(Noonish, 3/9/12: Just added a note at the end of this diary, with information contrary to my paranoid fantasy about Shumlin and Illuzzi. All after the jump.)
Sometime in the past 24 hours, the Vince Illuzzi-for-Attorney General thing has gone from a rumor to an openly-floated Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade trial balloon. The Republican/Democratic (but mostly Republican) state senator from the NEK is basically telling anyone who will listen that he’s pondering a run for AG. Brattleboro Reformer:
Illuzzi said he would likely run as a Republican even as supporters urge him to run as an Independent to appeal to more voters in Democratic-leaning Vermont.
“You know, after 32 years, I think I have established a record as an Independent and would hope that people would look at my record and my ability to work with Democrats and Progressives, and not just the letter after my name,” he said.
Funny he should mention his 32 years of experience, since it opens the door to consideration of the big fat elephant in the room: his decisively checkered ethical past. Our Illuzzi Whitewash Media Count is now up to four: in four separate media entities, an Illuzzi candidacy has been bruited without mentioning that on at least three occasions, he’s been charged with violations of legal ethics. His law license was suspended for four years, and he came within a whisker of losing it permanently. (Best single source for this is a 2001 Boston Globe article written by one Jon Margolis, now of Vermont Digger.)
And somehow we’re not mentioning this because…?
I have an idea. Parable, and a paranoid fantasy, after the jump.
Within the city limits of Montpelier, there’s an auto repair shop called IB’s Garage. Been there since the 1970s. Its owner is Paul Ibey. It’s the kind of place where people bring in older cars to keep them running and passing inspection.
And in front of his garage is a large, and very illegal, collection of junked vehicles.
Now, IB’s isn’t off on some side street or rural dead-end; it’s on Barre Street, a major east-west corridor. The junked cars are right alongside the roadway, in clear public view. Behind IB’s is the Winooski River. (Runoff, anyone?) Directly across the street is Sabin’s Pasture, an open undeveloped parcel of land beloved by many in the community.
There have been efforts to develop housing on the land — housing that would add significant property value to the city and create more living space a short distance from downtown, striking a small blow against suburban sprawl. Those efforts have met with stout resistance from people who want to “Save Sabin’s Pasture!” Somehow, these people don’t care that there’s a junkyard directly across the street from this sylvan paradise.
Paul Ibey insists it’s not a junkyard; he plans to get all those cars running again. But some of them have been there a long, long time. A plain reading of applicable law would clearly indicate that IB’s is in violation of multiple city and state laws and ordinances.
And there it sits. Not far from the river. And right across from a treasured community open space.
I’ve lived in Vermont for about six years. It’s a really nice place in a lot of ways, but there are a few things about it that I find rather annoying. One of them is Vermonters’ tendency to accept things that are familiar even if they’re obnoxious, and reject things that are unfamiliar even if they’re potentially beneficial.
And regarding his candidacy for AG, Vince Illuzzi is the IB’s Garage of state politics. A blight on the landscape that’s accepted simply because it’s familiar.
Thus endeth the parable. Now for my paranoid thought.
Last week, when he turned down a chance to endorse Bill Sorrell, Governor Shumlin made it pretty clear that he’d like to see someone else as Attorney General. There’s speculation of a Democratic primary challenge from someone like Speaker Shap Smith or Chittenden County State’s Attorney TJ Donovan. But what if Vince Illuzzi winds up running as an independent? The Republicans would almost certainly stay out of the race; they’ve been very Illuzzi-friendly of late.
Would Shumlin endorse an independent Illuzzi for AG over a Democratic incumbent?* Call me crazy, but I think it’s possible. The Governor is fond of the occasional “kicking the hippies” move — taking a center-right stance to prove his moderate bona fides. Endorsing one Republican — especially if he runs without the “Republican” label — would be a classic Shumlin move.
And ignoring Illuzzi’s troubled ethical past would be a classic Vermont move.
*Addendum: I’ve been told by a solid source that there’s no way Shumlin would endorse Illuzzi. I have no reason to doubt that; I posted the idea as a paranoid fantasy, and if that’s all it was, I’m glad. I don’t mind being wrong. Hope I don’t make a habit of it.
The real aim of Shumlin’s conspicuous non-endorsement of Sorrell, I’m told, is to give potential Democratic challengers some subtle encouragement to challenge Sorrell. And one other name to add to the list of potential challengers: Windsor County State’s Attorney Bobby Sand.