County Attorney Velardi OK'd to take over Public Protection Bureau at AG's Office

Thomas Velardi (Courtesy photo)

DOVER - Thomas Velardi, whose spent more than two decades in the Strafford County Attorney Office, will be moving up to the state Attorney Generals Office where he will head up the Public Protection Bureau, which oversees homicides, Medicare fraud and the Public Integrity Unit.
The five-member Executive Council vote was 3-2 to send Velardi to the Attorney Generals Office, with councilors Joseph Kenney and David Wheeler opposed.
"Executive Councilor Kenney said I was qualified but wanted more time to allow for public input," Velardi told The Rochester Voice today. "Executive Councilor Wheeler believes elected officials should not leave their positions before their term is up. but was not against me individually."
It wasn't clear whether the motion would come off the table or not, but Velardi believes that Gov. Chris Sununu's endorsement of him may have helped.
"I was gratified that Governor Sununu pointed out that government should be promoting good people, and that I was the right person for this job, and that my nomination should be considered immediately," Velardi said today.
Velardi added that he will begin work in October and hopes to have Deputy County Attorney Emily Garod take over the reins as county attorney.
The Strafford County delegation will vote on Garod's selection in September.

Velardi's salary at the Attorney Generals Office will be $125,000 a year, according to Wednesday's Executive Council Consent Agenda.

During his tenure as county attorney, Velardi was elected to the position for eight consecutive two-year terms.