Was the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's 'assassination' post a threat of political violence?
The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's X account said it backs assassinating elected Democrats and that anyone unwilling should vote Republican instead. Officials from both parties condemned the post; the party called its statements legal, and its chair described them as self-defense.
Case period:
Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
On September 22, 2026, the official X account of the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire posted that the party "openly support[s] the assassination of basically every elected Democrat in New Hampshire," adding that anyone unwilling to do so should vote Republican. InDepthNH.org attributed the post to party chair Jeremy Kauffman. The Boston Globe and Boston.com described it as deleted, while InDepthNH.org reported on September 23 that it remained live and that party chair Jeremy Kauffman said it had not been taken down. New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte, state Democratic Party chairman Raymond Buckley, House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson, U.S. Representatives Chris Pappas and Maggie Goodlander, and Republican congressional candidate Lily Tang Williams condemned the post. The state Attorney General's office said it was aware of the post but would not comment further. The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's account separately said its posts are "completely legal," and after X temporarily suspended the account, Kauffman wrote that "patriots" should be able to "advocate for self-defense." It was the third time since 2024 that the party's account had posted about killing elected officials; the national Libertarian Party disaffiliated the state party in May 2026.
Read the full background
This case classifies reactions to the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's September 22, 2026 post about the state's elected Democrats. That post is the fixed reference point: did it amount to a threat of political violence, or was it, as the party and its chair have suggested, legally protected rhetoric or "self-defense"? This case does not decide whether the post violated any law; that is a question for readers and any legal process, not for DI.
InDepthNH.org (opens in a new tab) reported that in a post, party chair Jeremy Kauffman wrote, "We openly support the assassination of basically every elected Democrat in New Hampshire. But if you don't have the balls to do that then you should probably vote GOP." New Hampshire Public Radio (opens in a new tab) and the Valley News (opens in a new tab) separately quoted the same first sentence. We could not independently retrieve the original post, and reports differ on whether it was deleted. The Boston Globe and Boston.com described it as deleted, while InDepthNH.org reported on September 23 that it remained live and that party chair Jeremy Kauffman said it had not been taken down. This account relies on these three outlets' matching quotations.
Governor Kelly Ayotte called the post "irresponsible and dangerous" and said threats like it "should be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," according to NHPR. New Hampshire Democratic Party chairman Raymond Buckley said openly calling for the assassination of elected Democrats is "a disgusting glorification of political violence." House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson said she contacted the State House's security office and the state Attorney General's office, and said "no one should fear for their life because of their beliefs or their decision to serve the people of New Hampshire." U.S. Representative Chris Pappas said rhetoric calling for political assassination "has no place in New Hampshire or our country," according to Newsweek (opens in a new tab), which says its reporters used an AI assistant to produce that article; we treat its quotations as lower confidence except where corroborated elsewhere. U.S. Representative Maggie Goodlander and Republican congressional candidate Lily Tang Williams also condemned the post, according to Boston.com (opens in a new tab).
The New Hampshire Attorney General's office told NHPR it could "confirm that the New Hampshire Department of Justice is aware of the social media posts" but "would not be in a position to comment further at this time."
The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's account separately said its statements are "completely legal," according to the Boston Globe (opens in a new tab), which linked that quotation to a specific post on the party's account. After X temporarily locked the account for breaking the platform's rules against threatening or glorifying violence, Kauffman wrote, "It remains a major asymmetry that communists can openly argue for mass enslavement, but patriots cannot advocate for self-defense," Boston.com reported.
The September 22 post was not the account's first. In September 2024, the account posted that "anyone who murders Kamala Harris would be an American hero," according to WBUR (opens in a new tab); the party later said in a statement that it "would never advocate for the assassination of a tyrannical President" and was "merely acknowledging how some members would react." In March 2026, the account wrote that under libertarian ethical theory it was "perfectly permissible to kill" former Executive Councilor Andru Volinsky over his income tax proposal, according to NHPR (opens in a new tab). The national Libertarian Party disaffiliated the New Hampshire party in May 2026, according to the Valley News (opens in a new tab) and Boston.com (opens in a new tab), which both describe the party's Non-Aggression Principle pledge; the national party later called the September post part of a series of "violent extremist comments," according to the Boston Globe (opens in a new tab).
People in this case
Jeremy KauffmanDirectly involved
Timeline
12 timeline entries on this page. Dates: September 15, 2024 to October 19, 2026
September 2024
Libertarian Party of New Hampshire posts about Kamala Harris
Incident
The party's X account posted that "anyone who murders Kamala Harris would be an American hero," along with other posts about shooting politicians, before deleting them.
[01]N.H. Libertarian Party encourages 'assassination' of Harris, drawing scrutiny from state, federal authorities
Source excerpt
Anyone who murders Kamala Harris would be an American hero.
Reports an earlier, separate 2024 post by the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire endorsing violence against then Vice President Kamala Harris, used here only for timeline background.
N.H. Libertarian Party encourages 'assassination' of Harris, drawing scrutiny from state, federal authoritiesParagraphs quoting the original post about Kamala Harris and the party's Monday statementLibertarian Party of New Hampshire issues "official statement on political assassinations"
Reaction
The party said in a statement that it "would never advocate for the assassination of a tyrannical President" and was "merely acknowledging how some members would react."
[01]N.H. Libertarian Party encourages 'assassination' of Harris, drawing scrutiny from state, federal authorities
Source excerpt
Anyone who murders Kamala Harris would be an American hero.
Reports an earlier, separate 2024 post by the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire endorsing violence against then Vice President Kamala Harris, used here only for timeline background.
N.H. Libertarian Party encourages 'assassination' of Harris, drawing scrutiny from state, federal authoritiesParagraphs quoting the original post about Kamala Harris and the party's Monday statement
March 2026
Libertarian Party of New Hampshire posts about Andru Volinsky
Incident
The party's X account wrote that under libertarian ethical theory, it was "perfectly permissible to kill" former Executive Councilor Andru Volinsky over his income tax proposal.
[02]NH Libertarian Party says 'perfectly permissible to kill' former Executive Councilor for income tax plan
Source excerpt
Under libertarian ethical theory, it is perfectly permissible to kill him.
Reports an earlier, separate post by the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire threatening former Executive Councilor Andru Volinsky over his income tax proposal, used here only for timeline background.
NH Libertarian Party says 'perfectly permissible to kill' former Executive Councilor for income tax planParagraphs quoting the party's post about Andru Volinsky and Rep. Alexis Simpson's statement
May 2026
National Libertarian Party disaffiliates the New Hampshire party
The national Libertarian Party ended its affiliation with the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire in May 2026 and later recognized the Granite State Libertarian Party as its state affiliate.
[03]Backlash ensues after the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire calls for assassinations, again
Source excerpt
The Non-Aggression Principle is a fundamental core of libertarianism.
Reports the national Libertarian Party's May 2026 disaffiliation of the New Hampshire party, its statement on the September post, and reactions from congressional candidates.
Backlash ensues after the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire calls for assassinations, againParagraphs on the national Libertarian Party's May disaffiliation statement, and quotes from Rep. Maggie Goodlander, Lily Tang Williams, and Jeremy Kauffman's account-suspension post[04]N.H. Libertarian group spurned by national party sparks fresh backlash with calls to 'assassinate' Democrats
Source excerpt
said its statements are "completely legal."
Links directly to the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's own X posts and to Jeremy Kauffman's post about the account suspension. Those underlying X posts could not be independently retrieved as of the date accessed, so this article is cited as the source for their wording.
N.H. Libertarian group spurned by national party sparks fresh backlash with calls to 'assassinate' DemocratsParagraphs on Governor Ayotte's Wednesday statement, the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's 'completely legal' post, and Jeremy Kauffman's account-suspension post, each linked to the underlying X post
September 2026
Libertarian Party of New Hampshire posts about assassinating elected Democrats
Incident
The party's X account posted that it openly supports the assassination of basically every elected Democrat in New Hampshire and that anyone unwilling should vote Republican. Outlets differ on whether the post was later deleted: the Boston Globe and Boston.com said it was, while InDepthNH.org reported on September 23 that it remained live.
[05]Social Media Post Calls for Assassinating all Elected NH Democrats
Source excerpt
We openly support the assassination of basically every elected Democrat in New Hampshire.
Same-day report that quotes the post directly and attributes it to party chair Jeremy Kauffman. The post itself is not independently archived; this quotation is corroborated by New Hampshire Public Radio and the Valley News.
Social Media Post Calls for Assassinating all Elected NH DemocratsParagraphs quoting the post and describing Rep. Alexis Simpson's report to the State House security office and the Attorney General's office[06]NH Libertarian Party endorses 'assassination' of elected Democrats
Source excerpt
We openly support the assassination of basically every elected Democrat in New Hampshire.
Reports the post and collects same-week reactions from the state Attorney General's office, the Governor, and Democratic party and legislative leaders.
NH Libertarian Party endorses 'assassination' of elected DemocratsFull article, including the Attorney General's office statement and quotes from Governor Ayotte, Raymond Buckley, and Rep. Alexis Simpson[07]'Assassination' post draws condemnation from all sides
Source excerpt
We openly support the assassination of basically every elected Democrat in New Hampshire.
Corroborates the exact wording of the post and reports the national Libertarian Party's statement reiterating its Non-Aggression Principle pledge.
'Assassination' post draws condemnation from all sidesParagraphs quoting the post, the national Libertarian Party's statement on its membership pledge, Governor Ayotte, the Attorney General's office, and Rep. Alexis SimpsonNational Libertarian Party denounces the post
Reaction
The national Libertarian Party said calling for violence goes against its principles, citing its Non-Aggression Principle pledge, and reiterated that it had already ended its affiliation with the New Hampshire party.
[07]'Assassination' post draws condemnation from all sides
Source excerpt
We openly support the assassination of basically every elected Democrat in New Hampshire.
Corroborates the exact wording of the post and reports the national Libertarian Party's statement reiterating its Non-Aggression Principle pledge.
'Assassination' post draws condemnation from all sidesParagraphs quoting the post, the national Libertarian Party's statement on its membership pledge, Governor Ayotte, the Attorney General's office, and Rep. Alexis Simpson[04]N.H. Libertarian group spurned by national party sparks fresh backlash with calls to 'assassinate' Democrats
Source excerpt
said its statements are "completely legal."
Links directly to the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's own X posts and to Jeremy Kauffman's post about the account suspension. Those underlying X posts could not be independently retrieved as of the date accessed, so this article is cited as the source for their wording.
N.H. Libertarian group spurned by national party sparks fresh backlash with calls to 'assassinate' DemocratsParagraphs on Governor Ayotte's Wednesday statement, the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's 'completely legal' post, and Jeremy Kauffman's account-suspension post, each linked to the underlying X postX temporarily locks the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's account
The social platform X temporarily locked the party's account for breaking its rules against threatening, inciting, or glorifying violence.
[04]N.H. Libertarian group spurned by national party sparks fresh backlash with calls to 'assassinate' Democrats
Source excerpt
said its statements are "completely legal."
Links directly to the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's own X posts and to Jeremy Kauffman's post about the account suspension. Those underlying X posts could not be independently retrieved as of the date accessed, so this article is cited as the source for their wording.
N.H. Libertarian group spurned by national party sparks fresh backlash with calls to 'assassinate' DemocratsParagraphs on Governor Ayotte's Wednesday statement, the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's 'completely legal' post, and Jeremy Kauffman's account-suspension post, each linked to the underlying X post[07]'Assassination' post draws condemnation from all sides
Source excerpt
We openly support the assassination of basically every elected Democrat in New Hampshire.
Corroborates the exact wording of the post and reports the national Libertarian Party's statement reiterating its Non-Aggression Principle pledge.
'Assassination' post draws condemnation from all sidesParagraphs quoting the post, the national Libertarian Party's statement on its membership pledge, Governor Ayotte, the Attorney General's office, and Rep. Alexis Simpson
October 2026
Libertarian Party of New Hampshire posts about plans to kill Democrats
Incident
The party's X account wrote that libertarians who are not voting would need to "make plans to kill a lot of people" and asked, "Do you have a plan to kill millions of Democrats?"
[08]LPNH again advocates violence against Democrats
Source excerpt
Enough is enough. Week after week, the LPNH account posts rhetoric on X intended to encourage violence against Democrats.
InDepthNH.org report on a Libertarian Party of New Hampshire post about plans to kill Democrats. It quotes the post, a statement from House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson calling on X to ban the account, and the chair of the Granite State Libertarian Party.
LPNH again advocates violence against DemocratsParagraphs quoting the party's post and House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson's statement[09]Governor Ayotte urges X to suspend N.H. Libertarian group for endorsing violence against elected Democrats
Source excerpt
The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire called Ayotte's letter a "shameful" effort to "curtail legal political speech." But others questioned that framing.
Boston Globe report on Governor Kelly Ayotte's letter asking X to suspend the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's account. It dates the party's post about killing Democrats to Tuesday, October 13, and describes Alexis Simpson's statement, the deleted post about her, and responses from Jason Osborne, Sherman Packard, the Department of Justice and the party.
Governor Ayotte urges X to suspend N.H. Libertarian group for endorsing violence against elected DemocratsAccount of the October 13 and 14 posts and the responses to themLibertarian Party of New Hampshire posts about the death of House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson
Incident
After Simpson called on X to ban the account, the party's account posted that New Hampshire "will be a better and freer place" when she "is dead", adding "(Or she could move out before that happens)". The post was later deleted. House Majority Leader Jason Osborne, a Republican, replied, "WTF is wrong with you people?" House Speaker Sherman Packard, also a Republican, said the post was "not political speech worth debating".
[10]Ayotte calls on X to suspend NH Libertarian Party's account for calling for political violence
Source excerpt
The post that triggered Ayotte's letter targeted House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson.
New Hampshire Public Radio report on Governor Kelly Ayotte's letter to X. It quotes the party's post about House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson and two X posts by House Majority Leader Jason Osborne criticizing the party's account.
Ayotte calls on X to suspend NH Libertarian Party's account for calling for political violenceParagraphs quoting the post about Alexis Simpson and House Majority Leader Jason Osborne[09]Governor Ayotte urges X to suspend N.H. Libertarian group for endorsing violence against elected Democrats
Source excerpt
The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire called Ayotte's letter a "shameful" effort to "curtail legal political speech." But others questioned that framing.
Boston Globe report on Governor Kelly Ayotte's letter asking X to suspend the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's account. It dates the party's post about killing Democrats to Tuesday, October 13, and describes Alexis Simpson's statement, the deleted post about her, and responses from Jason Osborne, Sherman Packard, the Department of Justice and the party.
Governor Ayotte urges X to suspend N.H. Libertarian group for endorsing violence against elected DemocratsAccount of the October 13 and 14 posts and the responses to them[11]Ayotte calls for social media suspension of Libertarian Party of NH in response to posts encouraging killing of Democrats
Source excerpt
Its most recent post, which has since been deleted, advocated for the death of House Minority Leader Alexis Simpson, a Democrat from Exeter.
Concord Monitor report on Governor Kelly Ayotte's request that X suspend the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's account. It quotes the party's October 1 post, Alexis Simpson's statement, House Speaker Sherman Packard, the State House's director of safety services and the Department of Justice.
Ayotte calls for social media suspension of Libertarian Party of NH in response to posts encouraging killing of DemocratsParagraphs on the October 1 post, Alexis Simpson's statement and the Department of JusticeGovernor Ayotte asks X to suspend the party's account
Reaction
In a letter to Michael O'Herlihy, X's head of safety, Governor Kelly Ayotte asked the company to remove the party's violent posts and suspend its account for repeated violations of X's Violent Content Policy.
[12]Governor Ayotte Calls on X to Suspend Account Calling for Political Violence
Source excerpt
Violent rhetoric is completely unacceptable and has no place in our civil discourse. These posts plainly violate X's own rules on violent content, and I'm calling on X to remove them and suspend the account immediately.
Press release from the New Hampshire governor's office announcing Governor Kelly Ayotte's letter to Michael O'Herlihy, X's head of safety, asking the company to remove the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's violent posts and suspend its account. The release links to the letter.
Governor Ayotte Calls on X to Suspend Account Calling for Political ViolencePress release dated October 15, 2026[13]Ayotte Joins Calls for LPNH Twitter Ban
Source excerpt
The New Hampshire Department of Justice is aware of these and previous posts and we understand the concerns that have been expressed.
InDepthNH.org report on Governor Kelly Ayotte's letter asking X to suspend the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's account. It quotes the letter at length and a statement from the Attorney General's spokesman on the posts.
Ayotte Joins Calls for LPNH Twitter BanParagraphs quoting Governor Ayotte's letter and the Attorney General's spokesmanAttorney General's office says it is reviewing the posts
Reaction
A spokesman for Attorney General John Formella said the Department of Justice is "aware of these and previous posts" and is "taking a close look at the posts and the applicable law to determine what, if any, action may be appropriate".
[13]Ayotte Joins Calls for LPNH Twitter Ban
Source excerpt
The New Hampshire Department of Justice is aware of these and previous posts and we understand the concerns that have been expressed.
InDepthNH.org report on Governor Kelly Ayotte's letter asking X to suspend the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's account. It quotes the letter at length and a statement from the Attorney General's spokesman on the posts.
Ayotte Joins Calls for LPNH Twitter BanParagraphs quoting Governor Ayotte's letter and the Attorney General's spokesman[09]Governor Ayotte urges X to suspend N.H. Libertarian group for endorsing violence against elected Democrats
Source excerpt
The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire called Ayotte's letter a "shameful" effort to "curtail legal political speech." But others questioned that framing.
Boston Globe report on Governor Kelly Ayotte's letter asking X to suspend the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's account. It dates the party's post about killing Democrats to Tuesday, October 13, and describes Alexis Simpson's statement, the deleted post about her, and responses from Jason Osborne, Sherman Packard, the Department of Justice and the party.
Governor Ayotte urges X to suspend N.H. Libertarian group for endorsing violence against elected DemocratsAccount of the October 13 and 14 posts and the responses to themX shows the party's account as suspended
By October 19, X's page for the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's @LPNH account read "Account suspended". The page does not say when or why X suspended the account.
[14]The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's X profile page
Source excerpt
Account suspended. X suspends accounts which violate the X Rules
X's public page for the @LPNH account as it appeared on October 19, 2026. It shows the notice "Account suspended" and X's general explanation that it suspends accounts that break its rules. The page does not say when or why X suspended this account.
The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's X profile pageProfile page as shown to a signed-out visitor on October 19, 2026
Claims
Claims separate what was said from what is contested. Follow each source for the original wording and context.
What's disputed
Disputed claim
Libertarian Party of New Hampshire
The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's posts, including its September 22 post about elected Democrats, are completely legal.
Sources (1)
- N.H. Libertarian group spurned by national party sparks fresh backlash with calls to 'assassinate' DemocratsParagraphs on Governor Ayotte's Wednesday statement, the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's 'completely legal' post, and Jeremy Kauffman's account-suspension post, each linked to the underlying X post
Disputed claim
Openly calling for the assassination of elected Democrats is a disgusting glorification of political violence.
Sources (1)
- NH Libertarian Party endorses 'assassination' of elected DemocratsFull article, including the Attorney General's office statement and quotes from Governor Ayotte, Raymond Buckley, and Rep. Alexis Simpson
Response record
Responses
Choose one response filter, or select All responses to see the full record.
5 matching responses. Newest first.
Libertarian Party of New HampshireState political partyDirectly involvedBefore this statement
Governor Kelly Ayotte had asked X that day to remove the party's posts and suspend its account.
"curtail legal political speech"
Challenged the characterizationCase context: Was the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's 'assassination' post a threat of political violence?
Full statement and sources
The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire called Governor Kelly Ayotte's letter to X a "shameful" effort to "curtail legal political speech".
After the statement
House Speaker Sherman Packard, a Republican, disputed that framing, saying, "Wishing death on an elected official is not political speech worth debating".
Governor Ayotte urges X to suspend N.H. Libertarian group for endorsing violence against elected DemocratsAccount of the October 13 and 14 posts and the responses to themWhy this label?
The reference point is the party's September 22 post. By calling the governor's request to remove its posts an effort against legal political speech, the party rejects the description of its posts, that one included, as threats of violence. That challenges the characterization; it does not argue that violence is justified.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
- Libertarian Party of New HampshireState political partyDirectly involved
Before this statement
The post argued that libertarians have two ways to bring about political change, voting and violence, and urged them to vote and to move where they can have more effect.
"You get a place where when the media misrepresents your get-out-the-vote campaign as a call to 'assassinate Democrats' it's not a big deal and some elected anarcho-capitalists call you and laugh about it."
Challenged the characterizationCase context: Was the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's 'assassination' post a threat of political violence?
Full statement and sources
In an October 1 post, the party described the reaction to its September 22 post as the media misrepresenting a get-out-the-vote campaign as a call to assassinate Democrats.
After the statement
Two weeks later the account posted about the death of House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson, in a post it later deleted.
Ayotte calls for social media suspension of Libertarian Party of NH in response to posts encouraging killing of DemocratsParagraphs on the October 1 post, Alexis Simpson's statement and the Department of JusticeWhy this label?
The reference point is the September 22 post. The party describes that post as a get-out-the-vote campaign that the media misrepresented as a call for assassinations, which challenges the characterization of it as a threat.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Jeremy KauffmanChair, Libertarian Party of New HampshireDirectly involvedBefore this statement
The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's account had posted on September 22 that it openly supports the assassination of basically every elected Democrat in New Hampshire. X temporarily locked the account for breaking its rules against threatening or glorifying violence.
"It remains a major asymmetry that communists can openly argue for mass enslavement, but patriots cannot advocate for self-defense"
Defended or excusedCase context: Was the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's 'assassination' post a threat of political violence?
Full statement and sources
After the social platform X temporarily locked the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's account for violating its rules against threats of violence, party chair Jeremy Kauffman said it was inconsistent that his side could not advocate for self-defense while opponents faced no similar restriction.
After the statement
The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's account remained locked for at least a week, according to the Boston Globe.
Backlash ensues after the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire calls for assassinations, againParagraphs on the national Libertarian Party's May disaffiliation statement, and quotes from Rep. Maggie Goodlander, Lily Tang Williams, and Jeremy Kauffman's account-suspension postWhy this label?
Relative to the fixed reference point, Kauffman reframed the party's rhetoric as legitimate self-defense rather than disavowing it, which defends the underlying conduct rather than rejecting or minimizing it.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
- Libertarian Party of New HampshireState political partyDirectly involved
Before this statement
LPNH responded to criticism of its earlier assassination post.
"Some people seem to be misreading this."
Challenged the characterizationCase context: Was the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's 'assassination' post a threat of political violence?
Full statement and sources
LPNH says Americans are generally unwilling to kill people and argues that its post's point was that people should vote. It does not retract or condemn the earlier post.
After the statement
It said the intended point was that people should vote.
Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's response to the disputeFull original post, September 23 at 3:08 p.m.Why this label?
It disputes the interpretation of its post as endorsing killing.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
- Libertarian Party of New HampshireOfficial X account, Libertarian Party of New HampshireDirectly involved
Before this statement
Officials across New Hampshire had condemned the party's September 22 post and the state Attorney General's office said it was aware of it.
"completely legal"
Challenged the characterizationResponding to: The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's posts, including its September 22 post about elected Democrats, are completely legal.
Full statement and sources
The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's account said its posts, including the September 22 statement about elected Democrats, are legally protected rather than unlawful threats.
After the statement
The Boston Globe reported that the party's account had also not deleted a separate post urging people to "light Democrats on fire."
N.H. Libertarian group spurned by national party sparks fresh backlash with calls to 'assassinate' DemocratsParagraphs on Governor Ayotte's Wednesday statement, the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's 'completely legal' post, and Jeremy Kauffman's account-suspension post, each linked to the underlying X postWhy this label?
Relative to the fixed reference point, the party disputed the characterization of its post as an unlawful threat by asserting legality, without withdrawing or apologizing for the underlying content.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Sources
(26)
Reporting
Social Media Post Calls for Assassinating all Elected NH Democrats
Relevant passage: Paragraphs quoting the post and describing Rep. Alexis Simpson's report to the State House security office and the Attorney General's office
Excerpt
"We openly support the assassination of basically every elected Democrat in New Hampshire."
About this source
Same-day report that quotes the post directly and attributes it to party chair Jeremy Kauffman. The post itself is not independently archived; this quotation is corroborated by New Hampshire Public Radio and the Valley News.
- Author
- Garry Rayno, InDepthNH.org
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's X profile page
Relevant passage: Profile page as shown to a signed-out visitor on October 19, 2026
Excerpt
"Account suspended. X suspends accounts which violate the X Rules"
About this source
X's public page for the @LPNH account as it appeared on October 19, 2026. It shows the notice "Account suspended" and X's general explanation that it suspends accounts that break its rules. The page does not say when or why X suspended this account.
- Author
- X
- Accessed
Reporting
Ayotte calls on X to suspend NH Libertarian Party's account for calling for political violence
Relevant passage: Paragraphs quoting the post about Alexis Simpson and House Majority Leader Jason Osborne
Excerpt
"The post that triggered Ayotte's letter targeted House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson."
About this source
New Hampshire Public Radio report on Governor Kelly Ayotte's letter to X. It quotes the party's post about House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson and two X posts by House Majority Leader Jason Osborne criticizing the party's account.
- Author
- NHPR Staff
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Governor Ayotte urges X to suspend N.H. Libertarian group for endorsing violence against elected Democrats
Relevant passage: Account of the October 13 and 14 posts and the responses to them
Excerpt
"The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire called Ayotte's letter a "shameful" effort to "curtail legal political speech." But others questioned that framing."
About this source
Boston Globe report on Governor Kelly Ayotte's letter asking X to suspend the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's account. It dates the party's post about killing Democrats to Tuesday, October 13, and describes Alexis Simpson's statement, the deleted post about her, and responses from Jason Osborne, Sherman Packard, the Department of Justice and the party.
- Author
- Steven Porter
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Ayotte calls for social media suspension of Libertarian Party of NH in response to posts encouraging killing of Democrats
Relevant passage: Paragraphs on the October 1 post, Alexis Simpson's statement and the Department of Justice
Excerpt
"Its most recent post, which has since been deleted, advocated for the death of House Minority Leader Alexis Simpson, a Democrat from Exeter."
About this source
Concord Monitor report on Governor Kelly Ayotte's request that X suspend the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's account. It quotes the party's October 1 post, Alexis Simpson's statement, House Speaker Sherman Packard, the State House's director of safety services and the Department of Justice.
- Author
- Charlotte Matherly
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Ayotte Joins Calls for LPNH Twitter Ban
Relevant passage: Paragraphs quoting Governor Ayotte's letter and the Attorney General's spokesman
Excerpt
"The New Hampshire Department of Justice is aware of these and previous posts and we understand the concerns that have been expressed."
About this source
InDepthNH.org report on Governor Kelly Ayotte's letter asking X to suspend the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's account. It quotes the letter at length and a statement from the Attorney General's spokesman on the posts.
- Author
- Damien Fisher, InDepthNH.org
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
LPNH again advocates violence against Democrats
Relevant passage: Paragraphs quoting the party's post and House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson's statement
Excerpt
"Enough is enough. Week after week, the LPNH account posts rhetoric on X intended to encourage violence against Democrats."
About this source
InDepthNH.org report on a Libertarian Party of New Hampshire post about plans to kill Democrats. It quotes the post, a statement from House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson calling on X to ban the account, and the chair of the Granite State Libertarian Party.
- Author
- Damien Fisher, InDepthNH.org
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Governor Ayotte Calls on X to Suspend Account Calling for Political Violence
Relevant passage: Press release dated October 15, 2026
Excerpt
"Violent rhetoric is completely unacceptable and has no place in our civil discourse. These posts plainly violate X's own rules on violent content, and I'm calling on X to remove them and suspend the account immediately."
About this source
Press release from the New Hampshire governor's office announcing Governor Kelly Ayotte's letter to Michael O'Herlihy, X's head of safety, asking the company to remove the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's violent posts and suspend its account. The release links to the letter.
- Author
- Office of Governor Kelly Ayotte
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
David F. Prenatt, Jr.'s response to the dispute
About this source
The speaker's own post responding to the dispute.
- Author
- David F. Prenatt, Jr.
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Ricky Davila's response to the dispute
About this source
The speaker's own post responding to the dispute.
- Author
- Ricky Davila
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's response to the dispute
About this source
The speaker's own post responding to the dispute. The post is no longer available on X; the Internet Archive holds a copy that shows its full text.
- Author
- Libertarian Party of New Hampshire
- Published
- Accessed
(opens in a new tab)The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's X post of Sept. 23, 2026, no longer on X, as saved by the Internet Archive.
Original post
Cinde Warmington post on Bluesky, September 23, 2026
Relevant passage: Post from the @cindewarmington.bsky.social account; the first sentence is the quotation
Excerpt
"Threats of political violence against elected Democrats — against anyone — are abhorrent, beyond the pale, and endanger public servants across our state."
About this source
Warmington's own post on Bluesky. A follow-up post in the same thread calls on Gov. Kelly Ayotte to join her in urging the Libertarian Party to step back.
- Author
- Cinde Warmington
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
NH Libertarian Party's advocacy for killing all elected Democrats decried
Relevant passage: Article body, second paragraph (officials calling for a criminal investigation) and the paragraph beginning 'Warmington joined in criticizing'
Excerpt
"Democratic nominee for governor Cinde Warmington of Concord and House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson of Exeter called upon prosecutors to criminally investigate the social media post of the New Hampshire Libertarian Party"
About this source
The New Hampshire Union Leader reports on the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's post and on responses from Governor Ayotte, Representative Goodlander, Warmington, Simpson and the Libertarian National Committee.
- Author
- Kevin Landrigan
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
NH Libertarian Party post sparks bipartisan outrage over assassination threats
Relevant passage: Article body, paragraph beginning 'Cinde Warmington, the Democratic nominee for governor, wrote'
Excerpt
"Threats of political violence against elected Democrats — against anyone — are abhorrent, beyond the pale, and endanger public servants across our state."
About this source
WCAX, the Burlington, Vermont television station, reports on the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's post and collects reactions from state and federal officials and candidates.
- Author
- Adam Sullivan
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Libertarian Party of Maine post on X, September 23, 2026
Excerpt
"We are outraged by the Libertarian Party New Hampshire's calls for violence against NH Democrats. This isn't a messaging problem, it's a blatant betrayal of the one principle our movement exists to defend."
About this source
The Libertarian Party of Maine's own post of the statement. The party's website shows it dated September 23, 2026.
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Granite State Libertarian Party Condemns Calls for Political Assassination
Relevant passage: Section headed GSLP Leadership Responds: the statement from Chair Rachel Danner
Excerpt
"The Granite State Libertarian Party (GSLP) unequivocally condemns the recent social-media statement from the organization operating as the "Libertarian Party of New Hampshire" expressing support for the assassination of elected Democrats in New Hampshire."
About this source
The party's own post on its website, dated September 27, 2026. Its version of Chair Rachel Danner's statement differs slightly from the one InDepthNH.org printed on September 23: it reads "the assassination of all Democratic elected officials" and "advocacy and engagement".
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Sen. Maggie Hassan post on Bluesky, September 23, 2026
Relevant passage: Two consecutive posts from the @hassan.senate.gov account in one thread; the second begins 'All leaders, of all political stripes'
Excerpt
"There is absolutely no place for calls for political violence in our state or our country."
About this source
Sen. Hassan's own posts on Bluesky. The third sentence of the quotation is the second post in the thread.
- Author
- Maggie Hassan
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
National Libertarian Party denounces death threats posted on New Hampshire group's social media account
Relevant passage: Article body: the national Libertarian Party statement, the Granite State Libertarian Party response, the section headed Political Reaction and the section headed Response from Maine
Excerpt
"The national Libertarian Party and Granite State Libertarian Party are condemning posts made on the social media accounts of the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire calling for the "assassination" of Democrats."
About this source
WMTW report on the reaction to posts from the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's X account, updated September 24, 2026. It quotes the national Libertarian Party, the Granite State Libertarian Party, the Libertarian Party of Maine, Sen. Maggie Hassan and other officials.
- Author
- Adam Bartow
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Social Media Post Backing Assassination of NH's Elected Democrats Met With Condemnation
Relevant passage: Paragraphs reporting the statement of Granite State Libertarian Party Chair Rachel Danner, and the joint statement by Deputy Speaker Steven Smith and House Minority Leader Alexis Simpson, near the end of the article
Excerpt
"The call for the assassination of Democratic elected officials in the state of NH is absolutely against the core values of Libertarianism and the Libertarian Party as a whole. ... No matter your party, political violence has zero place in New Hampshire, period."
About this source
Reports the condemnation of the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's post by state officials and the Granite State Libertarian Party, and prints the joint statement from Smith and Simpson.
- Author
- Nancy West
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
N.H. Libertarian Party encourages 'assassination' of Harris, drawing scrutiny from state, federal authorities
Relevant passage: Paragraphs quoting the original post about Kamala Harris and the party's Monday statement
Excerpt
"Anyone who murders Kamala Harris would be an American hero."
About this source
Reports an earlier, separate 2024 post by the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire endorsing violence against then Vice President Kamala Harris, used here only for timeline background.
- Author
- NHPR Staff
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
NH Libertarian Party says 'perfectly permissible to kill' former Executive Councilor for income tax plan
Relevant passage: Paragraphs quoting the party's post about Andru Volinsky and Rep. Alexis Simpson's statement
Excerpt
"Under libertarian ethical theory, it is perfectly permissible to kill him."
About this source
Reports an earlier, separate post by the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire threatening former Executive Councilor Andru Volinsky over his income tax proposal, used here only for timeline background.
- Author
- NHPR Staff
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
'Assassination' post draws condemnation from all sides
Relevant passage: Paragraphs quoting the post, the national Libertarian Party's statement on its membership pledge, Governor Ayotte, the Attorney General's office, and Rep. Alexis Simpson
Excerpt
"We openly support the assassination of basically every elected Democrat in New Hampshire."
About this source
Corroborates the exact wording of the post and reports the national Libertarian Party's statement reiterating its Non-Aggression Principle pledge.
- Author
- Rick Green, Keene Sentinel
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
N.H. Libertarian group spurned by national party sparks fresh backlash with calls to 'assassinate' Democrats
Relevant passage: Paragraphs on Governor Ayotte's Wednesday statement, the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's 'completely legal' post, and Jeremy Kauffman's account-suspension post, each linked to the underlying X post
Excerpt
"said its statements are "completely legal.""
About this source
Links directly to the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's own X posts and to Jeremy Kauffman's post about the account suspension. Those underlying X posts could not be independently retrieved as of the date accessed, so this article is cited as the source for their wording.
- Author
- Steven Porter
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Backlash ensues after the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire calls for assassinations, again
Relevant passage: Paragraphs on the national Libertarian Party's May disaffiliation statement, and quotes from Rep. Maggie Goodlander, Lily Tang Williams, and Jeremy Kauffman's account-suspension post
Excerpt
"The Non-Aggression Principle is a fundamental core of libertarianism."
About this source
Reports the national Libertarian Party's May 2026 disaffiliation of the New Hampshire party, its statement on the September post, and reactions from congressional candidates.
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
New Hampshire Libertarian 'Vote GOP' Message Backs Assassinating Democrats
Relevant passage: Paragraphs quoting the post and statements from Rep. Chris Pappas, Governor Ayotte, and Rep. Maggie Goodlander
Excerpt
"Rhetoric calling for political assassination has no place in New Hampshire or our country."
About this source
Newsweek states its reporters and editors used an AI assistant to produce this article, so its rendering of the post's wording is treated as lower confidence and is used here only where corroborated by other outlets.
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
NH Libertarian Party endorses 'assassination' of elected Democrats
Relevant passage: Full article, including the Attorney General's office statement and quotes from Governor Ayotte, Raymond Buckley, and Rep. Alexis Simpson
Excerpt
"We openly support the assassination of basically every elected Democrat in New Hampshire."
About this source
Reports the post and collects same-week reactions from the state Attorney General's office, the Governor, and Democratic party and legislative leaders.
- Author
- NHPR Staff
- Published
- Accessed
Corrections
(1)
Corrections address errors in our reporting or labels. When a speaker changes their position, we add a separate statement and link it to the earlier one.
Reporting correction
Correction to: Was the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's 'assassination' post a threat of political violence?
- Previous language
- InDepthNH.org attributed the post to party chair Jeremy Kauffman, and it was later deleted.
- Corrected language
- InDepthNH.org attributed the post to party chair Jeremy Kauffman. The Boston Globe and Boston.com described it as deleted, while InDepthNH.org reported on September 23 that it remained live and that party chair Jeremy Kauffman said it had not been taken down.
We stated that the post was later deleted. Reporting differs: the Boston Globe and Boston.com describe it as deleted, while InDepthNH.org reported on September 23 that it remained live on X and that party chair Jeremy Kauffman said it had not been taken down. We have no archive of the post to settle the point. The case summary, the context section and the September 22 timeline entry now say that reports differ, and notes on three sources no longer call it the deleted post.
This corrects our account of what happened.
Reports the condemnation of the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's post by state officials and the Granite State Libertarian Party, and prints the joint statement from Smith and Simpson.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Links directly to the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's own X posts and to Jeremy Kauffman's post about the account suspension. Those underlying X posts could not be independently retrieved as of the date accessed, so this article is cited as the source for their wording.
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Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Was the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's 'assassination' post a threat of political violence?
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/cases/was-the-libertarian-party-of-new-hampshire-s-assassination-post-a-threat-of-political-violence
The Dispute Index. "Was the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire's 'assassination' post a threat of political violence?". First published: 2026-09-29. Last updated: 2026-09-29. https://disputeindex.com/cases/was-the-libertarian-party-of-new-hampshire-s-assassination-post-a-threat-of-political-violence