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Sununu Auctions Copy Of His Paid Family Leave Veto At Republican Fundraiser

Screencap via YouTube

Governor Chris Sununu rallied Republicans on July 4th by playing auctioneer and selling off memorabilia of a veto.

At a time when the governor says he's eager to reach common ground with Democrats on the state budget, his message at a Republican breakfast in Wolfeboro was a departure.

"This is the veto of Senate Bill 1. You guys know what Senate Bill 1 was," Sununu said. 

What Sununu was selling was a copy of his veto message against paid family leave.

"$300 for the greatest veto of all time," he said.

Watch: Sununu auctions off copy of veto at July 4th fundraiser. 

Next up were the flags that flew at the State House.

"We now have the American flag that was flown over the State House on the same day as the greatest veto ever," he said, according to video footage of the event posted by the New Hampshire Democratic party https://youtu.be/cV-FaaNoUUU" target="_blank">on YouTube.

Sununu told the crowd that he expected to issue 40 more vetoes, before joking he would just veto everything.

A spokesman for the Democratic Party said Sununu's turn as auctioneer shows his tendency to serve the needs of the highest bidder.

A Sununu spokesman said the governor's participation in the auction was unplanned, and that Sununu had no role in supplying the copy of the veto message or the auctioned flags.

"If I auctioned off every bad piece of legislation passed by the Democrats, I could triple the states rainy day fund," Sununu said in a message sent to NHPR, "and I'm also available for Bingo nights."

State Rep Glen Cordelli of Tuftonboro, who came up with the idea to auction the veto message and flags, said attendees were proud of Sununu’s veto, and the auction was a “fun event.” Cordelli says the three items Sununu actioned netted the Winnipesaukee Republican Committee more than $1,000.

Josh has worked at NHPR since 2000.
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