N.H. Lawmaker Resigns After Advocating Killings of Police

A newly elected state lawmaker who called for the killing of police officers in certain cases resigned Wednesday under pressure from his party and the voters.

Rep. Tom Alciere, a Republican from Nashua, informed the secretary of state and the House speaker of his resignation in a letter.

Alciere, 41, had said earlier this week that he would step down if fellow lawmakers put his bills to a vote in the full House. Another freshman GOP lawmaker, Gary Greenberg of Manchester, has tentatively agreed to substitute his name for Alciere’s on eight bills, according to Carol Holahan, director of the Legislature’s bill-drafting office. She said Alciere has until Jan. 19 to sign off on the bills.

“I don’t even know what’s in the bills,” Greenberg said. “My main concern was he was a distraction to the House. I was willing to come out and help him go.”

Alciere reserved the right to run in the special election that would be needed to fill his seat.

Alciere has acknowledged posting anti-police messages on the Internet. He did not express those views during the campaign, which he won by 55 votes. He said no one asked.

In a separate case, state Rep. Ron “Tony” Giordano has revealed a criminal past he did not disclose to New Hampshire voters. The Republican from Salem said this week that he did two stints in jail in Massachusetts during the early 1980s for five check-forging convictions and one theft incident. He was known as Ron Gordon at the time.

“We all make mistakes. I’ve turned my life around,” he said.