To The Editor:
Congratulations to Anne Donahue and Maxine Grad on their win in
Northfield, Moretown and Roxbury. I want to thank all of the people who
voted for me and supported me. My only disappointment is that I was
unable to meet all of the people in the district. Even though I only
got 16 percent of the vote, I am pleased by the outcome.
The main reason I entered the race was the Brooke Bennett tragedy. I
wanted our Legislature to enact stricter laws for the sex offenders of
our children.
Governor Douglas introduced a 23-point plan, which called for a
Jessica's Law for Vermont, and a mandatory 25-year sentence. Lieutenant
Governor Dubie initiated a petition, which was signed by 52,000
Vermonters that called for a Jessica's Law for Vermont. The Senate
Judiciary Committee held hearings and came up with a proposal to be
presented to our Legislature at the beginning of the 2009 legislative
session. This proposal includes all of what Governor Douglas and
Lieutenant Governor Dubie called for.
Ann Donahue, Maxine Grad and I (Anthony Vach) had a Forum in Moretown on October 28. The Valley Reporter
and MRVTV hosted it. In her closing statement, Maxine Grad, as vice
chair of the House Judiciary Committee, presented her plan to support a
Jessica's Law for Vermont. Her committee and a majority of the House
membership have opposed a Jessica's Law and mandatory sentencing for
sex offenders.
Maxine Grad followed her statements at the Forum with her "View from the Candidates" article in The Northfield News
on October 30. I was pleased to see that she has changed her position
and now supports Governor Douglas and Lieutenant Governor Dubie in
their call for stricter sex offender laws.
I congratulate Anne and Maxine on their victories, and I am pleased that Maxine now supports a Jessica's Law for Vermont.
Anthony Vach
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