Gov. Douglas responds to Thursday's attacks

Republican Gov. Jim Douglas' camp responded fervently Friday morning to Thursday's wave of attacks from the Vermont Democratic Party and gubernatorial candidates House Speaker Gaye Symington (D-Jericho) and Progressive Anthony Pollina.

Vermont Democratic Coordinated Campaign Director Kristina Althoff issued a controversial statement on Thursday assailing Douglas on the closing of Vermont Tubbs that prompted Secretary of Commerce and Community development Kevin Dorn to refute her attack, calling the information "patently inaccurate" and "completely false."

"The Vermont Community Development Program authorized a $500,000 grant to the town of Brandon this spring, which was to be loaned to the former owners of Vermont Tubbs," Dorn responded in his statement. "Furthermore, this Agency did everything reasonable within its authority to keep these jobs in Vermont."

Dennise Casey, Douglas' re-election campaign manager, called the statement "totally incorrect," and said that the inaccuracies hurt the credibility of the VDP.

Casey went on to criticize Symington's newly proposed "Roadmap to Energy Independence."

"This plan seems grossly lacking in detail," Casey said, and also noted that she had "serious questions" as to how small business owners would handle Vermonters' demands for weatherization materials without receiving immediate payment. "It is unfair, to ask small business owners to front the costs of big ticket items. The folks left out in the cold are small business owners."

Casey added that Symington's proposal for "Biomass Business Incubator" was similar to past proposals made by the governor and the Republican caucus in Vermont's legislature. Casey also noted that Symington could not mandate public universities to research certain subjects, only work with them.

Finally, Casey defended Douglas against Pollina's challenge to make fuel and heating materials more accessible, citing the governor's Food and Fuel Partnership initiative as a way Douglas was helping ease Vermonters' costly burden of fuel and heating.