According to the Democratic Governors Association’s website, Shumlin is confirmed for a two-day conference this weekend in Fajardo, a picturesque resort town on the eastern end of the island.
Shumlin’s Puerto Rican excursion comes a mere nine days after he returned from a weeklong Town Meeting Day vacation in Dominica, the Caribbean island nation on which he owns property. It also comes a day after crossover, the deadline by which most legislation — with the exception of major money bills — must pass one legislative body or the other.
“As of now he is scheduled to go,” Shumlin spokesman Scott Coriell says. “But should the legislature remain in session over the weekend he will cancel those plans.”
Shumlin was heavily criticized by Republican opponent Scott Milne during last fall’s gubernatorial race for spending 141.5 days of his second term out of state. Much of that time, as Seven Days reported last September, was spent raising money for the DGA, which he chaired at the time, and his own reelection campaign.
Until recently, the governor had cut back on his out-of-state travel.
This weekend’s conference, hosted by Puerto Rico Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla — Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy and Delaware Gov. Jack Markell are also scheduled to attend — is billed as the organization’s Spring Policy Conference.
Such policy conferences typically feature the DGA’s big-dollar corporate and labor donors, who spend the weekend schmoozing with elected officials and their staff members.
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“141.5 days of his second term out of state. Much of that time, as Seven Days reported last September, was spent raising money for the DGA, which he chaired at the time, and his own reelection campaign. “
This is what happens when you elect party politicians, they work for the party, not for the people. How many more decades of them stealing our money before people begin to understand that?
141 Days of the year out of the state, fundraising for the party… That’s more than 1/4 of the year. Is the DGA paying his governor’s salary/benefits/pension/expenses, for those four months?
The legislature is struggling to find over $100 million, rumor has it they are considering bake sales. Anyhow, when the going gets tough, the tough get going to — well, umm, Carribean islands?! Petey does deserve time off, I guess, but NOT while this State is a shit show on multiple fronts and the problem solvers are, for the most part,occupying space, in Montpeculiar. Then again, he is, supposedly, the leader of this State. If he is good at fund raising, maybe he could figure out how to raise money for VT, or at least, just hang out when town meeting day is happening. Maybe prior to or around crossover day the Gov could be at the ready in the Statehouse to discuss issues of import. Nah, pass the sun block and grab me a beer, honey…
“Until recently, the governor had cut back on his out-of-state travel.”
Has Shumlin realized that this term is his last, given his broken promise on single-payer health care? Let’s make it so.
I wish we knew what campaign Governor Shumlin is raising money for. I wish we knew what office he will
be running for.