Brattleboro, VT has the right idea.

Indictment Petition

On January 25 the Town Clerk’s office received a petition from Brattleboro resident Kurt Daims. Per Town Charter, a petition containing signatures from 5% of Brattleboro voters can be placed on the ballot for a Town-wide vote. Mr. Daims’ petition did contain the required number of signatures. At a meeting on January 25, the Brattleboro Selectboard voted 3-2 to place the petition on the ballot. Reasons given by Board members voting in the affirmative centered on the belief that if a petition contained the required signatures, the voters should have the opportunity to vote on the matter. Reasons given by Board members voting on the dissent centered on the belief that articles outside the scope and authority of the Town should not go before the voters of the Town. The Brattleboro Town Attorney has stated that the petition has no legal standing, as the Town Attorney has no authority to write an indictment and the Town Police Department has no authority to attempt an arrest of the President of the United States.

The Town will vote on the article on March 4.

Vermont seems to be one of the few places in the U.S. that still has common sense, and uses it. The state Senate voted last year to support impeaching the president. Anti-war rallies are regular occurrences, and “Impeach Bush” bumper stickers are common.

What worries me are the blind sycophants who still cannot see what the Bush administration has done to this country over the past eight years, and are calling and writing to harass Brattleboro town employees and residents.

As reported by the AP, “We have some concerns about safety,” said Town Clerk Annette Cappy. “After reading some of these e-mails, you can’t help it.”

Acting Police Chief Eugene Wrinn said any threats would be taken seriously and possibly prosecuted. So far, no threats have been made, he said.

“If someone is concerned for their safety, if there’s a threat of harm, we will look at that seriously,” he said.

Resident Kurt Daims, who submitted the petition, said late Tuesday he was chagrined that the town and its employees were subject to ridicule.

“I feel bad for people who are loyal to Bush who have lost a son or had one in the service and it’s hard for them to admit the utter waste of it, and that it was caused by this man in the White House,” he said.