Sununu calls on Van Ostern to return campaign contributions from D-H employees

In the wake of a controversial hospital contract, Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Sununu has called on Democratic opponent Colin Van Ostern to return thousands of dollars in contributions Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center employees made to his campaign.

Both candidates are executive councilors, and on Wednesday, Sununu tied the money to Van Ostern’s unwillingness to rebid a state contract with Dartmouth-Hitchcock to run New Hampshire Hospital, the state psychiatric facility in Concord.

“It is unethical for a public official to behave in this manner, with his objectivity clearly compromised on the awarding of a contract that would oversee the psychiatric care of New Hampshire’s most vulnerable citizens,” Sununu said in a statement. “Sadly, this has become New Hampshire’s own version of pay to play.”

Sununu’s campaign accused Van Ostern of taking over $50,000 from the employees of Dartmouth-Hitchcock and its “affiliates.”

Read more: http://www.concordmonitor.com/sununu-hits-van-ostern-for-campaign-contributions-from-dartmouth-employees-5632769