Editor’s note: the following was received this morning, 10 days after self-described independent Liam Madden of Bellows Falls surprised Vermont Republicans by winning the GOP endorsement for the U.S. House race. Madden, who had promised to decline the nomination, changed his mind afterwards. Runner-up Ericka Redic is running as the Libertarian Party nominee.
On August 13 the Vermont Republican Party overwhelmingly passed a resolution prohibiting the party from providing financial or any other assistance to Liam Madden as a Republican candidate. The great majority of delegates felt that Mr. Madden’s actions and positions violated the ethics provisions of VTGOP Rules as not being in the best interests of the Party and he has misrepresented his intentions and beliefs in matters having to do with the Party.
Mr. Madden openly admits his original intention was to decline the Republican nomination if he won the primary and run as an Independent. In the event, he failed to follow the requirements for nomination as such and now pretends “we have a lot in common.”
Mr. Madden has continually stated he is not a Republican, will not commit to caucusing exclusively or at all with the Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives or to voting for a Republican Speaker of the House (unless the candidate is Nancy Pelosi.) How can his actions and positions be in the best interests of the party?
While Mr. Madden claims to share the values and positions of our party, close examination of his statements reveal that many are in opposition to our party’s recently revised platform. For example, his support of abortion up to 24 weeks gestation violates our plank on the sanctity of life from the moment of conception. Madden’s stated support of universal health care is in direct contradiction to our plank supporting “Robust competition that promotes patient choice and allows individuals to purchase insurance across state lines.” While he assures us that he supports Second Amendment rights he has stated publicly that only well-regulated militias should lawfully carry certain categories of weapons.
His actual positions on these policies and others vastly outweigh any areas of agreement. Opposition to a carbon tax is hardly a profile in courage at a time when Vermonters are reeling from high energy costs and out of control inflation in food, housing, and other necessities.
After hearing Mr. Madden out, the VTGOP voted by a large margin not to support his candidacy. The intent of those voting for the resolution was that this meant no assistance now and through the November election. We stand by our decision.
Perhaps Governor Scott said it best when he pointed out on WVMT that Liam has said he doesn’t believe in the two=party system. “…I think it’s a bit counterintuitive in some respects to run on a ticket when your mission is actually to decimate the system he was part of.”
Janet Metz, Chittenden County Republican Chair
Randy Gray, Windsor County Republican Chair
Christopher Aaron Felker, Burlington City Republican Chair
Ron Lawrence, Essex Town Republican Chair
Wendy Wilton, Milton Republican Chair
Categories: Commentary
What would you expect when a self avowed “Independent” is allowed to run as a Republican ? Ignorance is not bliss, it’s just ignorance…..
If someone garners the signatures required, the party can’t just negate that. That is not how the system works.
What he did stinks but it was legal and the reality is that he got the most votes. The race didn’t see wildly different participation than any other race so the question becomes – why did so many republicans vote for him ? Or leave the slot blank.
Maybe it’s the lack of moderation from the other two candidates ? Maybe not. His views seem scattered but people either voted for him out of support for him or as a protest to the others.
Fyi- whether we like it or not, with rare exceptions hardcore conservative rarely wins in Vermont. That’s reality- again, whether we like it or not.
HOW would YOU KNOW Republicans voted for him?? Its well known that Dems will put forth and support a candidate on the opposite ticket to guarantee they get their way in the election. Whoever wins this race, it good for them, and CERTAINLY so in this case when this guy has already said he’d caucus with the DEMS and he holds ZERO conservative values nor those of the Republican platform.
He’s not a Republican. So he had a chance to win in Vermont then.
Tynio impresses me for her political savvy. She knows a hat the globalists are doing and speaks truth. She may have come in first if a hand count were done.
Yes. Paul Dame is lame. He should have outed Joe Benning:
“ Since you insist on bringing this up, here’s another suggestion. At last count there were well over 500 criminal indictments filed against individuals who participated in the January 6th insurrection. Each indictment is accompanied by an affidavit of probable cause that describes the individual, their alleged motivation, and what gave a federal judge probable cause to determine whether the charge should stand.
It is apparent that nothing I say to you is something you are willing to consider, but please, do yourself a favor and read a few of those affidavits of probable cause. Each one actually cites the affiliation of those who were able to be identified. I’ve seen dozens of Proud Boys, III Percenters, Q-Anon and Donald Trump supporters (all calling themselves “Patriots”), but in my book a “Patriot” isn’t somebody who gets whipped up with emotion based on internet conspiracy theories and then invades the Capital intending to stop the counting of legally certified state ballots and “Hang Mike Pence.”
If you stop to think about it, Biden got elected. What could possibly motivate Pelosi and Company to stop him from being legally certified?
I’m done with conspiracy theories and Facebook warriors. Feel free to vote me out in the next primary.”
Joe Benning
Vermont State Senator
________
He stinks.
Timothy,
Did Mr. Benning send this in a lette to you and what was the date?
Maybe you could attempt to point Mr. Benning to the truth since he has trouble finding it..
Please keep us posted….
https://rumble.com/v1cn10p-bloody-hill.html
The VTGOP made its bed, now they can lay in it.
I was the Platform Committee Delegate from Chittenden County. I, along with others worked for months on the Platform the VTGOP voted to uphold.
Well not always, you see Chairman Dame, Rules Committee Chair Koch, along with two thirds of the voting members shut down two Amendments I wrote which would have prevented Mr. Madden from receiving any support or endorsement from the VTGOP.
In fact Mr. Dame wrote a commentary after the April 30th VTGOP meeting that praised the membership for defeating my Amendment.
Both Mr. Dame and Mr. Koch proclaimed they wanted a ” Big Tent ” where anyone who claimed to be a Republican was welcome.
Wish fulfilled.
I resigned from the VTGOP shortly after the April 30th vote. The leaders and voting members decided not all parts of the Platform meant anything. Which means none of the Platform means anything.
But wait, turns out the membership has decided the ” Big Tent ” isn’t so rosy.
” This is so blatantly unfair ” they proclaim. Madden will not get any financial or any other assistance from the VTGOP. Because they wrote a resolution.
I have been verbally attacked for being way too divisive with the Amendments I wrote. Must be because they would have applied to Scott, Benning, Beck, Scheuermann, Leffler Walker and Martin.
All transrepublicans who have voted for and support Prop 5 / Article 22. In Scott’s case, you need a calculator to add up the number of times he has betrayed Real Vermont Republicans.
But Dame and Koch protect all these people. The destruction of the VTGOP brought to you by those who wanted the Big Tent.
On second thought, the Big Tent analogy is perfect. They have turned it into a Circus.
FYI ; I have been working for months with candidates that are Real VT Republicans.
Pro Life, Constitutional Patriots that spent countless hours, energy and dollars out of their pockets to fight the good fight. And I will continue to do so.
Not every camel that sticks its nose under the tent has good intent. Paul Dame should have known this. If he couldn’t stop Madden, then he should have alerted the voters what was going on as he knew that Maden was no conservative. So, either Mr. Dame was complicit for Madden’s win, or he was too dumb to realize he had an obligation to inform the voters that the Vermont Republican ticket was being infiltrated by a Progressive to keep a conservative off the Nov. ballot.
Am I reading the Babylon Bee?
State Republican Chairs say:
“Madden’s support of abortion up to 24 weeks gestation violates our plank on the sanctity of life from the moment of conception.”
How about all the other so-called Republicans that voted for and are supporting Article 22 and Act 47? Will the Vermont State Republican Party call them out?
And the cherry on the top is our RHINO Vermont Governor, Phil Scott. He can call out Madden, but can he call out himself? He pretends to be a Republican and his buddy Paul Dame covers for ALL his left-leaning, Progressive/Democrat moves.
How about ALL the others who switch Parties casually? Have you called them out? Why is Madden so different?
These are the consequences for the Unprincipled, RHINO Leadership of the State Republican Party. When you Stand for Whatever, under the “Big Tent” there is no trust or foundation.
Joe Benning brags about being a Scott republican…That does not exist….They voted for Biden and the destruction of our country.
Mr. Benning was instrumental in prop 5 and voted for it twice. He also states he will vote for Article 22.
Joe is the ULTIMATE RINO.
His claim to fame is he always votes in favor of our gun rights.
He tries to retains his grip on people who believe in our constitutional rights but he supports Phil Scott and Biden with their support of a gun grab from all americans.
He fails as an attorney and as a person supporting our constitution when he participates in deceiving the public claiming no voter fraud took place in the presidential election. Proof is coming out in spite of attempts from many lawers, just like Benning, across the country trying to cover it up.
He also calls people that went to our nation’s capital to witness our government at work as WHITE SUPREMACISTS and INSURRECTIONISTS.
He was also proud, along with Patty McCoy, Brian Collamore, Ton Burditt and many other so called republican representation to sign on with Phil Scott to remove President Trump from early in spite of the fact Trump lost the election djé to voter fraud.
The DEMOCRAT PARTY was proud to post a statement from Den Benning and Senator Brock on Twitter on January 8th calling for Trump’s removal.
In two days a supposed weathered Atty, Mr. Benning, made this call that totally violate our constitutiona.
Mr. Benning…. I’m not an attorney but I understand that a man is INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY.
Benning and the rest of the RINOS that participated in this disgusting behavior should resign or be removed from office for aiding and abetting the enemy.
They violated our constitution in spite of the fact they seor an oath to it.
I do not understand how anyone can vote for people who violate an oath they took to our constitution.
When will we wake up?
We will never clean up the water if we don’t get the pigs out of the creek.
I’m going to echo the Anonymous commenter above, but as Vice-Chair of Winooski, I’ll tell you straight out, this is childish.
“The vast majority of delegates” thought no such thing that these chairs claim. After a three hour debate, a vote passed to table the issue of Liam and take no action, after the Executive Committee had voted to do the same.
In the last five minutes of said meeting, Chairwoman Metz, a former 20 year Democrat staffer, decided to spring a resolution upon the now heated delegates, to withhold all support from Madden. She had assured me personally on Thursday night that no such resolution existed or was planned. She lied.
So, let me get this straight. These Chairs do not support the winner of the Republcian Primary because he’s pro-choice, but do support the loser of the primary, who ran as fast as she could to the Libertarians when things didn’t go her way…and they support the pro-choice Governor as well.
i’d like to point out that Chairwoman Janet Metz WORKS for Governor Phill Scott.
Do we have grown ups in the room?
Stop the in fighting crap. Just vote for the best candidate which is Ericka Redic. She knows that LENR is the future. She knows the fallacy of the carbon war. She likes people not robots. She likes real food. She is spiritual. She’s my hero.
Ya know, I read these sad sac comments about Madden winning and then betraying the White Nationalist/Christian Fascist wing of the VTGOP (Guardians Of Privilege), and I can’t help but wonder if they are still willing to poo poo the idea of Rank Choice Voting. I’m told by that Trump mini me Greg Thayer, that RCV would disappear the GOP. In Vermont that seems to be the case with out it. Reddic may wish for it now. Rank Choice voting unriggs a rigged system, and rightfully opens the door to more voices.