State News

Vermont leaders pass joint resolution  condemning riot in D.C. 130-16

On Jan. 8 the Vermont House of Representatives voted 130-16 in favor of a resolution to condemn the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The bill enjoyed tri-partisan support.

According to a release from the Vermont Democratic Party, “130 Democratic, Republican, and Progressive House members voted in favor of the resolution in condemning the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 as an attack on democracy, acknowledging Donald Trump’s inciting of yesterday’s violence, and calling for President Donald Trump to resign or be removed from office by his Cabinet or by the United States Congress.”

However, the release continues, “16 Vermont House Republicans sided with Donald Trump and his army of traitors today, and we believe that they should be held accountable for their actions. They failed to decry Trump’s call for violence and his own failure to condemn the acts of insurrection that occurred yesterday.”

Due to quirks of the legislative process, the identity of the dissenters is a bit of a mystery as lawmakers simply say ‘yea’ or ‘nay’ in unison to signify their support or opposition to a bill.

What is clear is that 29 members of the House did not co-sponsor the resolution— 26 Republicans, two independents and one Democrat, Kristi Morris of Springfield.

But nine of those members still supported the resolution on the House floor.

Kit Norton of VTDigger contributed to this reporting.

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