New Hampshire Attorney General Issues Cease-and-Desist Letter to DNC Over Primary Labeling
ICARO Media Group
In a significant development, the New Hampshire attorney general's office has sent a cease-and-desist letter to the National Democratic Committee (DNC) for violating state law by calling the upcoming presidential primary "meaningless." The letter, sent by the DNC's Rules & Bylaws Committee to the New Hampshire Democratic Party, urged them to inform the public that the January 23 primary is nonbinding and should be treated as insignificant.
The attorney general's office contends that this communication constitutes an attempt to deter or prevent New Hampshire voters from participating in the primary election, thus violating state election laws. They strongly refute the notion that the primary is inconsequential and emphasized that the statements made by the Rules & Bylaws Committee are false, deceptive, and misleading.
The DNC had previously put pressure on New Hampshire and the state Democratic Party to relinquish its first-in-the-nation primary status, proposing a plan to move South Carolina to the front of the primary process. However, both Democratic and Republican leaders in the state rejected this proposal, asserting that state law mandates holding the presidential primary at least seven days before any similar election.
According to the DNC's letter, no delegates will be allocated based on the January 23 primary, consistently referring to it simply as "an event." This elicited a strong response from Ray Buckley, chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, who expressed that the DNC is less popular than the New York Yankees in the state. He affirmed that the primary holds considerable significance according to state law, and it will be conducted accordingly by the New Hampshire Secretary of State.
Governor Chris Sununu weighed in on the matter, expressing his disapproval of the DNC's attempt to undermine New Hampshire's primary status. He criticized the DNC and Joe Biden, suggesting that they labeled the primary as "meaningless" due to concerns over potential embarrassment that Biden might face. Nevertheless, Sununu expressed confidence in New Hampshire voters who have historically defied national expectations, stating that this year would be no different.
As a response, the attorney general's office has ordered the DNC to immediately cease any conduct that violates state election law. It remains to be seen how the DNC will respond to this cease-and-desist letter and whether it will impact the perception and participation in the New Hampshire presidential primary.
The New Hampshire primary traditionally holds immense significance as the first major nominating contest in the presidential election cycle. It serves as a vital battleground to gauge the candidates' viability and shape the narrative surrounding the race. As the January 23 primary approaches, the attention will remain focused on New Hampshire, where voters will have the opportunity to shape the course of the Democratic nomination process.
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