Governor Isn’t Backing
O’Brien on MacDonald

The Douglas Administration is not intent on kicking Orange Co. Sen. Mark MacDonald off the Senate Finance Committee, a spokesman for Gov. Jim Douglas said last week.

Vermont Public Service Commissioner David O’Brien had said the previous week that no more of his experts would be sent to testify before that important committee unless MacDonald was removed from it.

That threat followed a controversial exchange in the committee room between Sen. MacDonald and Sarah Hoffman, who was testifying on behalf of the Public Service Department.

MacDonald, upset over the performance of the Public Service Department, grumbled that in China similar incompetence would result in somebody being taken out and shot.

O’Brien said he would not subject any more of his employees to such "abuse" from MacDonald.

Last week, however, Gov. Douglas’s press spokesman declined to back up O’Brien’s tough words.

"In this particular case, we accept the Senator's apology and we're moving forward," said Press Secretary Jason Gibbs.

He said, however, that the governor feels that civility is an on-going issue in legislative committee. Members of both the House and Senate sometimes "leave their manners at home from time to time and treat executive branch members—and others interested in testifying—in ways that leaves you shaking your head…"

"There are rules that govern decorum in the Legislature and we've urged the majority to review them," Gibbs said.