Stefany Shaheen Blocks News Site, Prompts Twitter Fight With Democrat Opponent, Chairman Buckley

by Nancy West, InDepthNH.org

By NANCY WEST, InDepthNH.org

When the NH Journal tried to find out via social media Democratic candidate Stefany Shaheen's reaction to Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro's arrest, managing editor Michael Graham discovered she had blocked the online news website and posted the above statement on Saturday.

"So we posted about it," Graham told InDepthNH.org Monday, adding it certainly wasn't the first time the NH Journal was slighted by Democrats, many of whom call it right-leaning, mentioning in the tweet that the NH Journal is a member of the New Hampshire Press Association.

Christian Urrutia, a Democrat who is also running in the crowded field for New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District, tweeted: “@NewHampJournal this is any easy question to answer (and I am not scared of hard questions either). My statements are included below.”

Urrutia, a lawyer who was appointed by President Biden to the Senior Executive Service, serving as Special Counsel at the Pentagon, posted his response to the NH Journal's question. Ray Buckley, chairman of the state Democratic Party, tweeted: “The so called 'NH Journal' is a Republican propagandist site dedicated to smearing Democrats and promoting right-wing talking points. Engaging with the site only creates a false sense of credibility when none is deserved.”

That prompted Urrutia to tweet to Buckley: “@ChairmanBuckley, Democrats are in the wilderness. We have grown comfortable talking only to people who already agree with us. We dodge tough questions, avoid skeptical press, and retreat into safe spaces. That approach has failed. We must engage the press whether they are fair or unfair, left leaning or right leaning. Voters across the political spectrum deserve to know where their leaders stand and they don’t care who is asking the questions, they just want to know what we think. Democracy does not function if we only speak to friendly audiences. Finally, I wonder why you are publicly wading into this congressional primary. All of the candidates, including @Stefany4NH, should be capable of making their own case on their own.”

Stefany Shaheen, the daughter of U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-NH, is an executive at ARMI, which was founded by Dean Kamen. She didn't respond to InDepthNH.org seeking her comment on Monday. Buckley also didn't respond to InDepthNH.org.

Michael Graham said this was nothing new for Democrats to attack the NH Journal.

"Ray Buckley attacking a non-leftwing news outlet is a day that ends in 'y.' Not worth commenting. He's part of the blacklisting of NHJournal by the four members of the federal delegation and nearly every Democrat in the state house (well, ON the record we're blacklisted. Fortunately plenty of Dems talk to us on background," Graham said.

"I think Mr. Urrutia, however, is on to something. Just today, Rep. Maggie Goodlander was quoting (as she put it) 'the other MTG, Marjorie Taylor Greene' on the issue of Venezuela. There is a group of voters who are open to progressive/populist ideas from either party. By engaging with press outlets who reach beyond his party's establishment, Urrutia is opening the door to more voters. Also, a politician who can handle an adversarial interview is a stronger candidate in a general election then one who hides from reporters," Graham said.

This article first appeared on InDepthNH.org and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.