John Stephen (R) under fire in Executive Council race amid youth detention center abuse fallout

Republican candidate for Executive Council in District 4 John Stephen has put his record of fiscal responsibility while serving as New Hampshire Commissioner of Health and Human Services from 2003 through 2007 at the center of his campaign for Executive Council this year.

“As Commissioner of HHS, the department of Health and Human Services, you remember, I was able to return value to the taxpayers and over $143 million in four years because we worked hard to make sure we provided services to those in need. But we also looked at every single dollar and penny and were efficient,” Stephen said during a recent appearance on WMUR’s CloseUp.

However, critics have said the fiscal conservatism Stephen has touted is undermined by the one of the largest debts in the history of the state — the potential multi-billion dollar settlements to the nearly 1200 victims of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse at the state’s youth detention center (YDC) — the facility overseen by Stephen during his time as NH DHHS commissioner.

One man, David Meehan, who spent three years at the facility and was among the first victims whose case went to trial, alleged workers at the facility treated him like a “sex slave and a punching bag,” according to one report.


https://granitepostnews.com/2024/10/27/john-stephens-legacy-questioned-in-executive-council-race-amid-youth-detention-center-abuse-fallout/