Editor’s note: last week, Libertarian candidate for Congress Ericka Redic challenged Republican nominee Liam Madden to drop out because of questionable, controversial intra-family campaign contributions made in order to meet the campaign contribution threshhold to participate in televised debates. At the time Madden offered a one-word response to Redic’s challenge: “LOL.” However, with time to reflect he has authored this letter to Vermont conservatives, which he has asked VDC to publish. We agreed, and offered the Redic campaign the opportunity to submit a letter also (see her comment below). Liam Madden’s letter appears below:
Dear Vermont conservatives,
I admit it! I read the FEC website, which has zero restrictions or specifications about the age of a donor… only subjective criteria… and I had my son donate to my campaign so I could debate. Was I dishonest? Well, I filed that donation with FEC and I openly discussed it on air during a radio interview? Why? Because I saw no reason to lie. In my view, I was navigating a very subjective set of criteria and didn’t make any ethical missteps. I thought I was using a loophole to get around a totally absurd rule to disqualify and marginalize candidates without huge donor lists and networks of elites. I’d do it again. Money should not prevent any candidate from taking part in debates.
Did my campaign even benefit from this? A candidate could spend unlimited amounts of their own funds, so I materially benefitted from the spending power of that money not at all. Besides, I gave it all back (legally). Did those debates tip the Republican Primary… hahahhaha! The VPIRG debate has 99 views on youtube. Let’s be real, the Vt Progressive Research Group probably had around 1 person, at most, who watched their debate and then voted in the Republican Primary. Even if ALL of those viewers voted for me, that is still a drop in the bucket relative to the margin I won by. That donation is therefore completely immaterial to the election results, even if the donation was a bureaucratic error on my part.
While Redic would like to think she is the judge, jury and executioner regarding election law, the FEC is the one who determines if any rules were actually broken. There’s a reason we don’t let the loser of the primary determine who is eligible for an election. Speaking of eligible, as a convicted felon, Ericka is, by the GOP’s own rules, not eligible to be supported by the state Republican Party, even if she had won the primary. So this whole pissing contest is deeply ironic. She’s so upset that I told everyone I was an independent, won the primary despite that, and then GASP… decided to keep the nomination of the people who voted for me… because it was competitively more logical… meanwhile she couldn’t even receive any party support had she won!? You couldn’t even make this up.
Ericka Redic responds to this letter:
“With Madden’s consistent pattern of not tell the truth, not following the laws, understanding FEC and VTGOP rules and changing his story to fit the moment or the audience, why should anyone believe anything this opportunist says. I was a Republican before this election, I am still a Republican and I will be a conservative Republican after this election. Mr. Madden is not part of the future Republican party.” – Ericka Redic, Libertarian candidate for Congress
I want to remind conservatives. Without Redic in the race, with a shred of pride swallowing from the losers of the Primary, given the amount of undecided voters, we’d stand a chance at beating Balint. I want to remind conservatives:
I oppose assault weapons bans
I support strong borders
I want to lower taxes on small businesses
I am skeptical of carbon regulations and support nuclear energy
I am voting against prop 5
I take election integrity seriously
I oppose big tech censorship
I oppose lockdowns and mandates
I support investigating the Hunter Biden scandal.
I support term limits (6 years)
I rake Balint all the time on sacrificing public safety for dog whistles to her woke clique.
The entire point of my candidacy is to improve the representation of our political system, something conservatives in Vermont would benefit from disproportionately.
I am far closer to you than Balint! and I am polling more than 300% the amount of votes as Redic. If you really, really want to anoint Balint, then by all means split the vote, give Redic a whopping 8%, and keep bitching about how liberal Vermont’s delegation is for the 30 years of Balint’s incumbency. Just don’t be a hypocrite and blame anyone but yourself. The point of a primary is to stop this situation where the vote gets split! Redic’s ego is not a good reason to ignore the results of a primary, spitting in the face of the plurality of primary voters who chose me as the best candidate to actually stand a chance of beating Balint.
Conservatives, there’s not enough of you to beat a Democrat in Vermont. Your only chance is to vote for either a moderate or an independent who shares at least some of your values. If you are not overjoyed with the thought of being represented by an independent… at least be rational. That is really all that I’m asking. Be rational, please. Vote for the best chance to beat Balint. That is me.
Respectfully,
Liam Madden
Candidate – Vermont’s U.S. Representative
RebirthDemocracy.com
• Climate Fellow – Echoing Green
• Institute for Policy Studies – Human Rights Award Winner
• M.I.T. Climate Solver
• Chairman Iraq Veterans Against the War
Categories: politics
So now Madden brags he is more moderate than Balint ?
Madden suffers from the affliction of trying to remember what lie he told last time so he doesn’t out himself.
Madden has been a sad joke on Vermonters since the day he signed on to run as a Republican. Go back thru any of the writings and statements he has made.
Full of ” Whoops, didn’t know about that. ” Or ” I didn’t realize that was required. ”
Or ” What I broke the Law ? ”
But by far the greatest example of how he spit in the face of every Real Vermont Republican was when he responded to a comment by saying how glad you should be that he made it possible for no Republican running for Congress this year.
Madden is almost as confused as Biden, trying to justify one screw up after another.
He will get his Butt handed to him tomorrow, because all the Marxist that voted for him in the Primary are voting for Balint now.
He was used to promote the left agenda. And now they don’t need him anymore.
I agree with candidate Madden re donors and debates. It is most unfortunate though that he chose to run as an ambiguous candidate, Republican or not Republican, to cast doubt on his candidacy. How is a principled party follower supposed to interpret such a lukewarm stance? I believe Mr Madden should have been all in when he first ran. In light of this, I am casting my vote for Ericka Redic for her Libertarian views which run closest to mine. Still hoping for a Republican nationwide tsunami and solid Republican turnout and victories in Vermont…
Me too!
Balint is the winner, I sadly, grievously declare, and have for months. And no republican, no conservative, & no independent had or has a shot at winning to any substantive degree in Vermont because the VTGOP is egregiously ineffective and impotent and appears to be more than happy to remain that way. Who is opposing Sarah George? Who “managed” the Burlington GOP just two years ago? Who is taking up judicial challenges to VT Constitutional or election law violations? Why is the VTGOP officially “supporting” democrat candidates on the ballots?
Am I wrong about the race(s)? I certainly HOPE so! But in light of the facts above, it’s highly unlikely.
Vermont wants to be represented by socialists, i.e.: Communists? Then we ALL shall suffer the consequences. For those who believe this is all part of a spiritual battle? (And I don’t entirely disagree.) Then this is, sadly, the human race’s FREE WILL.
Whether we are either complicit, disingenuous, apathetic, or simply silent, one thing is certain: We ALL will suffer the consequences of allowing history to repeat itself and for God to have been removed from our lives.
Liam, I like that you are straight-shooting, authentic, and really want to shake up and amend the very broken political system that we have all been suffering under for a long time. I don’t agree with all of your stances, but it is so refreshing to see a truly independent Independent who thinks for himself, not through or for his party, and has creative, out-of-the box ideas that are really worthy of discussion and consideration. And, yes, Redic lost my respect when she chose to run against YOU (rather than Balint), and for her own ego. Liam, you’ve got my vote!
Liam, so tired of your dishonest actions and lies. You took the Marines for four years of pay, room, and meals and a free college education. Then you shafted them by claiming to be a pacifist. Next you took the Republicans for their line which should have gone to a member of the Republican party. But nooooo, Liam is too special and shafts the Republicans by refusing to caucus with them. Makes up a story about running as an independent but doesn’t have the line. Sure, right. And for his third major dishonest act, Liam breaks federal campaign finance law, all morally justified because he claims it is a broken system, telling us he is the only moral one out of 630,000 Vermonters. Let me share a basic lesson which you missed. Two wrongs don’t make a right. In addition, your 3 year old did not consent to giving away $5800. How stupid do you think we are? All this from a dude that claims the two party system is corrupt. LMAO. The man with a long history of unethical acts is going to fix the corrupt system? What a scam. Liam, you will get hammered tomorrow. Your dishonesty got Balint elected. Don’t even think about running in the future. A lot us now see you for who you are and we will not allow you to lie and cheat your way through the process so easily again.
Negative ranting, judgements, and dishonesty, such selfishness are not acts of love. Liam is unfortunately a disappointment.
We need to come together, organize a stronger Vermont GOP and take necessary action to have honest leadership that can truly represent all Vermonters in DC, Erika is that candidate.
I did not see Liam at the Republican fundraiser event before the primaries, nor did he attend other important functions and events throughout the state, I had the honor to participate and campaign with Erika in several events. She is engaged, honest, aware and present, no confusion with her, the real deal REDic
Thank you Erika for paving the way and inspiring for necessary change with the foundations and principles of the GOP, to protect our constitution, defend our rights and our way of life.
God Bless 🇺🇸
I am so impressed by Ericka as a thoughtful, smart, committed candidate who, in a perfect Vermont, would represent us honestly in Congress. Becca Balint is a nice person who has the same credibility problem (“really? I had no idea I was getting a $1,000,000 donation from a crypto millionaire”) as Liam Madden. Yes it’s an uphill battle but if you’re tired of living under One Party/Group Think ideology, please vote for Ericka and continue to stay involved in politics at whatever level you can.
So you can be a conservative hold true to your values and appeal across all parties, because the problems affect all citizens of Vermont.
Being “right” also doesn’t win you any elections, it might win in a court battle, but even then, it can be a tossup.
Is Vermont affordable?
Is our education funding remotely sane?
Are we over sexualizing our young children?
Do we wan to live in a cancel culture?
Is health care affordable?
Are homes affordable?
Are we wasting epic money in government?
Does Vermont have a drug problem?
Can our children find good jobs? Why do they leave?
Can we be good environmental stewards without being communist?
Should we stand up for American values?
Do we want to be a pawn or first colony of the United Nations?
Do we want to address the youth suicide rate?
Do we want to address the fact that 50% of all births are unplanned?
Do we want to keep Vermont as good looking as it is?
There is so much across party lines that every American, every Vermonter can and does agree we need to address, as clearly, we aren’t making progress on anything mentioned on above list.
.
Here’s what you know. Bernie endorsed Becca as if it was his right, and if elected she will then follow into his Senate seat for most likely life. She will delver for her Progressive voters, and Backers. The hard core Vermont Republicans don t have the backing of the majority of the Vermont People. Phil Scott knows it and Liam sees it. Neither the Progressives, or election denying extreme GOP, should control Vermont. Both are extremist groups. Vote for Liam, he could win or have your impotent protest vote, and complain some more, come Tuesday night.
Patrick Bramley, this seems as if you’re gloating over an underhanded trick played to undermine elections in VT.
The underhanded trick that was played here was Celebrity Bernie picking our Representative, and his then successor. Senate seats are life long. Vermont is in a period of severe crisis, and hopefully possible change right now. How many addicts, homeless, and out of state gang leaders, distributing Narcotics, does a small rural state need. The Progressives have fiddled while Rome burned.Their Ex hippy mentality won t allow them to address Drugs and Race realistically, even when it slaps them in the face. Election denying Trumpsters are unelectable here. Who votes for Hate? Vote Liam for Hope.
Re: “Senate seats are life long.”
Please stop making such obviously exaggerated and misleading statements. Even Senator Leahy, the 3rd longest serving senator in history, didn’t have a ‘lifelong’ senate seat.
No Patrick, i’ll vote my principles. If you dont want balint, you should join us in voting for Ericka as the majority of non becca voters will. But from your posts, i’ll assume its too late and youve already voted. You may feel more at home on vtdigger….
Liam does not support the 2nd Amendment.
Thinks gun owners must be part of a militia, under their control. This disqualified him from office.
Liam Madden
“Conservatives often overlook that the Second Amendment calls for the right to bear arms in relation to well regulated militias.”
https://rebirthdemocracy.com/reduce-gun-violence-protect-the-2nd-amendment
He overlooks the fact that the entire citizenry
should be skilled in armed defense, individually.
The laws have changed, giving the President control of all militia and the National Guard.
No, uphold their 2nd Amendment.
Ericka it is.
Would someone, Mr. Sexton, Ms. Redic, anyone…. please provide a specific example of a ‘lie’ told by Mr. Madden?
As I said, his own words multiple times. He lied about being a Republican and then not as it suited him. His stance on assault weapons, ( there are no assault weapons, they are inanimate objects ) His stance on being Pro 2 A.
Along with his self funding to become eligible to run.
Thank you for clarifying. There’s no question that Madden’s platform is nuanced (i.e., intentionally misrepresentative). But I don’t characterize his statements as ‘lies’. For one thing, he’s clearly too smart to do that.
Madden has always admitted to being an Independent. That he’s running on the Republican ticket is an issue that should be addressed to the VT GOP.
His stance on the second amendment also leaves too much wiggle room for me. But he hasn’t ‘lied’ about it.
And Madden didn’t ‘lie’ about his campaign finances. In fact, he was the first one to mention it.
I continue to hope conservatives would stop falling into the habit of making misleading ad hominin personal attacks. Just the facts, please. If someone is obviously dishonest (and goodness knows I’ve pointed out some whoppers), go ahead and call them out. But the more the ‘liar’ claim is used, especially when its exaggerated (as it is in this case), it becomes ineffective.
A long shot, to be sure. But as of this morning, election day, Balint is (and has always been) a non-starter for me, and I intend to vote for Redic in hopes that Madden sufficiently splits the progressive vote with Balint to give Redic the nod.
You are far too smart to play word games Jay.
Madden did lie multiple times. He intentionally did not disclose his “fundraising ” money until he was forced to answer for it.
Thereby lying about receiving enough to qualify.
He states he is 2A but then goes on to qualify how he isn’t.
You and I both have far better things to do than waste time with this fake.
Laim Madden, Republican candidate for U.S. House of Representatives, has stated he would vote to do away with the Electoral College in favor of the popular vote. He would be representing the small state of Vermont. This would mean that states with large populations, think California and New York, would forever control the outcome of elections. Amazingly none of the other candidates or the Republican Party have called him out on this!
Somebody’s lying here. Let’s look at who. Ericka Redic says she’s against open borders. She’s running as a Libertarian. The Libertarian Party Position on open borders is:
“Economic freedom demands the unrestricted movement of human as well as financial capital across national borders.”
Therefore, Ericka Redic is a liar.
Sometimes, you should beleive liars. When they tell you who they are. From Ericka’s response:
“why should anyone believe anything this opportunist says”
In the past four years, Ericka has been an Agripublican, a Republican and a Libertarian. Whatever gives her the best opportunity. As she herself puts it, “Why beleive anything an opportunist tells you?”
Here we go again:
Keep in mind that the term – Libertarian Party – is an oxymoron. True libertarians (with a small ‘l’) are parties of one. I consider myself to be ‘libertarian’. But I’m not aligned with every nuanced position expressed in the Libertarian Party Platform.
Nonetheless, your claim that Redic is ‘lying’ because of her current affiliation with the Libertarian Party is another example of an exaggerated and misleading ad hominin attack.
First, it is true, the Libertarian platform does state that: “Economic freedom demands the unrestricted movement of human as well as financial capital across national borders.”
But it also states that: “We oppose all acts of aggression as illegitimate and unjust, whether committed by private actors or the state”. “Aggression is the use, trespass against, or invasion of the borders of another person’s owned resource (property) without the owner’s consent; or the threat thereof.”
Clearly, Redic is running as a Libertarian candidate as an election process expedient. I suspect this choice also has something to do with funding. After all, it was the VT GOP that abandoned Redic. Not the other way around.
Unfortunately, the VTGOP declared they are a big tent and with that, the clowns came running. The backroom meetings and secret handshakes between the players of this nefarious game of Vermont politics has put many people’s lives in danger. The majority here has no represenatation, but we have copious amounts of taxation. We are facing the worst economic times in modern history. All institutions are broken and corrupted. As winter approaches, the more dire and hopeless the situation is becoming for many Vermonters. Today is the day of reckoning. I will pray and continue to pray for salvation and redemption for Vermont. The games being played here will not stand. It will get much worse if the populace continues to go along to get along.
Yes, the real failure is with the Republican party leadership. Allowing non Republicans to run as Republicans. Creating a hard right platform that turns off moderate Vermonters and then allowing Candidates to blow off the platform.
Dear Liam,
Stop trying to thread the needle of bowing to some aspects of the Democrat agenda while nodding to conservative fears of government overreach. It won’t serve you well.
Article 2 of the constitution allows citizens to bear arms. That is an absolute right. There is no such thing as an assault weapon. Red flag laws are sneaky tricks to deny your right to defend yourself against government oppression. Vermont never before regulated gun ownership and it was the safest state in the union. Now we have gun laws and crime is rising.
Your three year old child may be smart enough to agree to contribute to your campaign (lol) but he may not be strong enough to resist the insane boundary violations that Vermont school boards and their minion teachers commit against children daily.
You seem to believe that Democrat policies are “good in principal” but go too far. They are not “good in principal”. They reflect a philosophy of government that denies individual rights and responsibilities and wants all of us “racist/sexist/ bad” people to beg forgiveness from our betters.
No.
LOL