Since news broke last week that former Phillips Exeter Academy teacher, Richard Schubart, admitted to two instances of sexual misconduct, Governor Maggie Hassan has tried desperately to separate the controversy from her campaign. Hassan, however, accepted campaign contributions from Schubart and named him as a member of her campaign steering committee.
In a NH1 segment, Paul Steinhauser highlights Maggie Hassan’s different answers to the same question from last week to this week.
But the Governor isn’t the only one with holes in her story. In a New Hampshire Union Leader editorial today, the Governor’s husband, Tom, was called out for his “shaky timeline.” Tom Hassan was Principal of the Academy when the first student came forward.
[youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLy3XCcHuIg"]
TRANSCRIPT:
ANCHOR: Developing tonight, more former students of Phillips Exeter Academy coming forward with accusations of sexual misconduct by teachers. Exeter police are investigating four new complaints.
ANCHOR: As the allegations come to light, today Governor Maggie Hassan is apologizing for accepting campaign donations and support from a former teacher who sparked the investigation. NH1’s Political Director Paul Steinhauser has the story.
HASSAN: I sensed something was wrong.
STEINHAUSER: Governor Maggie Hassan talking to NH1 news today about Richard Schubart sudden departure from Phillips Exeter Academy four and half years ago. While it was unknown to Hassan, the history instructor had just admitted to sexual misconduct with students from decades earlier. Schubart was forced to resign and remove himself from campus housing by Hassan’s husband Tom, who was Principal of the prestigious academy at the time. Months later, Hassan kept Schubart on a list of supporters as she was running for Governor for the first time and she kept a small contribution from Schubart and his wife. On Saturday, the Governor told us –
HASSAN: We have many many people listed on our supporter list. It is assembled by staff, people sign up for it. Similarly, I have thousands of donors and I also didn’t have any specific information I could have shared with staff to indicate taking him off.
STEINHAUSER: But today, asked again by NH1 why she kept Schubart on the list Hassan said –
HASSAN: I did sense something was wrong when Mr. Schubart abruptly left campus and I should have to worked more actively to review my public supporter and steering committee lists and remove him from it, and I apologize for that.
STEINHAUSER: Schubart was allowed to keep its status as teacher emeritus. He didn’t lose out until last year when a second victim came forward. Asked our husband handle the controversy the Governor said –
HASSAN: I think it is also clear that in balancing privacy and transparency the school didn’t get it quite right and both the school and my husband have apologized for that I think would be very appropriate for review of what they did to take place.
STEINHAUSER: The big question now for Governor Hassan as she runs for the U.S. Senate, is this controversy a distraction, or something more serious?