Monday, March 21, 2016
Dodson, 50, says he’ll pursue what’s been at the core of his work for two decades, including during stints as a school principal and his position since 2008 — director of Champlain’s Center for Service and Civic Engagement.
“My work is supporting communities, supporting families and children to get the things they need — education, skill sets, networking — to create the lives that they want and deserve,” Dodson said Monday in an interview with Seven Days.
His résumé includes work in finance in New York City, various posts at Saint Michael’s College and four years as founding principal of Lee Academy Pilot School in Dorchester, Mass.
Tags: Kyle Dodson , YMCA , Image , Web Only
That might not hold true after tonight, when the incumbent lieutenant governor holds a fundraiser at a Washington, D.C., lobbying firm hosted by four registered lobbyists.
According to an invitation obtained by Seven Days, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin and Iowa Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds are the featured guests at the Scott fundraiser, which will take place at McGuireWoods' D.C. office. The firm's top clients include cigarette conglomerate Altria Client Services, the American Petroleum Institute and ExxonMobil, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Tickets range from $500 to $2,000.
Tags: Phil Scott , Mary Fallin , Kim Reynolds , Susana Martinez , Republican Lieutenant Governors Association , Brittney Wilson , Christina Amestoy , Image , Web Only
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Though the February filings are already out of date, they paint a picture of just how much money flowed through the campaigns as the two candidates competed in the early-voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. They also show that, despite Sanders' fundraising advantage, Clinton entered March with more money in the bank than he did: $30.8 million to his $17.2 million.
According to his filing, Sanders raised $43.5 million in February, bringing his total campaign haul to $136.6 million. The senator from Vermont spent $40.9 million that month and has dropped $120.9 million since launching his campaign last April.
For her part, Clinton raised $29.5 million in February and $145 million throughout her campaign. She spent $31.6 million last month and $123.3 million since the start of her campaign.
Tags: Senator , Bernie Sanders , Hillary Clinton , presidential campaign , fundraising , Recommended Reading , Image , Web Only
Friday, March 18, 2016
According to a recent campaign finance filing, the cigarette company Altria donated $1,000 to the Vermont House Republican PAC last November. The next month, the drug company Pfizer contributed $2,000. Both companies employ registered lobbyists.
Individual Vermont lawmakers have long been prohibited from raising money from lobbyists and the companies that employ them — at least, until the legislature adjourns for the biennium. For years, Republicans and Democrats alike skirted that prohibition by raising lobbyist cash through “leadership PACs” controlled by top legislators. After Seven Days documented a series of mid-session lobbyist fundraisers hosted by such PACs, the legislature voted last May to close the loophole by subjecting them to the same limitations.
But even though it was House Republicans who proposed the change in law, the party activist who administers their PAC appears to be out of compliance with it.
“I’m maybe a little naïve when it comes to the law and stuff,” said Suzanne Butterfield, who runs PACs benefiting both House and Senate Republicans. “I’m just somebody who wants to help.”
Tags: Don Turner , Suzanne Butterfield , House Republican PAC , campaign finance , Image , Web Only
By voice vote, the five-member panel rejected the entreaty.
McAllister, who has been charged with felony sexual assault, was suspended from the Senate in January pending the conclusion of his legal proceedings. At the time, his criminal trial was scheduled to begin in February. Jury draw was subsequently delayed until May.
Two weeks ago, a legislative lawyer wrote the Rules Committee on McAllister's behalf, asking for his suspension to be lifted. Through the lawyer, McAllister argued that he could fully perform his Senate duties and that suspension was now tantamount to expulsion, since his legal proceedings would not be resolved until after the legislative session wrapped up.
The Rules Committee disagreed.
"I do not think anything of significant change has occurred to have us reconsider," said Senate President Pro Tempore John Campbell (D-Windsor), who chairs the panel. "I also think the Senate was clear in its position."
Tags: Norm McAllister , Senate Rules Committee , Image , Web Only
Thursday, March 17, 2016
The House tax-writing panel had rejected some of the sources of new revenue that Gov. Peter Shumlin proposed in January, including a tax on dentists and independent physicians and a policy change for medicating psychiatric patients involuntarily, intended to save money by shortening hospital stays.
Ways and Means struggled to reach consensus on alternatives. Wednesday evening, the panel split along party lines in a vote on the total revenue package, which increases fees and taxes to raise $48.3 million. Its vote Thursday on the tax portion was similarly split along party lines.
Tags: House Ways and Means , Rep. Janet Ancel , Rep. Don Turner , Image , Web Only
Sanders' bid for the Democratic presidential nomination has always been "an uphill fight," campaign manager Jeff Weaver said late Wednesday during a strategy call with reporters.
But, said senior adviser Tad Devine, "We see a lot of daylight ahead and, you know, green pasture."
As for that 1,139 to 825 pledged-delegate lead that former secretary of state Hillary Clinton has accrued? That's "really the high water mark for the Clinton campaign," Weaver said.
"We are literally about halfway through the delegate-selection process in terms of the number of delegates," he added. "I don't want to overuse the sports analogies, but [it's] sort of halftime in this process."
"I agree we're at halftime here," Devine said. "We agree that we're behind, but we also think that we're going to win this game, and we're going to finish ahead, and we see a path to get there."
Tags: Senator , Bernie Sanders , Hillary Clinton , presidential campaign , Jeff Weaver , Tad Devine , Robby Mook , Recommended Reading , Image , Web Only
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton defeated Sanders in at least four states Tuesday — Florida, Illinois, North Carolina and Ohio — with a fifth, Missouri, too close to call.
The number that really mattered, though, was 320: her lead among pledged delegates to the Democratic National Convention. With 1,094 in the bag — not to mention 467 committed superdelegates — Clinton is well on her way to securing the 2,383 necessary to win her party's presidential nomination.
Sanders' chances of catching up, meanwhile, have become vanishingly slim.
Tags: Senator , Bernie Sanders , Hillary Clinton , presidential campaign , Recommended Reading , Image , Web Only
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
The race for Vermont governor is already proving to be pricey, with nearly all of the declared candidates exceeding the half-million-dollar mark five months before the primary election.
Tuesday marked the first time since last July that candidates for state office in 2016 were required to report how much they had raised and spent on their campaigns.
Two Republicans —Phil Scott and Bruce Lisman — and two Democrats — Sue Minter and Matt Dunne — are competing in their party’s August primaries to succeed retiring Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin. More candidates are expected to join the race.
Lisman, a retired Wall Street executive, amassed the most money, the bulk of it coming from his own pocket. Lisman reported raising $625,345. He contributed $453,843 of that himself.
Tags: campaign finance , Vermont election , Peter Shumlin , Matt Dunne , Sue Minter , Phil Scott , Bruce Lisman , Shap Smith , Image , Web Only
“You know, I changed my plans a little bit,” he told hundreds of supporters gathered in a half-filled hangar. “We’re doing great in Florida. We’re doing great in Illinois. Missouri, I think we’re going to have a tremendous day. And I said, ‘I have to come out and we have to explain a couple things.’”
And explain he did.
“Ohio is going to make America great again,” Trump said. “Kasich cannot make America great again. He can’t do it. He can’t do it.”
The Republican frontrunner’s visit to Vienna came just hours after Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) held a rally 10 miles south of the airport in Youngstown — and two days after Trump accused the Vermonter of sending protesters to his events. But Trump didn’t mention Sanders’ name once Monday evening during his rambling, 50-minute exercise in free association.
Tags: Senator , Donald Trump , Ohio , Chris Christie , Bernie Sanders , presidential campaign , Image , Web Only