Regular VPO readers are well aware of my feelings about Vermont exceptionalism: Too often, it’s an unmerited sense of self-regard and an unwarranted obstacle to progress.

But there are times when Vermont really is exceptional in a good way. Like Tuesday morning, when a blessedly small cohort of anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers assembled in the Statehouse for “Children’s Health Day,” an event aimed at spurring legislative action to, um, preserve “health care freedom” which means fighting vaccine and mask mandates. Thanks to Trump, people like them are now in charge of America’s public health programs. But in Vermont, they’re a tiny, ineffectual band of whiners.

Pictured above: guest of “honor” Mary Holland, head of Children’s Health Defense, the anti-vaxxer organization founded by, you guessed it, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. The local organizers included Amy Hornblas*, notorious anti-masker who is STILL sounding the alarm over mask mandates that expired more than five years ago, and Alison Despathy, purveyor of Anthony Fauci fanfic conspiracy theories.

*Hornblas, a perpetually smiling grandmotherly type, approached me** before the press conference and asked if I’d ever written about her. She introduced herself only as “Amy,” so I didn’t immediately put two and two together. Now I can say, yes indeedy, I have written about her. And I suspect she knew that.

** She was one of three women*** to approach me at the event. One woman offered me a Children’s Health Day sticker. I replied “I’m media, so no.” Then she said “It’s just to show you’re for the children.” Sure.

*** The third poked my elbow during the event and asked who I was writing for. “Myself,” I said.

The fact that I was wearing an N-95 mask and holding a notepad probably didn’t endear me to anyone else in attendance.

Those gathered around the lectern in a Cedar Creek Room that was about one-third full included at least four state lawmakers: Republicans Greg Burtt and Mike Tagliavia, who actually addressed the crowd, plus two others who remained silent: Rob North and an unidentified state rep. (Legislative nametags are so tiny, they’re useless.) All four are Statehouse rookies who campaigned as Phil Scott-style “common sense” types in 2024 and were swept into office like flotsam on the anti-tax wave..

Other lawmakers allegedly in attendance were generically thanked by emcee Despathy but maintained a discreet distance from the video camera recording the event. Among those also present but not participating was Paul Dame, chair of the Vermont Republican Party.

Yeah, there was a bit of shame emanating from those in responsible positions. They felt obliged to be present, but aside from Burtt and Tagliavia they didn’t say a word. (Speaking of merited shame, has Dame explained why he agreed to speak at an ill-fated “Turning Point Vermont” event organized — if that’s the word for it — by two ninth-graders?)

Which, sadly, brings me to what was actually said at Children’s Health Day. A lot of lies, fabrications and exaggerations, mainly on the subject of vaccines. One of the most impactful public health advances of the past century was depicted as a massive experiment that’s the source of all modern problems. It reminded me of how Evangelical Christians talk about how the Supreme Court’s ban on school prayer caused the downfall of Western Civ.

(Spoiler alert: The Supreme Court never banned prayer in the schools. It banned organized, mandatory prayer. Kids and teachers and God knows football coaches are free to pray in school any old time they want.)

They did offer a specific legislative agenda. They’re dead set against H.545, the bill that would allow Vermont to establish a vaccine regime as the Trump administration dismantles the federal one.

That would be the bill that passed the House last month on a vote of 127 to 9.

That’s not a typo. One hundred twenty-seven to nine.

That’s right, a massive tripartisan majority. Which shows just how out of touch these people are.

So who are the Nasty Nine? Glad you asked. They are Republican Reps. Allen “Penny” Demar, Christopher Howland, Todd Nielsen, Rob North, Joseph Parsons, Debra Powers, Chris Pritchard, Mike Tagliavia, and Kevin Winter. All but Demar and Parsons are serving their first terms, having won in 2024 by concealing their extremism behind the bland façade of “common sense” fiscal conservatism. Many enjoyed the active support of Gov. Phil Scott in their campaigns, so keep that in mind when the governor is characterized as a moderate. He sure didn’t mind helping a bunch of fringey ultraconservatives gain responsible positions.

H.545 is now before the Senate Health & Welfare Committee. Expect it to sail through the Senate and onto the governor’s desk.

The assembled did offer an agenda of their own: Five bills all but consigned to the dustbin of inexpedient legislation. They are:

• H.60, which would “prohibit discrimination in employment and public accommodation on the basis of an individual’s immunization status.” Introduced in January 2025 and remanded to the House Committee on General and Housing, where it still sits.
• H.61, which would establish a person’s right to bodily autonomy including the right to refuse any health care intervention. Introduced in January 2025, remanded to House Health Care, where it still sits.
• H.69, which would require the Department of Health to report annually on alleged vaccine harms reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a raw, unfiltered and unreviewed list of all vaccine complaints received by the federal government. It’s pretty much as accurate as Hornblas’ notorious Vermont Mask Survey of 2020. Introduced in January 2025 and referred to House Human Services, where it still sits.
• H.274, which would guarantee the unvaccinated free access to hospitals,health care facilities and medical care. Introduced in February 2025 and referred to House Health Care, where it still sits.
• H.393, which would ban mask mandates in public and private schools. Introduced in February 2025 and referred to House Education. Last month, that committee asked to be relieved of the bill, and it was reassigned to House Health Care.

Notice a pattern there? All five bills are dead. They will never even get a whisper of a committee hearing, let alone any serious consideration.

By the way, Despathy referred to these as “tripartisan bills.” That was a barefaced lie. H.61 has eight sponsors, all Republicans. H.69 has 12 sponsors, all Republicans. H. 274 has 13 sponsors, all Republicans. H.393 has nine sponsors, all Republicans. H.60 has 12 sponsors including 11 Republicans and Thomas Oliver, who’s technically a Republican/Democrat because the Dems didn’t field any candidates in his district and he won the Dem nomination with a handful of write-in votes. But he’s a dyed-in-the-wool Republican as much as any of them.

All of this reinforces my point from the top of this piece: If these people were in Washington, D.C., they might be influential. Around these parts, they’re cranks who can safely be ignored. (The press conference received no coverage at all from the mainstream press.) That includes the small number of Republican lawmakers who signed onto most or all of these five bills, many of whom gained election thanks to the warm, tender embrace of our “moderate” governor. Just sayin’, lie down with dogs, get up with fleas.

I didn’t ask a question at the presser. If I had, I would have asked if having RFK Junior fulfilling their most fevered of anti-vax dreams is worth enduring the rest of the Trump agenda — the immigration crackdown that’s turned deadly, the chaotic foreign policy, ALL the corruption including the barely-concealed auctioning of pardons by the bushel, the denial of trans and queer folk’s very existence, and…

…Trump’s enthusiasm for fossil fuels and gutting environmental standards. Speakers at the presser gave lip service to wanting clean air and clean water, but offered no specifics. At the same time, they went on at length about vaccines and masking, so we know what the real agenda is.

So they had their day and were all but ignored by everyone else. Now they’re back in their hidey holes, and the people’s business can continue unabated.