Governor Phil Scott | Facebook
By Christian Wade, in the Center Square
(The Center Square) – Gov. Phil Scott is disputing a civil liberties group’s claims that the state’s top health official illegally altered a report detailing how the state should spend opioid settlement money.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont on Thursday accused Health Commissioner Mark Levine of “unlawfully” removing a key recommendation of the Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee, which had called for $2.6 million in spending a year to facilitate “safe injection” sites where addicts inject drugs under the supervision of medical workers.
The ACLU said in a letter to the state Department of Health that omission of the funding request in the panel’s final report violated both Vermont’s Open Meeting Law and the committee’s enabling legislation, calling it “an unlawful usurpation of the committee’s harm reduction mandate.”
Scott issued a statement saying the statutory process, which he said leaves budgetary decisions in the hands of the Department of Health, was “clearly followed” and noted that the budget recommendation was “informed by” the opioid advisory committee’s recommendations.
“State law was clearly followed, proper professional discretion was used, and the change to the committee recommendations, which were discussed in public session in accordance with the open meeting law, was transparently disclosed,” the statement said.
Scott’s statement said he was “disheartened” that Levine was “inappropriately smeared” by members of the Legislature’s leadership without consideration of the facts.
“Dr. Levine is a committed public servant who has dedicated his skills and expertise to public service,” the statement said. “He has always acted in good faith and made these recommendations well within his authority under state law and followed through on his obligations to the committee, my administration, and – most importantly – to Vermonters.
“He cares deeply about preventing the tragic loss of life from the opioid epidemic and will continue to work to find solutions from all sides of this issue.”
Vermont has been debating safe injection sites for several years amid record high numbers of opioid related overdose deaths.
Supporters of the move say state-sanctioned injection facilities, albeit controversial, would save lives. They say it would also expose addicts to a range of detox and treatment options.
Critics say the debate over injection sites is skewed by misinformation, misleading studies and arguments from supporters who say the programs are a panacea.
In 2022, Scott vetoed a bill that would have created one or more safe injection sites in the state. He said it would divert money away from “proven harm reduction strategies to plan injection sites without clear data on the effectiveness of this approach.”
Scott, a Republican, said in the statement that the “uncivil treatment” of his cabinet secretaries and commissioners by the Democratic-majority Legislature has “unfortunately become increasingly common.”
“We can have policy disagreements without hurling unfounded accusations and demeaning insults,” the statement said.
Discover more from Vermont Daily Chronicle
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Categories: Drugs and Crime, State Government
“Uncivil treatment” of his cabinet secretaries and commissioners by the Democratic-majority Legislature has “unfortunately become increasingly common.”
How do you think the average Vermoner feels. This uncivil treatment by the leftist majority extends to every facit of life in Vermont, no mercy shown including to children segregated into Affinity spaces and labeled as oppressors and the oppressed and those questioning school equity policies.
And what happens to the parents who speak out at school boards about this agenda, they are labeled as domestic terrorists by the DOJ.
The Scott administration better not complain as it will quickly fall out of grace with the Biden regime.
“Uncivil Treatment”? Exactly as spelled out by alinsky in ‘rules for radicals’.
“Safe injection sites” are but one of many laws that will pass out of this legislature and probably survive scott’s veto. This legislature operates on hubris, emboldened by 2022 election malfeasance and mail-in ballot fraud.
alinsky’s personal acknowledgments in ‘rules for radicals’ include this:
“Lest we forget at least an over-the-shoulder acknowledgment to the very first radical: from all our legends, mythology, and history (and who is to know where mythology leaves off and history begins—or which is which), the first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom—Lucifer.”
—SAUL ALINSKY
Just so you know where we stand…This is the worldview of the liberal/socialist.
Re: “The American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont on Thursday accused Health Commissioner Mark Levine of “unlawfully” removing a key recommendation…”
Apparently, there is no honor among thieves.
Note that this report simply describes a spat between one political entity and another – fighting over the ill begotten money of taxpayers.
How can anyone trust a guy like Governor Phil Scott or Health Commissioner Mark Levine, who misrepresent to this day Covid data and are still recommending that young children be vaccinated?
Why do they continue to ignore the reality of misguided charity and false compassion?
Now it’s safe injection sites. Never mind that Vermont’s drug abuse and overdose rates have quadrupled over the last ten years. Or that suicides among 15 to 24 year-olds doubled last year over the previous three year average, while Dr. Levine’s health department claimed the statistic wasn’t significant. And we should ignore the fact that Vermont has the highest per capita taxpayer support for the homeless *and* the highest per capita homelessness in the country?
“Half the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don’t mean to do harm; but the harm does not interest them. Or they do not see it, or they justify it because they are absorbed in the endless struggle to think well of themselves.” ― T.S. Eliot
Or they do it to steal our money. And we let them get away with it.
Thanks. Your post covers my same thoughts, especially the part where the governor says he cares deeply about preventing the tragic loss of life…. Just apparently not the lives of those who have been vaccine injured or victims of drug dealers, their addicts, and transplanted illegals, who are enabled and given priority over citizens in housing, food, healthcare, education, etc. — all those benefits only taxpaying citizens pay for others but can’t afford for themselves. He, Levine, and almost all of our so-called representatives are either useful idiots or bought and paid for tools, the latter of which is a crime.
Bro’mance in action… no ya ya’s left to be honest with…
Oxymoron: Safe Injection Sites.
Because it worked so well every where else…. https://newjerseymonitor.com/2023/09/12/drug-decriminalization-stumbled-in-oregon-other-states-are-taking-note/ Except good ole Vermont…
This is the same old scheme the communists keep pushing. We just didn’t do it right last time. We can do it right this time we know more…
Remember Liberals think they can fix people. Conservatives think at best we can manage them. They will keep killing people to find out.
For your reading pleasure
https://www.heritage.org/public-health/commentary/safe-injection-sites-arent-safe-effective-or-wise-just-ask-canadians
This is the same line of thinking where parents let kids have a party at their house because they claim it’s safer.
No moral compass.
All those hogs at the trough – some squealing louder to get their “fair” share of the dwindling slop. American Civil Liberities Union and dedicated public servants? Thieves and Lying Liars from Liarsville is more like it.