17 Vermont state lawmakers stand with 112,704 Trump voters, the rest stand opposed

Seventeen state lawmakers sided with Vermont’s 112,704 Trump voters this week by rejecting a resolution that urges Congress and cabinet members to remove President Donald Trump from office.

The Vermont Legislature on Thursday and Friday approved J.R.H.1, a joint resolution calling for Trump to be removed from office. It states: “The General Assembly calls for President Donald J. Trump to resign or to be removed from office by his Cabinet or by the Congress.”

The House passed the measure by a 130-16 vote on Thursday afternoon. The Senate passed it almost unanimously on Friday; Sen. Russ Ingalls, R-Essex/Orleans, offered the lone voice of dissent. Neither chamber took a roll call vote.

In all, 163 Vermont lawmakers took a stand in opposition to Trump supporters by seeking the president’s impeachment or removal under the 25th Amendment. The members drafted the language following Wednesday’s tragic events at the U.S. Capitol, in which a rogue mob vandalized the building while hundreds of thousands of Trump supporters marched peacefully in the “Save America” rally at the National Mall and in front of the Capitol.

Steve Bellows

Trump supporters at the “Save America” rally on Jan. 6.

The president has maintained a strong 48% approval rating through Friday despite recent events. According to 2020 election results, 112,704 Vermont voters, or 30.3 percent, backed Trump in the general election.

Instead of focusing blame on individuals who committed criminal acts of vandalism, U.S. House Democrats plan to move forward with impeachment proceedings this week against President Trump. The president explicitly urged peaceful protest during his Wednesday speech at The Ellipse park, but political opponents accuse him of “inciting” riots and causing an “insurrection” against the United States government.

Rep. Heidi Scheuermann, R-Stowe

Vermont state Rep. Heidi Scheuermann, R-Stowe, a co-sponsor of J.R.H.1 along with Rep. Laura Sibilia, I-Dover, says she thought a resolution was necessary after watching the storming of the U.S. Capitol.

“We thought it was important given what was happening, what was transpiring down there,” she said. ” … The rioters and what they were doing was appalling. I was ashamed and I was immensely saddened.”

Rep. Vicki Strong, R-Albany, told TNR she thought the resolution was drafted in haste.

“My question during that [GOP] caucus was, it hadn’t even been, well really, even hours,” she said. “They started coming up with the idea of the resolution within hours of seeing what happened. I didn’t think I had enough information to make an informed decision about who really got into the Capitol.”

Rep. Lisa Hango, R-Berkshire, told TNR she has been hearing from constituents about Vermont’s problems, not the events in Washington.

“The only people that I have heard from this week who care to contact me are people who have immediate needs for when they are going to get their Covid vaccine, and when they are going to get their unemployment benefits, and when people are going to get their internet connection,” she said.

Hango added that she thought the legislation was out of step with Vermonters’ needs, and was causing division.

“I feel like I was elected to not legislate national politics but to serve the people who elected me in my district and help them with their daily needs,” she said. ” … I feel like this is dividing Vermonters at a time when we need to be working together.”

Other Republicans, including Rep. Carl Rosenquist, R-Georgia, spoke against the resolution during a GOP caucus meeting Thursday.

“It just goes over the top for me and I just cannot do it,” he said. “I’ve had the same problem on some other resolutions in the past.”

Rep. Brian Smith, R-Derby, called the resolution a “knee-jerk reaction,” and said “we’re condemning a hundred thousand people for the actions of a hundred.”

Rep. Lynn Bachelor, R-Derby, said it was hypocritical to have a resolution for this violence but not for left-wing violence taking place in cities across America. “It’s not much different than what happened in Oregon and Seattle … and so forth, which nobody said a word about. No fuss, no nothing, nobody was up in arms,” she said.

Rep. Mark Higley, R-Lowell, said he was bothered by political resolutions in the past and was “not willing to sign on to their political agenda.”

Rep. Thomas Terenzini, R-Rutland Town, at the time the House voted, offered comment and said he voted against the measure.

Republican lawmakers who indicated support for the resolution during the GOP caucus meeting include Reps. Scott Beck, R-St. Johnsbury, Felisha Leffler, R-Enosburgh, Thomas Burditt, R-Rutland, Eileen Dickinson, R-St. Albans, Charles Shaw, R-Pittsford, Anne Donahue, R-Northfield. More than a dozen GOP lawmakers signed on as co-sponsors of J.R.H.1.

Rep. Woodman Page, R-Newport, said he would vote for it, but added, “I think this legislation adds for fuel to the flames of divisiveness within our General Assembly and between our citizens of our state.”

In at least one instance, the push to get public officials to blame Trump for the actions of rioters involved threats. Rep. Pat Brennan, R-Colchester, told colleagues Thursday that a caller left him a threatening message saying he would never work again if he did not publicly denounce Trump.

At least 51 Vermonters attended the “Save America” rally after taking a bus ride together to the nation’s capital. None of the group’s members participated in the riot, however, according to a detailed account of events given by Ron Lawrence, chair of the Essex Republicans.

Bus trip co-organizer Ellie Martin of Underhill, who has received criticism for the trip on social media and elsewhere, said she’s “sticking with our President and the millions of people who traveled to DC for the sole purpose of supporting our President and exhibiting our love for God and country.”

“We did nothing wrong or broke no laws being on the bus to DC. We stand firm for our Constitutional rights as FREE US CITIZENS,” Martin wrote.

Michael Bielawski is a reporter for True North. Send him news tips at bielawski82@yahoo.com and follow him on Twitter @TrueNorthMikeB.

Image courtesy of Steve Bellows

33 thoughts on “17 Vermont state lawmakers stand with 112,704 Trump voters, the rest stand opposed

  1. Let me fix that headline for you: “17 Vermont lawmakers stand in opposition to 242,820 Biden voters.”

  2. When Trump starts his party it will be patriot conservatives – pretty sure Dems who are also patriots are welcome to join us – it comes preloaded with over 75 million removed from establishment Republican Party. I do not believe the Democrat Party will change and in fact will get worse than they are now and will drive out moderates – to where who knows.

    Following MCGovern – many Dems left and joined the Republicans as Neocons. I expect the same exodus from the party but not a new party.

    • I pray Trump does two things. Declassify all the dirt & starts a new party. The Republicans don’t deserve him.

      • He said he would James and for one always keeps promises – we need to stay strong and look high. Oh btw – Donald Trump adresses nation @ 9:00 pm exclusively on OAN & Newsmax – pass the word pls 😀

  3. Repeated lengthy ad nauseum missives to TNR commenters to essentially ‘stand down’ where no one is presenting appearance as threat got old quick – I for one am not that stupid and further believe there isn’t anyone here who would be so foolish. Do you like being bossed? I didn’t think so.

    Singling out of patriots as opposed to establishment Republicans or general audience insulting to say the least and patently uncalled for and shows what you think of patriot conservatives. And I for one also do not need your unending condescention in the form of advice and directives.

  4. So this exposes some obvious and perhaps not so obvious things going on in Vermont

    1) We have a uniparty in Vermont.

    2) They are controlled and dictated from Washington and NWO crew how to think and Vote

    3) The VTGOP is the perfect foil for the NWO Pimps and Washington. They can “complain” about a few people with brains and backbone that vote for law, the constitution, science, liberty….all the while the entire party votes with the uniparty. Can you see how effective this is to keep Vermonters under their thumb.

    4) This is only about division and creating hatred, it is the fuel for subversion and tearing down our country.

    5) We have some principled leaders who will stand against what is wrong and what their duties are despite massive public opinion.

    6) We have a very strong, unwavering support for principled leadership that will not bend no matter how much pressure is put upon them publicly, financially and upon physical threats. They comprise 112,704 people.

    This group of people can make massive positive change in Vermont. They represent Vermont’s own Freedom caucus.

    7) Vermont will never break these chains of socialism/NWO pimps running out state if these fine people do not separate themselves, in one form or another. As a caucus.

    8) The national and Vermont Republican party is in such disarray, corrupt, influenced by outside forces that it can no longer function in benefit of the American Public and American ideals.

    9) We are at a turning point. The goats and the sheep are being separated. The massive corruption is going to be exposed, regardless of what happens with our current president.

    10) We need two parties that represent America. We currently have no party. We shouldn’t be arguing if we need cops, we should be discussing what color is their uniform. We shouldn’t be arguing about if socialism is going to save the environment, we should be discussing how the free market can be excellent stewards. We shouldn’t be arguing about how we should be copying other countries, we should be arguing about how we can exceed them all. These two parties should be like a good father and mother, unified, sharing the same goals, different in every way, different jobs, but love and respect between them. Our Current situation mirrors a drug addled, combative, power driven divided family where the children (NWO pimps) play one parent against the other.

    What side are you on? America or the NWO?

    • This is all done because everyone in Washington is terrified of two things.

      1) Corruption is going to be exposed.
      2) Trump starts his own political party.

      It is highly unlikely they will be able to prevent either from happening. Change is coming. Governments can continually operate on corruption.

      There time is coming. If not this year in the coming years. We as a country need to shore up what has been taken down by the subversive tactics.

      Rebuild schools on science, math, civics, Rebuild Universities. Rebuild Churches. Rebuild Police force, Rebuild the free press, Rebuild America on it’s values vs. the rebuilding of a socialist country that Vermont has been the test case for going on 30 years.

  5. The Patriots that stormed the capitol stormed the wrong buildings. They should have stormed Google, Facebook & Amazon.

  6. These people think they’re so important don’t they? They voted themselves raises this past year. It’s damn near enough to be their full-time salary w benefits. It’s unbelievable. Mark Shepard said it right above. NH meets every other year. Not VT, we’re busy solving the “problems” of the world, money is not a consideration. The VT swamp is gross and embarrassing. Liberal Democrats are a different animal these days. I have some in my family. They are the liars, the thieves, the hypocrites and the lazy and they have won, for now. Things are going to get a lot worse before they get better.

    Thank you to the R representatives that objected to this stupidity. I know one and they speak common sense always. They are placeholders and they know it. When objecting to resolutions like this they know it’s a statement only and they will lose every time. Goodbye free speech, and so many other freedoms. What an embarrassing time to call yourself an American and a Vermonter.

    Thanks for listening to my scattered rant.

  7. It’s early Monday morning, January 11, 2021. The Vermont public radio broadcast, Morning Edition, just completed its first airing. Twitter, YouTube, Google, Facebook and Amazon have shut down the Parler social media site because of its conservative content. TNR readers must be extremely cautious about what they say and do in the coming days and weeks. Be smart. Be careful. Stay safe.

    ” From her couch in Minneapolis, Nuny Nichols watched a mob of largely white extremists stage an insurrection in Washington, D.C., set up a noose on a wooden beam outside the U.S. Capitol and walk a symbol of violence and slavery — the Confederate flag — through the building as they stormed and raided it. She was angry, but she was not surprised at the way people in the mob laughed as they took things from the building. There were white extremists who felt at ease giving their names to media…”

    Vermont Police Girding For Armed Protests In Runup To Biden Inauguration

    “Law enforcement officials in Vermont say they’re preparing for the possibility of armed protests at the Statehouse next week.”

    “Montpelier police issued a bulletin Saturday saying they’re investigating calls encouraging people to arm themselves and center at all State Capitols in the United States, to include Montpelier, specifically on the date of January 17, 2021.”

    “Police say they’re also aware of national trends warning of and encouraging an insurrection on Wednesday, January 20, the date on which President-elect Joseph R. Biden will be inaugurated.”

    With all due respect to those of you who find it hard to believe Vermont authorities ‘aren’t playing that game’, please reconsider. Please don’t allow patriotic bravado to dictate your actions in the coming days and weeks. This is all a setup. Call my concerns a ‘conspiracy theory’ if you must. But ask yourselves, what do you have to lose if you sit back and be complacent for a few days or weeks? Clearly, you will have everything to lose if you don’t. What’s done is done.

    “Michael Schirling, commissioner of the Vermont Department of Public Safety, said in an interview Sunday that Vermont State Police are working with local and federal authorities to assess potential threats.”

    “While I can’t get into the details of threat intelligence for obvious reasons, we are closely following chatter and are in close coordination with federal authorities regarding potential events on both the 17th and the 20th on a national scale and here in Vermont, Schirling said.”

    “Schirling said the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday is top of mind for law enforcement officials here as they prepare for the possibility of armed protests in Montpelier.”

    “We will have a variety of assets prepared for any eventuality if the information that comes in between now and either the 17th or the 20th, or any other date for that matter, indicates the need for that kind of response,” Schirling said. “With the heightened sensitivity right now, to the extent there are demonstrations, you’re going to see a much different, more vivid and visible posture than is typical.”

    To all conservatives, I say: Our Constitutional Republic has been transformed into a direct democracy and, as the saying goes, it’s like two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. And we are on the menu. A tyranny is upon us. Be smart. Be careful. Stay safe.

  8. Not going to happen Donna. Thirty years ago all the testosterone in Vermont looked around, shook their heads, closed the doors of their business, crossed the border into the free state of New Hampshire.

  9. Condemning Trump’s role in the Capital mess is not the same thing as condemning those who voted for him, unless they support what happened. It is time that conservatives grow up and unequivocally condemn what was done in our names!

    • You have the gall to say we should condemn what happened in DC!!??? These people saw the Left honored for the violence they caused all year and then our votes for Trump somehow disappeared!! We have had enough! We have no choice but to fight for our conservative rights. What happened to the men in my Party?! The Left is corrupt and we should have put a stop to them four years ago. It didn’t have to get to this point if we stopped it sooner.

  10. Dem/Progs are Grand Standing, at the Expense of Vermonters.

    “The Vermont Legislature on Thursday and Friday approved J.R.H.1, a joint resolution calling for Trump to be removed from office. It states: “The General Assembly calls for President Donald J. Trump to resign or to be removed from office by his Cabinet or by the Congress.”

    There is ZERO chance, Republicans in Congress would even hold hearings on the Pelosi/Schiff’s gambit of whipping up more hatred for political reasons, according to McConnell.

    There is ZERO chance Trump’s cabinet would conduct a Coup d’Etat, to last a few days until Jan 20, by invoking the 25th Amendment.

    Pelosi full well knows her options, but insists in DIVISIVELY STIRRING THE POT.
    She plays fools in the VT Legislature like a fiddle

    Dem/Progs may hold hearings for political and grand standing purposes, after their puppet Biden is sworn in, but by then Trump is a private citizen and cannot be “removed from office”, because he is not “IN OFFICE”.

    Trump likely will be setting up an INDEPENDENT umbrella organization, hosting multiple sites, to get out the message to the 75 million who voted for him.

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/01/breaking-alan-dershowitz-democrats-cannot-impeach-trump-senate-wont-take-trial-cant-impeach-private-citizen-leaves-office/

    https://www.theepochtimes.com/democrats-cannot-impeach-trump-and-you-cant-impeach-him-after-leaving-office-dershowitz_3650853.html?utm_source=newsnoe&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=breaking-2021-01-10-4

  11. Yes, The most self-inflated state legislature in our nation. Always at the front of every left-leaning national agenda and always at the rear when it comes to considering what is good for Vermont. The reason is simple, they don’t work for Vermonters. They work for the special interest groups that fund their campaigns, etc.

    If Vermonters want a legislature that works for Vermonters, they are going to have to elect a majority of legislators that are committed to making Vermonters a priority. Such a group will, I say will, be committed to legislative sessions that are just long enough to take care the Vermont issues, which really do not change much from year to year. The budget is already too big, so there is nothing to add. Taxes are already through the roof, so there is nothing more to tax. Certainly there is plenty of room to find things to cut out of the budget. After that end the session. For a small state like Vermont, two months is plenty for the first year of the biennium, where the budget is made to be the same for two years. So the second year only needs a budget adjustment if projections are off. Two weeks should be plenty for that.

    I have said for years session length is the number one problem in Vermont. Why? Well here is why, because what I just laid out in the paragraph above is the only possible path to get a majority of elected legislatures to be people who live like most Vermonters, meaning they work in the competitive market. I served two terms and it was very costly to our family and to my engineering business. Too costly. Far too costly.

    The other reason for short sessions is to not give time for those people Vermonters think they are electing to work on Vermont issues to meddle everywhere else. This vote above was not free. There were 180 legislators, plus a lot of staff, plus other operational costs incurred to make a statement the a president cannot encourage a peaceful crowd of over 500,000 people who feel very disenfranchise to march to the capitol and exercise your first Amendment rights to “petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

    Nowhere did the president encourage violence. Nowhere. Those who committed violence have to answer for themselves, but as we know there are also a lot of others answers that are needed. Why were the doors opened up if nobody was supposed to bin the building. Why did the police just let people walk in? Even with flags? Why are people climbing the walls when the doors are open? So let’s get the few that cause destruction and please stop politicizing everything to the hilt.

    If sessions were shorter, I might still be in the Vermont Senate, where I could have said something similar from the floor of the Senate. But the reality is, if sessions were shorter where I could have afforded to be there, we can be very sure that this resolution would likely have never been considered because most of those pushing this would not be in that building. Regular Vermonters would be serving and they would be focused on Vermont issues so they can get back to their regular work that feeds their families.

    At least it feels nice to dream a bit.

    • Mark, you are so right.. NH legislation only gets $200 a yr.. not like the ones in Vermont who get lots more and lie about their expenses.. like Zuckerberg did and laughed about it. It was in the VTdigger, He blocked me when I called him out on it…He said VTdigger misquoted him then he blocked me.. Sign of GUILT.
      Vermont legislators are supposed to take care of Vermont and its citizens..We need to get some REAL Vermonters in there. not these rich out-of-staters who moved here and took over for their own greed and to turn Vermont into the state they left.
      Would like to say a lot more but will bite my tongue and follow the rules and be kind of respectful…

      • Not going to happen Donna. Thirty years ago all the testosterone in Vermont looked around, shook their heads, closed the doors of their business, crossed the border into the free state of New Hampshire.

  12. Congratulations! Well done.

    We now know the Republican party in Vermont consists of 17 people, along with 112,704 voters. that is a wonderful, wonderful start.

    We have 17 Americans, who stand by the rule of law. Who even perhaps might want an election investigated. Here we have people with brains, back bone and courage, because Vermont is almost as “establishment” as Washington and I’d say more corrupt, but then know body knows because of the complete press blanket cover ups….

    Where is EB-5 btw?

    Well done, well done. It’s not easy going against a massive tide of disinformation. Kudo’s, Kudo;s

    There is hope yet for Vermont.

    • ps…this vote was intended to create division, it was intended to create hatred…….and these people who wanted this never, nor will they ever have concern for Vermont. It’s all about the New World Order and them falling in line, with the Brown shirt – two step.

      Well done for standing up against witch hunts….well done…Great job posting that the VT GOP is standing up and doing things. This is wonderful news for a new year!

      Pretty amazing how uniparty Vermont has become….pretty staggering.

  13. Now you see why Vermont is in the dismal state that it’s in, fools in charge and
    just following the popular agenda……………….pathetic.

    Wake up people, this is what we have under the ” Golden DOOM “, yes doom !!

  14. ‘Guilt by association’ is as fallacious as ‘Honor by association’. Vermont State Rep. Heidi Scheuermann, R-Stowe, and Rep. Laura Sibilia, I-Dover, should keep that in mind on both counts.

  15. Would you please publish the names of every turncoat republican in the state of vermont

    We need to remind vermonters who support the rule of law who they are so we can be sure they never serve under the golden dome again.

    The amazing thing is these people take an oath of office to support the constitution.

    Correct me if I’m wrong but I think it’s still says in the constitution that a man is innocent until proven guilty.

    This is disgraceful and destructive for the republican party.

    I hope everybody remembers this black mark on the state of vermont which is one of many.

    Vermonters we need to get busy and take our state back from all of these liberals that are destroying us…

    • Now we know who is worthy of our support and vote and the spineless who claim to be something they are not.

    • I’ve been saying this for yrs and yrs..Vermont uses to be a good Republican state.. now look at it.. it’s become a sister state to NY and CA.. ole’ Scott calls the governors of those states and others to get advice on how to control the citizens of Vermont.. How else do you think he got the idea of lockdown after lockdown. after lockdown. he didn’t come up with that idea on his own..
      Yes, we need the names of these RINO’s so as not to elect them again.. and each one needs to be investigated to see how much they are being paid to vote the democrats way..

      • The party really likes these rinos, the new world order pimps are really handy in keeping the uni party in control. It is no accident it is the plan.

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