King James Brushes Off Lord Carleton

Not that it appears to be doing them any good, mind you. But after last week's Republican double-header victory under Montpelier's beautiful Golden Dome, they had to do something.

That something turned out to be this Wednesday's press release from the Vermont Democratic Party HQ in Montpeculiar under the signature of its chairman, Ian Carleton of Burlington. Ian's a 30something corporate attorney with Yale on his resume and statewide political aspirations. Sources say he gave some serious thought to taking on incumbent Republican Gov. Jim Douglas in 2008, but has decided against it. Yes, indeed, King James has no challenger of merit on the horizon, yet.

As far as we can tell, Carleton's press release got little if any attention from the Vermont press even though it had a snappy headline:

"Douglas Gives Sweetheart Deal to Big Donor"

"Fecteau Residential, a Berlin-based business, has fared well recently under the Douglas Administration, first scoring a deal to lease temporary facilities for state employees in Bennington and now turning that lease into a sale (in spite of initially supplying defective units).  As his Monday campaign finance disclosure reveals, it turns out Jim Douglas is faring pretty well with Fecteau Residential, too."

Chairman Carleton's release stated Democratic research of state campaign finance records had found that Fecteau Residential of Barre, the company that leased trailers and has now sold "temporary modular buildings" to the state, also - ready for this? - also donated a total of $1,100 to Gov. Douglas' 2006 Campaign.

Shocking, eh?

Carleton's Democratic Party research also found that Fecteau Residential donated $500 to King James' 2008 re-election campaign in February and "about two weeks ago," the state cut a deal to purchase $539,000 of modular offices.

Yesterday, yours truly "ambushed" King James after the big ribbon-cutting marking the opening of Grand Way Commons in South Burlington.  Told him about Lord Carleton's attack,  one which insinuates the modular office contract had been bought with contributions to his gubernatorial campaign.

DOUGLAS: I’m proud to have thousands of Vermonters support my candidacy. I’ve never had this many contributors at this point in an election cycle and it’s because I have broad support around the state. More and more people are embracing my leadership.

FREYNE: But this is the company you just bought the trailers from.

DOUGLAS: You may well find other businesses that do business with the state who are my supporters. I’m sure of it. I’m proud of all the supporters I have!

Good answer, eh?

After all, accepting campaign contributions from Vermont businesses or persons is not exactly against the law, is it?

Nice try, Lord Carleton.

God forbid if the State of Vermont had done  business with any corporation or person that donated to Howard Dean's gubernatorial campaigns, eh?

Howard who?

Comments

[Fast Eddie]

Well, come on down little partner, er governor. I got me here some mobile mold mobiles that I'll let ya' have for a steal. A steal, I tell 'ya. These are high-end trailers, my friend. All's they need is little TLC from someone who's got a little money to pretty 'em up a bit. Don't pay no attention to them spots. A little elbow grease and they're gone. These are assets, my friend, assets, I tell 'ya.

[jpc]

The dem. leaders are really starting to seem a little pathetic. I was expecting a large donation to have been made, $500? They need to stop whining and try to save a little face before '08. I mean at least say whether or not this is high or low compared to other vendors that sell similar models. For god's sake they could have been the cheapest available. Stuff like this really conjures up images of pouting school children angry because their bills got vetoed.

[Eamon de Valera]

Slick answer by Douglas, but this actually does sound a bit suspicious. Why by these units for $590,000 when you were only going to be renting them for 2 years at $90,000 a year? And how can you completely bypass legislative appropriations committees for such an expenditure?

That whole situation in Bennington was an absolute disaster and probably Douglas' biggest black eye since being in office. He left a bunch of employees with sarcoidosis in State offices for almost a year without taking action...now that's a compassionate conservative.

[sandy ward]

2001-2004 Pharmaceutical industry donations to Vermont state campaigns: $31,000.

2003-2004 Vermont state lobbying by pharmaceutical companies: $551,000.

2003-(last year for which commplete data is available):

rx's sold in Vermont: 6,432,000
rx's sold per capita: 10.2
rx sales: $342,702,000
Aver price of rx's: $53.28

Rounded to the nearest $1,000.

Data can be found at The Center for Public Integrity.

[BearGrylls]

You get the feeling that Douglas is one of those losers who stands in front of the mirror every day and says "Boy, you're a good looking fellow Jim."

What an egomaniac. Get over yourself.

[sandy ward]

Where have all the spinners gone? See how easy that was, hope to hell you dems are paying attention!

Robert Sand for Governor!!!

[vermonter]

Wow!!! That state did business with a company that gave $1,000 to the Governor's campaign. Absolutely shocking!! Freyne got this one right. There is absolutelt no story here and Carelton looks like a dope.

[ncm]

Actually, it is a news story. Any time state government goes from a lease arrangement to an outright purchase it is news worthy if for no other reason than to see if the purchased items were placed out to bid. Generally when the state quits a lease and purchases something it signals permanence, but that doesn't appear to be what the administration is saying in the case of the Bennington trailers. It raises questions in an area where the Douglas administration has been less than forthright for a number of years.

[Jeezum Joe]

Peter, thank you for your typical Menckenesque, tongue-in-cheek treatement of this "scandal." There are times I do not agree with Jim Douglas and times I do not agree with the Dems. In this case, the Dems truly overreached, and I thought you brought them back down to earth very well. Unfortunately, all this is so reminiscent of Gentleman Jim Barnett and his coterie. So, now, Barnett's Ghost is alive and well among the Vermont Democrats, too. Sigh!

[sandy ward]

Vermonter, you should be helping your Democratic party instead of critizing them all.

[vermonter]

Sandy, I attend my local town Dem. committee meetings. I try to make it to county-level meetings. I frequently correspond with my town and county chairs, and try to correspond with the State Chairman, whom Peter appropriately just made fun of for his pathetic attack on the Gov. I have gone to the State Convention in the past. I have campaigned for a moderate Democrat in my town for state rep. In the past I have served on non-elected board in my town (non-partisan, admittedly). If I had the time to run for state rep. I'd consider it, but my work and family obligations don't allow it. I'd say that, other than running for office myself, I am more active in my Party than most members. Oh, yes, and I pay membership dues and contribute every year (I wonder how many "activists" actually pay to belong to the Party). In all, it's not like I just sit back and criticize and make no attempt to be active and try to exert some influence. Alas, it hasn't done much good. I think the leadership of the Vermont Democratic Party, which consists of Gaye Symington and her leadership team in the State House, Peter Shumlin in the Senate, and Ian Carleton as State Chairman, are woefully out of touch with the average Vermonters, including many, many traditional Democrats. The fact that Vermonters keep returning Douglas to the Governor's office -- which voters statistically would have to include a percentage of Democrats -- proves to me that the current leadership of the Party is paying no attention to traditional lunch-bucket, union-type Democrats who want a job and a house and manageable taxes. The Vermont Democrats are more interested in representing extremely well off liberals (like, for example, Gaye herself).

[sandy ward]

Does this mean you consider yourself to be a 'traditional lunch-bucket, union-type Dem who wants a job and a house and manageable taxes' and are not responsible for alienating activists who do not pay dues to belong to your 'group'?

Sounds like you've been in the party long enough to have some idea who to put forth as a candidate...so do it.

You continue to dance around the question of why you think marijuana should remain illegal. And, save you're 'we agree' manipulation crap for others to go for...I'm not the one.

[vermonter]

"And, save you're 'we agree' manipulation crap for others to go for...I'm not the one."

I don't recall saying I agree with you on anything. Just in case my memory's failing me (a possibility), can you please tell me where I said I agreed with you on anything? But, if I did, I really appreciate your charitable, gracious, hospitable, non-hostile response.

You appear to be a sour, doped-up, reading-challenged, thinking-challenged, paranoid cur who believes that everyone around you is a fascist. Ironically, you're lucky you're wrong. Because if this were a fascist state, you'd be the first one in prison.

[Peter Joes]

Hey "vermonter" don't you think you can ramp up the rhetoric just a bit!

Personally, I think you are a fantasy man/woman. I don't believe a word you say about who you are. If you want people to believe your claims about yourself, come out and say who you are and don't hide behind anonymity.

Otherwise, just stick to the ideas you want to present and don't bother us with your potentially fraudulent biographical info.

PJ

[vermonter]

Sure thing, Brattlerouser, Odum, BearGrylls, mtbikevt, and all the rest!

Double standard, much? If you're perceived as on the politically correct ultra left on this blog, and you call everyone else a fascist, no problem! Nobody here will challenge you.

But if you challenge the orthodoxy on this blog, you get attacked and asked to reveal your identity. Mr. Joes, ask Brattlerouser, Odum, BearGrylls, mtbikevt, and all the rest to reveal their identities.

[Peter Joes]

Hi again - - "vermonter" seems to try to miss my point. I didn't ask him/her to reveal his/her identity. I merely suggested to this person that if he/she wants bio info to be believed she/he would need to fess up as to who she/he is.

I don't care about the identity of him/her or anyone else on this blog. The ideas are important. It is only when you present "biographical" info that you need to go all the way or not at all. Just my opinion.

I'm somewhat flabbergasted by this individual. He/she seems quite intelligent at times but at other times seems to use this forum just as a means to practice her/his ability to insult people.

I'd rather this forum be a good one for the discussion of ideas from all points of view. Not get into personal insults and attacks under the shield of anonymity.

Sorry if I offended "vermonter" by addressing these comments to her/him in my last post. This concept applies to all the posters.

PJ

[Ivan Jacobs]

methinks "vermonter" spends way too much time on the blogs to accidently list Odum and Brattlerouser as anonymous posters that should reveal their identities.

"Vermonter" Sandy already HAS been imprisoned because we DO live in a fascist state. Which is something completely worth having a civil discussion about: Does anyone know when The Habeus Corpus Restoration Act Of 2007 will be voted on?

[vermonter]

Sorry if I am offended. But double-standardism reigns. I am hardly the first person on this blog to hurl insults. Brattlerouser and Sandy Ward have routinely called people they perceive as being not politically correct enough, foul names and insults -- before I ever started posting on this forum. Howcome no one ever got upset about the words traitor and fascist being used to describe Leahy, Sanders, and Welch? And other people here have given some biographical information about themselves without being challenged as to its veracity. I only reluctantly gave out some biographical information (all true) because paranoid Sandy said she I couldn't really be a Democrat. Jeezuz, how much more judgmental and self-righteous can you possible get?

[Peter Joes]

The thing is simply this - - when people resort to calling other people names on a forum like this they lose credibility.

Worse, no matter who starts it, name calling back and forth reduces the time we can be debating real issues and turns lots of people off.

It is no secret that many more people frequent this blog than post on it. We want these people to post too, but many won't when the discussion just turns into a mud slinging free for all.

Please keep it civil and lets get some good debates going!

PJ

[sandy ward]

Good idea. Someone what to explain why they think marijuana should remain illegal because I'd really like to hear their points. And, if no one has objections to regulating,legalizing and taxing marijuana, other than the Douglas administration, Robert Sand is a forwarding looking person and is an ideal candidate to run against Douglas. The dems, progs, greens, grassroots, liberty union and independents ought to work together to make sure this happens.