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Her budget speech may have been focused on fiscal issues like education funding and spending cuts, but it was Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s comments on bail reform that’s created the most conversation — and backlash.

Ayotte used part of her speech Thursday to decry a stabbing in downtown Manchester in which the suspect had been released on personal recognizance.

“What happened in Manchester last Friday night is completely unbelievable, when an individual accused of repeatedly stabbing a complete stranger, and who has a prior conviction for domestic violence, is allowed to walk free by a magistrate. I cannot emphasize this enough,” Ayotte told the state legislators listening to her speech in the House chamber. “Send me legislation to fix this once and for all.”

A few hours later, those same House members debated a proposal to consider impeaching Magistrate Stephanie Johnson, who allowed suspect Kyle Bisson, 26, to go free. Rep. Buzz Scherr (D-Portsmouth) spoke on the floor in defense of both the suspect and the decision.

Scherr described the incident surrounding the stabbing as a “tussle” and claimed both Bisson and his alleged victim could be seen as at fault. According to Scherr, the victim also had a knife and struck first in the fracas, leaving Bisson to defend himself as best he could.

“This is not the horror that people that we know made it to be. This is a simple fight between two people instigated by the alleged victim,” Scherr said. 

Scherr is an outspoken supporter of “decarceration” efforts, with the goal of keeping people out of jail if possible. In a recent op-ed, Scherr dismissed stories of violent offenders who reoffended after being released rather than held on bail as mere “seductive anecdotes.”

However, the Manchester Police report filed in court conflicts with Scherr’s version of the stabbing. According to police, the victim, who was not armed, was stabbed between nine and 13 times by Bisson. While the victim tried to run away, Bisson is seen on surveillance video chasing the man, brandishing his knife, according to the report.

Bison did end up with a stab wound to his chest, likely the result of an accidental self-stabbing, he told police. 

While the alleged victim did claim to have a knife, and did swing first after a verbal altercation with Bisson, he told police he did both actions to scare off the armed Bisson. Bisson is seen on video taking out his knife, dropping it in the snow, and picking it up again in order to stab the victim, according to the report.

After the assault, Bisson walked off, throwing away the knife and his jacket, according to the report. He told police he did not want to be seen and deal with the police inquiry. 

Ayotte and other New Hampshire Republicans were stunned by the response from some defenders of the current bail law to this incident. During a WMUR interview that aired Sunday, Ayotte said it’s time for legislators opposed to reversing the failed bail reform effort to stop blaming victims and police.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Ayotte said of Scherr’s comments. “That is part of the problem. They’re trying to protect their own bad votes.”

“Why are you trying to defend people who committed harm?” Ayotte added.

Mayor Jay Ruais was also outraged by Bisson’s release and the response, saying the assault is a perfect illustration of the current bail law’s failure.

“On what planet is it considered acceptable to stab another human being at least 9 times, then be released back out onto our streets? This is unconscionable. Our police, our residents, and our visitors are put at risk when criminals like this continue to be released, and it has to stop,” Ruais said.

Joa Orga, aka Joe Hart, the Libertarian activist accused of assaulting GOP Senate candidate Don Bolduc Wednesday night, is banned from St. Anselm College property and facing charges of criminal trespass and disorderly conduct. 

“He hit me,” Bolduc is seen saying in a video that captured the brief interaction with Orga.

The incident took place as Bolduc was greeting supporters ahead of his debate with Democratic incumbent Sen. Maggie Hassan. At least one fellow Libertarian says Orga never touched Bolduc.

Goffstown police stated Thursday that Orga, 37, had been told to leave the property by college staff before Bolduc arrived at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics for the debate. Witnesses told NH Journal Orga was seen shouting obscenities and making bizarre statements before Bolduc got there.

Libertarian activist Ian Freeman released videos late Wednesday disputing the narrative that Orga assaulted Bolduc, as Bolduc and at least one other witness claim.

“The guy came at Gen. Bolduc in a threatening way, and he chest bumped or pushed Gen. Bolduc,” said Chris Ager, chairman of the Hillsborough County GOP Committee.

The videos showed Orga, holding what appeared to be a cell phone on a selfie stick, moving quickly toward Bolduc. In a quick sequence of events, Orga made some type of movement before Hillsborough County GOP Chair Chris Ager and another man moved to get Orga away from Bolduc. Police, already circling the area, quickly descended on the group and separated everyone. Bolduc was seen pointing at Orga and saying he was hit.

Bolduc later told a staffer the blow “glanced off” him. He also mentioned it during the debate, in response to a question about political violence and the recent attack on the husband of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

“I am really sorry for what happened to the Speaker’s husband,” Bolduc said. “Nobody should have that happen to them anywhere in America. But it’s a sign of the times. It’s a sign of political problems. Republicans and Democrats fuel issues with people that get them to the point where they are just so upset at an individual that they strike out at them. That’s what happened to me outside, just before I came in here.”

Freeman says Bolduc is lying about the incident, and that Orga never assaulted him. The videos do not show Orga throwing a punch.

“The campaign and Bolduc himself are lying. Joa never threw a punch nor did he even try to touch Bolduc. He did approach him and yell at him about being a warmonger, that’s it,” Freeman said.

Freeman is no stranger to law enforcement. He is currently heading to trial on dozens of federal charges accusing him of money laundering and wire fraud. Freeman was, on paper, kicked out of the Free State Project in 2014 after he repeatedly advocated for lowering the age of consent laws. Despite that public disavowal, Freeman is a frequent presence at Free State Project functions. He was an invited speaker at this year’s Free State Project annual PorcFest.

Orga, a self-described police auditor, has a history of negative interactions with law enforcement. In 2019 he was arrested inside the Worcester, Mass. police station for allegedly being disruptive while filming police. That same year he allegedly cyber-stalked the wife of a Rhode Island police officer after the officer stopped him for a traffic violation.

Orga is free on personal recognizance bail and will be arraigned on Dec. 1 at the Goffstown District Court. The incident remains under investigation and Goffstown police ask anyone with additional information to contact Detective Sergeant Kevin Laroche at (603) 497-4858.

A New Hampshire Libertarian Party activist reportedly assaulted GOP Senate candidate Don Bolduc Wednesday night outside the New Hampshire Institute of Politics moments before his debate with Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan.

“The guy came at Gen. Bolduc in a threatening way, and he chest bumped or pushed Gen. Bolduc,” said Chris Ager, chairman of the Hillsborough County GOP Committee.

Ager was in the crowd Wednesday night with Republican and Democratic activists cheering their candidates in the parking lot at the NHIOP at Saint Anselm College. Bolduc arrived and was working the crowd when he was suddenly assaulted.

In a video, Bolduc was seen interacting with his supporters, laughing and cheering when he got to an area where Libertarian protestors had gathered. A man was seen approaching Bolduc, standing close to the candidate and making some kind of motion.

“It happened pretty quickly, he was approaching him in a threatening way, and it appeared he did push into Gen. Bolduc,” Ager said. “I believed it was a threat to the General because of his erratic behavior before that.”

Ager said the man was shouting obscenities before Bolduc arrived and acting in a threatening and unsettling manner.

“He was saying irrational things before the encounter and using a lot of foul language,” Ager said. “He earlier had to be separated from another gentleman when he got into a confrontation.”

Ager is seen in the video rushing out of the crowd and pushing into the man. They were quickly separated by police. Bolduc did not appear hurt during the encounter. He resumed leading cheers with the crowd after the incident.

Ager said the man continued to be loud and confrontational with police after he was separated from Bolduc. He was later taken into custody, according to sources at the scene. The man could be seen in the video handcuffed and being led away by police.

Sources tell NH Journal the suspect is Libertarian activist Joseph Hart/AKA Joa Orga. Orga has a reported history of confrontations with police that include allegations of stalking behavior.

Goffstown police were unable to comment on the incident Wednesday night. Neil Levesque, the NHIOP executive director, did not respond to a request for comment.

Griffin Mackey was in the crowd supporting Bolduc. He told NHJournal the assailant was “relentlessly heckling Bolduc supporters across the street from him. Throughout the night, I saw him become angrier and angrier.

“Don was greeting his supporters and firing up the crowd when I saw this man start running aggressively towards him from across the street.

“We were relieved when we saw Don approaching us after we witnessed the police arresting his attacker,” Mackey added. “It was ironic to see a self-proclaimed pacifist attacking a veteran.”

Bolduc later told a staffer the blow “glanced off” him. He also mentioned it during the debate, in response to a question about political violence and the recent attack on the husband of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

“I am really sorry for what happened to the Speaker’s husband,” Bolduc said. “Nobody should have that happen to them anywhere in America. But it’s a sign of the times. It’s a sign of political problems. Republicans and Democrats fuel issues with people that get them to the point where they are just so upset at an individual that they strike out at them. That’s what happened to me outside, just before I came in here.”

Ager said the incident is out of the ordinary for political crowds he has been in, and that it was a case of an individual acting irresponsibly.

“This is very unusual. Between the Republicans and Democrats, we understand, we have different opinions, but we can be civil,” Ager said.