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Indicted judge: N.H. Supreme Court chief justice said meeting with governor seemed appropriate – The Boston Globe

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Indicted judge: N.H. Supreme Court chief justice said meeting with governor seemed appropriate – The Boston Globe


CONCORD, N.H. — An associate justice on the New Hampshire Supreme Court who was indicted last week over a conversation she had with Governor Christopher T. Sununu said in a court filing Wednesday that the chief justice told her in advance it would be acceptable for her to meet with Sununu.

Associate Justice Anna Barbara Hantz Marconi is facing felony and misdemeanor charges for allegedly telling Sununu on or about June 6 that an investigation by the attorney general’s office into her husband was meritless and needed to wrap up quickly because she had recused herself from important pending cases.

New Hampshire Supreme Court Associate Justice Anna Barbara “Bobbie” Hantz MarconiState of New Hampshire

Hantz Marconi, 68, said she communicated with Chief Justice Gordon J. MacDonald ahead of time about her desire to request a meeting with Sununu, and MacDonald signaled doing so seemed appropriate.

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“I think you can do that,” MacDonald said, according to Hantz Marconi’s recollection relayed in her court filing. “You are a constituent and have concerns.”

Hantz Marconi called on MacDonald to recuse himself from a disciplinary proceeding against her, saying he would clearly be a witness in her criminal case based on their prior conversation.

The office that oversees attorney disciplinary matters advised the Supreme Court on Monday to suspend Hantz Marconi’s license to practice law immediately, and she responded Wednesday by voluntarily accepting the suspension while continuing to deny the charges.

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“She maintains her innocence,” attorneys Richard Guerriero and Oliver Bloom wrote in her response. “Nonetheless, she recognizes that a temporary suspension of her right to practice law is appropriate during her administrative leave while the criminal case is pending.”

Without addressing the particulars of Hantz Marconi’s motion, MacDonald and the other three justices — Senior Associate Justice James P. Bassett, Associate Justice Patrick E. Donovan, and Associate Justice Melissa B. Countway — all recused themselves Wednesday, citing their desire to avoid adjudicating the conduct of a current colleague.

“Our recusal is conditioned upon the availability of substitute justices to participate in this case,” they noted. “In the event that substitute justices are not available, the ‘rule of necessity’ may compel our participation.”

Under the relevant state law, the chief justice or senior associate justice may assign a retired judge to fill a vacancy temporarily. If a retired Supreme Court justice is unavailable, they can assign a retired Superior Court judge. If that’s not possible, they can appoint a current Superior Court judge. If there is still no one available, they can select from the current district and probate court judges.

It was not immediately clear who might be on the clerk’s list of judges willing to serve temporarily as Supreme Court justices.

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Spokespeople for the New Hampshire Supreme Court and the New Hampshire Department of Justice declined to comment on Hantz Marconi’s filing.

Geno J. Marconi, Hantz Marconi’s husband, was indicted Thursday by a grand jury on felony witness tampering and other charges. Marconi is the director of the New Hampshire Port Authority.


Steven Porter can be reached at steven.porter@globe.com. Follow him @reporterporter.





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New Hampshire

NH attorney general clears top Democratic official of ‘electioneering’ charge

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NH attorney general clears top Democratic official of ‘electioneering’ charge


The New Hampshire Attorney General’s office has concluded that Executive Councilor Karen Liot Hill did nothing wrong when she used her government email to assist a law firm that was suing the state over its voter ID law.

Assistant Attorney General Brendan O’Donnell wrote that Liot Hill’s use of her state email to assist a national Democratic law firm find plaintiffs didn’t amount to “electioneering” under state law.

The state Republican party alleged in August that Liot Hill — the only Democrat on the five-member Executive Council — misused her position by involving herself in a lawsuit against the state.

From the start, Liot Hill called that claim baseless, and the Attorney General’s office said Liot Hill’s conduct didn’t warrant sanction.

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“This Office cannot conclude that the e-mails constituted a misuse of position or otherwise violated the executive branch ethics code. This matter is closed,” the office wrote.

In a statement Friday, Liot Hill, from Lebanon, welcomed the conclusion of the case.

“The AG’s findings underscore the partisan nature of the ongoing attacks against me: I am being impeached not for wrong-doing, but for being a Democrat,” she said.

The lawsuit challenging New Hampshire’s voter ID recently failed in state court. But this issue may not yet be over: A top House Republican has filed a bill to explore Liot Hill’s impeachment next year.

As the lone Democrat on the Executive Council, Liot Hill is her party’s ranking member in the State House. That profile has made Liot Hill, who spent two decades in local politics before winning election to the council last year, a regular target for Republicans, who argue that her approach to the job, which she says honors the state’s volunteer spirit, has crossed ethical lines.

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The New Hampshire Republican Party did not immediately respond to a request for comment to the Attorney General report Friday afternoon.





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New Hampshire

Who makes the best Chinese food in New Hampshire?

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Who makes the best Chinese food in New Hampshire?


This week, we’re in the mood for tasty Chinese food. But where can you find the best Chinese food in New Hampshire? Which restaurant is your go-to place when you’ve got a craving? No national chains, please! Click the link to vote — votes in the comments will not be counted.



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New Hampshire

Police: Brown Univ. shooting suspect identified, found dead in New Hampshire

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Police: Brown Univ. shooting suspect identified, found dead in New Hampshire


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NBC News Channel

Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez identified Claudio Manuel Nueves Valente, 48, as the person of interest in the Brown University mass shooting. Nueves, a Portuguese national and student, was found deceased in a New Hampshire storage facility from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

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