The New Hampshire Republican Party is calling foul on Democrat-aligned groups ahead of Election Day, alleging in a complaint filed with Attorney General John Formella that a last-minute blast of anti-Republican campaign mailers illegally withheld the name of the funding source.
In a separate complaint, the party alleges that several “Republicans for Harris” signs have popped up on public property in Walpole which also lack “paid for” disclaimers, in violation of New Hampshire law.
“We need transparency,” NHGOP Chairman Chris Ager said Sunday.
Ager claimed the situation is “similar to 2022, when a Pelosi-linked PAC paid a $40,000 settlement for hiding the funding source of mailers in the GOP primary.”
The 2022 incident, in which illegal anonymous mailings aimed at affecting the Second Congressional GOP primary successfully found their way to Republican voters’ mailboxes, was first reported by NHJournal.
Formella’s investigation later linked those illegal mailers to a top congressional Democratic campaign committee with close ties to then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The scheme was part of a larger operation by Democrats to boost the primary campaigns of GOP candidates they viewed as easier to defeat in the general election.
In August, Formella announced the direct mail firm involved in the CD-02 GOP primary scheme, Deliver Strategies of Arlington, Va., agreed to pay a $40,000 fine.
“Voters are rightfully concerned about the Democrat Party’s dishonest and attempts to undermine our elections,” Ager said at the time. “We won’t let that happen again in November.”
Fast-forward to Sunday — according to a copy of the complaint, the pro-Democrat group behind the mailers was identified through the bulk mail permit printed on the materials.
The owner of the permit, the Pivot Group, boasts on its webpage that it’s “proud to be one of the only Democratic direct mail firms to offer an in-house analytics department.”
The mailers target GOP state lawmakers over abortion legislation.
“Republicans in the Legislature tried to limit reproductive health care 10 times,” the mailer, a copy of which was obtained by NHJournal, blares in all-capital letters. “New Hampshire needs leaders who fight for our reproductive freedom.”
The mailers contain no information identifying the funding source, as required under state election law.
“New Hampshire RSA 664:14 requires that all political advertising must be signed with the name and physical or mailing address of a person responsible for the advertising,” the state Department of Justice website states.
“This failure to disclose the source of the political advertising misleads recipients by concealing its true sponsor and undermines transparency in our electoral process,” Ager’s complaint states. “I respectfully request that your office issue a cease and desist letter to The Pivot Group, ensuring that they comply with New Hampshire’s disclosure requirements in future political advertising.
“Additionally, I ask that your office consider imposing any financial penalties deemed appropriate for this infraction.”
Ager’s second complaint alleges that political signs promoting “Republicans for Harris 2024” were spotted adjacent to the Walpole public works transfer station and along an entrance to a local shopping plaza.
“Similarly, there are no markings on the signs designating who paid for these,” Ager stated in his complaint. “I request that the town of Walpole be informed that the signs are in violation of state law and should be removed from public property.”
A spokesman for the NHDOJ could not be reached for comment Sunday evening.
The Pivot Group did not respond to a request for comment.
