Freyne Land

Faces, too!

I was here all day at the ranch in Burlington, writing "Inside Track" for Wednesday's print [and online] edition of Seven Days. That meant I could not make it to Montpeculiar and catch the Statehouse goings on, one of which attracted so many people not even WGOP, er, sorry, WCAX-TV News could ignore it.

Our pals at Channel 3 reported at 6:12 P.M. that about 100 Bush-Cheney impeachment supporters had descended on the Statehouse today to lobby Democratic leaders Peter Shumlin, senate president pro tem, and Gaye "Policy Before Politics" Symington, the Speaker of the House. 

A real threatening and dangerous looking bunch, too, eh? Folks like Peggy Sapphire of Craftsbury and Eliza Earle of Richmond (below right).

Last week, Peter and Gaye quickly blew off three leaders of Vermont's grassroots pro-impeachment movement, saying the legislature they run simply "does not have the time."

Sure.

This week they gave the more than 100 folks from every corner of the state about 40 minutes of their personal attention. Are they finally realizing this impeachment stuff is broad and deep?

Unfortunately,  the sad fact is Shummy the Senator and future something has tried taking almost every possible side of the impeachment issue for months.

He's been passionately for it on several occasions.

He's blamed it's demise on Symington's refusal to take it up in he House.

He's denied blaming it on Symington.

He's blamed it on non-existent rules that require the House to pass it first.

He's blamed impeachment supporters for not bringing it up sooner. 

Heck, he's blamed everyone but the Easter Bunny and Monica Lewinsky!

And in this photo from tonight's Ch. 3 News, it actually looks like Sen. Shumlin's nose is growing, doesn't it? Growing right before our very eyes!

Holy Pinocchio, Batman!

Associated Press Senior Writer Ross Sneyd couldn't ignore today's grassroots turnout either. Mr. Sneyd reported an even larger crowd showed up under the golden dome to press Democrat "leaders" to quit ducking it. AND, he also reported things have changed - Speaker Symington has opened the House Impeachment door she's kept shut tight. Opened it just a tiny, little crack:

Montpelier, Vt. - Democratic legislative leaders faced an angrycrowd Tuesday critical of their refusal to let resolutions calling forPresident Bush's impeachment come to a vote in the House and Senate.

Despitethe sometimes heated and emotional pleas from a crowd estimated at 130,House Speaker Gaye Symington and Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlinsaid they had no plans to force a vote on the resolutions.

ButSymington did hint at a way out of what has become a growingdistraction for the state's top two Democrats among the left wing oftheir party. She said any member of the House could propose that theresolution be pulled out of the Judiciary Committee and debated.

"Theremay be a move at some point for the resolution to be taken up on theHouse floor," Symington said in a joint noontime appearance withShumlin before the crowd.

Interesting.

My sixth sense tells me that "Blunderville, " the great Montpeculiar political controversy of last week - the charges flying from House Speaker Gaye Symington about Transportation Secretary Neale Lunderville trying to "bribe" Rep. Jim Fitzgerald of St. Albans for a "No" vote on the budget-adjustment override - will, dare I say, "peter" out this week.

Freyne the Psychic sees Neale and Ol' Fitzy shaking hands in the Statehouse cafeteria and agreeing it was all just a "misunderstanding"...."no hard feelings"... they have better things to do!

Speaker Symington, as you know, had written Sec. Lunderville, asking him to appear before the House Rules Committee to answer a few questions and clear things up.

In response, Republicans raised questions about Democratic vote-buying and vote-trading and Gov. Jim Douglas noted the legislative branch doesn't even have an ethics code!

No way, either Democrats or Republicans, want to end the legislative session in a nasty name-calling brouhaha that leaves everyone looking bad in the eyes of the public. This week, "cooler" heads will prevail.

Speaker Gaye is well aware she has no power to force Lunderville toappear before the Rules Committee. She will, however, push to "codify"the ethics guidelines the Guv has posted on his website for the executive branch and she's opento doing likewise with ethics guidelines for legislators. She says morethan 30 states already have them.

Brave new world, eh?

********************************

P.S. Picture of the Week? Month?

Thank you, Cathy R., for catching this one Monday on a public bulletin board in the Old North End of Burlap. In the city park at Archibald and North Winooski.

Have I finally become worthy of Sign Man's attention, time and effort after all these years?

Must be doing something right, eh?

Not that size matters, Sign Man, but assuming it's your work, I'd note your HOWARD DEAN sign was a whole lot bigger. So's your RALPH NADER one, too.

But isn't it rather "cowardly" of you not to sign your own sign?

Ah, yes, true to form.

Keep up the good work!

******************************************

AND wasn't the Doonesbury "Vermont Impeachment" series something special or what?

Catch the finale on Saturday?

Of course, more than two dozen innocent people being executed by a mad gunman is just another normal, everyday occurrence in Iraq or Afghanistan these days where broken nations full of rival factions and foreign occupiers experience a living hell. 

But on a college campus in Virginia?

The first shots were reportedly fired around 7:15 a.m. this morning.

Caught the first word when CBS broke in at 12:38 with a brief report there had been a tragedy in Blacksburg, Virginia at the campus of Virginia Tech.

It's one hour and 20 minutes later - all the cable news networks are covering it, but the "Big 3," i.e. CBS, ABC, and NBC are sticking with their soap operas.

By now, dear reader, surely you too, have heard.

Still no answer from authorities to the basic questions:

Who?

How?

Why?

Life, the life we live at this moment, is a precious gift.

It can end at any moment.

Let the ones you care about, the ones you truly love, know it, while you're both still here to share it.

Thank God there was the big advancing Nor'easter to cover this weekend, or the mainstream U.S. media would have had nothing to report, eh?

They said we'd get six to 12 inches, maybe more in higher elevations. Global Warming's full of surprises, eh?

The "higher" elevation got more of the sticky white stuff, but in the valleys, like the one Burlington, Vermont sits is, it was light on the white stuff and heavy on a whole lot of rain and slush this morning. And a fine Blue Box Recycle Monday it was in my Five Sisters neighborhood.

Took this shot (left) about 7:10 a.m. Those of us who'd believed the weather reports had held off putting out our Blue Boxes last night.  Bit of a scramble this morning when we heard the recycle truck!

Made it!

What else?

A picture's worth a thousand words and a human face says it all.

Such was the face of U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney yesterday on CBS' Face the Nation. Dick Cheney - one of the grand architects of the fraudulent policy/scheme that's done more damage to the United States of America and her people than any foreign foe in my lifetime.

In response to Host Bob Schieffer's suggestion that Cheney's 2005 remark that the Iraq insurgency was in its "last throes" might make some dispute his optimistic take on the war going forward, the vice president suggested his comments lacked hindsight, but still insisted that progress in Iraq was evident.

"My statement at the time that you referenced was geared specifically to the fact that we just had an election in Iraq where some 12 million people defied the car bombers and the assassins and for the first time participated in a free election," Cheney said. "We had three elections in 2005 in Iraq: We set up a provisional government, then we got a ratification of a brand new constitution, then elections under that constitution of a new government, the government that is in place now. I still think in the broad sweep of history those will have been major turning points in the war in Iraq."

Pants on fire, Dick?

And what about his old buddy and top aide Scooter Libby - now, not just an accused, but a convicted liar?

Would you believe that Big Tough Dick Cheney, former CEO of Haliburton - for whose stockholders the Iraq War is being fought -  would not discuss the recent conviction of Libby oncharges of perjury and obstruction of justice as part of theinvestigation into the leak of former CIA operative Valerie Plame'sidentity.

Cheney called the verdict a "great tragedy" but said he had nottalked to Libby since he was found guilty on March 6. "I haven't hadoccasion to do that," he said.

Couldn't even call him on the ol' cell phone?

We understand, Dick.

And what about fellow "Liar on the Hot Seat" Attorney General Alberto Gonzales?

Gonzales is scheduled to testify under oath before Sen. Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont's Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.

"He is a good man," Cheney said of Gonzales. "I have every confidence in him. The president has every confidence in him."

Uh, huh.

Speaking of Alberto - did you catch the op-ed he had in Sunday's Washington Post titled "Nothing Improper?"

Alberto's got a future in comedy. I loved this line:

"Whatbegan as a well-intentioned management effort to identify where, among the93 U.S. attorneys, changes in leadership might benefit the department, andtherefore the American people, has become an unintended public controversy."

Damn!

Those "unintended" public controversies are always the worst, eh?   

I confess: I do not check the St. Johnsbury Caledonian-Record newspaper website on a daily basis.

Used to. The Cal-Record's editorial page is often good for a few laughs. It's just that it got to be so predictable. The voice of an angry, anti-Democrat, anti-Progressive, anti-equal rights, anti-Patrick Leahy, anti-Jim Jeffords and anti-Bernie Sanders Vermont.

Hey, it's still a free country, right?

But the times are a changing, even in Caledonia County, Vermont, the Green Mountain State's mythical "Northeast Kingdom" country. These days, Democrats get elected in Cal-Record Land. They even get reelected as Democratic State Sen. Jane Kitchell of Danville has shown.

Still, it was a surprise to read the Cal-Record's Saturday editorial that several folks forwarded our way:

Three weeks ago, on VPT's "Vermont Politics," Peter Freyne took onSpeaker of the House Gaye Symington, grilling her about her publicstatements blaming Gov. Jim Douglas for failing to get out theRepublican vote to support her weak-as-water education funding reformbill. Speaker Symington was understandably frustrated by thecrash-and-burn of the Democrats' centerpiece legislation. In the courseof Freyne's and her give and take, this startling exchange took place.

Speaker Symington [on Gov. Douglas's non-support]: "Well, I thinkthere's a certain amount of gamesmanship going on now in terms of just, 'Let's watch them fail.' That gets back to the point, are we playinggames here and playing politics? Or are we going to try to move forwardwith what's best for the state and if people just want to play gameswith it, that's one thing."

Freyne: "Isn't it always both, though?"

Speaker Symington: "Well, that's the constant rub in this position, andyou know, I have to tell you, there are so many other things I could bedoing with my life than this. So many other."

Freyne: "Name three."

Speaker Symington: "Being with my kids. Being with my husband. Traveling. ... the rest here.

I blush! Yes, indeed, the above exchange took place. The quotes are accurate.

What's of interest is the time and place the Caledonian-Record editorial page identifies as the "when" and "where" it occurred.

The  Right-Wing Record says it was "three weeks ago" and aired on "VPT's 'Vermont Politics.'"

I assume that's a reference to "Vermont Politics" on "Vermont Public Television?"

Only problem is, I've never heard of such a program and can find no record of its existence on the VPT website either. In fact, I don't recall a TV camera in the room that day when we grilled Speaker Gaye.

Hmmmm....

One thing's for sure, though. The exchange did not occur "three weeks ago" as the Cal-Record editorial states. You can bet the farm on that.

That's because it was posted right here in "Freyne Land" under the title Noblesse Oblige?  two weeks ago yesterday (March 31). It was up the morning after it took place, during Speaker Symington's Friday [bag-less] Brown-Bagger with the press.

Interesting, eh?

P.S. The Vermont editorial of the week (month? year?) was in Friday's Brattleboro Reformer.

Impeach Bush, or get out of the way 

There will be a time when future generations will look at us and wonderwhy President Bush and Vice President Cheney were not removed fromoffice.

They will look at us and question why, when confronted by the mostcorrupt and incompetent administration ever witnessed in the UnitedStates, nothing was done to stop Bush and Cheney.

The rest here.

*UPDATED 4:15 p.m.

"Where I live on the east coast, if I want to eat a head-of-lettuce today, to bring one calorie of that lettuce back east from California takes about 36 calories of fossil energy, to grow it and to transport it.

"I can eat close to home for a lot less energy, and in the book describe the winter my family and I spent eating out of the valley where we live in northern Vermont."

That was Ol' Bill McKibben from Ripton, Vermont being interviewed Friday evening on PBS by Ray Suarez. In case you didn't know, today, April 14, 2007, is the day a whole lot of Americans in every state in America have decided to STEP IT UP,  no more sitting on our hands watching Big Oil, Coal & Gas complertely destroy the atmosphere we depend on for survival.

Bill wrote the landmark book on the climate-change horror we've successfully been ignoring for decades - The End of Nature (1989). But Bill is a whole lot more than a brilliant author and writer. He's for real. A regular guy, too. One who is an inspiration to many of us.

They still haven't posted the script at pbs.org so here's a taste off the ol' "Freyne Land" tape recorder:

SUAREZ: "So do you want people to pay a different amount of money for biting into that Chilean plum in February or have them do without it all together?"

McKibben: "Well, I think in a sense the answer’s sort of the same. In the end, all of the work that you’ve been talking about all week with people figuring out how we’re going to deal with global warming, has something to do with changing the price of energy. We need very much to make the cost of coal and gas and oil reflect the incredible damage it’s now doing ecologically.

"And if we do that then things will start to change, in some ways, of their own accord. We won’t be flying in fresh fruits and vegetables from around the globe. We won’t be ordering take-out from 2000 miles away every night. Instead we’ll be rediscovering how much we can do closer to home.  Food’s just one example."

SUAREZ: "What are some of the others?"

McKIbben: "Well, you can make to same argument with almost any commodity you can think of.  Think about energy itself. We’re use to, like food to think about it as a very centralized thing., you know Exxon-Mobil and Peabody Coal provide our btu’s and our electrons.

"But it doesn’t need to work that way.

"The roof on my house in Vermont has solar panels on it. They’re tied into the grid. When the sun comes out, I’m a utility. I’m sending electrons down the line for other people to use. My neighbors fridge runs off the sunlight falling on my shingles. When the cloud goes over, I suck electricity up the grid myself.

"In the end, not only is that a lot better ecologically , but it allows a much more durable form of energy than the one we have at the moment."

SUAREZ: "But I’m wondering if you aren’t asking for something that’s just too big for people to do since we’ve spent so long building this other life? There are people watching you right now, sitting in a chair that was made in Asia, drinking a glass of orange juice  from an orange grown in Brazil, watching you on a TV that was made in Singapore. And you’re asking that person to now think locally?"

McKibben: "I should say first that I’m not the absolute biggest optimist that there ever was. I mean, I wrote a book called The End of Nature, the first book that there was about this crisis. I’m not certain it’s going to come out right. I know however that the physical forces we’re confronting are so large that we’re going to have to start changing some things if we have any hope of dealing with them."

SUAREZ: "So there’s one set of arguments that goes to Americans, the most intense users of fossil fuels on the globe. What do you say to aspirational Indians and Chinese who are seeing in this globalized economy, the possibility of climbing into the world middle class and living a lot better than their parents and grandparents did?"

McKibben: "A lot of the book takes place in China where I’ve done a lot of reporting in recent years. It’s the perfect question. They aren’t to blame yet for the global-warming crisis that we confront. We’ve been doing this for 100 years and getting rich in the process. We’re going to need to help them figure out some other path toward development. It can’t look exactly like ours because there simply isn’t enough atmosphere to make that possible.

"But unless we give them some real options. And unless we reengage in the international discussion that we’ve dropped out of for the last six years, then there’s very little chance of getting this right in the end."

SUAREZ: "In the reporting in your book, you point out that simply  stopping the increase in the amount of emissions put into the air, not only isn’t it enough it’s not even close to enough. How do we not just stop the increase, but turn it around and start decreasing in order to have any effect on the wider environment?"

McKibben: "And the problem’s even harder than you imagine because we just don’t have to do it, we have to do it darn fast - something like the next 10 years, according to the best science.

"Look, the only way it’s going to happen is if we have strong political movement in this country demanding that kind of change. So far, Congress has been embarked on a 20-year bipartisan effort to accomplish nothing and it’s been highly successful.

"That’s why Saturday [TODAY] we’re having 1350 demonstrations in every state in the union around the country - the biggest demonstrations on climate change that there yet have been. People are joining together to ask that Congress commit to cutting carbon by 80 percent by 2050 with the hope that we can send a really strong signal, a really strong signal to anyone anticipating any kind of investment in the next 40 years, any kind of economic planning, they better not count on carbon [being] the free good that it’s been for the last hundred."

Amen.

Thank you, Bill McKibben....for being you!

And yes, mon ami, you are making a difference.

*UPDATE:

Hey, Billy-Boy was also on Democracy Now Friday - available here to listen to or watch. He was in the zone. Focused:

"If you poll Americans as people have done since the end of World WarII, asking them are they happy with their lives, the number who saythat they are very happy peaks in 1956 and goes downhill ever since.Now, that was before I was born so I missed what was ever going on in1956. But the tragedy of it is that that downward curve coincides withan upward curve of about – we’re about three times as rich as we werein the late 50s. We have three times as much stuff. If what we think weknow about economy was true, those two curves, satisfaction andprosperity should move in somewhat the same direction. That they aremoving in opposite directions, really should lead us to ask some prettystiff questions, and should lead us also not to fear the kind of worldthat we are going to need to create to deal with the environmentalproblems that are at hand, a world with much more localized economies,and much stronger communities, and much more emphasis on belonging andmuch less on belongings."

"Very happy" peaks in 1956, eh?

Well, that may be before Mr. McKibben's arrival, but not mine.

In fact, 1956 was the year when I first set foot in Burlington, Vermont. A six-year-old back seat passenger in the Freyne Family Mercury that summer with big brother and big sister. Mom drove. Dad sat in the front seat with the road map, the newspaper and an endless supply of Pall Malls to puff on.

You couldn't buckle up even if you wanted to.

Very happy?

Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy
On The Passing Of Liz Daley Jeffords
April 13, 2007

“Marcelle and I join all Vermonters in offering our condolences to Jim and the Jeffords and Daley families on this sad occasion.  Liz Daley Jeffords was a dear friend to both of us.  She was an energy-giver who exemplified New England stamina and Green Mountain gumption.  She worked courageously to help other Vermonters struggling against cancer.  Working side by side with Jim, she has helped make Vermont a better place.

“We have known Jim and Liz for most of our lives -- Marcelle and Liz have known each other since high school in Burlington -- and we will always admire the love and support they have given each other.  They complemented each other, they counseled each other, and they deeply cared for each other.  We know how much they looked forward after Jim’s retirement to spending more time together at their Shrewsbury home, and we wish that time had been much, much longer.

“Marcelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to Jim, to Leonard and Laura, and to Liz’s entire family.”

# # # # #

Senator Bernie Sanders issued the following statement regarding Liz  Jeffords:

BURLINGTON,Vt., April 13 - Senator Bernie Sanders mourned the passing today ofElizabeth "Liz" Daley Jeffords, the wife of Vermont's formerindependent senator.

"Liz Jeffords was a remarkable woman whoserved our state with great distinction for many, many years. She hadan incredible amount of energy, a great sense of humor and a verystrong sense of independence. She was able to light up a room when sheentered it," Sanders said.

"Liz not only worked with SenatorJeffords on issues of importance to Vermont and America, but she was aleader in her own right," Sanders added. "Her courage and determinationin struggling with cancer over the years has served as an inspirationto many Vermonters. Jane and I send our condolences to Senator Jeffordsand their entire family."

# # #

On the passing of a dear friend

Washington, D.C. - Rep. Peter Welch conveyed the following thoughts from the Middle East on the passing of his friend Liz Jeffords:

"Liz Jeffords was a dear friend of mine and I am deeply saddened by her passing.  She was so full of life and it was a true joy to be in her presence.  Her devotion to Jim and their family was unwavering.  She was a tireless advocate for her community, her state and the many passions she pursued in her rich, full life. And the dignity with which she faced life's many challenges was remarkable.  I was blessed to have known Liz Jeffords and will miss her."

# # # #

Official Statement of the Governor Jim Douglas
on the Death of Liz Jeffords

Dorothy and I count Jim and Liz Jeffords among our most dear friends and we are deeply saddened to learn this morning of Liz’s passing.   I spoke with Jim this morning to offer our condolences and assure him that he, his family and former staff are all in our thoughts and prayers.

Liz was a tremendous source of inspiration for Jim and helped to shape the work that together they pursued.  She was always a strong, courageous voice for commonsense and independence in the Vermont tradition.

Liz also worked diligently to draw attention to issues important to her including conservation, historic preservation and cancer research and treatment.

I will always remember Liz for her passion, courage and intense love of Vermont and all that our state represents.

# # # #

Official Statement of Lt. Governor Brian Dubie
on the Death of Liz Jeffords

Today, we mourn the passing of Liz Jeffords, a woman whose quiet hand helped to weave the fabric of our state and our nation in both the 20th and 21st centuries.

Liz Jeffords will be remembered for her spirit, her warmth, her wit and her common sense. She was a true Vermonter.

We extend our most heartfelt sympathy to Senator Jim Jeffords and his family, who can take comfort in knowing that Liz will always be remembered with affection and admiration by the people of her state.

# # #

Executive Code of Ethics
September 20, 2003

STATE OF VERMONT Executive Department

EXECUTIVE ORDER [Executive Code of Ethics]

WHEREAS, it is essential to the proper operation of government that public officers be independent and impartial; that governmental decisions and policy be made fairly and impartially, on the merits of the matter at issue; that public office not be used for private gain other than the remuneration provided by law; and that there be public confidence in the integrity of government;

Douglas Administration Transportation Secretary Neale Lunderville (right) is suddenly sitting in a seat that's getting increasingly warm.

The Boy Wonder, as we've called him, who has twice been Gov. Scissorhands campaign manager, and also served on the Fifth Floor as a key political strategist, readily admits to having no transportation experience other than driving a car prior to taking his current post.

His experience is on the political side of things and he currently stands accused of violating the code of ethics his boss, Gentleman Jim Douglas, instituted back in 2003. It's a code of ethics, incidentally, that no member of the Douglas administration has ever been found guilty of violating. In fact, it's a code, the Guv confirmed at his Thursday presser, no one's ever even been accused of violating.

What's most interesting here is that the accusation has been made by the anti-political policy-wonk herself - Democratic Speaker of the House Gaye Symington!

The accusation is that last Thursday, prior to the House attempt to override the Guv's veto of the budget adjustment act because it didn't include his "Promise Scholarship" money, Lunderville lobbied Democratic State Rep. Jim Fitzgerald from St. Albans (left). In their two brief conversations, Fitzgerald charges, The Boy Wonder lobbied him to split with his party, vote "No" on the veto override and "suggested that if I would support the governor and his veto, the state would help" with $50,000 to fund the improvement of an intersection in Fitzgerald's district.

Fitzgerald voted "Yes," but two other Democrats and one Independent voted with the Guv and the House Republicans, handing Speaker Symington and her Democratic majority a stinging defeat.

“The Secretary of Transportation is in a position to be able to cut a check for taxpayer dollars,” Speaker Gaye told VPR’s John Dillon, “and I think that’s totally inappropriate to do that in return for a vote in a particular way that has absolutely nothing to do with transportation.”

Symington has written Lunderville requesting he appear before the House Rules Committee next week to explain what really happened. She says Lunderville has called into question Rep. Fitzgerald’s honesty and integrity by denying the offer was made.

Interesting.

Here’s some of the back-and-forth Thursday between Vermont’s chief executive and the Fourth Estate:

PRESS: “The largest paper in the state is editorially questioning your ethics. ‘Political Poison.’ The ‘poison’ word was used over the situation with Transportation Secretary Neale Lunderville and Rep. Fitzgerald... What do you say? That’s pretty heavy-duty charges."

DOUGLAS: "Well, I’m not sure how to respond to that. It has been a matter of some discussion over the last week or so. I take very seriously the code of ethics that I’ve adopted for members of my administration. I expect everybody who works for me to adhere to that, conduct his or her responsibilities in the public interest. That’s why we’re here - to do the people’s business. To do it in a fair, transparent and impartial manner and I believe everyone who works for me is adhering to that code."

PRESS: The argument in the hallways is that people think something wrong was done and that the ethical violation was that Lunderville was making a deal with two unrelated issues, one being funding for a transportation project in [Fitzgerald’s] district, and the other being a vote to override the veto [of the Budget Adjustment Act], that that kind of deal-making is unethical?

DOUGLAS: "It would be, but that’s not what happened. There’s no deal. Members of my administration were certainly talking to legislators about support for the veto override vote that was being held last week. I certainly wanted everyone to encourage legislators to support me on that.

"And, of course, as the transportation budget is considered during the legislative process, there are lots of conversations  about individual projects all across the state...but there’s certainly no linkage. And if there’s a misinterpretation on the part of a legislator, then I regret that."

PRESS: "Is that what it was? Or is someone not telling the truth here?"

DOUGLAS: "Well, I’ve had a lot of conversations with people through the years - I’m sure you have, as well - where you have different views of what happened.

"Two individuals had a conversation. I believe that the Secretary, and his conversation with me reflected accurately what he discussed and the topics that came up. If the other member to that conversation misinterpreted it, that’s unfortunate.”

PRESS: “Do you find it odd at all, though, that these two conversations, it sounds like, were fairly short conversations, a brief conversation in the cafeteria, a brief conversation after summoning a member off the floor. It just seems odd, in a brief conversation each time, those two topics came up. To suggest that they’re not linked either time - it’s hard to imagine?”

DOUGLAS: "Well, I can tell you I’ve talked with Neale about, ah, these issues after they were raised last week. He’s assured me that they’re not, that he understands the code of ethics, has continued to adhere to it as all of my appointees had. And again if it was misinterpreted by the legislator, then I’m sorry."

PRESS: "Fitzgerald, is he lying about it?"

DOUGLAS: "It’s certainly been my experience that when I have a conversation with someone it’s not unusual to have a different analysis or summary of what was discussed in that conversation later on. I’m sure you’ve had the same experience. In fact, I might have had that experience with some of you!” {chuckle, chuckle].

P.S. Fitzgerald has crossed yours truly's path before as the head of the Burlington-Charlotte Commuter Rail Project that former Gov. Howard Dean championed.

What a beautiful environmentally-friendly idea!

Only problem was, Ho-Ho couldn't get many people to actually ride it.

Douglas was an outspoken opponent of the commuter rail project since it was a big money-loser. Lunderville, we're told, is the gubernatorial staffer who delivered the bad news to Fitzgerald, about a month after Gov. Scissorhands was sworn in, that the project was being shut down and his services would no longer be needed.

Small world, eh?

CORRECTION:

According to a "Freyne Land" reader and Statehouse business lobbyist who grew up there, "The intersection that was discussed is actually in an adjacent district to Rep. Fitzgerald's district and is not in his district."

Thanks for that!

Recognize that face?

Of course you do!

It's the face of the Democrat who lost the 2006 lieutenant governor's race to Republican incumbent Brian Dubie (51-45). The face of a man who was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives at the age of 22 - fresh out of college - just like incumbent Gov. Jim Douglas was!

Matt Dunne lives today on the family farm he grew up on in Hartland with his lovely wife and young son.

Matt had a chat with yours truly over coffee at Speeder & Earl's on Pine Street early Wednesday - (He'd stayed overnight at the Sheraton and was 10 minutes late  - surprised, was he, by the rush-hour traffic jam that's become common in Vermont's largest city.)

Dunne is currently making a buck as  a "strategic planner/consultant," and his clients include Google and groSolar.

Nice.

Is he thinking about stepping up to challenge Gov. Scissorhands and running for governor in 2008? The Dems, after all, are lacking at the moment candidate-wise since none of the likely choices such as a Sen. Peter Shumlin, think GOP Jimmy Boy is beatable. At least, not in 2008.

"Way too early to be thinking about that election cycle," said Dunne.

Sure.

After seven years in the Vermont House in the 1990s, then being tapped by President Bill Clinton to head Americorps/Vista - and being reappointed by George W. Bush, Young Dunne returned to his home state to settle down and win a seat in the Vermont Senate.

Dunne told us he's developed "a whole new appreciation for the power of the governor's bully pulpit and an understanding of why some issues that feel critically important inside the Statehouse do not resonate outside the Statehouse walls."

And vice versa, eh?

That appears to be the case with J.R.H. 15 - the non-binding impeachment of George "WMD" Bush that Montpeculiar's Democrat leadership under the golden dome does not want to take up. (See entire resolution posted below.)

Are they wrong? Should the legislature take it up, we asked Dunne?

"The people of Vermont have spoken loud and clear," answered Young Matt, the future something-or other on Vermont's political stage, referring to the Town Meeting Day votes in almost 40 towns.

But should the legislature take it up?

One word answer: "Yes," he replied.

Oooooooh! Disagrees with Shumlin and Symington, eh?

"I don't know if he can win," said a seasoned insider, "but Matt Dunne will be aggressive,  well-funded and will give Jim Douglas fits."

After all, as a campaigner, Dunne, he said, is "indefatigable," He's "never in neutral. There's no off-button. This will be the opposite of Scudder Parker."

Ladies and gentleman - start your engines!

Here's the complete text of the non-binding resolution that the Democratic Party bosses of the Vermont Legislature - House & Senate - insist they have "no time" to take up:

Joint House Resolution

J.R.H. 15

Joint resolution requesting Congress to commence impeachmentproceedings against the President of the United States

Offered by:  Representatives Pillsbury of Brattleboro, Zuckerman ofBurlington, Aswad of Burlington, Davis of Washington, Donovan of Burlington,Edwards of Brattleboro, French of Randolph, Haas of Rochester, Hutchinson ofRandolph, Leriche of Hardwick, Marek of Newfane, Masland of Thetford, McCulloughof Williston, Mitchell of Barnard, Mrowicki of Putney, Nuovo of Middlebury,Pearson of Burlington, Randall of Troy, Rodgers of Glover and Sharpe of Bristol

Whereas, George W. Bush, in violation of hisconstitutional oath and duty to execute faithfully the office of President,and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the UnitedStates Constitution, has violated federal law and subverted the United StatesConstitution by undermining the rights and protections of our citizens and byimpairing the administration of justice by:

(1) Repeatedly and intentionally violating the Constitution and laws of theUnited States, particularly the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA),the 1949 Geneva Conventions, the Convention Against Torture (CAT), and theInternational Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), all of which areparts of the supreme law of the land under Article VI of the Constitution, and

(2) Appending "signing statements" to legislation asserting hispurported right to ignore laws as he alone sees fit, and

Whereas, George W. Bush has acted to stripAmericans of their constitutional rights by ordering indefinite detentionwithout access to legal counsel, without charge, or opportunity to appearbefore a judge to challenge their detention based solely on a discretionarydesignation by the President as "enemy combatants," all in derogationand subversion of the law, and

Whereas, on numerous occasions, George W.Bush has:

(1)  Ordered the National Security Agency (NSA) tointercept and record telephone and other communications without warrantsrequired by FISA and the Constitution, and

(2)  Designated American citizens as "enemycombatants" in violation of due process guarantees and Presidentialauthority, and

Whereas, George W. Bush has abused his powerby allowing, encouraging, and condoning crimes of torture, failing to prosecutesenior officials responsible for torture, and refusing to accept and obeystatutory bans on cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, and

Whereas, George W. Bush has violated hisoath of office by invading Iraq illegally without just cause or reason, incontravention of his constitutional obligation that the laws be executedfaithfully, and

Whereas, by making war on Iraq, based onintentionally misleading or recklessly false information, George W. Bush hascommitted criminal fraud against the United States and has subverted theConstitution and its guarantee of republican government and the separation ofpowers by undercutting the rightful authority of Congress to declare war,oversee foreign affairs, and make appropriations, and

Whereas, in all of this, George W. Bush hasacted in a manner contrary to his trust as President and subversive ofconstitutional government, to the great prejudice of the cause of law andjustice and to the manifest injury of the people of the United States, and

Whereas, George W. Bush, by such misconduct,warrants impeachment and trial and removal from office, now therefore be it

Resolved by the Senate and House ofRepresentatives:

That the General Assembly finds the existence ofgood cause for the submission of these impeachment charges to the United StatesHouse of Representatives under Section 603 of the Manual of the Rules of theUnited States House of Representatives as grounds for the impeachment, trial,and removal of George W. Bush as President of the United States, and be itfurther

Resolved:  That the secretary of state bedirected to send a copy of this resolution to the Clerk of the United StatesHouse of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary, to Representatives JohnConyers and Lamar Smith, the chair and ranking member, respectively, of theCommittee and to the members of the Vermont Congressional Delegation.



____________________________              Attestedto:

Gaye R. Symington

Speaker of the House

____________________________              ____________________________

Brian E. Dubie                                             DonaldG. Milne

President of the Senate                               Clerk,House of Representatives