Former Gov. John Lynch made a TV ad announcing his decision to abandon Democratic congressional candidate Colin Van Ostern (inset) and endorse primary rival Maggie Goodlander in the 2nd Congressional District.
Former Gov. John Lynch made a TV ad announcing his decision to abandon Democratic congressional candidate Colin Van Ostern (inset) and endorse primary rival Maggie Goodlander in the 2nd Congressional District.
CONCORD — A state representative has filed an ethics complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice charging Democratic congressional candidate Maggie Goodlander of Nashua was “actively trying to deceive the public about her finances.”
First-term Rep. Paige Beauchemin, D-Nashua, is a supporter of Goodlander’s Democratic primary rival Colin Van Ostern, but she said she was acting on her own and not in concert with the candidate.
The complaint was over omissions and vague references on the federal financial disclosure form that Goodlander prepared, which all members and candidates for Congress must file.
The Hill first reported late last week on Goodlander’s form in which she listed the financial value of 101 of the 126 assets as “undetermined.”
“Accordingly, it appears as if she is actively trying to deceive the public about her finances, which would result in a knowing and willful violation of the statute,” Beauchemin wrote in the letter addressed to U.S. Attorney Jane Young and the Justice Department in Washington.
Meanwhile, Goodlander landed another prominent Democratic supporter Tuesday morning when Stonyfield Yogurt co-founder Gary Hirshberg came out in support of her candidacy after previously supporting Van Ostern.
“I know that Maggie will make us proud,” Hirshberg said in a video released by the Goodlander campaign.
Hirshberg made no mention of Van Ostern in his statement of support for Goodlander. Van Ostern had previously worked for Hirshberg at the Londonderry-based yogurt company.
Hirshberg’s wife, Meg, had already been supporting Goodlander.
Over the weekend, former Gov. John Lynch sharply criticized the tone of Van Ostern’s campaign in making public his decision to support Goodlander.
Lynch appears in a campaign commercial for Goodlander that is expected to begin airing on Wednesday.
“I’ve always given it to you straight so please hear me when I say I respect Colin Van Ostern but I don’t respect his campaign. It’s one of the most dishonest I have ever seen. I’m with Maggie Goodlander,” Lynch says in the ad.
Former first lady Susan Lynch and one of their daughters had already been supporting Goodlander.
Van Ostern and his supporters have criticized Goodlander for having not lived in New Hampshire the past 15 years and not owning a home in the 2nd Congressional District, where she is running.
Goodlander worked in Washington for the Justice Department’s antitrust division and left a job working for the Biden administration to campaign full time.
She has rented an apartment in Nashua, the city where she grew up.
Financial updates coming
The Goodlander campaign said it intended to submit an amended disclosure statement with more detailed information before the end of business Tuesday.
“The campaign completed the initial financial disclosure with all the information it was able to obtain at the time,” the campaign statement said.
“Like with many first-time candidates, the campaign will file an amendment once it receives the additional information it requested.”
Beauchemin, who filed the complaint, noted that Goodlander’s husband, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, had filed his own financial disclosure statement that has no such omissions or vague references to income.
“These omissions are shocking, given that it is not difficult to determine the value of stocks and mutual funds held in an IRA, or the amount of money held in a bank account,” Beauchemin said.
Goodlander is a granddaughter of the late Sam Tamposi, one of the wealthiest developers in modern New Hampshire history.
One of Goodlander’s trusts is listed as having a value of between $5 million and $25 million.
Six-term U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster is not running again and is backing Van Ostern, who managed her first two campaigns for the seat.
