The Vermont State Police have issued a press release with further details about last night’s taser incident in Thetford. See the full text below the fold…

Colonel Thomas L’Esperance, Director of the Vermont State Police, provided the following statement at a press conference which was held at the Department of Public Safety Headquarter building in Waterbury earlier today:

On June 20th, 2012 at approximately 1511 hours, Troopers from the Vermont State Police Bradford Barracks were contacted by an Intake Crisis Technician at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center regarding a person that was reportedly suicidal.  That person called the hospital threatening to harm and kill himself and others, it was also reported that the person had weapons and was prepared to use them.  The person was identified as 39 year old Macadam Mason.        

Three Troopers from the Bradford Barracks initially responded to a residence, located at 1100 Sawnee Bean Road in the Town of Thetford.  The Troopers saw Mr. Mason inside the residence through a window and knocked on the door and asked him to come out and speak with them.  Mr. Mason was uncooperative and refused to comply with the Troopers request to speak with them.  The Troopers remained at the residence and called a family member of Mr. Mason asking if the family member could respond to the area to provide the Troopers with recent history of Mr. Mason that could aid in deescalating Mr. Mason.  When Mr. Mason’s family member arrived, Mr. Mason ran from the residence into a wooded area behind the residence.  Troopers called for medical personnel to come to the area to be available to assist if there assistance was needed. A Vermont State Police K-9 was also called in to assist with the search for Mr. Mason.      

A couple hours later Mr. Mason returned to his residence and was addressed by a Trooper and several verbal commands were directed at him, which he refused to comply with.  The Trooper noticed that Mr. Mason was unarmed, unarmed,  therefore he lowered his weapon and drew his taser.  The Trooper ordered Mr. Mason on the ground and Mr. Mason lowered to a squatting position, the Trooper continued to tell  Mr. Mason to get on his stomach, at which time Mr. Mason stood up and moved toward the Trooper with a closed fist yelling aggressively at the Trooper.  Mr. Mason and the Trooper were now less than ten feet from one another.  The Trooper continued with verbal commands for Mr. Mason to get on the ground, and after several failed attempts for Mr. Mason to comply, the Trooper deployed his taser, striking Mr. Mason in the chest.   Mr. Mason went to the ground and the Trooper immediately rendered first aid as he observed Mr. Mason was unresponsive.  The Trooper administered CPR and continued so until Rescue personnel took over the care of Mr. Mason and transported him via ambulanced to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH, where he was pronounced dead at the hospital.  

Several Vermont State Police Investigators from outside the area were contacted to conduct an  investigation.  The completed investigation will be forwarded to both the Orange County State’s Attorney and the Attorney General Office for review.  The name of the Trooper involved in this incident is being withheld for a 24 hour period, per policy of the Vermont State Police.

The autopsy is scheduled for 1:00pm today at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Concord, NH.  Results of the autopsy information are not under the jurisdiction of the State of Vermont, as that portion of the investigation will be directed by the authorities of the New Hampshire Medical Examiner’s Office.

No further information is available at this time.      

###

Originally posted by BP with the title Will AG Sorrell be appealing? on Thu Feb 16, 2012 at 17:00:00 PM EST. The original has been copied here, then deleted to deal with a software glitch.

Well we don’t know yet and the drama plays out on several fronts. But hidden behind the online pay-wall at the Rutland Herald is news that the Vermont Yankee Decommissioning Alliance has an online petition going in addition to door to door efforts. The petition urges Attorney General Sorrell to appeal the federal ruling against the State of Vermont about retiring the Entergy’s aging Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. The petition online has almost 500 signatures.

Petition:  Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant is old, unreliable and not only an environmental liability but an economic liability to the state of Vermont. The people of Vermont want Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant to shut down on time.

We thank our Legislature and the Governor for standing for us and voting, in February 2010 to shut VT Yankee down by declining a Certificate of Public Good passed March 21, 2012!

We urge the state not to back down; to fight for Vermont’s democratic process and to continue to fight Entergy.

We urge the Attorney General appeal Judge Murtha’s bad decision.

Here’s the link … But if you wish to “sign” act promptly because Sorrell has said he will decide soon what action to take.  

I’ve copied the comments from the original diary here:

Done!

This should really be a no-brainer.  

by: Sue Prent @ Thu Feb 16, 2012 at 17:53:15 PM EST

Dunno

I’ve never found him to be remotely appealing.

Musician, Web Designer, Photographer

by:JulieWaters @ Thu Feb 16, 2012 at 18:09:52 PM EST

😉

by:Sue Prent @ Thu Feb 16, 2012 at 18:31:09 PM EST

     

He will

Yes he will appeal and yes he will lose again.  Time to change horses.

by: reelvermonter @ Thu Feb 16, 2012 at 19:38:21 PM EST

Ayuh.

by: NanuqFC @ Fri Feb 17, 2012 at 23:17:04 PM EST

not happening

comfortable to hide behind the Courts decision and very bad time to look like you are throwing away good money after bad.  

public pressure never really tweaked Bill in the past.   we don’t need your steeeenking petition.

there is no one who would/could successfully challenge him if he decides to run again.

OK, who?

by: Inigma @ Thu Feb 16, 2012 at 21:08:40 PM EST

David Sleigh

by: NanuqFC @ Fri Feb 17, 2012 at 23:20:19 PM EST

Rosemarie Jackowski For AG!!! n/t

by:PeteySweety @ Fri Feb 17, 2012 at 11:43:41 AM EST

No Commitment

The current attorney general was never committed to the case against Entergy, or he wouldn’t have lost. All No-Soda Sorrell is interested in is policing poor people’s sugar intake. In overreaching beyond his job’s boundaries, Sorrell is Salmon’s next nearest rival.

by:Aurora Borealis @ Fri Feb 17, 2012 at 23:33:39 PM EST

Donovan vs Sorrell

I have a history with the issues around VY.  I’ve been lobbying to close the plant for five years.  I was unhappy that we lost the suit to Entergy is district 1, but after sitting through the entire trial I can say this with confidence.  We got a bad judge who bought into the glitz and glitter of an expensive law firm.  It didn’t help that the closing attorney had a horrible cold.  These things mattered.  The state put on a very good, logical case.  Curt Hebert’s testimony alone should’ve been enough to convince the judge, but he had his mind made up before that trial began.

Now, regarding this article.  I’ve been a fan of GMD for a long time and will continue to be a fan for a long time going forward, but I would take issue with this piece.

Mr. Donovan has not “amended” his position.  He came out ambivilent on the Entergy suit and only changed his tune when he realized that he would need the anti-nuke constituency to win the primary.

He has publicly stated that he was “mentored” by Burlington’s proclaimed king maker; Harlan Sylvester.  Do we believe that Sylvester supports closing down VY, or single-payer, or GMO labeling or any other progressive issue?  I don’t, and if this is the man to whom Mr. Donovan is aligned then I sincerely doubt if he does either.

You may ask why would I support Bill Sorrell after he lost the single most important case that I care about?  That answer is simple: he is absolutely THE best person to take this case to appeal.  His career is on the line with this case.  For him it’s a “must win” deal.

For Mr. Donovan it doesn’t really matter.  He’s expressed little interest in the case and should he take it forward and lose he can always say that it was Sorrell’s fault.  His heart and soul is not in this no matter what he’s saying now.

I have some experience in what I say. Mr. Donovan began reaching out to me during the last legislative session.  He said he wanted to buy me a coffee and talk about VY and the case.  I told him that I was in the building every day and to just give me a call and we could meet.

He reached out to me 9 times yet never set up a meeting.  The ninth time he called me at home after the session was out and I told him that it was too little, too late.

It’s the same way I feel about his new-found interest in the VY case.

by:Bob S @ Tue Jun 19, 2012 at 10:11:13 AM EDT

( – promoted by Sue Prent)

A cute music video about the likely effects of SOPA (and it’s second cousin Protect IP) on the future of the internet:

( – promoted by Sue Prent)

“What we have to remember is that the last three times the Democrats negotiated with the Republicans, in almost every instance, they gave the Republicans virtually everything that they wanted.” – Bernie Sanders

If only our entire delegation had the guts to tell the republicans to pound sand when it comes to inflicting austerity measures when there’s a simple solution to our problems:

• Raise the top marginal tax rate on the wealthiest 1% – many of whom, by the way, WANT their taxes raised!


Billionaires Asking Congress to Raise Their Taxes, Nov. 16, 2011, photo source: CNN Money

 

• Raise the maximum income to which social security tax applies.

 

• Implement a tiny transaction fee for financial trades – which will both increase revenues and even out the stock and commodities market, reducing the insane, destabilizing market swings caused by speculative trading.

[Edited to add formatting and the tid-bit about the billionaires who requested a tax increase yesterday.]

( – promoted by Sue Prent)

As a big “Thank You” to the Democratic overture of last week, the Repblican cohort of Cat Food Commission II has generously offered to raise revenues by $500 billion dollars LESS than they had offered to raise them over the summer.

Though, to be fair, out of the kindness of their hearts, they plan to spare the top earners from any worrisome tax increases, instead gutting those features of the tax code that help the middle class, such as the home mortgage interest deduction and deductions of state and local taxes.

Isn’t it awesome? Don’t you love how our clever Democratic Congress people, thoughtfully reach across the aisle to so effectively keep the other guys from dumping us into the piranha tank? Oh, wait, we’re being dropped into the tank anyway? Oops. No one could have predicted that would happen (heh).

So what if we’re stripped to the bone to further fuel the wealth hoarders’ gluttonous habits? At least the Democrats are friendly!

But here’s my favorite part:

Plus, there is a huge catch: in order to agree to raising revenue, Republicans want to not only make all of the Bush tax cuts permanent, but according to the Washington Post’s Greg Sargent, they also want to lower the top income tax rate from its current 35 percent to 28 percent:

   The highest tax rate would be reduced from 35 percent to 28 percent under the emerging GOP tax code overhaul proposal, the senior Democratic aide tells me. And the reduction would actually be even bigger than this. After all, if the Bush tax cuts were allowed to expire, as they’re set to do, the high end rate would go up to at least 39 percent. In other words, the aide says, under the proposal Republicans are pushing, the drop down to 28 percent would be at least 10 percentage points from what it would be if the cuts are allowed to expire.

To translate: the Republicans are offering to screw the middle class as a gift to Democrats, as long as the Democrats agree to screw the whole country in return.  

Here’s where letters like the one signed last week blaze a trail of stupidity across the sky:

By being vague and conciliatory, the signatories opened the door for the Republicans to create a lose-lose scenario.

Ok, Congressman Welch, looks like you guys have created an awesome outcome! Now, will you vote to end the home mortgage deduction and implement all sorts of austerity, while cutting taxes on the people who ruined the economy? Or will you let the poison pill take effect, resulting in all sorts of austerity, but at least gaining a bit of revenue without also destroying the last vestige of the housing market?

Might I make a suggestion? Stop playing these “clever” tactical games that make the entire caucus look like a bunch of strategic idiots when the Republicans inevitably turn around and kick us in the teeth.

As one insider put it, in response to this proposed Republican “concession”: “They either think we’re morons or desperate.” Alas, I’m guessing they think you’re both.

[edited to fix 2 typos]

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(A note on this – this is a good, important diary. It does call on Welch to be defeated next election. Many of us at GMD – myself included – are not inclined to go there, so it should not be considered any kind of GMD “anti-endorsement,” but it’s a critical topic and Welch should be criticized. – promoted by odum)

Peter Welch’s name appeared in an interesting list this AM – the list of what’s being called the “Stupendously Stupid Sixty” in other places.

What’s the list about? It’s a list of Congresspeople who plan to vote for austerity measures – cutting social security, medicare, medicaid, research funding and other measures that will further destroy the fabric of our society.

He has signed on to a letter to the new Cat Food commission telling them he’ll go along with the pain the commission plans to impose on the rest of us, so they can avoid the risk of losing a few campaign contributions from greedy, avaricious billionaires who refuse to pay their fair share.

Welch should be ashamed. His lack of backbone should not be rewarded with another term.

Call his office now, and let him know: no more austerity for the working people of Vermont and the nation. We’ve had enough.

Vermont Office

• 30 Main Street • Third Floor, Suite 350 • Burlington, VT 05401 • Phone: (802) 652-2450 or (888) 605-7270

Washington D.C. Office

• 1404 Longworth House Office Building • Washington, DC 20515 • Phone: (202) 225-4115 •  

Below is the list of signatories to the letter preemptively telling Cat Food Commission II that it’s A-OK to screw working, retired, and disabled Americans. Note the name I’ve bolded and italicized near the very end of the list:

Robert E. Andrews (N.J.)

John Barrow (Ga.)

Timothy Bishop (N.Y.)

Dan Boren (Okla.)

Leonard Boswell (Iowa)

Dennis Cardoza (Calif.)

John Carney (Del.)

Kathy Castor (Fla.)

Ben Chandler (Ky.)

Emanuel Cleaver II (Mo.)

Gerry Connolly (Va.)

Jim Cooper (Tenn.)

Jim Costa (Calif.)

Henry Cuellar (Texas)

Danny K. Davis (Ill.)

Peter DeFazio (Ore.)

Diana DeGette (Colo.)

Norm Dicks (Wash.)

Chaka Fattah (Pa.)

John Garamendi (Calif.)

Brian Higgins (N.Y.)

Jim Himes (Conn.)

Steny Hoyer (Md.)

Dale Kildee (Mich.)

Ron Kind (Wis.)

Rick Larsen (Wash.)

John Larson (Conn.)

Daniel Lipinski (Ill.)

David Loebsack (Iowa)

Carolyn Maloney (N.Y.)

Jim Matheson (Utah)

Mike McIntyre (N.C.)

Gregory Meeks (N.Y.)

James Moran (Va.)

William Owens (N.Y.)

Bill Pascrell (N.J.)

Ed Perlmutter (Colo.)

Gary Peters (Mich.)

Collin Peterson (Minn.)

Chellie Pingree (Maine)

Jared Polis (Colo.)

David Price (N.C.)

Mike Quigley (Ill.)

Nick Rahall (W.Va.)

Mike Ross (Ark.)

Steven Rothman (N.J.)

Dutch Ruppersberger (Md.)

Adam Schiff (Calif.)

Kurt Schrader (Ore.)

Allyson Schwartz (Pa.)

Terri Sewell (Ala.)

Heath Shuler (N.C.)

Adam Smith (Wash.)

Mike Thompson (Calif.)

Niki Tsongas (Mass.)

Peter Visclosky (Ind.)

Tim Walz (Minn.)

Mel Watt (N.C.)

Peter Welch (Vt.)

John Yarmuth (Ky.)

(Breaking news… – promoted by mataliandy)

According to a report in the AP, an oven at a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Southern France exploded.

It was not immediately clear how serious the accident was or whether there were any victims. The Marcoule site is located in Langedoc Roussillon, in southern France, near the Mediterranean Sea.

I imagine more details will follow as more info becomes available.

( – promoted by odum)

From the press release:

“I am proud to add Mark Larson to my administration and look forward to his leadership at DVHA,” said Gov. Shumlin. “Mark has a deep understanding of health policy in Vermont, including complex systems like Medicaid, which is central to health planning. Mark has also demonstrated his commitment to the principles behind Act 48, and will be a valuable member of my health care policy team.”

As commissioner, Larson will oversee management of Vermont’s publicly funded health insurance programs.  He will also play a key role in moving forward Vermont’s health care reform efforts, including the new Vermont Health Benefit Exchange and Green Mountain Care. Larson will officially begin the position on Aug. 17.

Mark has worked hard over his years in the house to improve and protect the well-being of Vermonters. He’s a great choice for this position.

(When it comes to policy and economics, it seems the only “invisible hand” is the one holding the fact sheet that is invisible to those elected to set policies. – promoted by Caoimhin Laochdha)

This graphic says it all:

Source: ThinkProgress

The more a state cuts spending, the more jobs lost in that state.

It IS actually that simple.

Despite the nonsensical claims from the proponents of “cut everything always,” government DOES create jobs – both directly (when you work for the government, you have a job and your employer is the government) and indirectly (when money is flowing into the local economy, it enables businesses to hire).

More than 98% of all businesses in the US are small businesses (PDF of stats from Small Business Association).

Those small businesses usually operate within state lines – they are neither national companies nor multinational behemoths. These small businesses are the bread and butter of the economy. They account for most of the jobs, and 50% of the GDP.

And now, after 30 years of running scared from the dreaded “t” word (thank you, Ron Reagan!), it’s been amply demonstrated that those cuts destroy local economies – by both directly and indirectly slashing jobs.

It’s time to stop running from the cut-mongers. They either have no idea what they’re talking about, or, worse, know exactly what they are doing, but have evil intentions.

We need some grown-ups to stand up and say “enough.”

Bernie has made a good start.

I hope to start hearing echoes of his common sense from leadership everywhere.  

( – promoted by mataliandy)

Bob Bland, one of the hardest working, most inspirational, generous and friendly people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting has died.

Bob had been ill for the last several months, and died while being treated at University Medical Center of El Paso, TX.

Words cannot do justice to all he gave to Vermont during his years in our state. He was one of those people who was simply part of everything important, quietly (or not so quietly) working to make it better – helping get myriad Democrats elected, working tirelessly for LGBT rights, and so very much more.

R.I.P. Bob – you will be missed.

UPDATE:

The Arizona Democratic Party’s LGBT caucus has written a great tribute (which, unfortunately, is posted as an image). I urge everyone to take a look – Bob dedicated his life to creating a better world, and made great strides toward that end.