Dear Editor,
Sen. Patrick Leahy’s recent announcement has caused me to reflect on his legacy and his many years of service to Vermont and the nation. Until recent events, I considered myself a lifelong Republican. Although I now consider myself an independent, I still firmly believe in limited government, self-reliance, public safety and free enterprise.
Although there are many issues on which I disagree with Sen. Leahy, over the years I have come to admire and respect him. His departure from the Senate will be a loss to Vermont.
I was nominated by President Bush to be the United States Attorney for Vermont. One of the prerequisites to Senate confirmation was a meeting with Sen. Leahy, who had the power to derail any presidential nomination.
Needless to say, I was extremely nervous about meeting Sen. Leahy. I should not have been. He greeted me warmly and our hour-long conversation flew by. Sen. Leahy quizzed me about my wife, my kids, my parents and my siblings. He was particularly and genuinely interested in learning about my adopted brother and sister, who my parents adopted from an orphanage in Macau. It meant a lot to me and to my parents.
The Senator also shared some of his photos and stories from the myriad trips he has taken over the years. When I tried to steer the conversation toward the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the senator told me that, based on my background and experience as a state and federal prosecutor, he was confident I would honorably serve as United States Attorney for Vermont.
I always tried my best not to let him down.
In short, upon leaving the meeting, I had a new respect for Sen. Leahy and had little doubt I would be confirmed as U.S. attorney.
During my tenure as U.S. attorney, Sen. Leahy was always supportive and never tried to interfere or influence any matter referred to our office. He visited the office with FBI Director Robert Mueller to personally meet and thank the investigators and prosecutors who had successfully arrested and charged the killer of 13-year-old Brooke Bennett. Even when he strongly criticized the Bush administration for firing a number of U.S. attorneys around the country, he not once directed his ire toward me or the Vermont U.S. Attorney’s Office. I have always been grateful for that.
As commissioner of public safety for the state of Vermont, I was fortunate to work closely with Sen. Leahy on a number of issues, ranging from disaster relief to funding of the Vermont State Police. His office was also instrumental in assisting me in getting the Dept. of Justice to release grant funding that had been jeopardized by the Trump administration. He was a true partner in these efforts.
As Vermont poet Robert Frost wrote in his poem “Two Tramps in Mud Time”: “My object in living is to unite my avocation with my vocation, as my two eyes make one in sight.” Sen. Leahy is one those fortunate to have achieved this goal and Vermont has been the beneficiary. Thank you and Godspeed, Sen. Leahy.
Thomas Anderson, Wilmington, North Carolina Anderson was former public safety commissioner for Vermont (appointed by Gov. Scott) and the former U.S. attorney for Vermont (appointed by Pres. Bush).
