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Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen


1.15.2010

 

Filling House seats

Gov. Jim Douglas has raised political hackles in his choices to fill two House seats left vacant in December by the sudden deaths of Rep. Ira Trombley, D-Grand Isle, and Rep. Rick Hube, R-South Londonderry.

His picks: Robert C. Krebs of South Hero will fill Trombley’s seat. Oliver K. Olsen will replace Hube in the House.

So what is the rub? Krebs wasn’t one of the three candidates recommended by the local Democratic Party. Douglas has filled five vacancies in recent weeks -- all formerly Republican openings but one. He picked appointees from among the candidates recommended by local Republicans.

“The one Democrat he was replacing, he didn’t respect the wishes of the local party,” complained House Democratic Leader Floyd Nease of Johnson.

Nease recalled 2007 when Douglas also bypassed the candidates recommended by Montpelier Democrats and chose Jon Anderson to fill the vacancy created when Francis Brooks became sergeant at arms. In one of Anderson’s first votes, he broke with Democrats and joined Republicans to prevent a successful override of a Douglas veto.

Douglas isn't the only governor to exercise his authority to choose whoever he wants to fill vacancies.

Remember Gov. Howard Dean made two appointments from different parties. He tapped William Sorrell, a Democrat, to replace Jeffrey Amestoy, a Republican, as attorney general. He also replaced a Republican House member from Vergennes/Ferrisburgh with a Democrat.

-- Nancy Remsen

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Comments:
YES
 
By contrast to what Dean did – appointing replacements from a different party - Douglas' appointments don't look so outrageous.
 
It gets worse. This Krebs' person is married to the daughter of Mr. Douglas's chief of staff. Wonder how he will vote? What a joke.
 
Wow - I guess now that Jim Douglas is not running for office - ethics can be thrown out the window!
 
Of course it was fine when Dean did it.

But now Douglas' choices are terrible!
 
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