Tag Archives: Michael Drescher

Them Bennington Boys Are At It Again

2 Replies

Well, the confirmation vote on Michael Drescher came out as I expected — with barely enough support from Democrats to drag his nomination across the finish line. Congrats, Vermont! One of Trump’s willing instruments now has a lifetime appointment on your state Supreme Court.

The vote was 15-15, with two Democrats joining all 13 Republicans in support and Lt. Gov. John Rodgers breaking the tie in Drescher’s favor. It could have been different if David Zuckerman still wielded the gavel, but you know what they say about spilled milk.

It also would have been different if Bennington County didn’t have such a rich tradition of electing centrist Democrats with renegade tendencies. Because the two votes that enabled Drescher’s elevation came from Bennington’s two senators, Seth Bongartz and Rob Plunkett. Ahh, reminds me of the bad old days when the scent of Campho-Phenique hung heavy over the Senate’s chambers and the county was represented by Bob Hartwell and Dick Sears.

Continue reading →

It’s an Unfortunate Moment to be Rewarding One of Trump’s Willing Instruments

4 Replies

The state Senate Judiciary Committee pulled a rather Jesuitical maneuver on Thursday. It voted not to recommend the nomination of Michael Drescher to the Vermont Supreme Court, but not to oppose it either. The committee effectively punted the nomination to the full Senate, which is scheduled to debate the matter on Tuesday, February 3.

We’ll get back to the funny business in a moment. First, the background.

Drescher served as U.S. Attorney for Vermont under Donald Trump. In court he defended the notorious detentions of Rümeysa Öztürk and Mohsen Mahdawi, battles he eventually lost. In testimony before Judiciary, he explained that it was his duty to represent the federal government in such cases and his work didn’t necessarily reflect his own views.

That gets a little too close to Nuremberg territory for me. Just following orders, eh?

Now, it’s not that simple when it comes to officers of the court. Take the state attorney general; the office’s duties include representing the state. Our AGs often find themselves arguing positions they might personally disagree with. U.S. Attorneys are in the same boat.

Still. At a time when protesters are being gunned down on the streets of Minneapolis, it seems strange to be elevating someone who acted officially in support of Trump’s immigration crackdown.

Continue reading →

Phil Scott’s Conscience is Triggered by Two Senseless Government Murders. Not One. Two. (Updated)

4 Replies

Gov. Phil Scott has belatedly rediscovered some of the political courage he occasionally displayed during Donald Trump’s first term but has kept well-hidden through Trump II: The Empire Strikes Back.

And all it took was two cold-blooded killings on the streets of Minneapolis by Trump’s masked and heavily armed thugs. Well, it also took critical statements from a number of other Republicans, up to and including Texas’ archconservative Gov. Greg Abbott. Scott was far from the first to tiptoe out on that limb.

Note that Scott didn’t say a word about the first killing, that of Renee Good more than two weeks ago. A second senseless murder, that of Alex Pretti, had to happen before the governor’s moral gag reflex was triggered.

So… congratulations?

For the past year-plus, Scott has minimized any public criticism of Trump’s many excesses. And in his budget address, he sent a not-terribly-subtle message to the rest of us to Please Shut the Hell Up About Trump:

…today, even the traditional funding we’ve come to expect from Washington is uncertain. And from what I’ve seen, no amount of political posturing or strongly worded statements will change that.

Continue reading →