“Unlike private attorneys, government attorneys are presumptively entrusted to be impartial unless a defendant can demonstrate actual bias,” Honigberg wrote.
Hantz Marconi, 68, is accused of trying to interfere with a criminal investigation into her husband, Geno J. Marconi, 73, the long-serving director of the New Hampshire Port Authority. She faces felony and misdemeanor charges for a conversation she had with Governor Christopher T. Sununu on June 6, when she allegedly said the investigation into her husband was meritless and needed to wrap up quickly.
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Although she argues the meeting was entirely above-board, Hantz Marconi was indicted on felony charges of attempting to commit improper influence and criminal solicitation of improper influence. She was also charged with making an inappropriate request in April of the chairperson for the Pease Development Authority, which oversees the port authority.
Her husband has been indicted on charges of felony witness tampering and obstructing government administration. He’s accused of providing confidential motor vehicle records about one person to another in early April. He’s also facing misdemeanor charges that he falsified physical evidence and obstructed government administration in late April by deleting one or more voicemails.
After her indictment, Hantz Marconi’s attorneys argued that Formella could not be an impartial prosecutor, given his closeness to Sununu, a “very powerful and important witness” in this case. They argued Formella has conflicts stemming from his current official duties and from his prior roles representing Sununu in his personal capacity. They asked the court to either dismiss all the charges or have a special prosecutor appointed.
Honigberg, however, rejected their argument with a 15-page order highlighting material differences between past cases and the one at hand.
“Under the Supreme Court’s precedents, a defendant must do more than speculate about a potential conflict but rather demonstrate that one is likely to occur,” he wrote, noting that Hantz Marconi will be able to present evidence in the future if she discovers “that she has suffered harm from an actual, not speculative conflict.”
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New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella announces on Oct. 24, 2022, that Adam Montgomery has been charged with murder in the death of his 5 year-old daughter, Harmony Montgomery, during a press conference held at the Manchester Police Department.Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff
Honigberg wrote that Hantz Marconi’s attorneys had advanced a legal theory that would effectively have courts disqualify the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office from prosecuting any criminal case in which a member of the state’s executive branch would need to serve as a witness. That theory “runs counter to the statutory duties imposed on the Attorney General and is not supported by the Supreme Court’s precedents,” he wrote.
In a statement, Hantz Marconi’s defense attorneys — Richard Guerriero, Jonathan Kotlier, and Oliver Bloom — said they disagree with Honigberg’s decision and could appeal it at some point in the future.
“However, this was a preliminary issue arising in the earliest stages of the case,” they said. “Rest assured, we will continue to fight the Attorney General’s accusations on every lawful basis until Justice Hantz Marconi is vindicated.”
In fact, the defense team has already queued up Hantz Marconi’s next gambit to have her indictment dismissed in its entirety. In a filing on Nov. 8, her attorneys introduced an alternative argument that her alleged conduct was protected by the First Amendment, the constitutional right of redress, and judicial immunity.
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Honigberg wrote in his order on Tuesday that he anticipates the prosecutors will file a response to the Nov. 8 motion within the next 15 days.
A spokesperson for the attorney general’s office did not immediately respond Wednesday to a request for comment on Honigberg’s order.
Hantz Marconi, who was appointed by Sununu to the state’s highest court in 2017, faces up to three and a half years to seven years in state prison for each of the two felony charges. She also faces up to 12 months in jail for each of five misdemeanors.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday afternoon, Sununu pushed back on recent news coverage and said Formella has handled these cases independently.
“John Formella goes to the nth degree to ensure firewalls are in place, what is transmitted between the Justice Department and either my office or legislators, elected officials, or the public is always above board,” he said. “That’s the best part of John Formella.”
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New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu speaks with reporters in his office on Dec. 4, 2024, about his plans for what’s next after his term as governor ends.Amanda Gokee/Globe Staff
Sununu said he thinks a recent report by New Hampshire Public Radio was “complete garbage.” The report, which noted that Sununu met with Formella and members of the Pease Development Authority board on April 16, said the closed-door gathering “raises new questions about the role Sununu played in Marconi’s removal from office and the ensuing criminal charges.”
Sununu countered that the April 16 meeting was when Formella “let us know” that an investigation into Marconi was underway. He said he has respected Formella’s independence throughout the process.
“I keep myself very apart from things, especially in the attorney general’s office. I respect the attorney general’s role,” Sununu said.
“To this day, you know what I know about those indictments? Exactly what you have read in the indictments,” he added. “I read them on the same day you read them with the public. I didn’t get a heads up on any of this because it doesn’t concern me.”
The potential witnesses in Marconi’s case include members of the Pease Development Authority board, staffers with the New Hampshire Division of Ports and Harbors, and Bradley J. Cook of Hampton, who was also indicted on felony perjury and misdemeanor false swearing charges, according to court records.
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Cook, 73, allegedly testified before a grand jury in September that he hadn’t communicated with Marconi or received any materials from Marconi related to a pier use permit for “N.L.,” when in fact he had, according to the indictments.
One of the potential witnesses is Neil Levesque, vice-chairman of the Pease Development Authority board and executive director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College.
Details are sparse in the charging documents, so it’s still unclear what exactly sparked Marconi’s alleged misconduct and the subsequent investigation. He has been on administrative leave since April, and Justice Hantz Marconi has been on administrative leave since July. Their attorneys contend they are innocent.
Steven Porter can be reached at steven.porter@globe.com. Follow him @reporterporter. Amanda Gokee can be reached at amanda.gokee@globe.com. Follow her @amanda_gokee.
Three people suffered injuries in a two-vehicle collision early Tuesday morning in Hooksett, New Hampshire.Courtesy of New Hampshore State
Three people suffered serious injuries Tuesday in a two-vehicle crash in Hooksett, N.H., police said.
The head-on collision happened around 5:40 a.m. on Interstate 293 northbound, State Police said.
Police said that Timothy Hubbard, 43, of Rome, Maine, was traveling south when he lost control of his car and crossed the median into oncoming traffic, police said.
Hubbard, his passenger, and the other driver were taken to hospitals to be treated for serious injuries, police said. The injures were not believed to be life-threatening.
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Police said speed was believed to be a factor in the crash, which is under investigation.
Hannah Goeke can be reached at hannah.goeke@globe.com.
Franklin, NH – Sara Jane (Sanford) Doherty, 79, of Franklin, New Hampshire, passed away peacefully at her home on June 11, 2026. A beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, Sara was born on June 5, 1947, in Hanover, New Hampshire, to Harold and Sadie (Pettengill) Sanford.
As the daughter of a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employee, Sara spent her childhood moving throughout New England, living in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. She graduated from high school in Hudson, Massachusetts, and later returned to New Hampshire, eventually settling in Franklin, where she made her home for more than forty years.
Sara built a successful career in the textile industry. She worked as a seamstress at Howland Originals before joining Star Specialty Knitting, where she began as a stitcher and, through hard work and determination, advanced to Plant Manager. She retired in 2003, and one of the greatest joys of her retirement was caring for several of her grandchildren, whom she adored.
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Sara was a remarkably talented and creative artisan. She sewed clothing for her children when they were young and later created outfits for her grandchildren and their dolls. She was a gifted painter and artist whose extraordinary drawings and paintings brought joy to those around her. An accomplished seamstress, knitter, crocheter, cake decorator, and musician, Sara had an exceptional ability to create beauty in many forms. Her handmade gifts and treasured creations will be cherished by her family for generations to come.
Her talent for cake decorating blossomed into a successful side business that spanned more than thirty years. Sara created hundreds of stunning and imaginative cakes, including wedding and birthday cakes for her own children and grandchildren. Her passion for baking was so well known that for many years her license plate proudly read “CAKES+.”
Sara also had a remarkable gift for bringing people together. She hosted countless family reunions, each one more creative than the last. With elaborate themes, games, prizes, delicious food, and endless laughter, she created memories that her family will treasure forever. She was also known for her generous holiday gatherings, often welcoming more than thirty family members and friends into her home for Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations. Summers brought cherished Fourth of July cookouts by Webster Lake, where Sara delighted in decorating the waterfront and gathering loved ones to enjoy the annual boat parade.
Sara’s love of giraffes was known by all who knew her. She spent years collecting hundreds of them, giving each a special “G” name. Before her passing, she shared one of her favorites, “Geebri,” with her granddaughter Sydni, who is expecting Sara’s first great-grandchild.
Her warmth, creativity, generosity, and love of family touched everyone who knew her. To say she will be missed is a vast understatement. She was truly the heart of her family.
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Sara leaves behind her devoted husband of 43 years, Joel Doherty; her sons, Todd (Michelle) Chapman of Sanbornton, New Hampshire, and Paul (Cheryl) Chapman of Northfield, New Hampshire; her stepdaughters, Ali (Oliver) Frates of Amherst, New Hampshire, and Kate Hodge of Durham, New Hampshire; and her beloved grandchildren, Shelby, Sydni, Morgan, Owen, Duncan, Calum, Macy, and Elyse, and Step-grandchildren, Matthew, Jennifer, Eric, & Kevin.
Sara was predeceased by her parents.
Sara’s family would like to express their heartfelt thanks to Franklin VNA for their rapid and seamless response in setting up hospice, and to The Payson Center for their dedication and care, which gave us more precious time with her.
A graveside service will be held on Tuesday, June 30, 2026 at 11:00 AM in Franklin Cemetery, Thompson Park in Franklin.
For more information or to leave the family an online condolence, please visit www.smartmemorialhome.com.
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Click here to sign the guest book or honor their memory with flowers, donations, or other heartfelt tributes
A staple of many New Hampshire town fairs, the pig scramble may soon look a little different.
A bill signed into law by Gov. Kelly Ayotte last week requires the commissioner of the state Department of Agriculture to create best practices for any event in which people compete to capture a pig. Those guidelines will be published before the 2027 fair season, so they won’t be in place for any fairs with pig scrambles this year, such as the upcoming Deerfield Fair in the fall.
Generally, a pig scramble involves people of the same age competing to capture pigs that have been let loose in a large pen. Contestants have to catch the pig in a drawstring bag, and the first one to do so can take the pig home.
Rep. Cathryn Harvey, a Democrat from Spofford, is the prime sponsor of the bill. She said each fair has different rules for their pig scrambles, meaning some can be more humane than others. One aspect of the events she hopes will change is the bags pigs are captured in.
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“They’re putting an animal in a plastic bag on a hot summer day,” Harvey said. “It isn’t a great idea.”
Although some fairs already use more breathable bags out of burlap, Joan O’Brien, president of the New Hampshire Animal Rights League, said she’s also seen pigs being kept in plastic bags for long periods of time after the event. Not only would a burlap bag improve the pig’s ability to breathe in the heat, she said, but she also wants fairs to require participants to bring an animal carrier for the trip home. Her organization was ultimately in favor of the legislation.
“If you don’t have a carrier, you should not be allowed to leave your pig lying in a bag,” O’Brien said, adding that some fairs already ask contestants to bring carriers. “You should be taking them right home.”
The Deerfield Fair has implemented another rule that O’Brien and Harvey hope becomes part of statewide best practices — having parents supervise their child in the pen. O’Brien once witnessed a child hang a pig upside down by its legs and then lower it headfirst into the bag.
“In the heat of the moment, the kids get excited and they just do whatever it takes to get the pig in the bag,” O’Brien said. She said parents should work with the event referee to make sure their kid is handling the pig humanely.
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Harvey’s bill originally called for pig scrambles to be banned around the state, but both she and O’Brien feel that universal guidelines for fairs would still make the experience better for the animals. Even seemingly small things, Harvey said, like giving the pigs water after the scramble, would be an improvement to the current situation for them.
“I think that the bill will embolden people to speak up at these events,” O’Brien said. “If they think a pig is being mistreated, they’ll be able to say to themselves, ‘I know that there’s supposed to be a rule, so I’m going to say something.’ So I think that would be a good outcome.”
