ICYMI: Chris Sununu Sidelined Public Health Officials For Trump Rally, Putting Granite Staters’ Lives At Risk

The explosive results of a records request shows New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, a self-proclaimed “Trump guy through and through”, sidelined public health officials and allowed Trump to plan a large rally in his state without consulting the state health department.

While other large events consulted with state health officials, Sununu permitted the Trump campaign to make their own rules and endanger the lives of Granite Staters.

Dr. Benjamin Chan, the state’s epidemiologist, had not been in contact with the Trump campaign about the rally. And a representative from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services said he had no public health records related to the rally.

It’s clear Sununu gave Trump special treatment and did not require the Trump campaign to work with state health officials on the rally – the potential superspreader event was expected to have zero mask requirements or social distancing measures. The reason the Trump campaign picked New Hampshire in the first place is because Democratic governors wouldn’t bend public health orders for a superspreader rally. It’s apparently common knowledge that Sununu would place his allegiance to Trump over the lives of his constituents.

Read more about Sununu’s move to sideline public health officials below:

Patch: Right-To-Know Request About NH Trump Rally Leads To ‘No Records’

A public records request for communications between state health officials and the Donald Trump for President re-election campaign concerning a Portsmouth rally that was booked but later canceled led to no records released, according to state Democrats.

Ray Buckley, the chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, made the request July 21 after hearing Dr. Benjamin Chan, the state’s epidemiologist, speak during a press conference and say he had not been in contact with the campaign about the rally — even though he had worked on other public health guidance for events like the Foxwoods 301 at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway as well as Laconia Bike Week. The party’s RSA 91-A request included any emails, text messages, and documents between Commissioner Lori Shibinette and any agency staffers related to “any public health considerations or conversations” about the rally which was originally booked for July 11 but canceled due to the trajectory of Tropical Storm Fay. Buckley said the request was being made because there was concern the Trump campaign was making its own rules — at the expense of the health and safety of attendees from New Hampshire and potential other states, and wondered why the rally would even be allowed.

John Martin, the deputy chief legal counsel for the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Legal and Regulatory Services, told Buckley Thursday there was nothing to give him.

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Michael Beyer, a spokesman for the party, said the lack of interaction between state health officials and the campaign showed “Sununu sidelined public health officials to appease Trump and put the health and safety of Granite Staters at risk.” He added, “Instead of putting public health first in the middle of a pandemic, it’s clear that ‘Trump guy through and through,’ Chris Sununu put his allegiance to Trump ahead of New Hampshire.”