GOP lawmaker files legislation calling for impeachment of governor and executive councilors
A Republican state representative has filed legislation calling for the removal of Gov. Maggie Hassan, five members of the Executive Council, two Superior Court judges and a court clerk.
State Rep. Michael Brewster, a one-term lawmaker from Pittsfield involved in a long-running feud with the state, began the process of impeachment by filing Legislative Service Requests calling for the nine officials to be removed from office.
The New Hampshire Constitution grants the House of Representatives the power to impeach state officials for bribery, corruption, malpractice or maladministration. The charges and details that will be included in Brewster’s House addresses are not yet available.
Brewster has filed 25 LSRs for the 2016 session, the first step in the process of drafting legislation. Many involve judges and the judicial system. Another sure-to-be controversial bill is one making an appropriation to pay the jury trial filing fee for Edward Brown, the Plainfield tax evader who was involved in a nine-month armed standoff with federal officials.
A 2011 Petition for Redress of Grievance, filed on Brewster’s behalf by Rep. Dan Itse (R-Fremont), described Brewster’s feud with the state from his perspective:
Michael Brewster reported his ex-wife for neglect of his daughter due to her drug addiction. Initially Mr. Brewster was given custody, until without explanation his custody was revoked and his daughter was put in foster care. Mr. Brewster’s requests to know the charges against him were refused. He was required to make a limited number of child support payments. His request to obtain a record of his payments and their distribution has been refused. As a result of his requests to obtain this information, a restraining order has been enforced against Mr. Brewster on behalf of the Child Support Division. As a result of this restraining order, Mr. Brewster was arrested for attending a public hearing and convicted of a misdemeanor.
‘A very awkward situation’
After an unsuccessful 2010 House campaign running as a Democrat, last year Brewster won the seat representing Epsom and Pittsfield running as a Republican. The carpenter by trade is seated on the House floor with the Bill O’Brien loyalists in “Murderers’ Row” and generally votes in line with the dissident conservative caucus.
Rep. Dan McGuire, Brewster’s district-mate representing Epsom and Pittsfield, refused to endorse Brewster in last year’s general election. “Unfortunately this year I cannot endorse every Republican on the ballot,” McGuire wrote in a letter published by the Suncook Valley Sun.
“We have a very awkward situation in the Epsom-Pittsfield two-Rep district,” McGuire explained. “The other Republican is Michael Brewster, and his aggressive behavior simply isn’t suitable for the State House. He’s been convicted in court of harassment of a state employee. I fear that if elected his tantrums would disrupt the House.”