UPDATE: I got this wrong. According to Sharon Torborg of the Right to Life Fund, state law requires that any name mentioned in campaign material must be reported on the Secretary of State’s mass media form. RTL endorsed Carolyn Branagan for Senate, and also mentioned the other two Republican candidates, Norm McAllister and Dustin Degree.
The Right to Life Fund is not endorsing Norm McAllister. My apologies to Ms. Torborg and the rest of the RTL crew.
There’s a couple things I’m getting really tired of, as the primary campaigns enter the homestretch. The first is candidates whining about “Washington-style” attack ads. C’mon, folks, even in Vermont, politics ain’t beanbag.
The second is candidates bemoaning an influx of out-of-state money on behalf of their opponents — especially when the moaners are getting major outside backing themselves. None of these people are pure as the driven snow, and their complaints ring hollow in my ears.
So I don’t have much to say about the ex-Bear Stearns executives creating a Super PAC in support of Bruce Lisman, or EMILY’s List pouring $100K into pro-Minter ads, or a Silicon Valley tycoon spending twice as much for Matt Dunne. It’s the way the game is played in our post-Citizens United world, and any politico not named Bernie Sanders is practicing unilateral disarmament if they don’t take advantage of every available resource, The Vermont Way be damned.
But there is one recent mass-media spending report that should not pass unnoticed. It involves far less money, but there are a couple of things you should know.
The Vermont Right To Life Fund for Political Expenditures recently spent about $1,000 on a postcard mailer in support of anti-abortion candidates.
The first detail is that the Fund included Phil Scott and Bruce Lisman on its list. Which is slightly puzzling; hasn’t Scott said that he’s personally anti-abortion but won’t seek any changes in state law?
Hardly seems like a Right To Life firebrand.
Second, if your eyes don’t glaze over while you scan this list of conservative worthies (and putative Democrat Bobby Starr, ugh), your eyes are likely to stop short at name number 16.
Norm McAllister.
Yes, those avenging angels of God’s purity are actively backing the Senate’s only accused rapist in his bid for re-election.
I assume this was the result of some semi-automated process. But good grief, doesn’t anyone at the RTLFFIPE double-check their mailers before sending them out to defile our mailboxes?
Or do they just plain not care if a politician commits horrible crimes as long as he votes the “right” way?
From what I hear, McAllister is almost certain to lose next week’s primary because basically, everyone in Franklin County outside of a handful of acolytes and relatives desperately wants to be rid of the guy and expunge the taint on their county’s reputation.
But not Right To Life, no sirree. Damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead — they need Norm McAllister back in the Senate.
The Vermont Political Observer. 
Wrong again, VPO. If you were familiar with Campaign Finance laws in Vermont, you would understand that the law requires any candidate whose name appears on a mass media piece to be listed on the disclosure form. It doesn’t matter if you are for, against, or neutral on the candidate, their name has to be listed. Professional media outlets called today to inquire about why McCallister’s name appeared and what had been said about him. Had you taken the time, you would have learned that the postcard in question encouraged a vote for Carolyn Branagan, but also did mention the names of the other candidates in the race. And by the way, Phil Scott has never said he is “personally anti-abortion.” In fact, he consistently states his pro-choice view, but he also agrees with most Vermonters that there should be some reasonable limits on late-term abortions, and that parents of a minor daughter should be notified before she has a surgical abortion. That’s why pro-life voters find him preferable to Bruce Lisman or any of the Democrat candidates.
My apologies, and I’ve posted a correction.
The hermetically sealed VPO brain has erred twice this week. Next thing ya know he might make the mistake of listening to something outside his hermetically-sealed world… NAH, fat chance.
Yep, first time in my four-plus-year blogging career that I’ve made two mistakes in one week. And when I make a mistake, I own up to it.
Two that you’re aware of.
Well, your definition of “mistake” includes “holding opinions counter to your own,” so, feh.
john walters might want to do some fact checking before making accusations.
a few posts ago he claimed that i was costing the tax payers $50000+ by being the only name on the statewide progressive primary ballot. in fact the state is required by statute to print ballots for all major parties, candidates or no candidates.
in fact it is the progressive party who is costing the tax payers $50000+ by not offering candidates and instead entering the democratic primary. we would all be better off if they ended the charade of claiming to be a major party and embraced minor party status.
boots wardinski, candidate for lt. governor