Kingsbury asks police to arrest 2 Laconia reps for violating Constitution

Published Date Written by Gail Ober

Kingsbury, a Republican who served one term representing Laconia in Concord, sat through an hour-long Laconia Police Commission meeting yesterday before making his request to arrest Rep. Beth Arsenault and retired Judge and Rep. David Huot.
He began his statements by reading portions of the New Hampshire Constitution, the United States Constitution and explaining to the commissioners how all police authority is local.
At one point Commission Chair Warren Clement asked Kingsbury what the constitution and the power of the police had to do with the meeting at hand. Kingsbury asked to be allowed to continue because he had knowledge pertaining to a violation of the law and after his speech he was going to ask the police to make an arrest.
Six of the 18 members of the Belknap County Delegation voted to reinstate the gun ban. They are Huot; Arsenault, Rep. Ruth Gulick (D- New Hampton), Rep. Lisa DiMartino (D-Gilford), Rep. Ian Raymond (D- Sanbornton) and Rep. Dennis Fields (R- Sanbornton). The measure passed by a vote of 196 to 153.
Presumably, Kingsbury only asked for the arrest of Huot and Arsenault because they live in Laconia — where the Laconia Police have jurisdiction.
Kingsbury was part of the Belknap County Delegation that voted to lift the ban in 2011, shortly after his election to the House.
He made national news in the summer of 2012 when he correlated kindergarten attendance with high crime rates.
Chief Chris Adams thanked Kingsbury for his comments and the commission adjourned the public portion of the meeting without further reaction.