CONCORD, N.H. — New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella's office has ordered a Washington, D.C., direct-mail firm and a Massachusetts printing company to stop sending anonymous mailers about the state's U.S. Senate race, saying the pieces leave out legally required information on who paid for them, NHPR and other outlets reported.

Cease-and-desist letters went to Pinpoint Campaigns, which the office said commissioned three mailers, and Journeyman Press, which it said printed and sent them, according to NHPR, NBC Boston, Patch and Manchester Ink Link. The office announced the action Oct. 30.

Two of the mailers go after Republican John Sununu over artificial intelligence and technology companies, while the third speaks well of Edmond Laplante and his stances on a number of issues, NBC Boston reported. NHPR, NBC Boston and Patch identify Laplante as the Constitution Party candidate; Manchester Ink Link calls him an independent.

None of the pieces says who was behind it, a disclosure the office said is mandated under both New Hampshire and federal rules. NHPR reported that the letters warn each violation could bring a $1,000 penalty. The office said its Election Law Unit acted after several residents who got the mailers complained.

Both firms were told to halt any further political mail lacking the required disclosures, Patch and Manchester Ink Link reported. Patch reported the printer was additionally directed to recall or block delivery of any pieces already handed to the U.S. Postal Service. Journeyman Press told the state it had nothing more slated to reach New Hampshire voters, according to NBC Boston, Patch and Ink Link.

The office said it checked with the Sununu and Laplante campaigns, the campaign of Democratic U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas and both major state parties. "All have stated that they had no prior knowledge of or coordination with the Journeyman Press or Pinpoint Campaigns in conjunction with the production of the anonymous mailers," the office wrote in a press release quoted by NBC Boston.

Gates MacPherson, a Pappas campaign spokesperson, said in a statement to Manchester Ink Link: "This is not our campaign’s mailer. We follow all disclosure rules and agree any candidate or group communicating to voters about who they should support must follow all disclosure laws."

State Rep. Joseph Sweeney, a Salem Republican, called it deliberate. "Somebody paid to attack the Republican nominee and prop up a third-party candidate on the right, and hid their name on both," Sweeney said, according to Ink Link.

Patch noted that in August 2024 the office announced a $40,000 fine against Deliver Strategies, a Virginia direct-mail firm, over mailers aimed at a 2022 congressional primary in the state.