Special corporate interests buy name of local “non-profit” and push negative mail in latest example of corporate influence over elections, legislation

CONCORD, NH – The infamous billionaire Koch brothers bought the “non-profit” NH Advantage Coalition last year according to public records, and used the locally named group to attack pro-worker Republican state representatives during the New Hampshire State Primary.

According to the Secretary of State’s website1, the group The NH Advantage Coalition which was previously led by New Hampshire Republican political operative Mike Biundo and others closed down on February 15, 2011. Less than a year later Corey Lewandowski, State Director of Americans for Prosperity — the Astroturf group of choice for conservative billionaire brothers Charles and David H. Koch – filed new paperwork to re-open the organization. Lewandowski and the Koch brothers used the group as a vehicle for attack ads against pro-worker House candidates in tight primaries, heavily attacking the candidates, their policies and their very character.

Lewandowski has not publicly indicated that he is in charge of the NH Advantage Coalition, despite news stories and public materials listing both groups side by side.

“The New Hampshire State Primary, particularly the Republican Primary, was the latest victim of corporate special interest influence in our elections and legislation,” said Zandra Rice Hawkins, Executive Director of Granite State Progress. “Special interests want to knock out any elected official who listens to his or her constituents more than Party politics or corporate bosses. They used personal attacks and outright lies to damage certain candidates and instead put into office the ones who they can get to do their bidding.”

“Voters should beware of any candidate in November who has the support of Americans for Prosperity or the New Hampshire Advantage Coalition. It will determine whether we have a state house that cares about traditional New Hampshire values or one that caters to outside special interests,” Rice Hawkins said.

Citations:

1https://www.sos.nh.gov/corporate/soskb/SearchResults.asp?FormName=CorpNameSearch&Words=All&SearchStr=advantage+coalition&SearchType=Search

2 https://www.sos.nh.gov/corporate/soskb/Filings.asp?1135450#

The New Hampshire Labor News is a group of NH Workers who believe that we need to protect ourselves against the attacks on workers. We are proud union members who are working to preserve the middle class. The NHLN talks mostly about news and politics from NH. We also talk about national issues that effect working men and women here in the Granite State.

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