03/23/2026
Update: I have limited comments on this post.
Last week I publicly shared an uncomfortable experience I had with a now resigned, House member.
On one of my first days as a newbie State Representative, at legislative orientation, on a day I had been looking forward to for months, I had unwanted physical contact that bothered me. Yet I was, and still am, a huggy, friendly and generally at ease with casual touches person, so it was out of place for me to feel that way. Let’s just say I have a high bar, and this crossed that line. I felt embarrassed and creeped out. I remember having a Senator ask me if I was okay after.
At the time it seemed like the least risky thing do was to do nothing. While it certainly didn’t feel like the right thing to do, it did feel safer to decide not to file a sexual harassment report. I just let it go and attempted to not let it define my first year in the building as an elected official.
Shortly after the situation happened I was called to the Speaker’s office. I remember not knowing what the meeting was for and being worried I was in trouble. To the contrary it was a meeting where I was met with kindness, solidarity and affirmation that this kind of behavior wasn’t acceptable. I felt supported by the Speaker, the Majority Leader and staff. I felt if anything happened again I would be protected and had a path for resolution.
So I chose to avoid the now former Representative entirely at that point as my strategy. I didn’t go on the stairs when he was on the stairs. I didn’t stand near him or engage him in conversation. And it wasn’t until many years later, when he had a hostile outburst towards me in the lunch line accusing me of “getting him in trouble,” that I considered being public.
This leads us to today, and the efforts of investigative journalist Lola Duffort. Since the Vermont Public story came out I have received an outpouring of two types of communications. Folks saying kind words of support or sharing eerily similar stories of their own about the former Representative. This shows me we have much more work to do, but I am still grateful sunshine has hit the State House on this topic.
