JOSH WELCOME BACK.
WE JUST HEARD FROM CANDIDATE FOR
GOVERNOR TED GATSAS, WHO IS
CHALLENGING OUR NEXT GUEST IN
THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY FOR
GOVERNOR.
WE ARE JOINED BY EXECUTIVE
COUNSELOR CHRIS SUNUNU.
YOU PUT OUT AN AD AGAINST -- YOU
ARE NOT TO PLEASE WITH THE AD
TED GATSAS PUT OUT.
MAYOR GATSAS: --MR. SUNUNU: I
LOVE THAT STUFF OFF.
WE NEED TO SCRAP COMMON CORE.
100%.
I WOULD NEVER SUPPORT TAXPAYER
FUNDING OF ABORTIONS.
NEVER SUPPORT INCREASING ANY TAX
IN THE STATE.
THEY ARE COMPLETELY BASIS.
THERE IS NOTHING TO THEM.
IT IS DESPERATE AND DISHONEST.
JOSH: HE WOULD NEVER SUPPORT
TAXPAYER FUNDING FOR ABORTION.
YOU VOTED TO FUND PLANNED
PARENTHOOD.
THEY DO ABORTION.
MR. SUNUNU: THEY DO.
BY THE FUNDING WE APPROVE FOR
PLANNED PARENTHOOD IS STRICTLY
FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH CARE.
LOW INCOME WOMEN WHO HAVE NO
INSURANCE.
WE KNEW THEY WERE PEOPLE PASSION
ON THE OTHER SIDE.
BUT WHEN IT COMES FOR THE
THOUSANDS OF WOMEN AND MEN AND
FAMILIES, THEY ALL PARTAKE OF
THOSE FUNDS IN MY DISTRICT.
PLANNED PARENTHOOD WAS THE ONLY
HEALTH CARE PROVIDER TO STEP UP
-- WE CALLED OTHERS.
TRY TO GET OTHERS TO BID ON THE
CONTRACTOR THEY WOULD NOT.
SO IF THAT WAS MY ONLY OPTION TO
PROVIDE BASIC HEALTH CARE
SERVICES, THAT IS IMPORTANT
STUFF.
I WILL NOT PUT CLINICAL
EXPEDIENCY, JUST TO SAY NO TO
THAT, AHEAD OF WHAT IS IMPORTANT
FOR MY CONSTITUENTS.
MY CONSTITUENTS, FIRST EVERY
TIME ON THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
JOSH: A LOT OF PEOPLE POINT TO
THE PLANNED PARENTHOOD ARGUMENT
YOU MAKE.
THEY CALL IT A SHELL GAME --
MR. SUNUNU: IT IS NOT A SHELL
GAME.
THIS CONTRACT IS 40 YEARS OLD.
EVERY REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR BEFORE
ME HAS SIGNED THIS CONTRACT.
MULTIPLE TIMES AREA NOTHING HAS
CHANGED.
IT IS MORE OF A POLITICAL HOT
TOPIC, BUT WHEN THE CONSERVATIVE
GOVERNORS, THEY ALL SIGNED THE
SAME CONTRACT FOR THE SAME
SERVICES WITH PLANNED
PARENTHOOD.
BECAUSE THEY KNEW IT WAS ABOUT
THE CONSTITUENTS.
ABOUT BASIC HEALTH SERVICES FOR
LOW INCOME WOMEN AND FAMILIES
THAT HAVE NO OTHER OPTION.
JOSH: REALLY QUICK, JUST SO
PEOPLE ARE CLEAR.
THIS IS A LITMU TEST FOR A LOT
OF VOTERS.
YOU DID NOT VOTE FOR PLANNED
PARENTHOOD LAST TIME, POINTING
TO THE INVESTIGATION.
MR. SUNUNU: I HAD VOTED FOR A
COUPLE OF TIMES.
WHEN THE VIDEOS CAME OUT, THERE
WERE INVESTIGATIONS ABOU THOSE.
ANY GROUP UNDER INVESTIGATION
LIKE THAT -- I DO NOT CARE IF
YOU ARE A SNOWPLOW DRIVER OR
HEALTH CARE PROVIDER, YOU HAVE
TO PAUSE AND FIND OUT WHAT IS
GOING ON.
EVERY ONE OF THOSE
INVESTIGATIONS -- I FOUND THOSE
VIDEOS DISGUSTING.
BUT FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT,
THEY HAVE BEEN THROWN OUT.
I AM NOT A LAWYER AND CANNOT SAY
WHY, BUT THEY WERE THROWN OUT.
WE NEED TO GET THESE SERVICES TO
THE WOMEN AND FAMILIES RELYING
ON THEM, ESPECIALLY IN MY
DISTRICT.
JOSH: ANOTHER ISSUE, WHICH YOU
CALL BORDERLINE RACIST, WAS
THE HEAT YOU ARE TAKING F AN
INVESTOR OF WATERVILLE VALLEY,
WHO WAS INVESTIGATE FOR
POSSIBLY FUNNELING MONEY T A
TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.
NEVER BEEN CHARGED.
BUT YOU SAID THIS IS ALL LOCAL
INVESTMENT.
THIS GUY IS A LOCAL INVESTOR.
MR. SUNUNU: THIS IS THE SLEAZY
UNDERBELLY OF POLITICS.
THIS IS A GREAT MAN.
GOOD MAN.
GOOD AMERICAN.
THAT WAS FALSELY, SLANDEROUS
LATE ACCUSED OF THINGS YEARS AND
YEARS AGO THAT WERE 100%
DISPROVEN.
HE HAS INVESTMENT COMPANIES.
HE IS A FRIEND.
THIS IS A LOCALLY RUN AND
CONTROLLED COMPANY.
100% OF ALL OF THE CONTROLLING
SHARES OF THE COMPANY ARE OWNED
AND RUN BY THE SUNUNU FAMILY.
EIGHT OF THE 11 INVESTORS WE
HAVE OWN SECOND HOMES THERE.
THEY ARE ALL PART OF OUR
COMMUNITY.
NOT MANY PEOPLE LIVE FULL-TIME
IN WATERVILLE VALLEY.
IT IS A RESORT.
YOU ARE BE HARD-PRESSED TO FIND
A MORE LOCAL COMPANY THAN MINE.
THE FACT THEY ARE TRYING TO DIG
THIS UP -- IT IS DESPERATION.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ISSUES.
WHAT WE WILL DO TO GET THIS
STATE MOVING FORWARD.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT EDUCATION
AND OVERREGULATION AND
OVERREGULATION IN OUR
BUSINESSES.
MAKING SURE INDIVIDUALS HAVE THE
POSSIBILITY AND FREEDOM TO DO
WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
CUSTOMER SERVICE -- THE STATE
HAS LOST THE SENSE OF CUSTOMER
SERVICE.
JOSH: WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
MR. SUNUNU: WE HAVE ALL OF THESE
PROGRAMS, BUT WE MAKE THEM SO
HARD TO ACCESS A WHETHER A GRANT
OR MEDICAID.
HALF THE TIME, YOU NEED A LAWYER
TO PROCESS THE PAPERWORK.
WE NEED TO GET GOVERNMENT OUT OF
PEOPLE'S WAY.
WHETHER YOU ARE IN A BUSINESS,
YOUR HIRING LAWYERS TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT THE PROCESS IS.
IF YOU ARE APPLYING FOR A GRANT.
YOU KNOW WHY WE DID NOT GET MORE
PEOPLE VOTING FOR THE CONTRACT?
THE PROCESS IS SO COMPLEX, A LOT
OF THE SMALLER HEALTH CARE
PROVIDERS DO NOT HAVE THOSE
SOURCES.
THE SYSTEM IS FAILING THE
PEOPLE.
I AM ABOUT CUSTOMER SERVICE.
I AM AN ENGINEER.
I HAVE MY BUSINESS AT WATERVILLE
VALLEY.
IT IS NOT SERVICE.
IT IS ABOUT PARENTS, TEACHERS,
KIDS.
WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES WE ARE
GETTING AND HOW CAN WE SUPPORT
FIVE THE PROCESS TO GET THE BEST
SOLUTIONS FOR THE PEOPLE OF NEW
HAMPSHIRE.
THAT IS WHAT I WILL BRING.
JOSH: A TOP ISSUE ACCORDING TO
VOTERS IS THE OPIOID CRISIS.
AGAIN, POINTING TO MAYOR GATSAS
-- THE CONTENTION STARTED
EARLIER WHEN YOU SAID THERE WAS
NO LEADERSHIP AT THE STATE OR
LOCAL LEVEL.
MR. SUNUNU: GOVERNOR HASSAN HAS
BEEN AN ABSOLUTE FAILURE FOR
THIS CRISIS.
I WAS FIGHTING AGAINST HER DRUG
CZAR NOMINATION IN 2014.
I CALLED FOR HIS RESIGNATION
AFTER.
I THINK THE CURRENT DRUG CZAR,
JAMES VARA IS DOING A PRETTY
GOOD JOB.
ON HIS FIRST DAY, I TOURED THE
FARNUM CENTER WITH HIM.
THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN A FAILURE.
BUT THERE HAS BEEN A LACK OF
LOCAL LEADERSHIP.
I SHOULD NOT SAY NO LOCAL
LEADERSHIP, BUT THERE HAS BEEN A
LACK OF LOCAL LEADERSHIP FOR
SURE.
TO BE CRITICAL OF MAYOR GATSAS,
THE FACT THAT THIS "CRISIS HAS
BEEN GROWING YEAR AFTER YEAR.
100, 150, 200 LIVE LOST TO YOU
NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT ALMOST 500
LIVES LOST THIS YEAR.
LAST YEAR, IN THE STATE OF THE
CITY SPEECH, MAYOR GATSAS DID
NOT EVEN TALK ABOUT IT.
THE DAY I GOT ON THE EXECUTIVE
COUNCIL, WE HAVE BEEN APPROVING
CONTRACTS TO GET MONEY OUT FOR
SUBSTANCE ABUSE.
I WAS FIGHTING, IN 2014, THE
GOVERNOR ON HER CHORES FOR THE
DRUG CZAR, WHICH TURNED OUT TO
BE A DISASTER.
JUST LAST YEAR, GROUND ZERO FOR
THE HEROIN CRISIS IN NEW
HAMPSHIRE, MANCHESTER, THE MAYOR
DOES NOT TALK ABOUT THIS.
WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
YOU CANNOT WAIT UNTIL IT BECOMES
POLITICALLY CONVENIENT.
I THINK WE ARE ALL TIRED OF THAT
KIND OF POLITICS.
IT WILL BRING SOMETHING NEW.
I DO NOT CARE WHO HAS THE BEST
IDEA.
I DO NOT ALWAYS HAVE THE BEST
IDEA.
I AM GOOD AT BRINGING THE PEOPLE
TO THE TABLE WHO HAVE THE BEST
IDEA.
REPUBLICAN, DEMOCRAT,
INDEPENDENT, IT DOES NOT MATTER.
BRING SOMEONE WHO HAS THE
DETERMINATION AND WILL TO GET
THINGS DONE.
JOSH: ANYTHING SPECIFIC YOU
WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY?
MR. SUNUNU: MY PROGRAM IS VERY
AGGRESSIVE WITH PREVENTION IN
SCHOOLS.
OUR D.A.R.E. PROGRAM IS
UNDERFUNDED.
I AM A PARENT.
THEY WILL BE OFFERED DETAILS AND
DRUGS THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
THAT IS HARD AS A PARENT TO
THINK ABOUT.
BUT IT IS TRUE.
WE HAVE TO BE AGGRESSIVE ABOUT
IT.
WE HAD TO BE AGGRESSIVE NOT JUST
IN SCHOOLS BUT IN THE WORKFORCE.
MAKE SURE EMPLOYERS HAVE THE
TOOLS AND SOURCES -- RESOURCES,
SO IF AN EMPLOYEE HAS A PROBLEM,
THEY JUST DO NOT FIRE THEM AND
SEND THEM OUT TO THE WOLVES.
THE TOOLS EMPLOYERS CAN HAVE ARE
THOSE FAMILIES HAVE.
WHEN I SAY WE HAVE A LOT OF
LOCAL LEADERSHIP, I MEANT IT.
BUT WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT IS
WE ALL NEED ACCOUNTABILITY.
NO ONE AN SAY WE HAVE DONE
ENOUGH.
NO ONE CAN SAY WE ARE WINNING PA
WE ALL HAVE TO TAKE
RESPONSIBILITY.
LET'S HAV A PROCESS WHERE WE
ARE TALKING ABOUT IT
AGGRESSIVELY, PUTTING THE BEST
IDEAS ON THE TABLE, AND DRIVING
FORWARD WITH SOLUTIONS.
YOU NEED TO START SOMEWHERE.
I WILL BRING THAT LEADERSHIP TO
THE OFFICE.
JOSH I WANT TO GET YOU ON THE
RECORD.
MEDICAID EXPANSION SET TO
EXPIRE.
MR. SUNUNU: I WOULD HAVE LOVED
TO SEE THE WORK REQUIRING PUT IN
THERE.
I HAVE ISSUES IN IT.
I WOULD NEVER APPROVE AN
EXPANSION PROGRAM THAT PUTS A
DIRECT TAX BURDEN ON THE STATE
OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.
AS THE ON FUNDED -- UNFUND PAR
GROWS, THAT WILL BE A CONCERN.
JOSH: BUT YOU'RE NOT SAYING NOW
YOU HAVE TO GET RID OF THE WHOLE
THING.
MR. SUNUNU: I WOULD NEVER CUT
45,000 PEOPLE DIRECTLY OFF.
I WANT TO GET A PROGRAM THAT
GETS THEM BACK ON PRIVATE PLANS
TO BUT LET FOLKS IN ON THE HIGH
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.
IT IS VERY COMPLEX.
JOSH: WHY ARE YOU THE GUY ON
PRIMARY DAY?
MR. SUNUNU: THERE IS NO ONE ELSE
IN THIS RACE WHO HAS THE
BACKGROUND.
YOU WILL TALK ABOUT EDUCATION --
I UNDERSTAND, CORE AND THE
DISASTER HAS BROUGHT TO OUR
SYSTEM.
I AM APPARENT.
I DO NOT TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE
IT IS A TALKING POINT.
I RUN A PRIVATE BUSINESS.
YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT BUSINESS
TAX, OVERREGULATION, WHATEVER
YOU WANTED TO BE.
OUR HEALTH CARE COSTS.
I LIVE AND BREATHE THOSE ISSUES
EVERY DAY.
LET'S HAVE A GOVERNOR WHO HAS --
IS A STAKEHOLDER IN THESE
ISSUES.
UNDERSTANDS WHAT POLICY IS DOING
IN THESE PEOPLE'S LIVES.
JOSH: BEST OF LUCK TO YOU MOVING