BRATTLEBORO — Franz Reichsman stood to make a motion that the Windham County Democratic Committee support a resolution to impeach President Donald J. Trump.
“Whoo-hoo!” someone cheered.
Despite a previous meeting of the committee being marked by division over support for party leadership at the state level [“Democrats weigh in on embezzlement,” News, Sept. 11], members quickly agreed to support the resolution to impeach Trump.
This motion passed unanimously on a voice vote.
The resolution will also be sent to Vermont's Congressional delegation (U.S. Rep. Peter Welch and U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, both Democrats, and independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders) and the Congressional leadership. It will be made public through the press and social media.
“Because of Donald J. Trump's repeated violations of his oath of office to 'protect and defend the Constitution of the United States,' the Windham County Democratic Committee supports the efforts currently underway to impeach and convict him of his offenses justifying his removal from office, in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Constitution,” the resolution said.
“We commend the Congress for its deliberate, methodical and orderly approach to addressing the crisis facing our country, brought on by the president's corrupt actions,” the statement concluded.
Reichsman said the intent of his motion was to put the county committee on the record in support of impeaching Trump and the need for further action.
He also proposed activity to take place during the Nov. 1 Gallery Walk downtown, handing out informational flyers and invites for a rally in support of impeachment efforts.
The date of the event at Pliny Park at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3 marks one year until the 2020 presidential election.
Reichman made his motion at the end of the Democrats' Oct. 22 biennial caucus held at the Winston Prouty campus. Most of the evening had focused on the committee's perfunctory organizational needs: electing officials and delegates as well as considering a slate of action items for 2020.
The impeachment petition, however, piqued the audience's attention.
Inspiration from a column
According to Reichsman, the resolution grew from an Oct. 20 column in The New York Times by David Leonhardt: “Want Trump to Go? Take to the Streets: Another moment for public protest has arrived.”
In the column, Leonhardt writes that a surge of peaceful protests can make a decision not to impeach Trump a painful one for lawmakers.
According to Reichsman, in the column's comments, people from across the country started spontaneously naming cities and selecting meeting locations.
“All over the place, people [were] saying, 'Yeah, let's do this!'” said Reichsman. “So, let's do this.”
Committee member Timm Harris, of Guilford, said he felt the resolution would have more sway if it had bipartisan support. No one will feel surprised that the Democrats support impeachment, he said.
State Rep. Mike Mrowicki, D-Putney, urged his fellow committee members to support the resolution.
“A lot of Republicans are trying to hide their support for Trump and I think this includes the governor,” Mrowicki said, charging that Gov. Phil Scott has been “doing a great dance around 'Do I support Trump, do I not support Trump?'
“But his policies are more in line with Trump,” said Mrowicki, citing Scott's stance on climate change.
“It's important that we hold up the differences between Democrats and Republicans, and this is a great way to do it,” he said.
Not all agree
Deb Berryere spoke against the committee pledging support as an organization.
“I think our fellow representatives do a bang-up job of representing what it is we want right now,” she said. “But I live in a community [Vernon] that is very red in some parts, and I have a legislator in my community [Rep. Sara Coffey, D-Guilford] who builds bridges all the time. She serves all the constituents. And I see this as being very divisive.”
Amelia Struthers disagreed.
“I don't see this as a partisan issue,” she said. “I see this as an issue of law. So that's why I think it is very appropriate for anybody - especially this committee - to support that.”
A few members acknowledged Berryere's concerns but added that the threats the Trump administration pose to the country go beyond partisan politics.
State Sen. Jeanette White agreed.
“This is a Constitutional issue that is nipping away at the very base of our democracy and I think it's really important that we say this,” said White, of Putney.
Steffen Gillom, of Brattleboro, pointed out that the committee acted on behalf of people not in the room.
“I think it's also important to remember when we talk about principles of the Democratic Party and the foundation of what our democracy is, the whole purpose is to uplift and prioritize the rights of those who don't have voices,” said Gillom, who chairs the Windham County branch of the NAACP.
“And so the fundamental question that I always ask myself when I move forward with something is, 'Well, who is it for? What is the learning for? What is the objective?'”
Gillom said that “if we prioritize the voices of those we don't want to be uncomfortable [over] the voices of those who are being persecuted by laws and rhetoric that is divisive and discriminatory, then how do we define our character? Where do we draw the line?”
“We have to find some way to take a stand in a way that is holistic, but also keeps our core principles in mind that we speak for the people who can't always be in the room,” he continued.
Ann DiBernardo agreed with Gillom.
“This is the only reason I'm here,” said DiBernardo, of Rockingham.
Elections
During the committee meeting, members elected John Hagen, chair; Leslie Goldman, vice chair; Nancy Olson, secretary; Timm Harris, treasurer; and Deb Berryere, assistant treasurer.
Members also elected Steffen Gillom and Stephanie Amyot to join Hagen as delegates to the state committee and named Sarah Swank, Deb Berryere, and Timm Harris as alternates.
Under the heading of proposals and action groups, Hagen submitted a set of “guiding priorities” for next year.
These included:
• getting out the Democratic vote for the 2020 elections,
• creating events and other opportunities to connect Democratic candidates and legislators with communities,
• identifying local issues for consideration by legislators and by the state platform committee,
• identifying and developing emerging leaders in, and attract diverse perspectives to, the party.
Action groups ranged from fundraising, to organizing debates, to preparing the county's input into the state's Democratic platform.
Hagen said he would give people approximately two weeks to volunteer for different groups. Then, he gently warned, he would start calling people for what he called “voluntelling.”
Committee members also approved allowing people to attend, and participate in, committee meetings via video conferencing.