NH GOP HQ Vandalized

The contentious political battles of the nation and state were bumped up a notch in recent days after vandals hit the New Hampshire Republican Party Headquarters in Concord with graffiti.  

Sometime on the evening of Oct. 11, “WWJD HEALTHCARE FOR EVERYONE” was spraypainted on the back of the building owned by the state committee. After the graffiti was discovered, police were called in to investigate the vandalism.

The state party is currently gathering estimates for the repair that will probably require the replacement of vinyl siding on the building. The repair costs could be more than $500, which would elevate the vandalism charge up to a felony, if anyone is ever caught and convicted of the act.

Matt Slater, the executive director of the party, offered a statement on Oct. 14, condemning the action.

"Our building was clearly vandalized by liberal political activists who disagree with our fiscally responsible values,” said Slater. “Instead of trying to engage in a serious debate about the issues facing our country, these cowardly extremists decided to spread their liberal agenda by damaging our property. This type of outrageous and illegal political activism should be condemned by the New Hampshire Democrat Party. They need to send a clear message to liberal activists that their shameful tactics have no place in politics."

Condemning the action wasn’t the immediate reaction of some Democrats on Monday morning after the NHGOP Twitter account sent out an alert with a picture of the graffiti.

A few minutes after the post on Twitter, Kevin McCrea, a spokesman for state Sen. Martha Fuller Clark, Tweeted in response to Republican outrage over the graffiti, “#NHGOP outraged by Christian graffiti. ‘healthcare for all’ is bad? Hilarious. Who does that party represent, again?”

When Republican activist Jackie Langley asked McCrea, “So, just to be clear Keith, you don't condemn this act of vandalism?,” McCrea answered with, “(it) looks like it spells ‘what would Jesus do’ to me. Why does the GOP hate Christ?”

About 20 minutes later, McCrea apologized for his Tweets writing, “please accept my apologies for previous remarks. I in know way sought to defend breaking the law.”

The New Hampshire Democratic Party, however, immediately condemned the graffiti.

"New Hampshire Democrats are shocked and disappointed to hear about the vandalism at the New Hampshire Republican headquarters,” Harrell Kirstein, a spokesperson for the party stated. “No matter our political disagreements there are always better ways to communicate with each other and we condemn these actions. Last year someone repeatedly stole the American flag outside our office and it was never returned. We empathize with our colleagues across the aisle and hope that whoever this individual is, they step forward, apologize, and take responsibility immediately."

Stolen flags aren’t the only problems the Democrats have faced in the past.

Back in 2007, both the Democrats’ Concord headquarters, located at that time on 2 1/2 Beacon St., and an office in Manchester were burglarized.