|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
by Don Keelan
When any of my four daughters or granddaughters come to Vermont for a visit, out of caution, I inform them of where not to visit. Buell and Church Streets in Burlington come to mind. Also, Flat Street in Brattleboro is another one. They are locations that should be avoided. I have added the Vermont Statehouse, particularly the Office of the Lt. Governor.
David Zuckerman, Vermont’s Lt. Governor, holds a state-wide elected office, which puts him one heartbeat from being Vermont’s governor.
The recent primary results, where Zuckerman was elected again for the Lt. Governor’s position, were difficult to fathom after what had been reported in VTDigger on August 6 by Sarah Mearhoff: “ In early 2023, House Speaker Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington, issued verbal and written warnings to Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman after state legislators reported feeling uncomfortable when Zuckerman offered them access to a supply of menstrual products located in a drawer in his Chief of Staff’s office.”
Put another way, when a female legislator or a female page were invited to the Lt. Governor’s office to get acquainted, he was unhesitant to offer assistance with any possible menstrual products they may require. How sickening is that coming from the State’s second-highest elected leader?
A disgraceful act of concealment occurred with the leadership of the Vermont Legislature, particularly the House Speaker and her “clubhouse colleagues,” who allowed 18 months to pass before the Digger exposed Zuckerman’s unprofessional conduct.
The leadership’s rationale was that Zuckerman is a member of the executive branch and that they have no jurisdiction over him—pure, unadulterated bull.
The leadership could have posted personnel or signage at his office entrance warning all female visitors about what they might expect upon visiting the Lt. Governor. This would also have provided notice to the female public visitors to the Statehouse, but no, the leaders covered it up. We must protect the House from any scandal.
Some 15 months later, in April 2024, with the controversial hearings and vote by the Vermont Senate to confirm Governor Scott’s nomination of Zoie Saunders as the Secretary of Education, David Zuckerman’s nefarious behavior was once again revealed.
As reported in VTDigger by Ethan Weinstein, “The debate (over Saunders’ appointment) reached a fever pitch over the weekend after Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman sent a campaign email urging senators to vote down Saunders’ confirmation.”
According to Weinstein, the governor immediately came to Saunders’ defense: “On Monday, Scott cited what he called Zuckerman’s ‘erroneous comments’ while criticizing the debate around Saunders’ confirmation as ‘toxic’ and calling on the Senate to postpone its vote.”
The following Tuesday, the Senate voted 19 to 9 not to confirm Saunders. This was followed by Zuckerman’s public apology, declaring that his campaign email was an inaccurate representation. His quote, as reported in the Digger, was, “I want to apologize to the Senate for adding to the heat of the debate.”
What was conspicuously missing was Zuckerman’s apology to Zoie Saunders, who moved from Florida with her family to Vermont to lead a failing Agency of Education. Gov. Scott stuck it to the 19 Senate members. Without wasting time, he appointed Saunders Interim Secretary of Education the next day.
There was a time, not long ago, when a visit to the Vermont State House, when the legislature was in session, was an opportunity to look forward to. Carrying out their duties were Senators and Representatives Dick Sears, Dick Mazza, Jane Kitchel, Randy Brock, Ralph Wright, and a few others. It was where the virtues of character–integrity, leadership, collegiality, and courage–were witnessed.
Governor Scott was right to state at the time of the Saunders’ vote that the place was “toxic.” It still is, and even worse, the leadership runs to cover up rather than stay in place and demonstrate a sense of courage and leadership.
Yes, David Zuckerman, who is a heartbeat away from being governor, resides in the executive branch and, according to Speaker Krowinski, can’t be touched. However, he can be “touched,” and Articles of Impeachment can be served on him.
The legislators do not have the backbone or courage to do so. They just continue the clubhouse coverup. I will continue to inform my daughters, granddaughters, and other female friends to avoid visiting the Statehouse.
The author is a U.S. Marine (retired), CPA, and columnist living in Arlington, VT.
Discover more from Vermont Daily Chronicle
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Categories: Commentary
Zuckerman wants to remake Vermont into his likeness. From Boston, he’ll stick around as would a slime sticky ball. He has such a sick warped mind and Montpelier is his power root. . I hope he reads this
Zuckerman is a weirdo. Why hasn’t the VT Government impeached him? He even steal from the taxpayers. Insults women. Power crazed. Why is he repeatedly voted in?
He does FB Zuckerberg’s bidding. As said, the Legislative brranch won’t impeach, cowards of this guy?
More toxic behavior of David Z to report from Brattleboro: I entered the local house race as a progressive. The democrat Mrowicki conspired with Local Progressive Chair spoon agave to remove me from the running. They hosted a progressive meet and greet with David Z. I went and David knows me, Spoon Knows me, and Mrowicki knows me, they know I have worked many a year of activism for progressive supported policies such as public banking, agricultural hemp farming, and an increase of regenerative farms, money out of politics, and yet, non of them allowed me to stand with them to speak to my platform to the small audience. They additionally disgustingly, made long winded comments about their dedication to democracy and inclusion, while they were actively censoring a candidate with a progressive platform from talking at THEIR political event. Spoon said I hadn’t done the appropriate seeking of his support to be a progressive and therefore He teamed up with Mrowicki to have dems write in Mrowicki and push me off the ballot, even though Mrowicki was guaranteed a nov spot as a dem. The hypocrisy is telling. I know David from my years of advocacy, and he did not use his authority to insist that inclusivity happen at that event. Instead he waxed eloquent on democracy and Harris, installed without a shred of democratic process.
Sad commentary on Vermont, my sister lives in Burlington, she has same advice for relatives coming to visit.
Perhaps all the pols who advocated defunding the police should be called out.
I have not supported or voted for Mr. Zuckerman since his arrival way back in his fake “Hippy farmer with a ponytail” days. I was not impressed with him or the staged campaign ad where he could be seen preening before walking out of the barn. It was an act then and since he lost the ponytail, he has moved onto act two. Now he presents as a pseudo “Mr. All Inclusive, just welcoming the newbies, big brother”. I think I distrust this iteration even more (if that is possible). Any one remember Eddie Haskell from “Leave it to Beaver?” Well I guess we now know what Eddie chose as a career. Instead of smarming over Mrs. Cleaver he has installed himself in our State House as the purveyor of personal hygiene items for the womenfolk. All in the name of making them feel welcome and included, as it were. By contrast, from what I read, the newbie males were offered coffee from his office. Anyone else see Eddie’s behavior as intimidation and a way to make sure that the newbie ladies knew about how powerful he thinks he is. He can sexually harass you by calling you into his office for a private meeting about a very personal subject. He can embarrass you, comment about your age and make you feel uncomfortable. And guess what, you can’t do much of anything about it.. HE is important. Yea, I bet I can count on one hand the number of women who haven’t run into an Eddie Haskell sometime in their career..most of us have worked with at least one of them. What is incredibly alarming in this situation is that this “Eddie” is in our Statehouse and the exclusive club that exists under the dome hid what they probably knew was taking place. I imagine that most of them were even amused by it. Hostile work environment much? Mr. Keelan, you are smart to advise your female family members and friends to stay away. It doesn’t sound like a very safe place. Just my opinion of course.
Why would anyone be surprised, Zuckerman is just another woke carpetbagger in the Vermont political field…………….. this goes to show just how F-up Vermont has become
but then again you vote these clowns in year after year, stupid is as stupid as does !!
If you want a change in policies, then change the policymakers.
Zuckerman once thanked me for my service at the Memorial Day parade in Vergennes a few years back when he was re-running for his office. He also said, “I know nothing about the military.” I responded to him, “Then you shouldn’t be in public office.” I did this in front of everyone and I am not ashamed.
Touché. retired military veteran myself.