A Superior Court judge directed former Democratic New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan's administration to divulge more specific reasons for withholding documents pertaining to a $36.5 million contract awarded to Lebanon, N.H.-based Dartmouth-Hitchcock to staff the state psychiatric hospital, according to a New Hampshire Union Leader report.
Here are five things to know.
1. The ruling came from Judge Richard McNamara.
2. The ruling follows a previous court order that forced state prosecutors to list the documents pertaining to the contract that could remain private due to the lawyer/client relationship, according to the article.
3. In his new ruling, Judge McNamara ultimately decided the state's listing was not specific enough to justify the withholding of the documents and ordered the state to update the listing "in accordance with the terms of this order which will allow the court and the parties to determine whether the claims of attorney-client and/or executive privilege are well taken," according to the report.
4. In October, Republican lawmakers urged the state to re-bid the Dartmouth-Hitchcock contract with Concord-based New Hampshire Hospital after media reports of email exchanges between New Hanover, N.H.-based Dartmouth College — whose contract expired with the psychiatric hospital — and state officials surfaced. Chuck Douglas, legal counsel for the New Hampshire Republican State Committee, told the New Hampshire Union Leader the committee seeks more information on what was going on regarding the bidding of that contract. "We haven't seen all the documents and see no reason to be leaving the scene of battle at this point," Mr. Douglas said.
5. New Hampshire Associate Attorney General Anne Edwards, who is defending the state's case, has argued it's a governor's right to privately seek advice over state business prior to any formal proposals come to the governor and Executive Council for public action, according to the report.
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