So what did Strough actually say?
Vermont gun range saga continues
The Front Page
Afternoon update
Wednesday, June 16, 2021
By Ken Tingley
The Warren County Democratic Committee has quietly rescinded its endorsement of John Strough to continue as supervisor in Queensbury. That was the news on the front page of The Post-Star Wednesday.
The news was surprising considering Strough’s long track record in Queensbury and one of the few Democrats who holds office in the county. What was especially disturbing was Democratic Committee Chairperson Lynne Boucher failure to discuss the decision with Chad Arnold of The Post-Star, saying it was the business of the Democratic Committee.
So much for transparency.
If the committee is making decisions for all the Democrats in the county, doesn’t it have a duty to inform them the reasons behind their decisions?
Strough told The Post-Star he was not told why the endorsement was being revoked and that he was not given an opportunity to defend himself. According to The Post-Star story, the letter referenced his behavior at an April 16 Board of Supervisors meeting that was brought to the attention of the committee by supervisors Claudia Braymer and Andrea Hogan. At that meeting, Braymer said Strough’s behavior seemed “very misogynistic.”
When you are talking about a complaint against a long-time reputation of a public servant, it seems like you should give him the courtesy of knowing what the complaint is.
“Misogyny,” is defined as “hatred or contempt for women or girls.” Because words matter, that is a pretty serious charge.
Neither Braymer nor Hogan spoke to The Post-Star either.
The Democratic committee can endorse who they please, but when someone’s reputation is at stake, it should make it clear the reasons behind its decisions. That’s the fair and right thing to do.
Gun range in West Pawlet
A couple months back, I wrote about the man in West Pawlet, Vt. who built a gun range without getting any of the proper permits. The New York Times ended up doing a story about the controversy.
On Sunday, The Post-Star ran an AP story reporting that the gun range owner is appealing a court ruling that ordered him to shut down the range, demolish the unpermitted buildings and pay a $46,000 fine.
The owner filed a notice of appeal with the Vermont Supreme Court.
Quote of the Week
“Every year, I would leave Columbia University and walk back out to Broadway to catch a cab or a subway. I would always have two thoughts: The first thought was, boy, it is really, really hard to win a Pulitzer Prize. The second thing I would say is … thank God for journalists. Because there’s an awful lot about the world that we wouldn’t know.”
- Paul Tash, chairman and CEO of the Poynter-owned Times Publishing Company, who served on the Pulitzer Board for nine years.
Tweet of the Day
I’m guessing there is more to this than meets the eye. And I’m pleased the Dems aren’t eating their own in public. We have certainly had enough of that in recent years.
I attended this meeting.
Calling John Strough a
Misogynist is totally over
the top. Unfair, without any
justification. Apparently the
new rules in Warren County
are if you disagree with
Ms. Braymer or Ms. Hogan,
you are now a Misogynist.
In addition, we will kick you
out of the Democratic Party.