The Attorney General's Office was asked to investigate the letter, which Sununu said Wednesday was a character reference for former Salem budget committee member Patrick McDougall. It was delivered to Sullivan, who in open court called it "untoward" and a "highly unusual event." Sullivan sentenced McDougall to 48 hours in county jail and 50 hours of community service after McDougall was convicted in December of obstructing government administration.
Sununu, a Republican in his second term on the Executive Council, said Wednesday that he believed Sullivan, who could not be reached Wednesday night for comment, was attempting to attack him because of bad blood between Sullivan and his family, who include Sununu's father, former Gov. John H. Sununu.
"He doesn't like Sununus," Chris Sununu said. "He took it upon himself to make a big deal out of it."
He said he was pleased that Delaney, a Democrat, agreed that Sununu had made no attempt to influence the judge.
"The idea that I was trying to influence him has no basis because I have no influence over the judge," Sununu said.
The state Democratic Party has submitted right-to-know requests to Sununu and the Attorney General's Office seeking Sununu's letter and the Attorney General's Office's investigative file.
tbuckland@unionleader.com
