May run for Chittenden County State’s Attorney

By Michael Donoghue
Vermont News First

ST. ALBANS — Bram Kranichfeld, who was asked by Gov. Phil Scott to take over as Franklin County State’s Attorney when the office was in serious turmoil 2½ years ago, will not run for the post when his term ends Jan. 31.

“It is truly an honor to serve the people of Franklin County as State’s Attorney, and I am deeply grateful to have had this opportunity to finish my predecessor’s term. After some serious conversations with my family, we decided that we are not going to move out of Burlington where we have lived for nearly 20 years,” Kranichfeld said in a prepared statement.

“I believe that the people of Franklin County deserve a State’s Attorney who lives in Franklin County. I am proud of the work we are doing here and truly believe that I will be leaving the office better than I found it,” he wrote.

Kranichfeld, a middle of the road Democrat, has been mentioned both publicly and privately as a possible candidate for the post of Chittenden County State’s Attorney.  Incumbent Sarah George, a radical Democrat, has said she wants another 4-year term.

Kranichfeld, a former City Councilor in Burlington, served as a deputy state’s attorney in Chittenden County for about seven years, including as the chief deputy for T.J. Donovan for a couple of years. 

He also did a two-year stint as head of the criminal division in the Attorney General’s Office and was selected as Executive Director for the Vermont State’s Attorney’s and Sheriff’s Office in 2013 and 2014.

At least one prosecutor with 12 years experience is interested in the Franklin County job.  Zach Waite of Milton has been serving as the special prosecutor in Chittenden County that was named by Gov. Phil Scott to help clear up the backlog with a special accountability docket.  It focused on the many repeat offenders that keep getting arrested with little or no consequences from the court.

The primary vote for political parties is in August with the general election in November.

Kranichfeld stated that during his tenure as State’s Attorney, the St. Albans office has professionalized the work culture.

“We have worked hard to ensure that our staff feels safe and supported and that our culture is one of respect and professionalism. I am so proud of the team we have put together here and the work that they do,” Kranichfeld said.

Vermont News First reported in August 2023 that former Franklin County State’s Attorney John Lavoie, who was facing possible impeachment, had decided to pull the plug and not fight a series of complaints from co-workers.

The employees had claimed Lavoie was involved in a pattern of harassment and discrimination directed at them and other individuals.

Lavoie had denied any wrongdoing.

Gov. Scott initially appointed Kranichfeld as the interim state’s attorney in September 2023 and eventually named him to the permanent post in March 2024.

Swanton Police Chief Matthew Sullivan said it is a pleasure working with Kranichfeld.

“Bram has always championed public safety without sacrificing his commitment to restorative justice and rehabilitation,” said Sullivan, a former deputy police chief in Burlington.

“He works closely with local law enforcement to achieve the best outcomes holding offenders accountable within the criminal justice system,” said Sullivan, a law school graduate.

Kranichfeld pointed to his successful efforts working with the court staff to clear the case backlog.  He noted that between September 1, 2025 and February 1, 2026, the Franklin court resolved 442 cases without the assistance of an accountability court.

Gov. Scott helped create the accountability docket in Chittenden County late last year by appointing a fulltime special prosecutor to deal with the major backlog of cases created by a group of frequent repeat offenders.

Waite was able to help resolve 772 criminal cases between Oct. 20 and Feb. 6 involving 79 defendants.  He has returned to his post as a deputy prosecutor in Washington County.

“As State’s Attorney, I will pursue an agenda that supports victims, promotes public safety, and holds criminals accountable,” Waite said in making the announcement.

Waite said through his work as Gov. Scott’s Special Prosecutor for the Accountability Court, he has “proven how a focused, driven approach within the criminal justice system can address systemic issues while promoting public safety.”

He added, “I am excited to bring this dedicated focus on victim support, public safety, and accountability to the people of Franklin County.”

Kranichfeld also noted his creation of a direct referral process in Franklin County enabling police officers to refer some low level, non-violent misdemeanors directly to restorative justice programs, greatly accelerating the speed at which such cases were addressed.

Scott initially named Kranichfeld in September 2023 to replace embattled State’s Attorney John Lavoie after his resignation.

Lavoie did acknowledge he may have made comments at some point during his 35-year career that could be considered outdated in today’s modern era.

Lavoie, who was a longtime deputy prosecutor in the office, was elected in November 2022 to succeed retiring State’s Attorney James Hughes. Lavoie began overseeing the office in late summer when Hughes departed, but was not officially sworn in until Feb. 1, 2023.

He served two stints at the Windham County State’s Attorney’s Office for about 10 years. He also had short stops in Bennington County, the Vermont Drug Task Force and the Vermont Office of Child Support before coming to Franklin County.