Top NH GOP staffer calls for jailing NH journalists, Ayotte refuses to condemn

A top NH GOP staffer, Chris Maidment, seen above with Governor-Elect Kelly Ayotte on election night 2024, this week called for a "special jail for journalists" in a now-deleted social media post targeting New Hampshire reporters writing about staff hires for the incoming Ayotte administration. Ayotte's team has declined to comment or condemn the remarks. (X)

By Colin Booth

January 8, 2025

A top NH GOP staffer who some Republicans likened to a de facto state party executive director during the 2024 election cycle posted on social media Tuesday morning that there should be a “special jail for journalists” working in New Hampshire.

Chris Maidment, the conservative operative who made the post, deleted it shortly after, which was made in response to an article by InDepthNH detailing incoming staff hires by Governor-Elect Kelly Ayotte, noting that Ayotte did not disclose salaries for the new hires.

Maidment was seen at Ayotte’s victory party on election night, drink in hand, and was seen alongside her and her staff at various times throughout her 2024 campaign for governor.

Reached for comment multiple times, Ayotte and her team refused to condemn the remarks.

The assertion that New Hampshire journalists should be jailed echoes comments made by President-Elect Donald Trump, who has repeatedly advocated for the jailing of American reporters and labeling them as the “enemy of the people” since early in his first term in office.

Ironically, Maidment previously worked as a reporter at the far-right New Hampshire political blog, NH Journal, and was himself arrested while covering a protest of COVID-19 safety measures.

In 2023 Maidment attracted national news for being terminated as director of grassroots operations for the conservative super PAC Americans for Prosperity’s New Hampshire branch for refusing to go along with the group’s decision to support Nikki Haley in the primary.

Ayotte has been criticised for her cold relationship with the New Hampshire press corps, refusing to hold open press events throughout her 2024 campaign and frequently refusing to answer questions or give comments to reporters outside of friendly conservative press circles.

Given the opportunity, Ayotte also refused to distance herself from Trump’s attacks on American reporters.

After this reporter posted about Maidment’s calling for New Hampshire journalists to be sent to “special jail”, he responded clarifying why he deleted his earlier post.

“I deleted because I wasn’t specific enough. I meant special jail for InDepthNH and Granite Post Journalists.”

Author

Colin Booth

Based in Manchester, Colin Booth is Granite Post's political correspondent. A Granite State native and veteran political professional with a deep background in journalism, he's worked on campaigns and programs in battleground states across the country, ranging from New Hampshire, Texas, Pennsylvania and Washington D.C.

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