New Hampshire lawmakers from both parties are condemning Rep. Ken Weyler, the leader of the House Finance Committee, for his controversial comments regarding victims of abuse at the state’s youth detention facility. Weyler stated that the state should not have allocated a large sum of money for abuse claims and questioned the credibility of the victims, implying that they were responsible for the abuse they endured. His remarks have sparked outrage among his colleagues, with Republican Rep. Kelley Potenza describing them as “abhorrent and disgusting.”
Over 1,000 people have come forward with allegations of abuse at the Youth Development Center, leading to one of the biggest youth detention scandals in U.S. history. The state Attorney General’s Office is prosecuting some of the alleged perpetrators, and lawmakers have earmarked hundreds of millions of dollars for victim compensation. Weyler’s role in the upcoming budget negotiations, as the House’s top budget writer, has raised concerns given his controversial comments.
Weyler’s history of controversial statements includes spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine and promoting conspiracy theories about vaccines and the Catholic Church, resulting in losing his position as House finance chair in 2021. Despite facing backlash, Weyler has not responded to requests for comment on his recent remarks. Lawmakers are calling on House Speaker Sherman Packard to remove Weyler from any involvement in YDC settlement-related work. Packard has not provided a response to these calls.
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