CNHT has received the usual increased number of complaints about ‘compelled speech’ violations which is sadly, a typical situation around election time. Complaints have poured in from those in towns in NH who received emails, mailings, phone calls, saw websites, or flyers brought home with children, that promoted a certain position on issues that were to be voted on in the recent town or school elections, and that were paid for with public resources.
NH law clearly states that taxpayer resources shall not be used for ‘electioneering’.
A federal lawsuit was brought against the Town of Epping and the Epping School District by the Epping Residents for Principled Government, Inc. when both the Rockingham Superior Court and the NH Supreme Court agreed that the Town as well as the School District stepped over the line, but neither ruled for any mitigation by allowing equal time for the opposing view of the ERPG. Furthermore, a link to the ERPG website was not allowed to appear on a taxpayer-funded website where other government and non-government groups were prominently displayed.
Let this be a lesson to all public employees: Epping Complaint [PDF]