Top NH House Democrats filed a lawsuit Monday morning in an attempt to force Governor Chris Sununu to get permission from lawmakers prior to spending the $1.25 billion stimulus package, reports nhpr.
The lawsuit follows a tense week in which House Democrats claimed Republican Governor Sununu is cutting them out of the plan on how to respond to NH’s financial threat due to the pandemic. Sununu claims that he has a greater leeway during the state of emergency to act without legislature approval.
Sununu and Attorney General Gordon MacDonald point towards prior instances to back their argument, like the 2002 law which gives governors power to act unilaterally during emergency.
Democrats argue that prior governors spent federal aid with the consent of the fiscal committee, pointing towards the flooding in 2003 and 2008 to boon their case.
Sununu plans to stay course, and called the first meeting of a bipartisan COVID-19 “legislative advisory board” on Monday.
WNTK Local News 