Bill O'Brien loyalists plot to overthrow N.H. House Speaker Shawn Jasper
Bill O'Brien loyalists are plotting to replace House Speaker Shawn Jasper when the House reconvenes in January.
On a public, online message board, Rep. JR Hoell (R-Dunbarton) described plans for a coup. “It only takes 201 [votes] to unseat the @#$#$@^%$&^%*&,” he wrote. “Don’t give him the benefit of assuming he is in, Jasper may go down in history as the shortest "serving” (as in self-serving) speaker in history,“ Hoell continued. "We need to make that happen.”
The current House Rules do not provide a procedure to replace the Speaker. On Organization Day, House lawmakers voted to temporarily adopt the rules of the previous session. Amendments may be proposed until the House adopts the 2015-2016 House Rules when it reconvenes on January 7. The rules may generally be amended by a simple majority vote, although suspension of the rules requires a two-thirds vote.
When Jasper first made it known he would contest O'Brien for the speakership, Hoell circulated a letter from the New Hampshire Firearms Coalition, where he serves as secretary, that described Jasper’s efforts as “an overt anti-gun act.”
“Rep. Jasper is looking to make a deal with the anti-gun Democrats to elect an anti-gun speaker,” the letter read. “Rep. Shawn Jasper is an elitist power hungry politician who will do anything for his own selfish reasons.”
In his message describing the plot to replace the speaker, Hoell asked supporters to contact him for details on how they can help overthrow Jasper. He also suggested they attend the gun rally being held in Concord tomorrow, presumably so they can meet to discuss the plan.