New Hampshire newspaper publisher fined $620 over political advertisement omissions

By KATHY McCORMACK
Associated Press

DERRY, N.H. (AP) — A judge has fined the New Hampshire publisher of a weekly community newspaper $620 after finding her guilty of five misdemeanor charges that she ran advertisements for local races without properly marking them as political advertising. The judge had acquitted Debra Paul of a sixth misdemeanor charge following a bench trial in November. The publisher of the Londonderry Times initially faced up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine on each charge. But prosecutors didn’t ask for jail time. Instead, they requested a fine of more than $3,500, plus 100 hours of community service. Paul’s lawyer asked for a $500 fine. He said she already performs a service and does volunteer work.