The City of Portsmouth’s full-throated attack against one of its own citizens highlights the dangerous consequences of the 2023 election – an election influenced by radical outside political action committees. And using a page from their Progressive playbook that believes winning at the ballot box is not sufficient, the City Council has opted to resort to lawfare, one of the most powerful tools in the Left’s political arsenal.
Lawfare is the use of the legal system to damage or delegitimize an opponent.
The “opponent” here is James Hewitt, a long-time Portsmouth resident and member of the City’s powerful Planning Board.
None of the current City Councilors ran on the promise to shake up the Planning Board.
Yet, on January 16, one of the first actions taken by the newly sworn in Councilors, was to approve the City Attorney’s absurd request to hold a City Council Special Meeting to vote on whether Mr. Hewitt should be removed from the Planning Board.
The City Attorney’s Spurious Charges have been repeated online by the usual members of the public who traffic in Progressive politics, as credible evidence of Mr. Hewitt’s guilt, even though he has not yet had the opportunity to present his defense.
The reality is, in New Hampshire, this type of action against a sitting member of a board is rare.
Our search for previous examples has turned up just this 2013 attempt in Moultonborough, Two Planning Board Members Survive Removal Attempt.
Interestingly, the article states that the Town Administrator and attorney offered the two Planning Board members “the opportunity to resign rather than be embarrassed by a public hearing.” But publicly chastening the volunteer board member is the point, isn’t it?
Of course, the Portsmouth corporate media has acted as the willing propaganda arm of this City, printing every ridiculous accusation.
The length that the City Attorney, City Council, City Manager along with the press, are willing to go gives you a pretty good idea of the massive financial machine behind this effort.
The main feature of lawfare, strategic legal actions, uses a cruel method of intimidation, forcing the target to incur large legal fees to defend themselves.
On the other hand, for the City of Portsmouth, it doesn’t matter if they succeed in removing Mr. Hewitt from the Planning Board. He has become an example of what happens when you offend the powerful and try to do your job.
The lesson for Portsmouth residents?
Don’t offer your personal skills to assist the city on one of its many boards. If you do accept a Board position, don’t do your homework. And if you insist on becoming well-versed on a problem, don’t say anything. Don’t, don’t don’t.
With all this in the air, it is almost amusing to see the picture on the City’s website of the Mayor in Market Square…
…. surrounded by smiling children next to the now bare “holiday tree,” hanging valentines on the “Tree of Love.” Ironic, don’t you think?
Source Featured Image: Lawfare4All.org
