CONCORD, N.H. — A Republican representative from Weare was censured by the House on Thursday for several posts on social media attacking fellow House members. The posts were deemed inappropriate and offensive.
Rep. Travis Corcoran refused to apologize, a position he has taken since the controversy surfaced this spring.
He actually asked his fellow Representatives to vote to censure him to “bring this comedy to a conclusion.”
“I have not apologized and I will not because I have done nothing wrong,” he said. “It is the theater kids in this chamber who should apologize to me.”
Corcoran was censured for two tweets on the social media X platform, in a 288-54 vote.
In one he asked Stephen Miller, who is the Trump administration official in charge of its deportation program, to deport Rep. Luz Bay, D-Dover, who is a naturalized citizen of Philippine descent.
In the other tweet, Corcoran suggested Rep. Jessica Grill, D-Manchester, who is Jewish, was due a “final solution” after she posted a social media invitation for other House members to join a karaoke caucus. The “final solution” refers to the term Nazi leaders used for their genocide plan for European Jews.
House Minority Leader Alexis Simpson, D-Exeter, filed a complaint with House Speaker Sherman Packard, who asked his bipartisan advisory group to meet with Corcoran and address the complaint, but he did not attend the meeting.
The group suggested the House Speaker write a letter cautioning Corcoran about his activities. In his letter, the speaker wrote, “In our work on behalf of the citizens of New Hampshire, in our interactions and words with each other and members of the public, we should always be aware of how we as individuals represent our office and this historic institution.”
Later Simpson asked the House to reprimand Corcoran and Packard referred the matter to the Legislative Administration Committee which recommended he be censured after a two-and-a-half hour hearing on a 10-2 vote.
At the hearing Corcoran called the investigation political theater and said he was making a joke in his posting about Grill. He said he didn’t know she was Jewish, although he has made other antisemitic racist postings.
During the census, Rep. Donald McFarlane, R-Orange, spoke against the action, cautioning lawmakers they may find what Corcoran said hateful, offensive and unbecoming a legislator, but it is political speech which can be ugly, hateful, offensive and sharp.
“We are being asked to establish a precedent that is more dangerous than his tweet and tasteless remarks,” McFarlane said, on vague, undefined offenses without any real guideline or principle.
“Every member in this chamber should be troubled,” he said. “Once this House crosses that line we cannot easily uncross it.
The voters of Weare are fully capable of judging Rep. Corcoran, McFarlane said.
In his short speech, Corcoran said he did not have an antisemitic problem, but Democrats in the House did, citing several instances where unnamed members said things opposing Israel or Jewish people.
He said he has learned the most important thing in drama is a satisfying third act, and he said Concord is a stage.
Simpson noted Corcoran had not apologized although it was obvious from his public hearing the impact his social media posting had on people who are his targets.
“In our discussion we heard a lot about the right to free speech,” Simpson said. “Rep. Corcoran has the right to say hateful things online and not be arrested for his posts.”
But there is no place for discrimination, racism and antisemitism in the public square, she said. “Let’s put this ugly incident behind us.”
In February, the House voted to reprimand Rep. Paige Beauchemin, D-Nashua, for giving the finger to Gov. Kelly Ayotte during her state of the state speech.
Other House members have been censured for various behavior over the years, including former House Speaker Gene Chandler, R-Bartlett, and Rep. Roland Hemon, D-Dover.