By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
CONCORD – Gov. Kelly Ayotte is among 26 Republican governors who sent a joint letter to congressional leaders expressing support for President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed federal Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative.
The temporary agency, which would be headed by billionaire Elon Musk and former Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, would seek to reform the government and reduce up to $2 billion in wasteful spending, Trump says. But it has to be approved by Congress.
The chairman of the state Democratic Party called Ayotte “a pawn for Donald Trump” as a result.
In her first order as governor Thursday, Ayotte also created a 15-member Commission on Government Efficiency (COGE), also led by two prominent businessmen, which Democrats say is a copycat to Trump’s DOGE plan to put wealthy business people in a position to help downsize government.
Ayotte has not selected the rest of the commission yet other than to select former Gov. Craig Benson and businessman Andy Crews to lead the effort and will be able to choose most of the volunteer panel with two of the 15 selections to be made by House and Senate leadership.
New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley said, “Kelly Ayotte’s message to New Hampshire is clear: She is a pawn for Donald Trump who will do his bidding no matter the cost to Granite Staters — and get ready, because the upcoming Republican budget cuts will be nothing short of costly for communities and property taxpayers.”
State Sen. Rebecca Perkins Kwoka, D-Portsmouth, said: “Democrats have been working to get back to what matters and we’ve been pushing for government efficiency and responsibility as part of the solution. All Republicans have done is recklessly spend while cutting taxes for the wealthy, leaving you with a bloated property tax bill. Two millionaires are not the solution. We should be focused on New Hampshire solutions to New Hampshire problems, not importing DC ideas from the Musk-Trump administration.”
The national letter was signed by all Republican governors with the exception of Vermont’s Gov. Phil Scott who has been the chief executive there since 2017.
Amanda Wheeler, spokesman for Gov. Scott, was not immediately available for comment Friday afternoon.
In the letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson, the governors expressed their support to streamline government, remove unnecessary bureaucracy, and bring efficient, result-driven solutions.
The DOGE has not been created because Trump is not yet in office.
“We are writing today to express our overwhelming support for President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency Initiative and request that Congress work alongside him to solidify the efficiencies that are found into law. As chief executives for our states, we know a thing or two about streamlining government, removing unnecessary bureaucracy, and bringing efficient result-driven solutions to state government. We stand by President Trump as he works to do the same with the federal government,” it reads.
“These results don’t just happen overnight. Our states are successful because we live within our means. We balance our budgets, lower taxes, leverage surpluses, pay down debt, improve the efficiency of state governments, and create an environment where our constituents can build a prosperous future for themselves, their family, and their community.
“It is past time for Washington to live within its means too. We support President Trump’s appointment of Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy and agree with their assertion that the federal government needs to be cut down to size. We stand ready to help,” the letter said.
It was led by RGA Policy Chair and Governor Henry McMaster of South Carolina and signatories other than Ayotte include: Governor Kay Ivey (AL) Governor Mike Dunleavy (AK), Governor Sarah Sanders (AR), Governor Ron DeSantis (FL), Governor Brian Kemp (GA), Governor Brad Little (ID), Governor Eric Holcomb (IN), Governor Kim Reynolds (IA), Governor Jeff Landry (LA), Governor Tate Reeves (MS), Governor Mike Parson (MO), Governor Greg Gianforte (MT), Governor Jim Pillen (NE), Governor Joe Lombardo (NV), Governor Kelly Armstrong (ND), Governor Mike DeWine (OH), Governor Kevin Stitt (OK), Governor Kristi Noem (SD), Governor Bill Lee (TN), Governor Greg Abbott (TX), Governor Spencer Cox (UT), Governor Glenn Youngkin (VA), Governor Jim Justice (WV), and Governor Mark Gordon (WY).
NEW HAMPSHIRE TO GET ITS OWN VERSION OF DOGE-COGE
Ayotte was sworn in as the 83rd governor Thursday and in her inaugural speech announced what she is calling “COGE” and pronounced “ko-jee” which will be led by former Gov. Craig Benson who in 2004 tapped her as legal counsel and then nominated her to serve as Attorney General, and Andy Crews, a former auto dealer and close political ally to lead the effort to find waste, redundancy and streamline government.
In the order issued within moments of Ayotte taking office reads that “whereas the fiduciary responsibility as executive of the State of New Hampshire to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently and effectively; and governing effectively mandates a mission to enhance the economy, efficiency, and positive impact and pursuing that mission means developing proposals to streamline government, cut inefficient spending, and ensure that those governing are doing everything we can to create value and that New Hampshire is an entrepreneurial state whose government should be similarly situated and efficient in the use of taxpayer resources; increased efficiency in government will enable better stewardship of taxpayer dollars and decrease the state budget deficit;
“NOW, THEREFORE, I, KELLY A. AYOTTE, GOVERNOR of the State of New Hampshire, by the authority vested in me by Part II, Article 41 of the New Hampshire Constitution, do hereby order, effective immediately, that: The Commission on Government Efficiency (“COGE”) be established to develop proposals to streamline government, cut inefficient spending, and find the most efficient ways to serve the people of New Hampshire, especially the most vulnerable citizens.”
Thirteen members will be appointed by the governor. One will be a State Representative and appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. One member will be a State Senator and appointed by the President of the Senate.
Some leaders have said this is exactly what President-elect Donald Trump is trying to do with his planned Department of Government Efficiency to be led by former Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and billionaire Elon Musk.
House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson said: “I am deeply concerned and honestly baffled that Governor Ayotte’s first executive order was to appoint two millionaires with a history of less than ethical behavior to work on government efficiency.
“Democrats wholeheartedly support government efficiency, cutting red tape, and finding streamlined ways to improve the lives of ordinary Granite Staters. However, this new commission seems like nothing more than a tired parroting of Donald Trump’s DOGE commission which is notably also led by two of the wealthiest individuals in the United States with significant ethical conflicts. We need New Hampshire solutions to New Hampshire problems, not transplanted ideas from Washington DC.”
