Vermonters First PAC story from St. Albans Messanger

Much ado about PAC
Written By:
Jessie Forand
Campaign newcomer causes debate in state

ST. ALBANS — Any Vermonter who has read a newspaper, watched television, or picked up mail has most likely heard something about Vermonters First.
The Political Action Committee (PAC), according to its Web site, is “dedicated to bringing balance to the debate over critical issues in the Green Mountain State, and giving Vermonters a real voice in shaping the policies that affect our lives.”
In essence, that means electing more Republicans, for Vermonters First has never stated its interest in backing Democrats.
The PAC has received some unwanted attention thanks in large part to a controversial dinner between Republican gubernatorial candidate Randy Brock and Vermonters First point person Tayt Brooks, of St. Albans.
Brock told reporters they had dined together. While the two men are free to do so, PACs and candidates cannot legally discuss campaigns. After initially denying the dinner, Brooks later admitted they'd eaten together. Both men have declined to say what was discussed.
The PAC also has attracted attention because it is funded by one woman: Lenore Broughton.
As of Monday’s filing of campaign finance disclosure reports, Broughton had contributed $682,000 to Vermonters First.
News organization VT Digger reported that last week protesters stood outside Broughton’s Burlington home with one protestor commenting that was better than picketing Vermonters First’s post office box in St. Albans.
Keith Stern of North Springfield, Joyce Errecart of Shelburne, and Stan Webster of Randolph also have contributed in the amounts of $250, $500, and $150, respectively.
Vermonter’s First is by no means the only PAC in Vermont. Party designations were filed for nearly 30. However, in this General Election cycle it has attracted the most attention.

"Confusing" Correspondence

Vermonters First mailers sent to area voters provided an absentee ballot request. It was already filled in with the recipients’ name and address. Some people expressed confusion, as the ballot request was of similar format to a ballot itself. The page even featured a pre-checked box, noting that the request was for the November General Election. It also had boxes for the Annual Town Meeting and August primary, as if it were a commonly used form.
Mike McCarthy, head of the Franklin County Democratic Party and hopeful for a St. Albans City legislative seat, explained that voters expect mailings during election season.
“What people don’t expect is confusing absentee or early vote material to be mailed to them,” he said. He has heard about voter frustration and anger resulting from the Vermonters First ballot-request mailing.
“It confuses some voters about whether it’s a ballot request. Is it the actual absentee ballot, can they actually vote with that? It starts to blur the line of what the mailer actually is and that’s a problem,” McCarthy said.
The Vermont Democratic Party sent a form to request an absentee ballot, too, but it was clearly marked as such. McCarthy added that doing so is a normal part of the process, but he felt the confusion caused by Vermonters First was intentional.
Fairfax Independent Bob Shea received the absentee ballot request mailing. Mailings, sent to Shea and others, contained a letter signed by Brooks. The letter asked Shea to vote for Republicans Degree and Norm McAllister for Senate and John Mitchell for Fairfax state representative. Mitchell is Shea’s competition in the race.
Of Vermonters First, Shea said, “Its actions are disgraceful. It attempts to manipulate the political process. It abuses the early absentee ballot, and it attempts to completely eliminate political discourse, which is necessary for voters to make informed decisions.”
Money contaminates politics, he added, and one party does not have all the answers.
He referred to Brooks as Broughton’s “toady.”
Don Collins is a Democratic senate candidate in Franklin County. He spoke generally about the impact of such groups on Vermont politics.
He said Vermonters want a positive message and mailings that accomplish that are helpful. However, he said people contacted him when the Vermonters First mailing, bearing the partially completed absentee ballot requests, was sent. He said those people wondered why they had received them. It caused confusion and anxiety for voters, he added.
“I don’t think it does any of us any good,” he said, adding that it makes voters question whether legitimate campaigns are being run.

Allegations

On Oct. 10 the Democrats charged the PAC with violating Title 13, Chapter 45 of Vermont Statute, which prohibits the use of the state’s seal and coat of arms in advertising.
“In a race where a Super PAC funded by millionaire Lenore Broughton is already spending its money to lie to Vermonters, every detail counts,” said Vermont Democratic Party Chair Jake Perkinson in a press release. VT Digger reported shortly afterward that Brooks confirmed via e-mail that the online ads in question had been removed.
Linda Kirker, former head of the Franklin County Republican Party and a Republican activist, said that Democrats made too much of that issue and it should have been corrected without playing politics.
The Democrats, she said, would be better served to focus on themselves.
She added, “I think that there is an exaggerated reaction because there’s finally maybe a little bit of competition that allows Republicans to have a broader voice in getting a message out.”
However, Democrats claim they have every right to point out what they see as deceptive practices of Vermonters First. For example, earlier this month, the Vermont Democratic Party accused Brooks of turning “facts into fiction,” when arguing that the state’s Democratic leaders would expand taxes to include services such as day care, dental work, barbers, and carpentry, according to one political ad.
Earlier this year, a bipartisan Blue Ribbon Tax Commission recommended lowering the sales tax rate and broadening it to include services. No effort was made by the legislature to carry out the recommendation.

Balance in Legislature?

Kirker said that while she had no first-hand experience with the PAC, she was grateful to it.
She said Vermonters First had helped some Republican candidates express their points of view, which is important especially because the Democratic Party has the majority in the Legislature and executive branch.
The ruling party tends to dominate the media and get headlines, she added.
When asked about big money coming into Vermont in general, Kirker said perhaps stricter limits on funds ought to be enacted.
She and Norm McAllister, a current legislator from Highgate and a senate candidate in the November election, noted that the Democrats have used PAC money in the past, and that Democratic leaders in Washington have brought money back to the state for its races.
McAllister said this is the first time he’s had a PAC pushing his candidacy and those of his fellow Republican candidates locally.
He said he has known Brooks for years, and it has been difficult because the two cannot legally discuss campaign issues. He noted, too, that he was a bit nervous with a group campaigning on his behalf, but felt Vermonters First flyers were factual and positive in their approach.
McAllister explained that he has no affiliation with the group, has no control or input, and knows nothing about the large donor, nor does he want to know.
The senate candidate said most of the money he personally spends on his campaign goes into gas for his vehicle.
Regarding Vermont First’s push for party parity in government, McAllister said that former governor Jim Douglas had no clout by the end of his term because Democrats ruled. If Vermonter’s First is all about bringing a balance, he said, he is all for that.
He felt the media often gives Democrats more attention and that state Democratic candidates benefit from money donated to U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy and no one is questioning that.

Questioning Ethics

Though he doesn’t have a negative position on Vermonters First, Collins, a Democrat, said he disagrees with any negative group raising unfounded allegations and is appalled at the big money spent on state and local races, not to mention the “out of control” national races. He makes an effort to raise and spend very little, he said.
Collins does send some mailings, but admitted they are expensive. He said he prefers to knock on doors and get to know voters.
So far he’s raised about $1,900 for this campaign and has spent roughly $1,000. He received a letter Friday noting that Vermonters First spent $39,000 for an upcoming mailing that mentioned him and other Democrats. Such references must be disclosed.
He said, “I just can’t imagine all of the thousands of dollars that are being spent on local races in this economy where we have food shelves, we have the winter heating warmth program. We have so many people in need, I mean Toys For Tots, food for kids, all these things. Why are we spending all this money on campaigns?”
Collins said high spending is simply not his philosophy.
McCarthy noted that while Vermonters First’s actions, specifically the ballot request mailing, is technically legal, it is questionable.
Vermonters First, McCarthy said, “Was funded with Super PAC money. So one person has the ability to write as big a check as they want in support of those political candidates without the need to be immediately transparent about where that money is coming from.
“I think it’s clear now that St. Albans’s own Tayt Brooks is the person who is facilitating Vermonters First as their staff member,” said McCarthy. But the money, McCarthy pointed out, is coming mainly from Broughton.
McCarthy also spoke of Brooks’ background, as the former executive director of the Vermont GOP and current treasurer of Vermonters First. Brooks is on the board of civil authority in St. Albans City and is a candidate for high bailiff.
Brooks’ also served as Vermont commissioner of Economic, Housing and Community Development and as government affairs director at Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Northern Vermont.
He joined the Douglas Administration in 2008 as deputy commissioner of Housing and Community Affairs, worked on Republican Kurt Wright’s unsuccessful campaign last year for mayor of Burlington, and previously served on the St. Albans Town Selectboard.
Brooks supported St. Albans City Ward 5 alderman – and Democrat – Joe Luneau’s failed re-election bid. As previously reported, when a second vote for that position occurred in April, Brooks secured a list of already submitted absentee ballots that hadn’t been properly filled out. He contacted voters on that list to come in person to vote. Secretary of State Jim Condos said that action was not permissible; one cannot vote twice regardless of the voting method.
Brooks is also known to be friends with Republican Senate hopeful and current St. Albans legislator Rep. Dustin Degree, a point not challenged by Brooks in a recent interview (see accompanying article).
Brooks said he grew up in the area and knows many people, but doesn’t discuss Vermonters First with candidates the organization supports.
Degree, too, was contacted for this story, but did not follow up on repeated requests to comment about Vermonters First.
The controversy, however, remains. For example, McCarthy had this to say regarding Vermonters First, “Over and over again the behavior that I have seen from the Republican Party under his (Brooks’) leadership and the candidates he supported locally, is behavior that, while it may be right in the letter of the law, it’s legal – it’s wrong. It goes against the spirit of the law and the spirit of transparency and open democracy and enfranchisement that we should be having in our elections; local, state, and national.”