twitter facebook flickr

3/8/2010

NHGOP Demands House Dems Call For Ethics Investigation Of Eaton

Dem House Majority Floor Leader’s Intrusion Into Liquor Commission Probe Raises Serious Ethical Questions

CONCORD –  The New Hampshire Republican State Committee called on House Speaker Terie Norelli to ask the Legislative Ethics Committee to investigate whether Representative Daniel Eaton (D-Stoddard) violated ethics guidelines when he allegedly interfered with a State Liquor Commission investigation. The NHGOP also demanded that Speaker Norelli immediately remove Representative Eaton from his House Leadership position pending the outcome of an ongoing criminal investigation into the same incident being conducted by the New Hampshire Attorney General’s office.
 
“The allegations made against Representative Eaton are serious and raise concerns that he may have abused his office by trying to influence a State Liquor Commission investigation on behalf of a political ally. Representative Eaton’s actions have called into question the ethical standards of the House Democrat Leadership and impaired his ability to successfully discharge his duties as House Majority Floor Leader,” said NHGOP Communications Director Ryan Williams. “In order to preserve the integrity of the New Hampshire House of Representatives, Speaker Norelli must remove Representative Eaton from his leadership position and immediately call for an ethics investigation into his dubious actions.”
 
According to a report in The Union Leader (3/6), New Hampshire State Liquor Commission Enforcement Director Eddie Edwards claims that Representative Eaton tried to “stymie” an investigation of a Keene tavern owned by one of his political allies. Jerry Flynn, Executive Director of the New England Benevolent Association backed up Mr. Edwards’ accusations, claiming that Mr. Eaton “harassed” two state liquor inspectors that went to the bar and “made it very well know that he was a high-ranking public elected official.”

The Nashua Telegraph (3/5) also confirms that Representative Eaton intruded into the Liquor Commission probe when he participated in a clandestine meeting with the tavern owner and Commission Chairman Mark Bodi.
 
According to Legislative Ethics Guidelines, New Hampshire legislators are prohibited from “threaten[ing] reprisals or promis[ing] inducements of any kind to influence another so as to obtain special personal benefits for the legislator, the legislator's immediate family, or for certain constituents which would not be available to others under similar conditions.”  They are also barred from “conduct[ing] private negotiations with any governmental agency in an attempt to obtain a decision on a pending matter which would result in special personal benefit to the legislator, to the legislator's immediate family, or to certain constituents which would not be available to others under similar conditions.”
 
Representative Eaton’s alleged “harassment” of Liquor Commission inspectors and his secret meeting with Commissioner Bodi during his department’s investigation raises serious questions about whether he violated these ethical guidelines.