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House votes to censure Spillane for online comments

House votes to censure Spillane for online comments

FILE - The New Hampshire statehouse is pictured, June 2, 2019, in Concord. Democrat Maggie Goodlander, a former senior White House aide with deep political connections, is running for Congress in her home state of New Hampshire. In a campaign announcement Thursday, May 9, 2024, she said she's running to take on bullies like right wing judges, extreme politicians and big corporations. Photo: Associated Press/AP Photo/Holly Ramer, File


MANCHESTER, N.H.- The New Hampshire House has voted to censure Rep.James Spillane, R-Deerfield, following comments he made online about his Democratic colleagues.

In a vote of 195 to 93 lawmakers voted to censure and punish Spillane, who also chairs the House Committee on Fish and Game and Marine Resources following a complaint filed against him by Reps. Timothy Horrigan, D-Durham, Paul Berch, D-Westmoreland, and Cathryn Harvey, D-Spofford.

According to complaint the incident began back in March when Spillane called Harvey a “liar” and when confronted about it, he called Rep. Horrigan “retarted ” and then proceeds to say that he had dropped acid in the 1960s and that his parents were cousins.

Following the complaint Spillane pushed back and said that the comments were not made in a serious matter or in his role as a legislator, or a committee chairman, and that they were protected under free speech.

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