National advocacy group apologizes to Sen. Kevin Avard for ‘inaccurate’ ethics accusation
A national advocacy group has publicly apologized to state Sen. Kevin Avard for an email that raised ethical questions about his opposition to legislation championed by the group.
The apology came from the New Hampshire state director of the Convention of States (COS) Project, a Virginia-based advocacy organization that warns of a federal government “increasingly bloated, corrupt, reckless and invasive.” The group seeks to amend the U.S. Constitution to "impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit its power and jurisdiction, and impose term limits on its officials and members of Congress.”
COS, and parent organization Citizens for Self-Governance, are led by Mark Mekler, who co-founded the Tea Party Patriots. The group lobbies state legislatures to enact legislation calling for a convention of states to propose amendments in accordance with Article V of the Constitution. High profile supporters include Sarah Palin, conservative radio talk show host Mark Levin, former Congressman Col. Allen West and former Govs. Mike Huckabee and Bobby Jindal.
In New Hampshire, state Sen. Gary Daniels (R-Milford) has introduced a bill, Senate Concurrent Resolution 4, based on the COS model legislation. The proposal is being heard by the Senate Rules Committee, where Sen. Kevin Avard (R-Nashua) serves as vice-chair.
Last week, New Hampshire COS grassroots coordinator Priscilla Mills distributed an email to supporters that accused Avard of opposing SCR 4 “due to a donation he recently received for his campaign by the John Birch Society who is against us.” She urged supporters to all Avard “and tell him to support SCR4!”
Hal Shurtleff, JBS regional field director, caught wind of the email and notified Avard, who then contacted Mills. According to Shurtleff, Avard received an “arrogant reply” from Mills who “claimed that she got her info from another state senator or a former state senator but would not say who it was.”
“It was a filthy, dirty lie aimed at destroying the reputation of an honorable elected official, and to destroy the reputation of the honorable men and women who make up The John Birch Society,” Shurtleff complained.
“This shows me the character of this ORG,” Avard tweeted. “#COSProject You will not bully me into voting 4 this. one Lie and I am done with you!”
The next day, COS state director John Therriault emailed an apology, which Shurtleff posted on Facebook. “On behalf of Convention of States Action New Hampshire, I would like to publicly apologize to Senator Avard for the email message that was sent yesterday by our former volunteer Grassroots Coordinator, Priscilla Mills,” Therriault wrote.
“The information in the message was inaccurate and I am truly sorry that it was sent. Please disregard it in its entirety…” Therriault continued. “I sincerely hope that Senator Avard will forgive us and will not hold this error in judgment (made by one volunteer) against our entire statewide or national movement.”
Shurtleff was not mollified. He called Therriault’s response a “weak apology offered after getting caught in a hateful lie.”
The emailed accusation apparently cost Mills her position with COS. Ironically, the 33-year-old Manchester resident was recently quoted in New York magazine suggesting this is not the first time she has been criticized for something she said. “Everything’s so p.c.,” she said. “And then the second you do say something, you’re a racist.”