As the intrepid Paul Heintz reported last week at the 7 Days website:

How much does Gov. Peter Shumlin hate on the Vermont House’s tax bill?

So much so that he’d rather kill himself than sign it.

…Shumlin said, pausing for a moment. “If you told me that I had to jump from a window, I would go for the highest building that I could possibly find to jump to make sure that I wasn’t here to see that tax package become law.”

The much-reported and talked about threat did come off as bizarre to many Vermont political observers, but it turned out the complete quote was merely in keeping with the season. In fact, Shumlin went on from there:

…and lo, will I be laid in my tomb. My cabinet will become fearful and go into hiding. But verily, on the third day I will rise again, in fulfillment of the scriptures, and I will return in glory, bringing forth a new covenant with the legislature.

After the Governor made good on his threat on Friday, following last week’s House vote on the budget, unconfirmed reports indicate that Sue Allen and Liz Miller went to the the tomb, only to find the stone had been rolled away from the entrance leaving the tomb empty. Hours later, the Governor appeared to his cabinet (which had been holed up in hiding). Reports are that Human Services Secretary Doug Racine doubted the resurrection until he was personally able to place his hand in the wound left where the legislature had stabbed him in the back.

Unconfirmed reports have also come in that that Speaker Smith was involved in a traffic accident on the road to Elmore, when he became momentarily blinded by a flash of light accompanied by a booming voice which was heard to say “Shap, Shap – why do you persecute me?”