What’s missing from this story?

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In today’s Burlington Free Press, there’s a story by Nancy Remsen with the headline “Vermont State Police members improperly ‘fixed’ Shumlin ticket, public safety official says.”  

The piece suggests that the ticket that Shumlin received some time back was improperly voided.  It’s got implications of small-c corruption on, well, someone’s part, even though there is no indication that Shumlin had anything to do with it.

It’s fine to run a story about improper conduct on the part of state troopers and it’s fine to question whether or not a candidate for higher office knew about or was involved in that improper conduct.

What’s not fine, however, is to fail to note that the person making the accusation of misconduct is a Jim Douglas appointee.

This leaves one question: is the Burlington Free Press reporting this as an in-kind contribution to the Dubie campaign?

19 thoughts on “What’s missing from this story?”

  1. This smells like a set-up by a Douglas/Dubie disciple. Just trying to pollute the VSP endorsement. Press bought it hook, line and sinker.  

  4. Yeah.  That was June, and the bit about his Senate ID.  So he paid the goddamn ticket.  What’s the spin here?  Shumlin pays ticket to gain endorsement?  This is more Dubie crap.  And there’ll not doubt be more.  If you can’t debate the issues (or even know them), you make up distractions.  

  5. “Tremblay said a review of the administrative processing of Shumlin’s ticket suggested the ticket had been voided improperly.”

    Is that kind of bureaucratic nit-picking really what he was hired for? Well, no:

    “I look forward to working with Tom to build on the progress we’ve made in combating substance abuse, protecting families from sexual predators and domestic violence, strengthening the fire service and enhancing the emergency preparedness of every community.”

    Douglas’ hiring announcement doesn’t mention snooping around in the department’s files for pedestrian tidbits that might be peddled to the gullible press to smear a candidate for governor… but maybe that was simply assumed as part of the job description when Douglas signed Tremblay on a few years ago? One can only hope that the sexual predators hadn’t expected his undivided attention while Tremblay was busy on “other business.”

    I also do wonder if Douglas-appointee Tremblay has the time to undertake this level of scrutiny of all speeding tickets? Or does he handpick the ones that offer the most potential for his boss’ handpicked successor-wanna-be?  

  8. I think the Vermont media has shifted about 2 notches to the right. Witness media shows who cover Vermont tiger and not Green Mountain Daily. We all know about the various owners of media outlets and who they support/don’t support.  

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