All posts by BP

Bernie Sanders and the super-duper email list

National, ,

After all the  hard-fought campaigning in the Democratic presidential primary, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders came together and held a unity rally in New Hampshire under the banner, “Stronger Together.” Said Sanders by way of conceding: “She will be the Democratic nominee for president, and I intend to do everything I can to make certain that she will be the next president of the United States.”

Understandably there were awkward moments, but Bernie ended his remarks unequivocally by saying: “Hillary Clinton will make an outstanding President, and I am proud to stand with her today.”

His endorsement was accompanied with word that Sanders had a large (yuuge?) influence on the Democratic Party platform. Unity amendments on a $15.00 minimum wage, higher education funding, and improvements in Social Security were included, thanks to Bernie. Writing in The Nation, one Sanders representative who worked on the platform committee said they delivered “the most progressive platform in Democratic Party platform history.” Note to self: go back and read FDR’s Democratic Party platforms.

BGTLAUONITParty platform, hugs and kisses not withstanding, Bernie is reported to be holding on to his email list of donors — all the information that helped him raise more than $222 million in small donations.

And wow, has there ever, ever been such a list? The Sanders email data is being called “perhaps the most coveted and valuable catalog of potential voters and donors in the Democratic Party at the moment.”  There were reports in April that Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid’s office and Sanders were talking about how best to utilize the fabled “list.” And speculation certainly continues that the Democratic Party (who shared their party data with the Sanders campaign)and Clinton campaign would be happy to have access if Sanders decides to share his email data.

However, not everyone likes the idea of sharing data lists with his former rival. “Young people have been very clear that they don’t want their information handed over and it’s not going to be,” RoseAnn DeMoro, the executive director of the Sanders-supporting group National Nurses United, told BuzzFeed last month. “Sanders could surprise me, but I don’t think so.” Sanders has not made clear his plans for his fundraising donor data, although he is talking about starting an organization to help fund progressive candidates around the country.

It’s hard to imagine Bernie, a veteran politician, never playing his “most coveted” donor data to advantage for his causes — but share it, I guess not so much.

George W. Bush has a head full of Irish fiddle tunes

National, ,

What kind of fiddle tunes did former President George Bush have playing in his head during the ceremony in Dallas for the five police officers killed last week?  Bush, wearing a blue suit, can be seen smirking and just smiling away while the choir sings “Battle Hymn of Republic.” Laura Bush seems less than pleased.  Guess they don’t get out much anymore.

I remember back to 2009 when President Obama first took office, Andrew Card, George W. Bush’s  White House chief of staff, complained about what he thought was the new president’s lack of respect for the Office of the Presidency.

And yes, I’m disappointed to see the casual, laissez faire, short sleeves, no shirt and tie, no jacket, kind of locker room experience that seems to be taking place in this White House and the Oval Office.

I wonder what Andrew Card would make of his old boss, George W.’s little happy dance at a solemn memorial service in Dallas this week.

Scott Milne and his axe grinding campaign

Business, local/regional, , , , ,

In a recent statement, Republican US Senate candidate Scott Milne, reacting to the massive futuristic “utopian” city David Hall is planning for Vermont, makes it obvious he views the entire New Vista issue through his own peculiar personal lens. Milne zeroes in almost exclusively on his pet issue in his 2014 run for governor: alleged “overreach” by regional development boards and Act 250.milnesaxe

For a number of years Milne and his business partner (and campaign funder), attorney David Boise III have been attempting to build a mixed use development project on land they own in Hartford, Vermont.

The Quechee Highlands project, which borders Interstate 91 in Hartford, has wound its way through the development review process and various court cases for a number of years. After a defeat in one contentious hearing several years ago an angry Milne remarked: “I’m going to try to figure out if I’m going to do anything, and if I do, it’s probably going to involve more lawyers, and it’s just going to continue to brand Vermont as a bad place to do business,” Although the project recently won a significant court case, hurdles remain — along with apparently some bitter feelings on Milne’s part.

Milne’s comment (below) on the massive thousand-acre multi-town New Vista project was part of an ongoing batch of local and statewide candidates’ reactions gathered up by Nicole Antal, who follows this issue for the Daily Upper Valley community website.

“Although I appreciate the candor of folks who are whispering about it not being right — because “it’s inspired by Mormons” or because it could attract hardworking Republicans to Vermont and upset one-party rule — particularly in Windsor County, [only two of the towns targeted by New Vista are in Windsor County]  I hope we will get folks with those prejudices out of the way as judges, juries, or regional planners — so Vermont can carefully and soberly review this idea.“

Not sure what he even means by “the candor of folks who are whispering.” But Milne  could have taken the time to educate himself about the project’s origin and found that early on it was David Hall himself who said the project was partly inspired by his Mormon background, although Hall has maintained that he does not want the LDS Church’s official involvement. The official LDS (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) reaction to the project can be found here.

Generally, the reactions of all dozen or so Republican, Democratic, and Independent candidates for local and state offices indicated a basic level of caution over the massive project and sympathy for community concerns. And all save Milne seemed thankful to have the Act 250 development review process in place to regulate the process.

Let’s unpack his comment a bit. Milne alone of the candidates contacted fails to comment on objections to the size and scale Hall’s proposed population of up to 20,000 residents for the self-sufficient city/state he has in mind for the rural area. Without evidence, Milne implies New Vista will not get a fair hearing due to “one party rule — particularly in Windsor County” and suggests Democrats are acting out of fear of what Milne thinks would be an influx of “hardworking Republicans.”

While the contest he’s in is a low-key senate campaign for now, Scott Milne is again a man running with his own little axe to grind — a personal dislike, perhaps even a hatred of regional planning boards and the act 250 development review. One wonders how he thinks becoming a US Senator will solve his local development issues. What axe would he be able to wield? And how sharp would it have to be to cut through the red tape of local and state control?

 

Solved! Rutland Herald, Facebook and loose lips

Business, National, , , ,

Hold the presses! A mysterious Department of Defense-US Navy oversized load being hauled by truck goes off the road on Wednesday while traveling through rural Vermont. Susan Smallheer at The Rutland Herald/Times Argus  smells a story, starts making calls — officials refuse to answer questions and won’t speculate.

Front pageThe newspaper presses officials for information — they ask: Helicopter blades headed for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard? No, said Lt. Kevin Andrews of the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles.

Cruise missiles? “I’m not going to speculate,” said Colleen O’Rourke of the Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command.

The facts as known and reported Friday, July 8, by The Times Argus/ Rutland Herald:

The long, unmarked gray metal container originated in Williamsburg, Virginia, and was being hauled to New Hampshire by Crofton Specialized Hauling of Virginia, according to Lt. Kevin Andrews of the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles.

The reporter was stymied regarding the contents of the hauler, and the mystery deepened: Officials at the shipping company didn’t return messages Thursday. Andrews said the shipment entered Vermont on Route 279 in Bennington, and at the time of the crash, it had been making a turn from Route 103 to head north on I-91.

Security must not be all that good at Crofton Specialized Hauling in Virginia as they posted an image of the truck and what the “secret” cargo was on July 1 –– days earlier on Facebook. Crofton ind.Seven days later and the paper never checked.

The cargo, it turns out, is a ship’s propeller shaft — or in Navy-speak, a “primary output shaft for a Navy cruiser”; for now reports are that it, along with the truck and driver, will stay in Vermont until repairs can be made.

Well, next time, Times Argus/Herald reporters, you may find it first on Facebook. And in case you are wondering, Crofton Specialized Hauling hasn’t posted anything more to Facebook about it — better check Twitter. And how about that next “secret” D.O.D/US Navy hauling contract…

EB-5 “ponzi” brokerage Raymond James: Flashing blue lights in the rear view mirror

Business, local/regional, , , , ,

The Vermont Commissioner of the Department Financial Regulation, Susan Donegan, has announced a $5.95 million agreement with Raymond James Associates, a Florida-based securities broker-dealer. brokerwhacking

This is the brokerage firm implicated in the massive Jay Peak EB-5 ponzi scheme allegedly perpetrated by partners Bill Stenger and Ariel Quiros. The pair face a variety of federal and state lawsuits and are accused of misappropriating $200 million EB-5 immigrant investor economic development funds.

Federal and State lawsuits allege the brokerage house broke securities regulations by arranging illegal access to EB-5 immigrant investor funds.  Quiros’ ready access to these funds played a pivotal role in the complicated illegal eight-year scheme to flow money away from the mandated EB-5 targeted development at Jay Peak, Burke Mountain Resorts (formerly Q-Burke) and other NEK EB-5 job creating projects.

In a press release announcing the settlement Vermont DFR Commissioner Donegan explained: This agreement provides for the payment of $4.5 million to the appointed federal receiver in the case SEC v. Quiros for the purpose of reimbursing possible claims by investors. Additionally, $200,000 will be paid to DFR for the cost of the investigation and $1.25 million will be paid to Vermont’s general fund as an administrative penalty.

The broker agreed to the settlement terms but is not required to admit to or deny the department’s allegations. DFR’s Donegan has said the brokerage had “inadequate written supervisory procedures” for collateralization of margin loans. The Commissioner pointedly notes the firm ultimately profited from the Jay Peak EB-5 fund transactions.

Well, the $5.95 million payout that Vermont DFR got may sound like tidy sum money, but look at it this way: it is less than what Raymond James pays their CEO Paul Reilly. His total pay package for 2015 is estimated to be $7.8 million (up 37.7%) and all four top executives at the firm made over three million each in 2015. Last year the company recorded an annual income of $502.1 million, up 7 percent, not exactly proportional to the boost its CEO got.

The firm also has a long trail of fines paid out over the years. Lax supervisory procedures, such as those mentioned by Commissioner Donegan, appear to be a feature — not an aberration — at the brokerage house Ariel Quiros chose to help build his complex web of alleged financial fraud.

In 2007 Raymond James was fined $2.75 million by the National Association of Securities Dealers for failing to maintain an adequate supervisory system to oversee the sales activities of over 1,000 producing branch managers working in offices throughout the United States.

And in May 2016 the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc.(FINRA) fined them a record-setting $17 million for widespread compliance failures in the brokerage firm’s anti-money laundering programs.

(FINRA, the Wall Street funded industry watchdog, is the successor to the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. [NASD]. It is a non-governmental organization that regulates member brokerage firms and exchange markets.)

 Raymond James Associates reportedly is pleased that a guilt-free settlement was reached with Vermont DFR. No doubt they are happy to be clear of this latest little bit of unpleasantness — and it must seem a bargain price at only $5.95 million! moneygo1

The amount will likely not satisfy the EB-5 immigrant investors seeking green cards, and it won’t do a thing to put the NEK economy back together again.

The settlement is simply the cost of doing business for a brokerage firm like Raymond James — on the level of a speeding ticket for the rest of us. And there is no admission of “wrong doing,” so no points accumulated on their brokerage “driving licenses.”

Given the firm’s history, there’s no evidence that such a penalty will even make its managers wary enough to look in their rear-view mirrors for flashing blue lights.

US House Republican leadership: Democrats’ sit-in supports terrorism!

National, , , , ,

“I… I don’t know exactly how to put this, sir, but are you aware of what a serious breach of security that would be? I mean, he’ll see everything, he’ll… he’ll see the Big Board!” General “Buck” Turgidson

Speaker Paul Ryan got on a local talk radio program from his home state and vented about how horrible the Democrats were for staging a sit-in on the House floor to force a vote on gun control measures. Vermont Congressman Peter Welch and Senators Leahy and Sanders joined in the demonstration that took place last week. Cllh0V2XIAUg6yh

Speaker Ryan, perhaps embarrassed by losing control of the situation on his House floor called the action  a “a low moment for the people’s House,”  He threatened Republicans “will not tolerate” it if Democrats launch another sit-in on the House floor after the Fourth of July recess to force a vote on gun control.

Republican grumblings include calling for a vote to censure Democrats that took part in the sit-in. The Hill.com explains the Republican’s argument:

…photographing and filming from all angles on the floor jeopardizes national security and the lives of members of Congress. Terrorists could study the images to help them prepare for a possible attack on the Capitol.  fullhouse

“There are safety and national security reasons that that is the rule,” said a lawmaker close to leadership. “And it is extraordinary that they ignored it.” 

Donald Trump, Boris Johnson and a popular idiom

International, Uncategorized, , ,

The newspaper editor decided to devote more space to photographs of the disaster than to text, since a picture is worth a thousand words.

trumpboris

In the aftermath of the UK Brexit vote to leave the EU, Donald Trump promoted his Golf course in Scotland; he seemed stunningly unaware the Scots had voted against it and were furious with the result. “They took their country back …” he happily tweeted and later said it would be good for his businesses.

And Boris Johnson … well how about Boris Johnson? Well,that’s Johnson stuck,hanging on a zipline in 2012 when he was Mayor of London. He was celebrating Great Britain’s Olympic victories. The Guardian described the event:

But after a promising start gliding along happily waving his flags, he lost momentum and came to a halt, dangling over a crowd of people, for a long and somewhat awkward moment.

Trump’s blather sounds a little like the way Boris’ Brexit victory may be remembered: a long awkward moment until he falls.

Texas: if at first you don’t secede, call for help

National, , ,

This coming summer, the mosquito-borne Zika virus could be troublesome for many Southern states, including Texas.

texasbitesWisely, that state is reviewing plans and preparing preventive measures against the disease that is linked to serious birth defects and Guillain-Barre syndrome.Officials are deeply worried that the state’s  declining to expand Medicaid has left gaps in women’s healthcare that will reduced the ability to educate Texans about Zika risks.

As of March, Florida, New York and Texas had the highest number of confirmed Zika cases in the US. Unlike New York the Southern states Florida and Texas share restrictive laws on women’s access to health clinics and legal abortions. The focus is Zika now but Heather Busby, director of NARAL Pro-Choice Texas, a prominent reproductive rights group. Explains: “It’s really part of a larger problem regarding the lack of reproductive health care at all levels in Texas.”

Part of their plan now is to rely on and cooperate with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fearing  a health crisis Governor Greg Abbott (R) has called cooperation with the federal agency critical for the state, and he has asked for $11 million in US funding for Zika “surveillance and infrastructure.”

The Texas governor is doing the right thing for public health, but you have to wonder how he squares this cry for federal help with the state’s relentless drumbeat toward secession from the USA to form an independent nation of Texas.

While the move for Texas to secede is regarded as a “fringe” movement, support has grown in the last eight years, mostly among Republicans. It should be noted that the governor’s office (plus the lieutenant governorship), both houses in the state’s legislature, and all of the elected governing boards are controlled by the GOP.

This spring, at their convention, the Texas GOP came within two votes of agreeing to hold a vote over secession from the United States.

In 2015 Gov. Abbott went so far as to order the Texas State Guard to monitor a US Navy SEAL/Green Beret training exercise taking place in the state, a move based on fears it was the prelude to an “invasion” by the USA.

“It is important that Texans know their safety, constitutional rights, private property rights and civil liberties will not be infringed upon.” said Abbott.

A couple months ago the governor called for other states to join Texas in a convention to explore ways to regain control he believes has been taken by the federal government.

But as crisis looms, all that independence can be set aside, and for a while we are all Americans again — at least while Zika funding is needed.

And help should reach them — once Texas passports are issued for CDC officials and others are cleared to enter Texas territory. I am sure the $11 million in federal funds can be converted into Texas currency very rapidly.

Smack in the middle: New Vista, candidates and a lobbyist

Business, local/regional, , , ,

Intrepid blogger/reporter Nicole Antal, who writes in the Daily Upper Valley community website, has written her sixth story about David Hall and New Vista for her Very Vermont column.

Antal, who was first to break the story, has now compiled how local and statewide candidates and office holders stand on the proposed massive project. Hall is the Utah-based engineer/developer and Mormon (member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, aka LDS) who has set out to build a 20,000-resident utopian community in Sharon (the birthplace of LDS founder Joseph Smith) and several surrounding towns. Plans for his futuristic New Vista and descriptions of the proposed community make it sound, at least to me, like a benevolent real-life version of Zardoz.keepitnice2

Although they were contacted twice by Antal, gubernatorial candidates Minter, Lisman, Galbraith,[update: Peter Galbraith commented 6/16 on New Vista on Reddit.com in response to question ] Paige, and Ericson did not respond. Phil Scott and Matt Dunne responded by email.

Dunne expressed a strong desire to preserve the character and quality of Vermont life and says the Act 250 process should support that goal.

Phil “listen and learn” Scott wants to “learn a little more about this curious project to make sure it’s a good idea for the community and the state.” He wonders if “perhaps there’s a good idea in here somewhere.” And, he says, “Like any other developer, they [New Vista] would have to follow the rules and regulations laid out in Vermont’s laws, so we’ll have opportunities to learn more.”  Funny, I notice Scott just can’t quite bring himself to mention Act 250 here in a positive context. Perhaps there’s a good idea in Act 250 after all, Phil.

The area targeted by Hall includes Vermont House districts Windsor-Orange 1 (Royalton, Tunbridge) and Windsor-Orange 2 (Sharon, Thetford, Norwich, and Strafford);  Antal contacted and got responses from all the legislative candidates. It is well worth reading the candidates’ full comments on the Daily Upper Valley website.

All of the local respondents (three Independents, one Republican, and a Democrat) indicated degrees of caution and skepticism over the wisdom of plunking down New Vista and its 20,000 people in rural Vermont. Another notable common thread was how they all seemed thankful to have the Act 250 regulatory process in place. As far as I know New Vista is not far enough along to have become involved in the Act 250 development approval process.

District 2 Republican House candidate David Ainsworth also notes the Act 250 requirement and adds he is “a little bit apprehensive about it [the project’s scale]” but couldn’t resist adding this: “But one of my biggest concerns is the overreaction and putting in a lot of regulations that will restrict everyone else’s opportunities to do things.” Have futuristic utopian city/states, throughout history always favored fewer government regulations and low tax states? I guess he fears Vermont might lose out on the coming boom in utopian city/state developments to New Hampshire.

Nicole Antal’s ongoing effort to get candidates and elected officials on public record early on in this process couldn’t come at a better time:  it looks like David Hall will begin a more systematic wooing of Vermonters’ support.

Recognizing a lucrative opportunity, Montpelier lobbyist/PR man Kevin Ellis reportedly solicited Hall for his business and offered his services. Ellis will be making connections and smoothing the way for the high-density 20,000-resident New Vista development. “This may be a great idea,” Ellis says. New Vista, he believes “…would inject millions of dollars and lots of new people into communities.” He could also add, but doesn’t, that the “injection” of dollars and lots of new people (20,000) would permanently, radically change — basically destroy — the existing rural character and lives of a large part of central Vermont.

Luckily we have a record of what the candidates say about New Vista now, let’s see what happens when long-time Montpelier lobbyist and PR ace Kevin Ellis sweet talks them in the years to come.

For now, says Ellis, David Hall is (under his guidance) “reaching out to local officials and residents.”  And later, should the need arise for any state rules or regulations to be adjusted favorably to the planned development by the legislature, long-time Montpelier lobbyist Kevin Ellis probably wants “to be in the middle of it.”

Hmmm,right ‘smack in the middle of it,’ that sounds familiar…

Man with no-name: “Baxter’s over there, Rojo’s there, me right smack in the middle”

[Yup, somebody gets a fistful of New Vista dollars]

Man with no-name: Crazy bell-ringer was right. There’s money to be made in these parts.

Does this make me look small?

local/regional, , , , , ,

Republican Phil Scott is leaving a trail of empty chairs at candidate forums around the state.

poor fitToday, he is racing away from a forum in St. Albans. All the Democratic candidates, Sue Minter, Matt Dunne and Peter “devoted American” Galbraith, are attending. Even Phil Scott’s Republican challenger, Bruce Lisman, took a risk and is attending.

The Phil-Bus mobile campaign vehicle is all over the state but he won’t sit down for a few hours with the other candidates.

How is he ever going to fill the BIG chair he is campaigning for when he can’t sit down in a little chair and debate the issues?

Could be jitters -it’s his first BIG campaign after all.