Freyne Land

A dark and rainy day in the Queen City as the anti-nuke set set their sights on Entergy and their nuclear power station in Vernon, Vermont.

That's Chris Wiliams [left] and Bob Stannard [center] from the Citizens Action Network and Jim Moore from VPIRG. Held a presser in that new joint on the Burlington Waterfront.

Stannard, a former state rep from Manchester and an accomplished blues-harp player had the best line:

"I learned the other day," said Roberto, "that if the Romans had nuclear technology, we’d still be in the initial stages of guarding their waste."

The troika released a document union workers at Entergy's Pilgrim Nuke in Massachusetts filed with the NRC two months ago. The union had copied Vermont Public Service Commish Dave O'Brien, though we hadn't heard a peep about it from the ol' Vermont PSD in the last two months. Said VPIRG's Moore in a "Freyne Land" interview afterward:

MOORE: The point here is that Vermont Yankee has a serious safety issue that’s been raised by workers within the industry at the Pilgrim Plant in Plymouth, Mass. and VT Yankee should not be allowed to continue to operate if there are serious safety issues now at that facility.

FREYNE: It’s no surprise. VPIRG’s wanted Vermont Yankee to shut down as long as I’ve been alive. What’s new today?

MOORE: There’s a pattern of failure at that facility and what’s new today is that workers within the industry are saying we don’t want to be associated with Vermont Yankee in any way because there are such serious safety concerns and that’s being brought up by workers within the industry who know what safety means and who are very supportive of nuclear power in general. It’s the union at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth, Massachusetts which is owned by Entergy, the same corporate ownership as the Vermont Yankee facility.

FREYNE: What’s the safety problem?  What’s new today?

MOORE: Well, there always have been safety problems at Vermont Yankee. What’s new today is that either the recent problems that have happened at Vermont Yankee,  the recent accidents, these are not isolated incidents. It’s a systemic problem at that facility, OR there are safety concerns that these workers have that have not been brought to the light of day yet. The NRC should absolutely be investigating what are the safety concerns.

FREYNE: Well, Gov. Douglas seems to be on board now, eh?

MOORE: It’s terrific that Gov. Douglas is now supporting an independent safety review, but he’s asking the wrong question. He’s asking is it safe to run for an additional 20 years beyond its license. He should be asking “Is it safe to run today?”

That’s the red flag that these workers in the nuclear industry have raised.

Entergy Spokesman Larry Smith told The Associated Press he suspected the Pilgrim workers, who he said are coming up for contract negotiations, were "posturing."

As the AP reports: Entergy is seeking to create a new company that would own six power stations, including Vermont Yankee and Pilgrim. At the same time, Entergy is seeking to extend Vermont Yankee's operating license for 20 years beyond its current 2012 expiration.

Vermont's congressional delegation is calling for the safety assessment before any extension is granted. And now, Gov. Jim Douglas is joining the call as well.

Public Service Commissioner David O'Brien said the August collapse of a cooling tower at Vermont Yankee played a role in the decision to support the safety assessment.

"It's safe to say the public's confidence level in the plant has been shaken," said O'Brien.

The commissioners and state officials and worker-bees vastly outnumbered the press at Gov. Jim Douglas' noon event at the southbound Williston rest area on I-89.  Gov. Scissorhands [seen arriving followed by his trooper], was there in good spirits to officially launch free Wi-Fi for the laptop crowd at 7-8 Vermont interstate welcome centers.

Just me and a Ch. 5 crew: Reporter Mia Moran and new videographer Ama Asmah, fresh from Denver. I filed a story with WDEV's Rich Haskell regarding the free Wi-Fi. But got there early to "ambush" Jimbo regarding the letter to the Attorney General from the Windsor 13 [see item below], urging AG Bill Sorrell to ignore the Guv's dictum that henceforth, Sorrell prosecute first-time drug possession cases in Windsor County instead of letting Windsor County State's Attorney Bobby Sand handle them.

"Several thoughts,” said the Guv to Freyne Land.

"I don’t understand the separation-of-powers argument since law-enforcement agencies and the governor are both in the Executive Branch, so there’s no separation-of-powers question.

"Electoral process?" he asked rhetorically.

"I was elected, too. I took an oath of office and I have a responsibility to faithfully execute that office and adhere to the Constitution and follow all the laws that are enacted by the General Assembly of our state.

"I believe in and respect prosecutorial discretion. It’s an important part of our criminal justice process. But this is an extraordinary situation where that discretion has been abused.  And I think it’s important for me as the executive authority with law-enforcement agencies reporting to me to ensure that the laws of Vermont are carried out fairly.

"It’s simply unfair for someone in one county to be treated vastly different from someone somewhere else. There’s a perception of a double standard when a well-connected attorney and acting-judge is treated generously in a situation like this.  I believe I’m doing the right thing."

The decision by Windsor County State's Attorney Bobby Sand (at left) to drop Attorney Martha Davis' two marijuana possession felonies down to a court-diversion deal since it's her first offense drew Re-Elect Governor Jim Douglas, himself,  into the fray.

Whooppie!

As has been widely reported, Douglas publicly announced Vermont State Troopers and Game Wardens should bring future Windsor County pot busts to the office of Attorney General Bill Sorrell [who is already kinda busy right now with murders and such, isn't he?]

That drew a rather pointed letter Tuesday from the "Windsor 13" - two state senators and 11 state representatives, led by Senate Majority Leader John Campbell and State Sen. and folk singer Dick McCormack.

Here's a taste:

Dear Attorney General Sorrell,

   We urge you to exercise your office’s discretion to ignore Governor Douglas’ directive instructing law enforcement officials to bypass the Windsor County State’s Attorney, and to bring Windsor County drug cases to your office.  Should such cases indeed be forwarded to your office, we urge you to redirect them to their proper venue.  We suggest this out of concern for electoral integrity, separation of powers, prosecutorial discretion, the nonpolitical integrity of our judicial system, and the value of the Court Diversion program. Please note that our concern has nothing to do with approval or disproval of our present drug laws.  By bringing charges and directing the defendant to Court Diversion in the case that precipitated the Governor’s directive, Mr. Sand is enforcing the existing law.

   The people of Windsor County have repeatedly and overwhelmingly elected Robert Sand as our States Attorney. In doing so we have chosen him to prosecute criminal cases in our county.  Mr. Sand derives his just powers in this matter from the consent of the governed. The Governor does not. By directing cases away from Mr. Sand’s legitimate authority the Governor has thwarted the electoral will.  By refusing to cooperate with the Governor, you would re-establish the electoral authority of the people of our county.

    Clearly the Governor is not alone in disagreeing with Mr. Sand’s judgment in regards to the case of Martha Davis.  But nowhere does the Vermont Constitution require gubernatorial approval of State’s Attorneys’ decisions.  Whether or not one agrees with his decision, Mr. Sand was well within his prosecutorial discretion...

    Governor Douglas has intemperately and inaccurately described the Court Diversion program as merely “a get out of jail free card.”  We’re sure you know that Court Diversion holds offenders feet to the fire...it also saves a great deal of money in court costs and corrections expenses. The many Vermont volunteers who work in this fine program deserve better than the Governor’s dismissive insults.  By refusing to cooperate you would lend the prestige of your office to undoing the damage the Governor has caused in this regard.

The letter wraps up by noting “the Governor’s apparent lack of a sense of proportion.”

As everybody knows, we just experienced the “worst week of violent crime in our history...Our correctional facilities are overcrowded and understaffed. It is preposterous that the Governor would choose to focus, not on these problems, but on the routine decision to send a nonviolent first-time offender to Court Diversion.  We urge you to distance yourself from so irresponsible and distorted a position."

This one has legs, eh?

Maybe a ripe issue that a long-haired Progressive/Democrat with statewide campaign experience could use to help pull the biggest gubernatorial upset since Phil Hoff surprised Republican Incumbent Gov. F. Ray Keyser Jr. in 1962?

A gloomy, damp, cold morning in Burlington, Vermont. Perfect "Inside Track" writing weather, eh?

Lots on the political plate.

And the Christmas holidays are rolling in.

Rolling in against the backdrop of the ongoing crime in Iraq.

Please. Let's be honest. It's not a "war." Iraq did not attack us, nor was Iraq a threat to the United States of America. The U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq is a crime. Let's call it what it is.

And as with any crime, mes amis, it's not going to be okay until it's stopped and the perps - George W. Bush and Dick Cheney - are brought to justice.

How long before 9-10 GOP senators realize their loyalty to the Bush team is going to cost them their seats?

The clock ticks.

Politics is a painful process, but it still beats the alternatives.

Ol' Bernardo, excuse me, United States Sen. Bernard Sanders, usually does a presser on Mondays at his home base in Burlington and this Monday, a federal holiday for Veterans Day [no mail], was no different.

In this case, however, Sen. Sanders stuck to the theme and offered up a perfect made-for-TV news story about getting an 84-year-old World War II veteran from Barre his medals, including a Bronze Star.

Stanley Sabens was 19 when he signed up and he was a member of the precursor of the Green Berets who won fame during the Vietnam War. Sabens outfit was called the First Special Service Force, also known as "The Black Devils." And it was, uniquely, a half-American/half-Canadian outfit.

"What was so unique about Stanley’s experience," said Bernie,  "is that he fought with our Canadian allies. They fought equally and they served heroically. On behalf of a very grateful nation, we thank you very much."

Stanley will also go into the Vermont history books, we were told, for opening the state's very first motel - The Knoll Motel in Barre. Opened in 1950.

As for recollections from the battlefields where he fought and his comrades died, Sabens told reporters it was "hard to think back."

"I think of the good times," he said, "but the rest of it, I can't do anything about."

Rather it was the packed, standing-room-only basement of the public library in the heart of downtown Barre, Vermont. Democratic Congressman Peter Welch faced down the Vermont lions of the anti-Iraq War left and walked away unscathed.

Oh, sure, he had to take getting yelled at by a few baby boomers who needed to get it off their chests or wherever, but he in no way, shape, or form gave an inch to their macho-bullying tactics.

Under the original format - unrevealed to Welchie - he was going to have had to keep his mouth basically shut - just answer "yes" or "no" to the 15 questions they had prepared for him.

Unusual to see a United States Congressman have to fight for and win his 1st Amendment rights at a public meeting, but he did!

The meeting between the congressman and 100 of his constituents lasted from 1:30 pm until 4 pm.

Afterward, Vermont's only member of the U.S. House told Freyne Land:

It’s my job. These are good Vermont folks who care passionately about the Constitution and the War in Iraq. And I feel it was important that I listen to them.  I was glad to participate and listen to the conviction, the passion, the sense of urgency that they have.

My goal was to convey that I’m doing everything that I can to bring this war to an end.

Patrick Leahy, Bernie Sanders and I all have an extraordinary record. That’s why Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), singled me out me for providing leadership to end the war.  And I’m doing absolutely everything that I can to take practical steps to end this as soon as it possibly can be ended.

"So I do want you to know," said Progressive Party activist Anthony Pollina to 80 Progs attending the annual state convention at Vermont Law School in South Royalton on Saturday, "that I do very much expect and I do very much intend to be a candidate for governor next year.”

The joint went nuts!  People jumped out of their seats to cheer.

"But!" shouted Anthony. "But...I started to say 'But," and you got all noisy."

They slowly simmered down, and returned to their seats and Tony the Prog got right to the point:

"There’s a lot of work that we need to do if we’re going to make that happen.

One is, as Progressives, we have to do the work to build an active, inspired political base that will actually bring us a successful campaign...

"We have to reach out and talk to friends who probably don’t know they are Progressives just yet.

"And it also means that we have to work very seriously with our friends in the Democratic Party to especially make sure that they understand the need to build a successful campaign. To understand that this particular race is going to take one candidate people can get behind that can make sure that we replace Jim Douglas with a governor that brings us in a different direction...

"And I think we really need to be clear with these folks that we know that we need each other’s support. That we know that. And that we, in fact, are going to do our best, as we have been doing over the last couple months, to seek and accept the support of our Democratic friends because this election is too important to do otherwise. And that we will use that support from Democrats as well as others to build a campaign that’s strong enough to win but also to build a coalition that’s strong enough to last and to take Vermont in a different direction."

State Rep. Chris Pearson of Burlap, former Prog Party director, experienced on the campaign frontlines in races for Bernie Sanders in 1998 and Anthony in 2000 and 2002, was even more direct:

"Money is king in this game," Chris told them. "You can wish it’s not true, but it is.  Inthe major leagues, it’s perhaps the biggest indicator of running aserious race."

Recalling the 2000 gubernatorial race, said Pearson, "We were delighted to have $300,000 to spend. This one is going to require $1 million."

"If we’re going to do this," Pearson [at left] told the party faithful, "we have to demonstrate, and demonstratequickly, that we’re not goofing around. To me, that means raising$100,000 by January 15."

Whatdafuck?

"If we do that," he said,  "the media will notice."

And not just the "media" predicted Pearson.

"Any Democrat in the race will take notice," said the former UVM student and Vermont Pub & Brewery employee. "We have an emergency. If we’re going to turn the tide on any of theissues we care about, we really have no choice. Our candidate leads thepack with name recognition, credibility and campaign know-how," said Pearson. "We have to move quickly, though, to demonstrate fundraising power."

Yes, indeed, time to put their money where their mouth is, eh?

Plus, said Rep. Pearson to the Progressive Party faithful, "If we’re serious about winning, we have to consider options like addingan additional party label. Some of you may find that despicable," he said, "and I’m sorry. We’re not going to have thatdebate. We don’t have the time."

Kinda get the feeling, they have until January 15, don't you?

That's the date when the  Pollina players need to have 100 grand in the campaign kitty, or else - fuggedaboutit!

Long time no see for these two guys!

Both are mentioned in the Vermont media as potential gubernatorial challengers to King James, a.k.a. GOP Gov. Jim Douglas.

Anthony Pollina [left] and distinguished ambassador and foreign-policy author Peter Galbraith got together in Burlington late Wednesday afternoon for some java at Uncommon Grounds on the Marketplace and some catching up. It's been 30 years since these two baby-boomers sat down together for a chat!

That was back in the late 1970s. Pollina had just graduated Johnson State College and went to work for the Vermont Alliance. Galbraith was the executive director of the Vermont Democratic Party. They were working out of the same building in beautiful downtown Montpeculiar.

Galbraith, now living in Windsor County, served as President Bill Cinton's first ambassador to Croatia. He was en route to give a talk in Middlebury about his latest book The End of Iraq. The son of diplomat John Kenneth Galbraith has seen a lot of the world and its turmoil since those Montpelier days of the 1970s.

The former ambassador was not particularly chatty about his gubernatorial prospects. His name has been floated last month by Democratic Senate Prez Peter Shumlin whose party is not exactly inundated with eager candidates fired up to take down Vermont's Republican anti-wind power, pro-nuclear power chief executive.

Tony the Prog told yours truly they had a good half-hour chat.

So what's the current status of Anthony's potential gubernatorial bid in 2008?

"As of now," said Pollina, "it looks more likely everyday."

The Conservation Law Foundation has a well-earned reputation for being the toughest, most litigious, nose-to-the-grindstone environmental non-profit in play in Vermont and across New England.  "Being liked" has never been CLF's goal. Rather, winning environmental battles in the courtroom is.

And they're good at it.

CLF's also undergoing a little style-change. Warmer. Fuzzier. Friendlier. And reaching out in a planned and deliberate way to the financially well-endowed among us for support.

Pony-tailed Attorney Chris Killian has been CLF's top dog at its Montpelier, Vermont outpost since 1999. Wednesday evening, CLF held a get-together at Burlington's Waterfront Theater on Lake Street. Yours truly had a chat with him before the show got rolling.

FREYNE: What's this all about?