A New Hampshire state senator is introducing legislation that would effectively boycott Russian investments and products in the state.
Sen. Jeffrey Woodburn, who represents the North Country area in New Hampshire, says the bill is in direct response to Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election.
Woodburn thinks it is an opportunity to re-evaluate state foreign investments in general.
“How do we retaliate against this attack on our democracy?” Woodburn said. “We need to respond individually and collectively as a community to say, 'This is unacceptable, it's unprecedented and we need to be a strong united voice against this action.' Then we all look at ourselves and look at our purchases and what our habits are, and [ask], are we supporting these behaviors with our tax dollars and investments?”
If Woodburn’s New Hampshire bill is passed, among other things the legislation will look at things like banning imported Russian liquor sold in New Hampshire stores.
According to records on the Vermont Treasurer’s website, as of June 2016 Vermont Pension holdings do have investments in one of Russia’s largest oil companies, Lukoil. The office was not immediately available for comment.
On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a New Hampshire Democrat, announced the introduction of bipartisan Russian sanctions legislation in Congress that seeks to implement punishments on Russia.
