A Republican state lawmaker in New Hampshire partnered with a notorious German Holocaust denier in an effort to insert Holocaust denial into the state’s public education guidelines.

Rep. Matt Sabourin dit Choinière successfully pushed the New Hampshire Commission on Holocaust and Genocide Education to hear testimony from Germar Rudolf, a German chemist who has previously been deported from the United States and served prison time in his home country for propagating Holocaust denial.

Two other Holocaust deniers also testified before the state House as a result of Sabourin dit Choinière’s efforts, including a man who grew up Jewish who has led protests outside a Michigan synagogue weekly for more than two decades. 

Sabourin dit Choinière’s antics were first reported Wednesday by NPR. But the push actually took place in public view, during a livestreamed meeting of the state House’s Executive Departments and Administration Committee in January.

During the meeting, Sabourin dit Choinière testified that he had visited Dachau and seen a gas chamber, then learned that no one was ever gassed at Dachau. (The Dachau historic site says the chamber’s lack of use “remains unexplained.” More than 40,000 people died at Dachau.)

“This was the first doubt in my mind that over time led towards a revisionist thinking about the Holocaust,” Sabourin dit Choinière said before explaining that he was relieved to have discovered the “Committee for Open Debate on the Holocaust,” a group that produced a 54-volume set of books that he offered to the committee.

“Holocaust historical revision revisionism as a science does not deny that Jews were persecuted or deprived of their civil rights or deported or herded into ghettos. It does not deny that many were killed, but it does seek to learn why, how and when they died. And it seeks to separate the truth from the fiction,” he said.

“This is vitally important knowledge for the Holocaust and Genocide Education Commission’s curriculum development,” he continued. “If we are going to have Holocaust and Genocide Education taught in New Hampshire public schools, which I think it should be, it needs to be accurate and reliable.”

The Committee for Open Debate on the Holocaust is run by Rudolf, whose publications have claimed that Zyklon B was never used in the Auschwitz gas chambers, defended notorious Holocaust denier David Irving and cast doubt on photographic evidence of concentration camps.

Few people attended the public meeting, which mostly focused on the state retirement system. Among those in attendance were three men who testified: Rudolf and two members of his group. 

“I have under my belt 35 years of research, organizing research, conducting and publishing research, of forensic and archival nature on the Holocaust question,” Rudolf said during his testimony.

The other two men both came in from Michigan: Henry Herskovitz, an Ann Arbor man who for decades has led weekly protests outside a synagogue’s Shabbat services that have incorporated Holocaust denial; and David Skrbina, a former professor at the University of Michigan-Dearborn who has published numerous Holocaust-denial books under a pseudonym. 

“As a historical event of great importance, we must examine all sides of this topic with an open mind,” Skrbina told the committee. “Exaggerations, lies, gross errors, and physical impossibilities must be identified and rooted out if we are to learn from this event and to do justice to its many victims.”

During the meeting, the testimony elicited little pushback. One state lawmaker indicated sympathy to the Holocaust deniers’ testimony. 

“I’ve been there. I’ve seen all of that. I’ve felt it when I walked around. And I think it’s a travesty that we’re trying to hide the truth about what’s happened in the past, and I want to thank you all for bringing this to the committee today, and I think all students everywhere should know what happened,” GOP state Rep. Susan DeRoy told the panel following Rudolf and Herskovitz’s testimony. “So my question would be, why do they want to cover this up?” (The chair shot down the line of questioning, saying, “It’s not an appropriate question.” DeRoy did not immediately reply to a request for comment.)

Sabourin dit Choinière also introduced an amendment that would have added a member of Rudolf’s extremist group to the commission, which oversees Holocaust education that is required in New Hampshire schools and is preparing to update curriculum materials.

The amendment failed. But the fact that it was made and entertained at all was deeply concerning to New Hampshire state representative Loren Selig, a Jewish Democrat and Holocaust commission member.

“Shocked would be an understatement,” Selig told NPR about the moment her colleague introduced it. “I could barely speak.”

Unrelated to his Holocaust denial, Rudolf also has a criminal record, having been convicted in Pennsylvania, where he lives, of indecent exposure after being arrested for public nudity at a playground.

Sabourin dit Choinière’s antics come as the Republican Party grapples with internal tensions over antisemitism, as party leaders have grown divided by figures such as Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens and Nick Fuentes who have minimized the Holocaust or amplified deniers. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz lamented the rise of antisemitism in the party to the Republican Jewish Coalition conference earlier this year, while Vice President JD Vance has said he does not want to draw lines that would exclude such voices from the party.

A Republican candidate for state office rejected Sabourin dit Choinière’s endorsement of him following NPR’s reporting. The conservative group Americans For Prosperity, which has endorsed Sabourin dit Choinière in the past, condemned antisemitism in a statement to NPR.

Prior to NPR’s report, Sabourin dit Choinière’s Holocaust commission moves attracted little public attention. A New Hampshire progressive group in January called on House Speaker Sherman Packard to strip Sabourin dit Choinière of his committee assignments, which according to the House website he has retained.

“Promoting Holocaust denial and antisemitic conspiracy theories is incompatible with public service,” a co-founder of the Kent Street Coalition wrote in an open letter published in a nonprofit news site. “Rep. Sabourin dit Choinière should be removed from his committee assignments as a matter of principle and accountability.”

Holocaust education commissions have been the sites of controversy in other states. The South Carolina equivalent last year faced internal division over its chair’s decision to muzzle a local rabbi’s speech tying the Holocaust to modern U.S. policies. Texas’s own commission recently advised on a controversial proposed statewide required reading list, and Texas’s governor also recently appointed a Christian pro-Israel activist to the commission.

Sabourin dit Choinière isn’t the only member of New Hampshire’s state house to have made antisemitic comments related to the Holocaust this year. Another Republican, state Rep. Travis Corcoran, faced disciplinary hearings this week after tweeting a “final solution” joke aimed at a Jewish Democratic colleague.

The State of New Hampshire will invest in a new system to ensure timely restitution payments for crime victims following approval by the Governor and Executive Council today.

The Governor’s Office and the New Hampshire Department of Corrections (NHDOC) worked to deliver this solution following an issue with the State’s previous payment system that temporarily disrupted restitution payments.

“New Hampshire is the safest state in the nation because we protect victims of crime and hold offenders accountable, and we have an obligation to ensure timely restitution payments for those who have been harmed,” said Governor Ayotte. “Commissioner Hart and his team at the Department of Corrections worked tirelessly to identify a solution that would make the system more efficient, transparent, and accountable. I thank the Executive Council for approving this contract today. Together, we are bringing more justice and peace of mind to victims.”

NHDOC manages approximately 13,000 restitution cases involving more than 21,000 victims, with over $2.6 million in court-ordered payments collected annually.

“The contract the Council approved today provides a much-needed system upgrade to ensure that the more than 21,000 victims receiving restitution payments get the timely service they deserve,” said Executive Councilor Janet Stevens. “I thank Commissioner Hart and his team for the time and effort devoted to resolving this matter. I’m committed to working with Governor Ayotte, my fellow Councilors, leadership at NHDOC, and all our state public safety officials to protect victims.  We must hold those responsible for making restitution payments accountable and ensure we meet our restitution obligations outlined in the law. Presently, 60 percent of those required to make restitution payments have not done so within 60 days. This is unacceptable.”

The agreement has a total value not to exceed $600,000 and is funded at no cost to New Hampshire taxpayers. NHDOC will use revenue from its 15% administrative surcharge for offenders paying restitution to fund the new system.

“Restitution is about more than just a financial obligation; it’s about accountability and justice for victims,” said NHDOC Commissioner William Hart. “We know the delays over the past year have been frustrating and have had a real impact on people’s lives. This new system will help make the process more reliable and transparent. Victims deserve that, and it’s something we are committed to getting right.”

New Hampshire residents are being encouraged to check their voter registration status ahead of upcoming elections, according to information provided by the League of Women Voters of New Hampshire.

Any U.S. citizen who is at least 18 years old and resides in the state has the constitutional right to vote. However, residents who have moved, changed their name or not voted recently may need to re-register. Even those who believe they are registered are advised to confirm their status, as voters can occasionally be removed from rolls without notice.

Voters can check their registration by visiting their local town or city clerk’s office or by using the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s online voter information lookup tool.

Under updated procedures effective June 2, 2026, residents may register to vote either in advance at their clerk’s office or on Election Day at their polling place. New Hampshire does not offer online voter registration.

To register, voters must provide proof of identity, age, residency and citizenship, such as a driver’s license, passport, utility bill or birth certificate.

When voting in person, a government-issued photo ID is required. Absentee voting remains available for those unable to appear at the polls due to illness, disability, work obligations, travel or religious reasons, though additional identification requirements for absentee ballots have been in place since 2025.

The League of Women Voters encourages residents to verify their registration early to avoid delays or complications on Election Day.