Governor Ayotte's 'Tough on Crime' Facade Is Not Actually Keeping NH Safe
- Amplify NH
- Mar 7
- 3 min read
Contact: Ryan Mahoney, ryan@amplifynh.org
Governor Ayotte's 'Tough on Crime' Facade Is Not Actually Keeping NH Safe
CONCORD, N.H. — In her campaign for governor and since taking office, Governor Kelly Ayotte has consistently tried to cultivate an image as "tough on crime." Upon a closer look, these actions are a facade that help her posture and politics but do very little if anything to stop crime and make New Hampshire safer. In fact, some of Ayotte’s actions and inaction are proving to make New Hampshire less safe. Amplify New Hampshire Executive Director Ryan Mahoney issued the following statement:
“Governor Ayotte’s hollow ‘tough on crime’ rhetoric is not just ineffective, it is an actively dangerous distraction from the real work of keeping New Hampshire safe. In reality, Ayotte is refusing to stand up to Trump’s harmful policies, misdirecting blame for our fentanyl crisis, peddling misinformation, and embracing allies with disturbing histories of violence and misconduct. Rather than playing governor with performative actions that do nothing to keep New Hampshire safe, Ayotte needs to actually start governing.”
Here’s how Governor Kelly Ayotte’s ‘tough on crime’ facade is actually making New Hampshire less safe:
Refusing To Fight For Millions In Federal Safety Funding: Governor Ayotte has refused to stand up to President Trump on behalf of New Hampshire to push back on the arbitrary freeze on federal grants and loans, which has threatened vital programs in New Hampshire. This freeze threatens $1.5 million in COPS Grants to keep law enforcement officers on New Hampshire streets and other federal funding for law enforcement like the Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP), and the School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP).
The freeze also risks funding for domestic violence shelters through the Office on Violence Against Women and the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, and addiction treatment service funding including from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), and the 21st Century Cures Act.
‘Woke’ Terminology Over Action: Ayotte’s emphasis on enforcing terminology to refer to incarcerated Granite Staters as "inmates" and not "residents" does nothing to address the root causes of crime or enhance community safety. This superficial change diverts attention and effort from implementing substantive criminal justice reforms.
Redundant Bail Reform Efforts: Governor Ayotte has expended significant time and resources early on in her first two months trimming around the edges of New Hampshire policy with an effort pass a third bail reform law in the six years, the last two of which were passed by Republican Governor Chris Sununu. The 2024 law took effect in January of 2025. Relitigating the law before it has had time to play out while refusing to scrutinize the Republican legislature and governor for enacting what she sees as a failed bail reform bill shows Ayotte is posturing.
Misdirected Blame on Canada for Fentanyl Crisis: In another display of loyalty to former President Trump, Governor Ayotte has inaccurately attributed the influx of fentanyl to challenges at the Canadian border rather than pushing back on Trump’s post-hoc justification for withdrawing harmful and arbitrary tariffs on Canadian goods.
Campaign Misinformation on Crime: Kelly Ayotte was forced to pull a callous campaign ad that falsely linked Joyce Craig to the unsolved murder of Denise Roberts in Manchester in 2015 — an incident that occurred two years before she became mayor. In fact, the murder happened under the watch of Ayotte-supporter and Republican former Mayor Ted Gatsas. Ayotte's campaign faced intense backlash from the victim’s family, with her brother Tom Robert saying, "Kelly Ayotte is lying by implying that my sister's murder happened in 2021...I'm calling on Kelly Ayotte to take this ad down and to never use my sister's memory to attack someone again."
Permission Structure for Sexual Violence: In 2016, Kelly Ayotte said Trump was “absolutely” a role model before withdrawing her endorsement amidst reports of sexually inappropriate behavior and rhetoric in the Access Hollywood tape. Not only did Ayotte re-endorse Trump after he was adjudicated as a rapist by a civil court jury, Ayotte touts ties with an administration that has emboldened sexually inappropriate behavior in its cabinet, including Pete Hegseth and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Ayotte has previously supported former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown, even amidst sexual misconduct allegations.
Ayotte endorsed and campaigned with Republican State Representative Jonathan Stone, a former police officer who was fired for threatening to kill his chief and rape his wife and children. In 2024, Ayotte featured Stone’s endorsement on her campaign materials and social media
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About Amplify New Hampshire
Amplify New Hampshire is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization founded to keep Granite Staters informed of the decisions made in local, state, and federal government that will impact their lives and empower them to enact change. For more information, visit amplifynh.org.
