FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from the Vermont Democratic Party
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‘His Actions Weren’t Good, But He’s Leaving in Two Weeks’
MONTPELIER, VT — Today the Vermont House of Representatives voted 130-16 in favor of a resolution to condemn the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 26, 2021.
The Vermont Democratic Party joins the 130 Democratic, Republican, and Progressive House members who voted in favor of the resolution in condemning the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 as an attack on democracy, acknowledging Donald Trump’s inciting of yesterday’s violence, and calling for President Donald Trump to resign or be removed from office by his Cabinet or by the United States Congress.
16 Vermont House Republicans sided with Donald Trump and his army of traitors today, and we believe that they should be held accountable for their actions. They failed to decry Trump’s call for violence and his own failure to condemn the acts of insurrection that occurred yesterday.
We can confirm that following legislators spoke in opposition against the resolution:
Tom Terenzini (Rutland 4) Pat Brennan (Chittenden 9-2) Carl Rosenquist (Franklin 1) Lisa Hango (Franklin 5) Brian Smith (Orleans 1) Lynn Batchelor (Orleans 1) Vicki Strong (Orleans-Caledonia) Mark Higley (Orleans-Lamoille)
Prior to the vote, in a public Republican caucus this afternoon, the aforementioned VTGOP members made the following remarks in opposition to the resolution:
“His actions weren’t good, but he’s leaving in two weeks.” –Brian Smith (Orleans 1)
“It’s not much different than whatever happened in Oregon, Seattle… nobody was up in arms [then].” –Lynn Batchelor (Orleans 1)
“If it were simply condemning the violence I would support it.” –Representative Lisa Hango (R-Franklin 5)
“Can we even trust our news now? There are so many questions, like ‘who did this’, ‘who were the ones breaking in’... I’m troubled that our news sources – is that who we’re trusting here? There’s just a lot we don’t know.” –Vicki Strong (Orleans-Caledonia)
“This puts us in a box. We’re going to go through the process and potential unrest removing a president within a 14-day timeframe? It’s unrealistic in my book.” –Pat Brennan (Chittenden 9-2)
“They do put us in a box; I am not willing to sign onto their political agenda.” –Mark Higley (Orleans-Lamoille)
“It just goes over the top for me.” –Carl Rosenquist (Franklin 1)
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CONTACT: Asha Carroll Communications Director Vermont Democratic Party acarroll@vtdemocrats.org