8/11/2019 Ol' Bernardo Blinks | Vermont Times | May 4, 1994

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0 1 ' B e r n a r d o B l i n k sH e's the loudest mouth In Vermont politics. The champion of

"poor people, working people and the elderly." The onlyind&pendent inCongresS. Aman whose life and work have

been wrapped up tosether like one big piece of politficallasagne.Bu~ when the opportunity came to stand up at the plate andswmg for the seats, Benda Sanclen decided it wastoo risky to

challenge Republican U.S. Senator Jim Jeffords."If somebody had said to me, 'Bernie the seat for the United

States Senate is all yours. Just walk in and sign the paper,' thatwould have made a difference. "

Let's hear it for Mr. Brave. Sadly, the promise of a federalpension after one moreyear In Congress was an offer he couldn'trefuse. Bernie declined to d1ecuss the pension Tuesday.

Jeezum Jim had pub1lcly welcomed a challenge from Bernie.

Itwould have been about issues - the kind of campaign Sanderssays he yearns for. It would have been a battle over the acronymsof our time: Jim supportecl NAFTABernie vehemently opposedit. Jim doesn't have a problem with FDA approval for BST.Bernie thinks it's the W01'8tthing since the Old Testament

p!egnes. Jim voted forthe Brady Bill. Bernie opposed it.This week 01' Bernardo tried to blame his lack of courage on

his supporters. He's fo1lowingtheir advice is what he'd have youbelieve.Waah1ngtonbaataughthimplenty,lncludinghowtotalkout of both sides ofhis mouth.

Sam B e JI IiD a w a T was right on this one. Yours truly waswrong. But the worst part will be having to buy Tim PhilbiDlunch.

The lliuzzi LyncIdD,

Everybody loves a hanging. And nobody gete preas quita aseasily as state Senator Vince D1uzzi. The former BurlingtonFree Pres. reporter is currently facing a firing squad thatgoes by the name Professional Conduct Board (PCB).

In a aocietyrife with lawyer jokes, it's nice toseethe professionattempt to police itselt, but the question a lot of people have is"Would Vince be in thejam he's in ifhe weren't a state senator?"

As a state senator since 1981, lliuzzi is a Statehouse veteranwith wide reapect under the Golden Dome from Democrate aswell asRepublicans. Senators Elizabeth Ready, Bill Doyle,Cheryl Riven,John Carroll, MikeMetcalf, Susan Bartlettand Statehouse Security Officer Ray Quero were among thosewho climbed four flighte ofstaira to show moral support for theircolleague and friend. With no disrespect to the current senateleadership intended, it's fair to say that Vince is the only gny in

the upper chamber who can match political wits and iustinctBwith House Speaker Ralph Wright. Illuzzi represents theNortheast Kingdom, the lergeat territorial senate district In thestate. It's also the poorest. And Vince baa earned the reputationof one who brlnga home the bacon. That's one reason he's knownas the "King ofthe Kingdom."

Today his future aa an attorney is In doubt. Though he servedout his abt-month auapension following hisfifthviolation ofthe

Code of Professional Conduct, his return to practicing law isanything but certain. In the eyes of the PCB, Vince mustdemonstrate that he's been rehabllitated, seen the error ofhiswayaand will neveracrewup agaln. All of his past tranagreMionsare on the table. Though the PCB has tried to jump throughhoopetodistinguiah between lliuzzi's life as a senator and his lifeas a lawyer, the hearings have been quite politieaL Among thewitn88888trotted out byShelly BlU, the PCB's prosecutor, waaWilliam Boyd Davies, an Orleans attorney, whotestified lastFriday that lliuzzi's "reputation C o r honesty and Integrity" haagenerally gone downhill In recent years.

However on C1'08I'1T"m1neUOnby Illussl's lawyer, DavidPutte.., the PCB learned that Davies is a political foe of thesenator who pub.\ic\y endorsed Vince's opponent In the lastsenate r_ W hat treat it must be to be judpd by your

enemies.Anotherwitn.e brought In totrash lliuzzi was To~ Lamb,a BurlinlltOAlawyer with Paul, Frank and Collius. Asked the

pro-forma questioa by Bill-"What is Mr. lliuzzi's reputationfor honesty and Intesrity?" - Lamb replied "extremely poor."

Then Putter brought out the fact that Lamb and othermembers ofhia ftrm who represent insurance companies have

paid out mill10na to cliente represented by IUuzzi.To a reporter used tocoverlng criminal and civil proceedlnge

held incourt, one couldn't help but set the sense that kangarooswere soon to arrive for feedingtime. One gets the sense that "theBar" as it's called would have no problem seeing Vince lliuzzi go

belly up. He'd be an eumple to the public.IUuzzi, Friday, owned up tohispast transgressions. He was

contrite. He's feeling the heat and it showed. Asked by Hill to

explain the demands of serving as politician and attorney hebroke down In tearsas herecalledcaringfor his mother last yearhefore she died.

Yes, Vince lliuzzl baa feelinge. Ifyou prick him, he'll bleed.Testifylngfor lliuzzi waaBob Mutin Jr., former counsel for

the environmental agencY. "Vmceis a lot calmer this year," saidMartin. "He's more inclined to look for the middle ground."Martin said he admired IUuzzi as "someone who says what's on

his mind." Then warning the boardnot to take it the wrong way,he said "Thare's a little bit of Vince lliuzzi in everyone."

Unfortunately there may be a little too much Vince Illuzzi inVmce Illuzzi.