Originally published at: https://freekeene.com/2022/02/02/nh-hb-1027-elected-officials-who-abuse-emergency-powers-could-incur-felony-charges-of-treason/
New Hampshire HB 1027 was introduced by Rep. Tim Baxter (R – Rockingham 20) and Rep. Josh Yokela (R – Rockingham 33) on January 5, 2022, followed by a public hearing on January 19th that lasted 40 minutes. It’s now sitting in committee until March 10, 2022.
- “This bill establishes the crime of subversion of the legislative process-treason for any act to subvert the legislative process based on a false claim of emergency caused by COVID-19.”
Politicians and bureaucrats that violate our medical freedom by enforcing unconstitutional and unlawful mandates should go to prison. The legislative process is sacred. President Joe Biden is not a king, and the executive department cannot subvert the legislative process when it is convenient. It is up to individual state legislatures and the United States congress to enact legislation that impacts the citizens…It is well within the authority of the general court to protect its constituents from overreach of federal executive power. This bill aims to check the power of the federal government, and to defend the people of our state from unconstitutional executive actions and decrees that encroach on their ability to conduct business freely. This bill protects the right of private businesses to make their own decisions in what they require of their employees, and frees them from being shackled by executive overreach.” – Rep. Tim Baxter, HB 1027 public hearing, 1/19/2022
Arguments Presented at the Public Hearing
Rep. Baxter’s arguments focused on how covid-19 mandates in New Hampshire have affected employers/employees negatively by forcing them into catch-22 situations. One example was a mother in tears because she didn’t agree with the vaccine mandate, but would lose her job if she didn’t comply. Rep. Baxter argued that businesses should be in charge of setting their own parameters, without government intrusion or intervention whatsoever.
Rep. Yokela’s arguments focused on how using covid-19 as the basis for “emergency powers” is an abuse of the legislative system. Over two years into the pandemic, any “emergency powers” enacted are unnecessary, as the entire world is well aware of the situation. Employers do not need hand-holding, and employees should not be forced into unconstitutional positions by the government. Rep. Yokela argued that legislatures have enough time, at this late stage, to follow the legitimate legislative path instead of enacting laws by executive decree. If they do not follow the proper path, it should be considered an act of treason.
I became actively involved in this process in the end of 2021, beginning of 2022, and I was actually appalled with the way people are being discriminated against because of this pandemic. Not only in our communities, but right here in our legislative body. This bill would hold those people responsible and accountable at every level. It needs to be done. I was in a Senate hearing yesterday and one of the senators who spoke…said the bottom line is that we don’t want to approve this because we want everyone vaccinated. That’s not appropriate. That is not appropriate for someone to take that kind of a stand. He’s representing the people of New Hampshire. Not everyone in New Hampshire wants this vaccine. Not everyone is New Hampshire believes in this vaccine. Not everyone is New Hampshire trusts our federal government, or even our state government at this point. I’m here today to support this bill; it’s a good start.” – Russan Chester (NH citizen), HB 1027 public hearing, 1/19/2022
Abusing “Emergency Powers” Is an Act of Treason
Skirting around the legitimate legislative process by proclaiming kingly “emergency powers” (when there is no emergency) is an act of treason against the state, and should be treated as such, the bill argues. Obviously if used as intended, the power of “the king” to enact spur-of-the-moment laws wouldn’t seem quite so shady. But creeping up past the two-year mark of the pandemic, there’s no reason to skirt around the legitimate legislative process anymore. If an elected official abuses their powers, this bill would allow for them to be charged with treason, carrying a minimum prison sentence of 20 years.
As this bill states, the legislative process is a core process of our democracy and a lot of people may think of treason as helping a foreign state. In fact, not only is it helping a foreign state, but undermining the core of our actual state. And there are some people who wish to subvert that core aspect of the legislative process in our country, and that should be taken with the utmost of seriousness. The use of covid-19, this far into a pandemic, is not a legitimate claim of emergency. The claim of emergencies that go around our legislative process are used so that in a short amount of time the people can react to changing circumstance. But two years into the pandemic, the legislature has ample time to assess and respond, legislatively. And so going around that legislative process is now unwarranted.” – Rep. Josh Yokela, HB 1027 public hearing, 1/19/2022
Video of the Public Hearing for HB 1027: (5:20 – 16:00)