Well, as I read this little number about an upcoming fundraiser in Woodstock featuring US Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-Teaville), I was all set to call a penalty on the Vermont Democratic Party: Five yards, excessive complaining.

But then I read on, and realized that once again, the Dems had once again been out-excessed by VTGOP chair Jack Lindley. Five yards, excessive complaining, plus fifteen yards, repeating a discredited lie.

Let’s start with the Dems, who complained that Ayotte is just too extreme to be allowed into our fair state. C’mon, now. I could see this sort of complaining about Paul LePage and Allen West, who are radical conservatives and also complete a$$holes. Ayotte’s just not in their league.  

But then comes Jack Lindley’s counter-offensive, which begins by accusing Democrats of “swinging for the gutter,” a mixed metaphor if ever I heard one. And then he repeats his howler, discredited by yours truly, that “his party made no such comments when President Obama visited Vermont in March.”

Oh yeah, Jack? I refer you (once again) to your own party website, where you greeted Obama’s visit with the following uncivil comments:  

“It’s a huge deal,” Vermont Democratic Party Chairman Jake Perkinson, said of the president’s visit.

“Yes, it’s a huge deal,” said Vermont GOP Chair Jack Lindley. “It’s a huge deal for Vermont taxpayers, who are still reeling from the cost of the worst flooding in the past 100 years; Vermonters who are still reeling from the cost of Obamacare and the skyrocketing cost of gasoline and heating oil. And for Vermonters who are also going to be faced with a projected 18% increase in the cost of health care under the Governor’s plan for the health care exchange and an additional rate increase in their electric bill from the Governor’s proposed renewable energy bill.”

Said Lindley, “I had hoped the President would take time to meet some of those suffering as a result of his policies. Unfortunately, he’ll be spending most of his time raising money. And according to WCAX, it appears he’ll be sticking Vermont taxpayers with the tab for state and local police and traffic detail. WCAX reports that ‘police officers are expected to be stationed at every intersection along the route – a special detail that’s going to require dozens of officers from surrounding towns.’ And South Burlington Police Chief Trevor Whipple says he expects the cost to be ‘community borne.’ ”

“The President says he expects to raise and spend one billion on his reelection campaign,” said Lindley. “The least he could do is reimburse Vermont’s taxpayers for the cost of his fundraising visit, rather than ask the people of cash strapped Vermont to subsidize the cost of his campaign. Let us hope that our esteemed Governor, who is still having trouble balancing the budget, will see fit to speak up on behalf of Vermont’s taxpayers and ask the President for reimbursement.”

Yeah, I don’t think Jack Lindley should be lecturing anyone about civility. (And, as I pointed out previously, the bit about Obama saying he will raise a billion bucks? Fox News fabrication. Obama never said it.) He certainly shouldn’t be telling lies that can be easily discredited by visiting his own party’s website.

(Maybe this time, some enterprising reporter will take the time to do so, and call Lindley on his bullshit.)

In the future, Jack, just STFU about civility to visiting politicos. You’re making a fool of yourself.