The New Hampshire House has voted to empower a legislative committee to review online comments made by two state reps. Republican Robert Fisher of Laconia is under scrutiny for posts on a misogynistic Reddit forum; Democrat Sherry Frost of Dover for tweets.
Fisher’s posts denigrating women, including one where he wrote that rape was not “an absolute bad” prompted Governor Sununu to seek his resignation.
Frost’s tweets, including one where she said terrorists are “mostly white Christian men” have angered Republicans. That lawmakers would vote to review any reps social media posts is unusual. Before the house did so, Democratic rep Jackie Cilley said any suggestion that Frost’s posts are of similar concern as Fisher’s was over the top.
“I would like to just point out that I think this is an absolute false equivalency.”
Many in the house appeared to agree - the vote to add Frost to the inquiry passed by just two votes. But once she was added, the bill cleared the house with ease.
“There having been 307 votes in the affirmative and 56 in the negative, the motion is adopted.”
Outside the chamber, where a few protestors held anti-Fisher signs, Republican rep Al Baldasaro told Democrats that policing Fisher’s speech, without any evidence of a crime, was going too far.
“Did he rape somebody, did he go and kill somebody?”
Neither of the lawmakers at the center of the controversy are prominent in Concord. But both seemed confident the matters will be resolved . Fisher says he expects to be absolved quickly.
“Yes absolutely, because I think the truth will be out at the hearing.
Sherry Frost, meanwhile, says she has no regret over her tweets and isn’t too anxious about where she now finds herself.
“I’m not particularly concerned. Everything I’ve said I has been out in the open. I advocate for people with less privilege than me, I do my job.”
The house committee looking into their posts will start doing its job Tuesday. House leaders say the scope of review will be limited to posts or comments Fisher and Frost have made during this legislative term.
The committee has until June 1st to report back to the full house with recommendations.
