Kelly Ayotte uses Moms for Liberty activist in TV ad; Group offered bounties on NH teachers in 2021

In a press conference Wednesday, education and community leaders voiced strong opposition to Republican gubernatorial candidate Kelly Ayotte’s decision to promote Brittany LeClear-Ping — a member of the extremist groups Moms for Liberty and the Free State Project — in a recent TV ad campaign.

Former Manchester High School Central principal and state school board member John Rist said that Ayotte’s decision to prominently feature a member from Moms for Liberty — a group with a history of specifically targeting New Hampshire public school teachers —  was an alarming choice.

“I’m here today to share my concern about Kelly Ayotte’s decision to promote a person who’s attacked public schools in the State,” Rist said.

“In 2021 the New Hampshire mothers for Liberty offered a bounty of $500 on educators teaching ‘divisive concepts’ … that’s just not right. This law gives every student unhappy with their grade an opportunity to report a teacher for their curriculum. This puts a target on every public school teacher in the state of New Hampshire.”

Rist is referring to the 2021 scandal in which Moms for Liberty offered $500 bounties on the heads of New Hampshire teachers who violated a law passed by the Republican legislature teaching so-called “divisive concepts” on race, gender, or other topics. The scheme attracted national attention while the divisive concepts law was overturned by a federal judge earlier this year.

Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess echoed concerns over Ayotte’s involvement with the group in her campaign, condemning their efforts to incentivize parents to file punitive complaints against teachers for political reasons.

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Donchess said Ayotte’s spokesperson in the ad “has advocated paying parents if they can bring a complaint against a teacher for teaching a divisive concept. Now keep in mind that the divisive concept law has been ruled unconstitutional by a US district court” and that the attempt by the group “undermines our teachers, undermines our parents and families, and undermines the quality of education in New Hampshire.”

Ayotte’s opponent, Joyce Craig, whose campaign organized the press conference, was asked if Ayotte might have prominently featured the activist in her ad inadvertently.

“I assume Kelly Ayotte knows who she’s getting as a spokesperson,” Craig said.

The event also featured criticism of Ayotte’s associations with other controversial figures, such as Jeremy Kauffman and Jonathan Stone. Speakers expressed concern that these connections do not represent the best interests of New Hampshire residents.

Craig, who has been endorsed by both major New Hampshire teachers unions, outlined her strong record of supporting public education as the mayor of Manchester. She also reiterated a promise that, if elected governor, she would ask for the resignation of the current Commissioner of Education, Frank Edelblut, on her first day in office, citing his lack of support for public schools.

Edelblut — one of the most conservative education commissioners in the country — has been seen as an ally to Moms for Liberty, appearing alongside them at New Hampshire education events.

“As governor, I’ll work to strengthen our public schools so that every child, no matter where they live, has access to quality public education,” Craig said. “Educators, students and parents know they can count on me, and they can’t trust Kelly Ayotte in the corner office.”