From Wikipedia:
Kelly A. Ayotte is a Republican New Hampshire politician and former lawyer. She is the current U.S. Senator-elect, succeeding Senator Judd Gregg. Ayotte served as the Attorney General of New Hampshire from 2004 to 2009. As of January 2011, Ayotte will become the youngest female U.S. Senator, relacing Kirsten Gillibrand of New York.
[I've omitted a lot of the entry that had to do with the 2010 election.]
Early life, education and career
Ayotte was born in Nashua, New Hampshire on June 27, 1968. She attended Nashua High School. She received a B.A. from Pennsylvania State University majoring in political science. In 1993, Ayotte graduated from Villanova University School of Law, where she had served as Editor of the Environmental Law Journal.
Ayotte clerked for Sherman D. Horton Associate Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court, for one year. From 1994 to 1998, she was an associate at the Manchester law firm of McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton. In 1998, She joined the office of the New Hampshire Attorney General as a prosecutor. In 2003, Ayotte became legal counsel to Governor Craig Benson. She returned to the Attorney General's office three months later, becoming Deputy Attorney General.[5] In June 2004, Ayotte was appointed Attorney General of the State of New Hampshire by Governor Craig Benson following Peter Heed's resignation as Attorney General amid allegations that he had sexually harassed a female state employee.
Financial Resources Mortgage fraud
Ayotte has been criticized for her former office's alleged refusal to investigate charges against mortgage investment firm, Financial Resources Mortgage (FRM)[25] which has been accused of orchestrating a 80–100 million dollar Ponzi scheme. Scott Farah, the former president of Financial Resources Mortgage who was accused of swindling investors out of millions of dollars, using investor funds to pay other investors and his own personal expenses, has agreed, under a plea agreement, to plead guilty to federal wire and mail fraud charges in exchange for a nearly 20-year prison sentence.
In May of 2010, New Hampshire's current Attorney General Michael Delaney issued a report faulting New Hampshire's Attorney General's office during Ayotte's tenure, the state banking department and the state securities bureau for failing to investigate complaints against Financial Resources Mortgage. Concurrently, a joint state legislative committee conducted an independent investigation and held public hearings. The Joint Legislative Committee to Review the State’s Regulatory Oversight Over Financial Resources Mortgage reached conclusions similar to those of Delany's report, according to a draft report.
Republican candidate for Governor John Stephen has criticized Ayotte for her lack of oversight of Financial Resources Mortgage's activities. Stephens has said that Ayotte "has to be held accountable" for her and the New Hampshire Department of Justice's failure to act on complaints received about Financial Resources Mortgage's conduct.
New Hampshire Institute of Politics
Ayotte previously served as a board member of the Public Advisory Board at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College while Attorney General.[46]
2010 U.S. Senate campaign
Ayotte ran against Democratic nominee U.S. Representative Paul Hodes, Libertarian nominee Ken Blevens, and Independent Chris Booth.
Ayotte resigned as Attorney General on July 7, 2009 to explore a run for U.S. Senate in 2010.[47][48][49] Ayotte was recruited by the National Republican Party (National Republican Senatorial Committee) in Washington to enter the race. Incumbent Senator Judd Gregg is retiring from the Senate at the end of his current term (2004–2010).
Many prominent GOP figures went to NH to help Ayotte in her 2010 campaign, including John McCain, Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Haley Barbour, and Rick Santorum.
According to one senior GOP aide, “The addition of a Republican woman from New England who’s young, who’s a mom .. all of these things broaden the Republican party’s appeal and say to different segments of the population, ‘This party has folks in it that are just like you.’”
On September 14, 2010, Ayotte defeated lawyer Ovide Lamontagne, businessmen Bill Binnie and Jim Bender in the Republican Senate primary.
Political positions
Abortion
Ayotte is pro-life and believes that abortion should be prohibited except in cases of rape, incest or medical emergency.[70] Where abortion is legal, Ayotte supports parental notification before abortions may be performed on unemancipated minors and opposes any federal funding for elective abortions in accordance with the Hyde Amendment.[71] Ayotte has expressed her determination to be a strong vocal advocate for unborn children in the U.S. Senate.
Gay marriage and adoption by same-sex couples
Ayotte opposes same-sex marriage and adoption by same-sex couples which are both legal in New Hampshire. Ayotte believes marriage should be left up to respective churches not the state. Ayotte resigned as state Attorney General shortly after Governor John Lynch signed a set of three same sex marriage bills into law to which she was opposed.
“ I absolutely support and believe in marriage as between a man and a woman, and I do think it's unfortunate that our state has made a different decision on that. And I know that many of you who are out there working at the state level, running for state office, I commend your efforts to repeal that law here in the state of New Hampshire. And I think that's very important. I do not think that we should overturn DOMA because absolutely, for states to decide marriage, we don't want one state's decision impacting another state's. So I would vote against any repeal of DOMA because of that. And I wish you all well and I would love to help with any effort to get our law back in the right place on this. ”
—Ayotte at the June 5th 2010 Americans For Prosperity/NH – Cornerstone Action Senatorial Debate
In 2008 Ayotte joined other Attorneys General to repudiate same-sex marriages performed in other states, however she changed her position when informed that New Hampshire already recognizes these marriages.
Labor rights and minimum wage
Ayotte opposes passage of Employee Free Choice Act("Card Check"), a bill currently under consideration by Congress that proposes to amend the National Labor Relations Act to reform the process by which employees decide whether to form or join a labor union.
Ayotte opposes passage of legislation that would subject the minimum wage to automatic cost-of-living adjustments. Ayotte opposes any increase in the minimum wage and opposes efforts to make the minimum wage a living wage.
Ayotte opposes passage of legislation that mandates that employers provide paid sick leave to their employees.
Gun rights
Ayotte supports an individual's right to bear arms and Second Amendment rights.\Ayotte supported the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of the Washington, DC and City of Chicago gun ownership bans. As Attorney General, Ayotte fought against the reauthorization of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban.
Immigration
Ayotte supports Arizona SB 1070, Arizona's anti-illegal immigration law passed in 2010. Ayotte believes that the Arizona legislature was justified in their passage of this law. Ayotte supports the enforcment of all existing immigration laws and is against the granting of amnesty to any illegal immigrant.
Climate change
Ayotte questions the finding of many climate change scientists and scientific societies that human activity has caused significant climate change. Ayotte says that "there is scientific evidence that demonstrates there is some impact from human activities. However I don't think the evidence is conclusive."
Healthcare
Ayotte opposes a single payer health care system. Ayotte opposes restrictions on purchasing insurance across state lines, supports a ban on insurance discrimination based on pre-existing conditions and supports tort reform. Ayotte supports the adoption of electronic medical records and processes that coordinate patient care. Ayotte supports state administered healthcare programs such as SCHIP and federal tax credits that serve to reduce the number of uninsured.
Ayotte has pledged to sponsor and support legislation to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ("ObamaCare") passed in 2010.
Medical marijuana
Ayotte thinks marijuana should go through the FDA process before being approved.
Social Security
Ayotte has stated that she is open to raising the Social Security retirement age for younger workers.
U.S. Supreme Court
Ayotte has stated that she is in favor of increasing the diversity of the court by including candidates from the Executive branch of government such as former Presidential cabinet members or candidates who have held elected positions to avoid having a Supreme Court composed exclusively of former lower court judges.
Ayotte opposed the confirmation of Justice Elena Kagan, stating that Kagan is unqualified. Ayotte has said that she probably would have voted in favor of confirming Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
Congressional term limits
Ayotte is in favor of congressional term limits. If elected, she has vowed to serve no more than two terms (12 years) in office.
Government spending
Ayotte favors passage of a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Ayotte favors ending any additional spending under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the"Stimulus Bill") and the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 ("TARP").
Ayotte believes that Congress should end the process of earmarking.
"I wouldn't have supported the TARP or the bailouts," Ayotte told a reporter. "Let the market adjust and pick the winners and losers. I do not think we should have bailed out the private sector. You start a business and when you succeed, the fruits of that is profits and when you fail, you pay the price."
To counter the federal government's debt and deficit problem, Ayotte proposes that every government department cut its budget by 20 percent from current levels, though "some may cut more, some may cut less". "We are on the path to bankrupt the greatest nation in the world."
Taxes
Ayotte supports an indefinite extension of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 ("Bush tax cuts") which cuts the federal taxes paid by all taxpayers including the wealthiest. "To increase taxes on anyone is the wrong approach", and "[I] fully support extending the tax rates the way they are now for everybody in this country," says Ayotte.
Ayotte supports the permanent elimination of all estate taxes ("death taxes").
Ayotte supports an immediate cut in payroll tax rates to stimulate hiring.
Ayotte supports additional income tax cuts for all corporations, large and small. Ayotte believes that this action would encourage corporations to locate in the U.S.
Ayotte supports cuts in capital gains taxes and reduced tax rates for small business owners who file individual income tax returns. Ayotte supports accelerated depreciation for investments in equipment by small businesses.
Ayotte supports a simpler tax code.
Financial regulation
Ayotte opposed passage of the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act signed into law on July 21, 2010. The purpose of the act is:
"To promote the financial stability of the United States by improving accountability and transparency in the financial system, to end ‘‘too big to fail’’, to protect the American taxpayer by ending bailouts, to protect consumers from abusive financial services practices, and for other purposes."
Ayotte's opposition to the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act is based on the Act's failure, in Ayotte's opinion, to directly address the "problem of" Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and Ayotte's belief that the Act imposes additional regulatory burdens on community banks.
War in Afghanistan
In September 2009 Ayotte stated that she supports a timetable for withdrawal from Afghanistan. Ayotte supports drone strikes in the tribal areas of Pakistan.
Al Qaeda
Ayotte believes that Al Qaeda and its affiliates are foreign enemies that have declared war on the U.S. and that the US must treat all members of Al Qaeda and its affiliates as enemy combatants regardless of their nationality and location
Ayotte believes that Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab is an Al Qaeda affiliated terrorist, and that Abdulmutallab should be treated as an enemy combatant and not as a criminal. Abdulmutallab is the twenty three year old Muslim Nigerian man who unsuccessfully attempted to detonate plastic explosives hidden in his underwear while on board Northwest Flight 253 en route from Amsterdam to Detroit, Michigan on December 25, 2009.
On January 6, 2010, Abdulmutallab was indicted by a US Attorney in the Federal District Court in Michigan on six criminal counts, including the attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and the attempted murder of 289 people. Abdulmutallab is currently in US custody, awaiting trial and has been cooperating with the FBI.
Ayotte believes that Abdulmutallab should have been held in military custody and tried before a military commission, a process whereby Abdulmutallab would not be accorded the rights accorded by U.S. law to defendants in criminal proceedings.
Ayotte supports drone strikes in Yemen and the tribal areas of Pakistan, opposes a civilian criminal trial for 9/11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed in New York City, and bringing Guantánamo detainees onto U.S. soil.
Gaming
Ayotte is against live and online gaming. She has been on the record opposing an increase to gaming in the state of New Hampshire.
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