Automated GOP calls may break N.H. law

CONCORD, N.H. -- The National Republican Congressional Committee acknowledges that its automated phone program on behalf of a local congressman may violate New Hampshire law, but said that it would continue, despite opposition from local party leaders.

Two complaints filed with the state attorney general's office Friday accused the congressional committee of violating state law by directing automated phone calls to those on the federal Do Not Call Registry.

Federal law allows campaigns and parties to call those on the federal do-not-call list. But under a 2004 state law, delivering prerecorded political messages to numbers on any federal do-not-call list is a violation, punishable by a fine of $5,000 per call.

Alex Burgos, NRCC spokesman, said his organization has been making calls to independent voters in the state's Second Congressional District since Monday and would continue to do so. In that race, some polls suggest Republican Representative Charlie Bass is trailing Democrat Paul Hodes.

"We are a federal organization campaigning about a federal race," said Burgos. "We feel that New Hampshire law does not apply to what we are doing."

New Hampshire's assistant attorney general, James Kennedy, said he believes that the state law "is enforceable" as a matter of law, but that his office has not fully investigated this specific matter.

Wayne Semprini, State Republican Party chairman, said his staff works diligently to screen out numbers on the do-not-call list. "If these folks from Washington are calling these people, it is just plain wrong," said Semprini. "I insist that they stop immediately."

Bass, who may be benefiting from the calls, was not as insistent. "We are very vocally opposed to this type of activity," said Lindsey Jackson, Bass spokeswoman. "But we have no control and cannot have any influence on what these national groups do."

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.