UPDATE–See County Committee update below.
Green Mountain Daily has learned that Barre Representative and long-time Democrat Paul Poirier has announced his intention to become an Independent. He made the announcement to a statewide labor group this morning and confirmed it in an e-mail to Tommy Walz, Chair of the Barre Democratic Committee. Poirier confirmed his decision in a conversation with GMD earlier this evening. He said that he has also discussed his decision with House Democratic Leadership. 
According to Poirier, the decision is not motivated by any desire to break with the Democratic Party on policy issues. He intends no change in his positions, and specifically said that he would be voting to override Gov. Douglas’s veto of the FY 2010 budget. Poirier flatly stated, “People aren’t going to see any change in my voting pattern.”
Poirier said that the change is motivated by a desire to push a more strongly pro-labor platform in the Legislature, citing as an example the fact that H-382, a labor backed bill to require paid sick leave for all employers with at least ten employees, could not even get a hearing in committee this session. He added that this isn’t one of those, “the party left me” things, but he thought he could more effectively push the labor agenda from outside the party.
On the budget, Poirier was one of the sponsors of the bill to enact the income tax surcharge, colloquially known as the Snelling surcharge. He had his differences with the bill as passed, including the state's reliance on regressive taxes like the increase in the cigarette tax, favoring a more progressive approach, but intends to vote to override the governor’s veto in next week’s override session. “Anyone who thinks I'm going to leave the positions I've taken all my life doesn't know me very well,” Poirier said.
UPDATE
Paul came to the Wasington County Democratic Committee meeting tonight to explain his reasons for this move. It was much as reported above. He specifically cited problems with getting the labor agenda moving, including the sick leave and mandatory overtime bills, and getting true progress on health care. He said that he intends to continue to work closely with the Democrats, including voting to override the Douglas veto.
On timing Paul said that he did it this week because he didn't want to go into the veto session next week knowing that he had made this decision, but not being open to the other members of the caucus about it.
The main point of the discussion, and not only from Poirier, is that there is a gap between the Democratic Party and organized labor, and that while efforts are being made to bridge that gap, it is essential that we bridge that gap in order to serve Vermonters, including the 40,000 dues-paying union members in the state, and to run a strong, unified statewide candidate next year.
The reception was not at all hostile, and he did say clearly that if the Barre Democrats nominate him he will accept that nomination, although he did use the unfortunate phrase “Independent Democrat”, which he would do well to drop like a bad habit.
Nobody at the meeting bought the theory that he's doing this to head off a Prog challenge. Nobody, including the Barre members, thinks the Progs have much strength in his district, so even if they wanted to recruit a challenger they would be on very weak ground.
Not really much more for me to add at this point. Concerning to see him feel like he had to leave the party for influence, but it doesn’t seem like there’s much bad blood.
While I’d personally like to see more Republicans peeled away from their fold, it’s good to see any politician take a purposed stance.
Cant help but wonder if something else isn’t going on.
Barre has a strong Progressive contingent – wonder if there were noises of a serious Progressive challenger. Maybe its an attempt to stir up the alphabet soup, given that labor seems to give anybody with a P next to their name an automatic endorsement. I’ll ask around.
A Vermont legislator with some balls. I thought I felt the Earth stop spinning on it’s axis yesterday.
I think the working middle class does feel a little abandoned by the Democratic party. If Mr. Poirier’s move draws some attention to worker issues, then thanks for that Paul. It’s way overdue.
As for this comment–
“given that labor seems to give anybody with a P next to their name an automatic endorsement.”
Can you qualify that please? Thanks.
if his intentions are as he says they are. The only problem with this is it could become a three way divide and give the republican the upper hand. If a dem and a republican run agaisnt Paul the dem and paul will divide the votes from the left and the republican could come up on top. Remember 2002?
Just at a little side note – H.382 would guarantee 7 earned Paid Sick Days to all working Vermonters regardless of size of their employer.
Rep. Poirier did a great job today at the press conference about H. 382 and making this new labor standard a reality.
The VDP State Committee is setting up a labor committee. I haven’t heard how it’s coming. It’s an issue the SC cares about a lot.
Jack – in the update you say:
…but you make no comment on how he said his decision does this. What is the equation here? That’s a motivation, not a rationale for specific action.
It mirrors some of the comments here, but I’ve yet to hear a real explanation about how this decision furthers this goal. In fact, if things were starting to move together, this decision rips the wounds wide open.
And his excuse for making the decision this week is meaningless, quite frankly. What – he was gonna feel oogie, so he decided he’d feel less oogie by kicking the leadership in the crotch? That’s bullshit. He could’ve sucked up his oogie-feeling and waited 6 measly days. Either it wasn’t important enough for him to (which undercuts his “no hard feelings” argument) or he’s so self-absorbed as to be clueless.
I tell you, I would’ve grumbled about this anytime, but this week? It’s either aggressive or aggressively irresponsible. I’m betting on the latter.
I’m impressed.
When Miss Sassypants only lets you play with her Barbies if she gets the good clothes its time to go get your own Barbie.
Being on the farm I have not heard the details of the Smith/Shumlin plan on UI insurance. I do know that the working Vermonters Caucus is planning to meet on tuesday morning to discuss any changes to the budget that are related to labor.
There are Progressives, a good number of Democrats and at least one leading Independent (Poirier) who are very concerned about how labor was treated this session. While the budget had some bones thrown in at the end, our state employees took a real beating throughout (by both the Admin and the Legislative budget) and if there are more workers to be thrown under the bus then it might be that Poirier (a co-chair of the Working Vermonter Caucus) might be working to pull some votes back from the override if it means compromising on fundamental labor principles.
All of this is conjecture as I have not seen the specifics. But if there is much give on the UI that hurts workers more than they already are then that will be a tough sell for leadership.