AG's office fields questions about Belknap GOP's campaign finances

The New Hampshire Secretary of State’s Office has no record of the Belknap County Republican Committee's campaign finance registration for the 2022 election cycle, something the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office says it will address during a regular annual review.

A citizen recently raised questions with the AG’s office about whether the committee complied with campaign finance law during this year’s midterms. The AG's office is in the midst of conducting a regular review of campaign finance registrations.

“We routinely review campaign finance filings for compliance,” said Michael Garrity, director of communications and legislative affairs for the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, in written communication with The Daily Sun on Wednesday afternoon. “While the Belknap County Republican Committee was brought to our attention, we review all campaign filings in the regular course and will review this one in a similar manner.” 

Garrity did not describe the review as an investigation and the AG’s office has not put out any release regarding the Belknap group.

No formal complaints have been filed against the committee with the AG’s Election Law Unit, Garrity said.

“Our office fielded questions, which referenced the committee, regarding requirements for campaign finance requirements,” Garrity continued when asked about how the BCRC came to the office’s attention. “Our review is ongoing.”

Campaign finance records show the BCRC registered in the 2016, 2018 and 2020 cycles.

Rep. Tim Lang (R–Tilton), incoming state senator serving District 2, said he had raised the issue of the BCRC not having registered with its executive committee, who, according to Lang, responded that they would not be filing. Lang also said he confirmed with the state that party committees must register, but emphasized that he has not filed a complaint and was unaware of a formal complaint being filed.

Outgoing Rep. Norm Silber of Gilford, who was defeated in primary elections, chairs the BCRC. Rep. Paul Terry of Alton is the vice chair, David Strang of Gilmanton is treasurer and Priscilla Bean of Gilford is secretary. Marc Abear of Gilford sits on the executive committee as a member-at-large.

Silber did not respond to a request for comment. 

In an interview, Terry said that Lang’s account was “substantially correct” but characterized it as “lacking important context.”

“The BCRC believes it is fully compliant with state campaign finance law,” Terry said. “This is not a determination that was made by the BCRC without consulting the Secretary of State's office.” Terry clarified that he was not sure if that consultation, made by Strang, was through a personal interaction with the office or through a study of its written guidance.

He added that the executive committee had not met to discuss allegations of its noncompliance but planned to do so within 48 hours.

RSA 664:6 states that “Any political committee whose receipts or expenditures exceed $1,000 shall file with the secretary of state an itemized statement in the form prescribed by the secretary of state.” A statement of expenditures must “be received by the secretary of state not later than 48 hours after such expenditures are made.”

According to Lang, the BCRC informed members at its Nov. 9 meeting that it had spent $9,300 during the campaign cycle.

Terry confirmed that the treasurer, Strang, had disclosed to the membership the amount the BCRC had spent supporting Republican candidates in the 2022 cycle but could not confirm the sum. Strang could not be reached to confirm the amount. 

Per state campaign finance records, the BCRC contributed to the campaigns of Silber, Terry, former Rep. John Plumer, a candidate in the Republican primary for state Senate District 2, and Rep. Dawn Johnson, who was defeated in the general election. Each reported receiving $1,000 from the committee this election cycle.

The BCRC has seen factional division since members of the Belknap County Delegation divided over events at Gunstock Mountain Resort over the summer and several Republican representatives — falling on both sides of the dispute — were defeated in their reelection bids. 

Several candidates — including Lang as well as Reps. Mike Bordes (R-Laconia) and Gregg Hough (R-Laconia) — who fell on an opposing side of the Gunstock dispute from Terry, Silber and Strang, have accused the executive committee of dividing local Republicans and only supporting their preferred candidates. Criticism of the current executive committee’s leadership has been growing since the fall elections, and new BCRC officers will be elected near the turn of the year.

Editor's note: this story was updated to include that Silber and Johnson reported receiving a campaign donation from the BCRC.