl Rove who illegally outed an undercover CIA agent -- in order to punish her husband for speaking out against the war in Iraq.

Take a look at this video from MSNBC's "Countdown" show, which chronicles video clips from Bush and White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan vowing to fire whoever leaked the information -- then getting put on the spot yesterday when it turns out it was Rove!

(The clip is 3 minutes long; be patient through the first 90 seconds as the anchor gives the background on the case)

With the end of the legislative session yesterday, Gov. John Lynch and House and Senate Democrats can look back at solid record of accomplishments. On issue after issue – ranging from health care to education to protecting the environment to building the economy, they built bipartisan coalitions this year to make real progress for the people of New Hampshire.

On Wednesday, Governor Lynch traveled to Boston with over 4,000 shipyard supporters, to speak at the Base Realignment and Closure Commission hearing in Boston.

.html"Community support has always been a key ingredient to the success of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Yesterday, the people of New Hampshire and Maine demonstrated just how committed they are to saving the shipyard," Gov. Lynch said.

Lynch stood with a bipartisan delegation of lawmakers from both Maine and New Hampshire, led by friend-of-W Senator Judd Gregg, in arguing "that the Department of Defense substantially deviated - by ignoring the Shipyard's proven record of efficiency, by ignoring its military value, by underestimating the costs of closing the Shipyard, and by ignoring the economic impact on New Hampshire - from its own criteria in recommending closing Portsmouth."

Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, considered a swing vote on the US Supreme Court announced her retirement today. Already Republican funded attack dog groups like the Progress Fund for America have begun to gear up a campaign to replace Justice O’Connor with a right-wing conservative in an attempt to overturn Roe v. Wade. Progress Fund for America has even retained consultants in New Hampshire to help them sell a conservative justice to Granite State voters.

CONCORD, NH -- This week, the Senate passed a long overdue apology for not outlawing lynchings in the &. 39, which sponsored by Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and George Allen (R-VA), was co-sponsored by eighty-five other Senators.

Below is a statement from State Representative Claire Clarke (D-Boscawen):

.html"As a person of color, I know this bill is an important first step towards healing the long shadow of slavery and discrimination that still hangs over our country. Out of one hundred Senators, only 13 refused to sponsor it. Frankly, I don't understand why both John Sununu and Judd Gregg chose to be in that small and hurtful minority.

Let's be clear - this is a good vote, but voting for it doesn't whitewash the records of politicians who have embraced hate and racism in their own lives.

I understand that Senator George Allen is to visit New Hampshire later
this month. I hope he will answer questions about why, according to the
Washington Post, he hung a noose outside his law office or a confederate
flag in his home. Does he think sponsorship of this bill absolves him of
his past actions?"

Allen plans to visit New Hampshire for a Republican fundraiser on June 25th.

According to the Washington Post, in past campaigns Allen has been criticized for "hanging a noose outside his law office, displaying a Confederate flag in his home and proclaiming a Confederate History Month while governor." (Washington Post, 6/11/05)

CONCORD, NH – Senator Tom Eaton’s plan to hike the price of EZ Pass transponders and abruptly eliminate tokens will cost the typical New Hampshire family $264 in additional costs next year alone, according to a report released today.

Coinciding with the report, the New Hampshire Democratic Party launched an online petition urging Eaton to abandon his push to hike prices.

After voting in favor of Tom Delay’s bid to deadlock the House Ethics Committee in January, Congressman Bass and Congressman Bradley both caved under public pressure and switched their votes last night – but only after Delay gave them permission to do so.

Neither Congressman has condemned Delay for the numerous scandals that have overtaken Washington in recent months.

With the emergence of today's information-age global economy, American businesses and workers have been confronted by new and bigger challenges. They are faced with increasing economic volatility: the possibility of great rewards and the threat of tremendous loss.

While some state and local officials have simply reacted to big economic trends, others have recognized the public sector's responsibility to shape change in a positive direction.

In New Hampshire, for example, newly elected Gov. John Lynch has launched a series of initiatives to organize and promote new resources aimed at reinvigorating the state&.

The Bipartisan Plan for Educational Excellence meets the state’s responsibility to ensure that every child in every community has the opportunity for a quality education.

Bringing People Together for a Lasting School Funding Solution: Gov. Lynch showed leadership and kept his promise, bringing together Republicans and Democrats to present a sustainable and lasting solution to school funding. This plan will meet the state’s responsibility to ensure that every child in every community has the opportunity for a quality education.

Gov. John Lynch and a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers today presented a lasting solution to school funding that will provide more help to the communities that need it most.

The sponsors are: Rep. Jim Craig, Democratic Leader of the House, Rep. Ken Weyler, Republican Deputy Speaker, Rep. Sharon Nordgren, Democrat from Hanover, Rep. Liz Hager, the Republican vice chair of the Finance Committee, Sen. Bob Odell, Republican of Lempster, Sen. Lou D&. John Gallus, Republican of Berlin, and Sen. Joe Foster, Democrat of Nashua.

All four of New Hampshire’s Democratic National Committee (DNC) members have pledged their support to Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean in his race for DNC Chair, citing his commitment to strengthening the party’s grassroots and his strong support for maintaining New Hampshire’s first in the nation presidential primary. The DNC will elect its new Chair on February 12, 2005 in Washington, D.C.