#PUMA: Rep. Sapareto throws support to Speaker Jasper, blasts critics: ‘You can all kiss my ass’
House Speaker Shawn Jasper emerged from the GOP caucus Wednesday with a razor-thin victory in his bid to lead the House for another term. And unlike his battle two years ago, when Republican infighting left deep divisions in the GOP caucus and the Bill O’Brien-led losing faction set up a shadow caucus with offices across the street, this year’s vote ended with calls for party unity.
“We have to back him,” Rep. Al Baldasaro (R-Londonderry) told WMUR’s John DiStaso. “We have to unite the party.” Baldasaro, who first nominated Rep. Frank Sapareto for the post and then voted for Rep. Laurie Sanborn on the second ballot, said he shook Jasper’s hand and complimented him after the results were announced. “The war is over,” he told DiStaso.
Not so fast, said some outgoing lawmakers who went public with their displeasure. “Dems should be happy,” tweeted Rep. Tammy Simmons (R-Manchester), “another 2 yrs of #nhhouse leadership that supports them more than their own #nhgop party.”
In a Facebook post minutes after the vote, outgoing Rep. Susan DeLemus (R-Rochester) put the blame on Sapareto, calling him a “turncoat” for throwing his support to Jasper after the first vote, in which he received just three votes. “We see your true colors now RINO Frank V. Sapareto,” she wrote.
“I got news for you Susan,” Sapareto responded. “I was the best choice. Nobody wanted to support me. So I don’t see what they’re so unhappy about. I love a good flight.”
“Wow.” answered DeLemus, who made national headlines this week for her appearance on a CNN panel, during which she told host Alisyn Camerota that Facebook was her source for learning that President Obama said undocumented immigrants could vote.
DeLemus explained to her Facebook friends why she had singled out Sapareto. “Carol McGuire and Frank Sapareto also ran for Speaker but Carol and Laurie agreed to step out after the first vote to fully back the winner,” DeLemus wrote. “Frank made no such agreement and went with the dark side.”
“That’s bullshit Susan,” Sapareto snapped. Stop lying.”
With that, Rep. Glen Aldrich (R-Gilford) joined the fray. “Frank V. Sapareto I was there maybe you could explain what she is lying about,” he wrote. “[Y]ou got a total of 3 votes then asked those that voted for you to vote for jasper, jasper colluded with the dems and stabbed us in the back last time and now you throw your support behind him but this time you stabbed us in the back, best speaker candidate? yeah right”
“I was completely unaware of any agreements between Laurie and Carol,” Sapareto answered. “No one approached me with any deals and I told both Laurie Carol and Shawn that. As soon as I agreed to go with Shawn I didn’t speak with anyone else I went directly to Laurie to tell her.”
“You’re all just a bunch of spineless rhinos working against freedom-loving Republicans,” he continued. “All you do is help Democrats we know your true colors we all do.”
Sapareto then signaled he’d had enough. “You can all kiss my ass,” he wrote.
