Karaoke invite prompts antisemitic comment for NH lawmaker

During a St. Patrick’s Day breakfast in South Boston, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll joked that New Hampshire should change its motto to “Live Free and Dumb” amid education funding cuts—while also poking fun at themselves, proving politics and humor can still mix.

 Here’s what else I’m covering today:

📰 What we’re reading. News from around the state

📢 We asked, you answered: Are Americans less moral?

🔍 Question of the week: Should New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte demand tariff refunds?

💰 Meet NH’s billionaires

New Hampshire Rep. Jess Grill (D-Manchester) invited colleagues to a post-session karaoke night. Then, a Republican colleague posted the invitation to social media with a reference to the Holocaust.

“We need a final solution for theater kids in politics,” GOP State Rep. Travis Corcoran wrote in an X post, which is still up.

👉 Gov. Kelly Ayotte has vetoed a bill that would have created a paint recycling program in New Hampshire. She argued the proposal functioned like a sales tax. New Hampshire Public Radio

👉 The NH Attorney General’s Office is pushing back on the proposed “CHARLIE Act,”noting constitutional concerns. New Hampshire Bulletin

👉 Election officials are sounding alarms over a federal proposal known as the SAVE America Act. They warn the bill could shift major costs onto states, especially when it comes to implementation. New Hampshire Bulletin

👉 A new survey shows strong opposition to a bill that would allow guns on UNH’s campus. About 85% of students said they’re against it. USA Today via Reuters Connect

This week, we asked readers: Do you think Americans are becoming less moral—or just more judgmental of each other?

Here’s what they had to say…

“It is too soon to attempt to predict what the final outcome of the evolution of our species will be. American society is suffering from a lack of ethical and moral leadership at present, but we can hope that the pendulum will swing back in the near future.” — JoAnn Carlson

“Americans have become more judgmental.” — Laura Hoglund

“I think over the last few years, morals have declined. I believe this is due in large part to the influence of one person in particular, who sets a poor example through his behavior toward anyone who opposes him and is often especially rude and crude toward women.” — Lynda Williams

“I totally agree. Trump is not the kind of role model that people should look up to. He shames our country every day and those who follow him should be ashamed because of the way he treats brown and black people. We were all treated right from wrong and this is wrong.” — Judee Teichert 

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent March 10 demanding a $1,745 refund for every household in the state to offset the financial impact of Trump’s tariffs. Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee followed suit shortly thereafter. 

So this week’s question is…

Should New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte demand tariff refunds for NH households? 

Local news is essential for democracy. Your support keeps us going!

Alex Karp / UK Government

By USA Today via Reuters Connect 

Forbes just dropped its billionaires list—and these two Granite Staters made the cut.

💰 Rick Cohen (Symbotic, C&S Wholesale Grocers) — $26.3B
His fortune is driven largely by Symbotic, which automates Walmart distribution centers. He lives in Keene.

💰 Alexander Karp (Palantir Technologies) — $13.1B
The Palantir cofounder, whose company works with agencies like the DoD and FBI, lives in Lyman.

 This newsletter was written by Katy Savage with stories from Colin Booth, and USA Today via Reuters Connect. It was edited by Brook Bolen.

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