Jack “Six Teats” McMullen, who awoke from a lengthy nap and realized that he’d an exploitable issue handed to him on a silver platter: the accusations of improper collusion between Attorney General Bill Sorrell and a Super PAC organized by the Democratic Attorneys General Association.

I say “lengthy nap” because McMullen’s call for an investigation came a mere three weeks after VTGOP Chair “Angry Jack” Lindley first requested in investigation. I’m not saying it would have made any difference in the race, but McMullen could have gotten a lot more mileage out of the issue if he’d jumped on the bandwagon earlier.

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Deputy Auditor Joe Juhasz and outgoing Auditor Tom Salmon*, for a stunning act of political tone-deafness. Juhasz is overseeing a probe into Treasurer Beth Pearce, which was demanded by Pearce challenger Wendy Wilton. Well, the Vermont Press Bureau reports that Juhasz is a longtime Republican who has donated to the Wilton campaign. The VPB says  “he’s unconcerned about even the appearance of a conflict of interest as he investigates Wilton’s claims,” and added that Salmon knows of his support for Wilton.

*Before you read on, take a moment to savor that phrase. “Outgoing Auditor Tom Salmon.” Mmmm. I like the way it rolls off the tongue: “Outgoing Auditor Tom Salmon.” Yes. Me likey.

Even if you give Juhasz the benefit of the doubt, it’s difficult to see how this doesn’t, at the very least, create the appearance of a conflict of interest.

After the jump: A surprising Thumbs Up, our first-ever Thumbs Sideways, and an utterly predictable Poke in the Eye.

The Vermont Sierra Club, for trying to have it both ways on its Attorney General endorsement.  The Sierra Club endorsed all the Democratic candidates for statewide office, but in the AG’s race, the Club endorsed both Democrat Bill Sorrell and Progressive Ed Stanak.

Profiles in courage.

At least they managed to exclude “Six Teats” from their list. But after careful consideration, I can’t decide whether they deserve a “Thumbs Up” for inclusiveness or a “Thumbs Down” for indecision, so I give them a rare and coveted Thumbs Sideways.

Our first!

Capital City nitpicking. Pardon my injecting a local issue into a state politics blog, but one thing that drives me nuts about living in Montpelier is its overweening self-regard and its focus on minutiae at the expense of the big picture. Last week’s case in point: the brouhaha over a proposal to mount signage on City Hall. The only sign on City Hall is actually for Lost Nation Theater, which occupies the third floor. This is confusing to visitors and new residents; it certainly confused me when I moved into town. The proposed lettering is well-conceived and reasonable; it would not significantly alter the building’s stature or character.

A number of ridiculous things have been said by opponents, but the most ridiculous came from architect and Design Review Board member Jay Smith, who equated City Hall with the Statehouse. Sorry, Jay; City Hall is a nice building, but the Statehouse is in a class all by itself. It doesn’t need a sign. City Hall does.

The Vermont Chamber of Commerce, for creating a new health-care plan for small businesses. I don’t know enough about Chamber Preferred to endorse it, but I salute the VCoC for trying to provide solutions instead of simply attacking liberal efforts at health care reform.

The national Chamber, under the leadership of Thomas Donohue, has become an attack dog for business interests and the far right; the Vermont Chamber seems to be sticking to its roots, as a positive voice for business in our political life.

Misuse of the BIll of Rights. Two instances. First, Virginia pastor Kenneth Miller is seeking to quash a subpoena requiring him to testify in a grand jury probe of the LIsa Miller/Janet Jenkins custody case. Henneth Miller had earlier agreed to testify, but now his attorney claims that his client’s right against self-incrimination would be violated. Small problem: Prosecutors have offered Rev. Miller immunity for anything he says to the grand jury.

And second, attorney Mitchell Pearl‘s contention that Vermont’s vaccine exemption form is a violation of the First Amendment. Anti-vaccine parents won their fight in the Legislature last year, beating back an effort to end or limit the philosophical exemption to child vaccination. Now, they oppose the wording of the Health Department’s opt-out form. The claim is that the form amounts to coerced speech. To which I reply, Oh, get over yourselves. Sign the form. It goes in a file. Nobody ever sees it again. Your overweening tetchiness does your cause no favors.

Governors Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Chris Christie of New Jersey, nominated to be the next two heads of the Republican Governors Association. (Jindal in 2013, Christie in 2014.) It’s widely believed that their Democratic counterpart will be our very own Peter Shumlin.

I do hope Jindal and Christie can bear up under the imminent criticism from VTGOP Chair “Angry Jack” Lindley that their RGA service will turn them into part-time governors. After all, Angry Jack made a big deal about Shumlin possibly heading the DGA. And fair’s fair. Right, Jack?

Political opportunism, Republican-style. Last week, US Senate hopeful… er, what’s the opposite of “hopeful?” … US Senate hopeless John MacGovern held a big news conference to announce his opposition to the basing of F-35s at the Burlington airport. Yeah, a conservative Republican tries to run left of Bernie Sanders. That’ll work.

Just like Randy Brock and Phil Scott coming out for a wind-power moratorium. They might possibly get a few anti-wind single-issue voters (and split Annette Smith’s vote! Shame!), but it’s hard to imagine that the vast majority of environmentally-minded voters will suddenly see the Republicans as the new Green Party.  

The reclusive Lenore Broughton, who apparently thinks a camera can steal her soul. How else to explain her panicked retreat when confronted with a polite cameraman from Seven Days at a meeting of the Burlington Telecom Cable Advisory Council? As far as can be ascertained, there is not a single photo of Broughton anywhere in the public domain. (Although her son is a photographer who specializes in portraits. Hmm… wonder if he’s ever done dear old Mom?)

I realize she’s not an actual candidate for office. But she has injected herself and her bankroll into Vermont’s political system to an unprecedented degree. That qualifies her for some public scrutiny. Heck, there might even be a bunch of less considerate photographers in the audience at the next Cable Advisory Council meeting.

And since, for the time being, we can’t bring you a photo of Broughton, we present for your edification and entertainment this image of that great Golden Age actress, Margaret Hamilton.