State Representative James Spillane after his arrest for DUI in 2017. (Still wearing his giant NH House name badge.)
It was only a week ago that a NH House Republican made national news. Last week State Representative Robert Forsyth was charged with felony domestic violence. House Minority Leader Dick Hinch did his best to protect Forsythe, but after the governor called on Forsythe to resign, there was no saving him. Forsythe resigned.
When NH House Republicans make national news, it's never because they've done something that is a credit to their office or the state.
This week, a different NH House Republican is making national news. Rep. James Spillane seems to generate a newsworthy event every year. This year, it's about Black Lives Matter. From Josh Rogers at NHPR:
The New Hampshire Department of Justice is investigating Rep. James Spillane over a Facebook post in which the Deerfield lawmaker advocated for burning and looting houses displaying Black Lives Matter signs.
“Public Service Announcement,” Spillane wrote in the post from earlier this week. “If you see a BLM sign on a lawn, it’s the same as having a porch light on at Halloween. You are free to burn and loot that house.” As of Thursday afternoon, the post appears to have been deleted from Spillane’s page.
Predictably, the House Minority Leader defends his wayward lad:
House Minority Leader Dick Hinch says the language in Deerfield Rep. James Spillane’s now-deleted post was inexcusable, but Hinch told WMUR he also trusts Spillane ”meant no harm.”
Last year Spillane made the news for tweeting out a photo of a squirrel he shot with a .50 caliber muzzleloader. As one might expect, the photo was quite gory, and Spillane was quite boastful.
Dave Solomon at the Union Leader:
Twitter immediately exploded with outrage that caught the attention of Fish and Game officers, who paid Spillane a visit last week and issued a warning, as reported in Thursday’s New Hampshire Union Leader.
“In light of the warning Rep. Spillane received from the Fish and Game Department due to his recent conduct we felt it was inappropriate for him to remain on the Fish and Game Committee and have removed him from his committee position,” Shurtleff announced in a statement released on Friday afternoon.
The move drew immediate criticism from House Republican leader Rep. Dick Hinch, R-Merrimack.
“Removing Rep. Spillane from the Fish and Game committee for a minor infraction is heavy-handed and I’m disappointed that the Speaker chose to take this action,” he said.
As always, Spillane's first instinct is to behave badly. As always, Dick Hinch's first instinct is to cosset Spillane, and protect him. He wasn't upset with Spillane - he was upset with the Speaker for taking away Spillane's committee assignment.
In 2017, Spillane was arrested for DUI. Alyssa Dandrea for the Concord Monitor:
James Spillane, a third-term Republican legislator, was arrested May 4 and charged with two counts of driving while intoxicated. He also faces open container and yellow line violations.
This wasn't Spillane's first rodeo. His first DUI arrest included strangling his wife and the confiscation of 20 guns from his house. Miscellany Blue .
One wonders why Hinch is so desperate to keep this loose cannon in the House, when he reflects so badly on the legislature and the state. Then one remembers that this kind of thing seldom results in any consequences for House Republicans. Governor Sununu has NOT spoken up to suggest Spillane resign. Domestic violence is bad, but casual racism and violence? No big deal. After all, Hinch trusts that he meant no harm.
Spillane's second DUI came after a jolly afternoon of drinking with some of his fellow legislators, including the former rape-resentative Robert "Red Pill" Fisher.
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