Strange Goings on in Vermont Campaign Finance

Here’s a story from late July that probably deserves more coverage:

Accusations are flying in the state’s ongoing prosecution of an alleged campaign finance law violation from nearly two years ago.

The case involving Attorney General Bill Sorrell’s pursuit of Dean Corren, who ran for lieutenant governor in 2014, is still pending in federal district court in Burlington and Washington County Superior Court.

Sorrell is leaving office next year. He signaled in a recent interview that he is prepared to settle for less than his original request of $72,000 in fines and penalties. He accused Corren and his lawyer, John Franco, of being responsible for the delays in the case.

Corren called Sorrell’s interest in a settlement “disingenuous.” Corren said he would not agree to a deal, had already spent close to $20,000 in legal fees and wanted his name cleared.

Corren insists Sorrell should drop the state case because a ruling by District Judge William Sessions this year contained sections Corren said completely undermined the attorney general’s fundamental argument that a bulk email sent out on Corren’s behalf by the Democratic Party was not allowable while he was taking public funds to pay for his campaign.

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