Top New Hampshire Democrat Arrested on Domestic Violence Charges

A leading Democratic legislator in New Hampshire was arrested Thursday on charges of domestic violence and assault.

The legislator, Jeff Woodburn, is the minority leader in the state Senate. He is up for re-election this fall, but officials on both sides of the aisle called for him to resign shortly after his arrest.

Woodburn is accused of assaulting a woman by throwing a cup of water at her, striking her in the stomach and biting her hand and forearm, according to a news release from Gordon MacDonald, the state’s attorney general. Woodburn is also accused of entering the woman’s residence and damaging her property, and was charged with criminal mischief and criminal trespassing. The news release described the woman as an “intimate partner.”

In an emailed statement, Woodburn said he intended to fight the charges in court.

“This afternoon, I learned that a warrant had been issued for my arrest,” he said in the statement. “I voluntarily responded to the police station, cooperated with law enforcement during the booking process, and was released.”

Woodburn was released Thursday on $500 cash bail and $10,000 personal recognizance bail, the state attorney general’s office said. He is scheduled to be arraigned Aug. 20.

Ray Buckley, the chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, said in an emailed statement that Woodburn should resign immediately.

“The New Hampshire Democratic Party stands firm in our belief that any form of sexual harassment, sexual assault or domestic violence is completely unacceptable behavior for anyone let alone our public officials who should all be held to a higher standard,” he said.

“We take these accusations against Sen. Jeff Woodburn very seriously and stand with his accuser and support her during this unimaginably painful time.”

Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican, also called for his resignation. “Sen. Woodburn’s morally reprehensible, violent behavior has no place in public service, or anywhere else,” Sununu said on Twitter. “Domestic violence will not be tolerated in New Hampshire.”

Molly Kelly and Steve Marchand, two Democrats who hope to challenge Sununu for the governorship in November, also both called the alleged abuse unacceptable and urged Woodburn to resign.

Woodburn is serving his third term in the state Senate and was first elected to represent New Hampshire’s 1st District, a large, wooded stretch of land in the northern reaches of the state, in 2012. He has campaigned on his ability to reach bipartisan compromise in a swing state and is a staunch critic of President Donald Trump. In July, Woodburn started a petition to legalize marijuana in the state.