DGA - Democratic Governors Association

10/31/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 10/31/2024 12:56

Kelly Ayotte Refuses Three Times to Explain “Unwavering” Support for Trump​Latest News Year in Review

Kelly Ayotte Refuses Three Times to Explain "Unwavering" Support for Trump

In last night's final gubernatorial debate in New Hampshire, former Senator Kelly Ayotte declined three opportunities to answer basic questions from the panel on her "unwavering" support for former President Donald Trump despite his 34 felony convictions and being found liable of sexual abuse.

WATCH:

Here are the questions Kelly Ayotte refused to answer:

  • "Senator Ayotte, on the previous question, you just talked about the importance of law and order, but the top name on the Republican ticket come Election Day will be Donald Trump, who has been convicted of 34 felonies by a jury of his peers, faces more felony counts in three other criminal cases, and in a civil case has been found liable of sexual abuse. Your support for Trump in this cycle has been unwavering. As a former prosecutor and a former attorney general, do his criminal convictions just not matter to you?"
  • "So Senator, just to be clear, do his criminal convictions just not matter to you?"
  • "One more time, you're the former Attorney General, where do you stand on the criminal convictions?"

As WMUR's Steve Bottari notes, Ayotte's refusal to answer questions about her support for Trump despite his criminal convictions is particularly striking given Ayotte's own background as a former Attorney General and prosecutor - jobs that center on holding individuals accountable and upholding the rule of law - and given her decision in 2016 to withdraw her support for Donald Trump, citing her daughter and calling it a "matter of principle."

This brutal exchange comes on the heels of a New York Times report detailing how "independent women… might have qualms about Ms. Ayotte" given her support of Trump.

Read more here from the Times about the "distrust among women" HERE.

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