A political action committee connected to a retired Vermont lobbyist and a Washington, D.C., advocacy group is going to bat for Democrat Sue Minter’s campaign for governor.
The group, called Vermonters for Strong Leadership, has spent at least $120,000 on television advertising, according to a document filed Thursday with the Secretary of State’s office. Earlier filings with the Federal Communications Commission indicate that the ads are slated to run from Thursday through next Tuesday’s primary election.
Bob Sherman, who cofounded the Montpelier lobbying firm KSE Partners, is the president of the independent-expenditure committee, better known as a super PAC. He said Thursday that he expects to spend “probably more than $100,000” and “less than $200,000” on pro-Minter ads in the next five days.
The state filing indicates that the super PAC has raised $140,000 so far — $125,000 of which comes from EMILY’s List, a D.C. organization focused on electing pro-choice women. The rest of the money comes from five Vermont donors: Travis Belisle of St. Albans ($5,000); Lola Van Wagenen ($3,000) and George Burrill ($2,000) of Shelburne; and Arthur Berndt ($2,500) and Anne Berndt ($2,500) of Sharon.
Belisle and his family are behind a controversial wind project proposed for a Swanton ridgeline. In recent days, Minter and her allies have accused rival Democrat Matt Dunne of an “11th-hour flip” on the siting of large-scale wind projects. A third Democrat in the race, Peter Galbraith, vehemently opposes such installations.
In an interview Thursday afternoon, Arthur Berndt said he and his wife decided to contribute to Minter because they “are both really worried about climate change, and we don’t feel like we can dillydally around.”
The couple previously donated the maximum allowable contribution of $8,000 directly to Minter’s campaign. Berndt said they donated to the super PAC despite their reservations about such groups.
“Money in politics needs to be gotten out, but money in politics is still one of the tools in the toolkit,” he said. “As Vermonters, we feel we have the responsibility to participate in whatever way we can.”
Sherman, the group’s president, retired from KSE Partners at the end of 2014 after decades of lobbying at the Vermont Statehouse. He said he no longer has a financial stake in the firm and that it was not involved with Vermonters for Strong Leadership.
“But it’s no secret that when I was at KSE I did this kind of work. That’s why people wanted me to do it,” Sherman said. “Arthur was interested. EMILY’s List was interested. And I’m a known quantity with nothing to do.”
According to a script included in the filing, the TV ad touches on a number of messages the Minter campaign has been sending. It highlights her work as Tropical Storm Irene recovery officer and refers to her as “the progressive candidate for governor.”
“The only candidate who supports clean energy, and Sue Minter will stand up to the gun lobby to strengthen background checks, keeping guns out of the hands of domestic abusers,” the script reads. “Progressive, tested: Our Sue Minter.”
The candidate has previously spoken out against big money in politics. In May, Minter agreed to join Dunne in returning corporate campaign contributions. Galbraith had declined such donations from the start.
“Whether you are a multimillionaire or a major corporation, you shouldn’t be able to buy the governor’s office,” she said at the time. “[Elections] are about Vermonters making a choice about their own futures.”
Reached Wednesday evening, Minter campaign manager Molly Ritner said she was not aware that a super PAC had gotten involved in the race. Ritner, who joined the campaign in February, was previously affiliated with EMILY’s List and was referred to Minter by the group.
Asked for Minter’s position on super PACs, she emailed a statement to Seven Days.
“Sue thinks Citizens United should be overturned and as governor will work toward meaningful campaign finance reform,” Ritner said in the statement. “We cannot coordinate with outside groups and had no knowledge of this. Sue is focused on her campaign and talking to voters about her progressive plans to make Vermont work.”
Ritner declined to answer repeated follow-up questions Wednesday night about whether Minter was comfortable with super PACs supporting her campaign.
“As you know, we can’t coordinate with outside groups,” was all she would say.
On Thursday morning, Ritner said that Minter was “not comfortable being supported by a super PAC. She cannot control them.”
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Yes, amazing coincidence. I think we need to connect the dots a little better. Let’s see, Travis Belisle, Swanton industrial wind project developer gives to the Minter SuperPac as Paul Heintz has just explained. Travis Belisle’s attorney, speaks at a Sue Minter press conference yesterday attacking Matt Dunne, Minter’s primary opponent, for his stance to allow towns affected by wind turbine development to have absolute say on whether such developments should proceed or not. In his introduction, Belisle’s attorney identifies himself as a Bernie delegate and then attacks Dunne’s industrial wind stance, never mentioning his financial connection with the wind industry. So what other financial connections are their to the industrial wind development industry with the Minter campaign and her advocates? KSE, the wind industry lobbying firm that worked to shut down any legislative initiatives that would allow for the democratization of the siting of large scale renewables, is also associated with the Minter PAC – “Vermonters for Strong Leadership, But it doesn’t end there, connecting the dots further, you see that the same firm, KSE, has also founded a propaganda organization for industrial wind complete with its own website, http://www.windworksvt.com/wind-works-vt
Folks, anyone who might come away with the misguided belief that Sue Minter isn’t 100% involved with the big energy companies and wind developers, just needs to connect these dots. Politicians beware, you go after the industrial wind industry in Vermont and they will gather all resources to crush you with a sledgehammer. On the other hand, support them unequivocally, they will speak at your press conferences and set up super PACs worth 100s of thousands of dollars to see you are elected. Sue Minter knows this. I think its long past time that Vermont voters know what Sue knows.
And that same attorney for Swanton Wind attends all the Swanton Planning Commission meetings and badgers them, has accused them of violating the open meeting law, in an effort to delay their town plan update to address the wind project. Obstruction of our democracy by well paid lawyers, is that really how we want to develop our new energy future?
Ms. Minter appears to want to give the failed Shumlin administration a fourth term with more windmills, spending, screwed up Vermont Health Connect,taxes and of course a much needed carbon tax! Scheeze !