Kelly Ayotte Stands By State Lawmaker Whose Misconduct “Resulted In Several Drug Cases Being Dropped”

Kelly Ayotte Stands By State Lawmaker Whose Misconduct “Resulted In Several Drug Cases Being Dropped” 

Former U.S. Senator and Republican candidate for governor Kelly Ayotte’s “tough on crime” rhetoric is under yet more scrutiny after a new report from InDepthNH reveals state Rep. Jon Stone – whose endorsement Ayotte has refused to renounce – was responsible for “several drug cases being dropped” after he “was fired… for threatening to kill then-Claremont Police Chief Alex Scott, and threatening to sexually assault Scott’s wife and children and commit a mass shooting at the police station.” 

According to InDepthNH, “Stone’s work was critical to Operation Summer Sizzle, a major anti-drug trafficking operation in Sullivan County that saw numerous arrests months before he was fired. However…between five and six of the Summer Sizzle defendants had their charges nolle prossed, or dropped.” Given Stone’s involvement, Sullivan County Attorney Marc Hathaway claimed the cases “would likely not survive going to trial given the internal affairs reports that had to be disclosed to defense attorneys as potentially exculpatory evidence, or evidence favorable to the defendant.”

After Stone’s threats against police officers and families were revealed, Ayotte was asked by WMUR’s CloseUp host Adam Sexton if she would continue “standing by” Stone’s endorsement of her campaign for governor — to which she refused to answer. Since then, Ayotte has continued to tout his name on her endorsement page and social media.

The Boston Globe has also reported that Ayotte would likely have known about the incident with Stone long before accepting his endorsement, since, as Attorney General, Ayotte “served on the Police Standards & Training Council,” which works to “shape, sustain and strengthen the competency and professionalism of New Hampshire law enforcement.” According to the Globe, Ayotte’s “spokespeople did not respond to questions about whether authorities took adequate steps in 2006 and 2007 to hold Stone accountable.”

“Kelly Ayotte is a self-serving politician who will do and say anything to get elected, including standing with violent extremists like Rep. Jon Stone, who put the lives of police officers and Granite State families at risk, and whose misconduct resulted in criminals getting returned to the streets to keep bringing illegal drugs into New Hampshire communities,” said DGA States Press Secretary Emma O’Brien. “Granite Staters cannot trust Kelly Ayotte to keep them safe while she continues to let Stone’s violent rhetoric and misconduct slide. Ayotte must renounce Stone’s endorsement of her campaign once and for all.”

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