Future of New Hampshire’s first elected transgender representative uncertain
Representative-elect Stacie Laughton of Nashua, New Hampshire, who won election just a few weeks ago but seemed on Tuesday to step down from her post, now wants the state’s residents to decide on her future.
According to Nashua Patch, on Wednesday, Ms Laughton, a Democrat, released a statement on Facebook saying:
“I am going to put the question out to all of you. I am looking for a answer as to it I can even legally serve or not. But my question to all of you is, without knowing this should I pull out and resign or not. Keep in mind I have said that I would on TV. I have the letter in hand all I have to do is sign it and send it to the state.”
Ms Laughton appeared to announce her resignation on Tuesday after her criminal history was exposed by a New Hampshire newspaper.
The most serious conviction came in 2008, when Ms Laughton spent more than four months in jail for conspiracy to commit credit card fraud and slashing tires.
The Laconia Daily Sun claimed the 28-year-old also admitted to faking an illness to get a ride from an ambulance.
On Tuesday, Ms Laughton suggested that holding on to her Nashua district ward would be hard.
“I didn’t want to have to do this,” she said. “There’s been a lot of people that have said stay strong, keep your head up, stay in it. It’s going to be difficult to be able to do that in this upcoming session, and to possibly face expulsion.”
Ms Laughton added: “No one asked me to resign, but they were asking me to seriously consider all of the different things that have been presented to me, and they urged me to make a final decision sooner rather than later,” reported the Union leader newspaper.
The New Hampshire Attorney General’s office had already begun an investigation to determine whether Ms Laughton was eligible to serve in the state’s House of Representatives.
According to her ex-wife and campaign manager, Ms Laughton was seeking legal advice as of Wednesday morning.
