Dean's Corruption in the Green Mountain State
http://www.dissidentvoice.org/Articles8/Frank_Dean-Sorrell-Corruption.htmWilliam Sorrell met Howard Dean twenty-five years ago, when Sorrell's mother introduced the two during a neighborhood gathering. Grandma Sorrell was a Democratic Party loyalist, and an activist to boot. At the time, her son William was a rookie state attorney, and Howard a young doctor with political aspirations. They connected immediately. Both had hopes of climbing among Vermont's elite, where they could flaunt their power freely.
In 1983, shortly after the two met, Dean was voted into the Vermont House of Representatives, where he served for 3 consecutive years. By 1986 he became the state's Lieutenant Governor, and in 1991 took over Vermont's top job when acting Gov. Richard Snelling died unexpectedly.
It seems these two cronies had a mutual disdain for the judicial process from the start. In the same year Sorrell was appointed Attorney General, Dean was quoted in a Vermont Press Bureau interview as saying that he believed quick convictions were just, and that legal technicalities should be overlooked during the prosecution of criminal and civil cases. He even said he was willing to appoint people to high positions who interpreted the Bill of Rights the same as he -- with a knack for overlooking the Bill’s particulars.
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When asked if Dean would ever appoint an independent investigator to look into the law enforcement’s misconduct regarding Sorrell and the Woodward shooting, Sue Allen, Dean’s ex-spokesperson had this to say for Dean. “The Governor has been reluctant to do that (appoint special investigators) in the past, and has a great deal of faith in the Attorney General. He read the report and was comfortable with the findings.”
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NOTE:
The federal litigation pending against Dean's Judicial Appointees mentioned in the above article will be before the United States Second Circuit Court of Appeals for final hearing on October 20, 2003, 40 Foley Square, Ny, Ny. Also in front of the courthouse will be a peaceful protest demanding the court hold Dean's legacy, his judicial appointees, accountable. Contact s_huminski@hotmail.com for details.
Noteworthy in the above article is Dean's willingness to review his crony Sorrell's report on the Woodward shooting with a vast conflict of interest existing between Dean and Sorrell. Dean had no intention of undermining his crony's "investigation" and decision regarding the Woodward murder. This gross conflict of interest would be a crime in many states. Not in Dean's Vermont. After speaking with Justice for Woody people, the ethical and moral depravity of Dean and Sorrell becomes wholly evident and in this instance resulted in a tragic denial of justice and closure.
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"Cronies V. Qualifications", Howard Dean's Dilemma"
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2003/9/prweb80286.htmIn 1992, now Governor Dean showed his appreciation to William Sorrell and his family by appointing Sorrell as Secretary of Administration. In 1997 it became time again for Governor Dean to thank William Sorrell and the Sorrell family by attempting to appoint Sorrell as the Chief Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court. Unfortunately, Sorrell had absolutely no judicial experience. Dean’s zeal to appoint his long-time friend to the highest judicial office in the state hit a roadblock. Noting zero experience, the judicial nominating board refused to place Dean’s friend on the short list for the top judicial spot. Dean became furious. Dean rejected the first list from the judicial nominating board that failed to include Sorrell. Again citing a lack of Sorrell’s qualifications, the board forwarded to Dean a second list that did not include Sorrell. Press reports noted this "tiff" between Dean and the board.
An angry Dean admitted defeat on the Sorrell Chief Justice appointment, but, he had a plan! To take care of his friend and appease the judicial nominating board at the same time. He would appoint the current Attorney General to the Chief Justice spot creating a vacancy for Vermont Attorney General. Perfect. Dean promptly vacated the Attorney General spot and filed it with his friend Sorrell. Dean got the job done of appointing Sorrell to a high position. All was well with Vermont cronies.
Now this tale is continuing while Dean run’s for president and his unqualified cronies wait for their payback. Its no secret that Sorrell would be number one in line for United States Attorney General under Dean. Its also no secret that Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell has engaged in criminal federal civil rights violations. Also in his tenure as Attorney General, Sorrell has used the cover-up of: obstruction of justice, extortion, acceptance of bribes by lower Vermont Prosecutors and illegal alcohol crimes to support his allies and friends. The Department of Justice knows about the Vermont corruption, but, why would that agency lodge criminal charges against Sorrell or other Vermont officials prior to the primaries?
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After living in Vermont for a decade under the Dean regime, I’ve seen how he works and whom he appoints. The oppressive anti-civil-rights environment created by Dean’s appointments was complemented by the corruption and cronyism that epitomizes Dean’s Vermont. With Dean surging in the polls, the ex-Governor is correct, it’s time to look at his record in Vermont. We must also look at the records of those in his Vermont inner circle and of his appointees.
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"Dean’s Police State of Vermont"
http://bureaucrash.com/blogs/dispatches/000512.shtmlIn a 1997 Vt News Bureau interview, Dean admitted his desire to appoint judges willing to subvert the bill of rights. Now the fallout from Dean's appointments are before the US 2nd Circuit at Foley Square, NYC in two outrageous cases. Docket #s 03-7036, 02-6150, 02-6199, 02-6201 One case is being prosecuted by Washington, DC first amendment attorney Robert Corn-Revere against two of Dean's judges for their banishment of a Vermont "citizen-reporter" for life from all state courthouses because he criticized one of Dean's judicial appointees. The other case features Dean's judges violating Double Jeopardy, First Amendment, State law and the State constitution. See Docket No. 99-445 (Vt. Dec. 13, 2000), aff’g, Docket No. 167-1-99 WmCr (Windham D. Ct. Aug. 30, 1999) Both cases have been briefed before the Manhattan Court awaiting oral argument. Also filing a brief in federal court against Dean's appointees is the Thomas Jefferson Center For The Protection of Freedom of Expression.
Criminal sentences doubled during Dean's tenure as a result of his appointments. I wonder how many of those serving these inflated sentences were also subjugated to constitutional deprivations at the hands of Dean's Judicial appointees leading to their convictions? How many of those serving inflated sentences were prejudiced by Deans' subversion of the public defender system mandated by the 6th amendment?
In the Meet the Press interview with Dean while discussing the death penalty he stated:
http://stacks.msnbc.com/news/912159.asp?cp1=1"So I just—life without parole, which we have which I actually got passed when I was lieutenant governor— the problem with life without parole is that people get out for reasons that have nothing to do with justice. We had a case where a guy who was a rapist, a serial sex offender, was convicted, then was let out on what I would think and believe was a technicality, a new trial was ordered and the victim wouldn’t come back and go through the second trial. "
Now, according to Dean, the Bill of Rights (ie. legal technicalities) has "nothing to do with justice". In the above quote, is he saying that if someone was unconstitutionally convicted it is better that the government kill them before they can point out the constitutional problems with their conviction?
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Dean's comments on civil liberties cause alarm
http://rutlandherald.nybor.com/News/Story/33681.htmlMONTPELIER — Gov. Howard Dean's call for a “re-evaluation” of some of America's civil liberties following this week's terrorist attacks was criticised Thursday by a Vermont Law School professor.
“Good God,” Vermont Law School Professor Michael Mello said when read the remarks Dean made at a Wednesday news conference. “It's terribly irresponsible for the leader of our state to be saying stuff like that right now.”
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Dean said Wednesday he believed that the attacks ( 9/11) and their aftermath would “require a re-evaluation of the importance of some of our specific civil liberties. I think there are going to be debates about what can be said where, what can be printed where, what kind of freedom of movement people have and whether it's OK for a policeman to ask for your ID just because you're walking down the street.”
Dean said he had not taken a position on these questions. Asked whether he meant that specific rights described in the Bill of Rights — the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution — would have to be trimmed, the governor said:
“I haven't gotten that far yet. I think that's unlikely, but I frankly haven't gotten that far. Again, I think that's a debate that we will have.”
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Since past seems to equate present here on DU, it appears Dean would (in part) equate to a second bush term without bush actually being re-elected
CLARK FOR PRESIDENT
"I'm going to give them the TRUTH and they'll THINK it's hell."
Retyred IN FLA.