NEWS

McAllister won't quit, kicked off committees

MIKE DONOGHUE and PARIS ACHEN
Free Press Staff Writers

MONTPELIER – Sen. Norm McAllister, who is facing felony sexual-assault charges, has no intention to resign, Lt. Gov. Phil Scott says.

"He doesn't feel he is guilty," Scott said Thursday.

McAllister's decision to keep his seat didn't stop his colleagues from taking action.

The Committee on Committees met and agreed to remove the Franklin County Republican from his two Senate committees.

Sen. Richard Mazza, D-Grand Isle/Colchester, replaces McAllister on Agriculture.

Sen. John Campbell, D-Windsor, fills McAllister's seat on Institutions.

Scott told the Burlington Free Press the Senate needed to take action.

"He has been taken off the committees. He has no standing. It's the only power we have over the situation here at the Statehouse," Scott said.

"Obviously, Sen. McAllister is not here and is not representing his constituency. To be honest, if he were here, I'm not sure he would be that effective, either. We have not taken away his ability to serve as a senator, but he has no committee status here."

Attempts to reach McAllister, 63, of Highgate were unsuccessful Thursday.

Scott drafted a letter to McAllister acknowledging a phone message from the two-term senator indicating he plans to continue in the Senate despite the pending charges, which carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.

"I must say I am extremely disappointed, as I do not believe your continued service is in the best interests of your constituents, the legislature, not the Senate as an institution," Scott wrote.

"I truly hope you will reconsider," Scott wrote to his fellow Republican.

The lieutenant governor closed the letter by providing "official notice the Committee on Committees has met to formally remove you" from both Senate committees "effective immediately."

Scott, who serves with Mazza and Campbell on the Committee on Committees, said the legislators stepped up to fill the slots.

Mazza is on Institutions, so Campbell joined that committee. Campbell is on Agriculture, so Mazza agreed to join that one, Scott said.

With only two days likely left in this legislative session, the Committee on Committees wanted to avoid reshuffling all the Senate panels.

"This will continue until we make other arrangements," Scott said.

He said there are three possible outcomes: McAllister resigns, he is cleared of the criminal charges, or the Senate will review the case when lawmakers convene again in January.

Scott said he believes the Senate could consider expelling McAllister in January.

"I think we would go the route of expulsion," Scott said if the charges remain unresolved, and McAllister has not resigned. For now, he added, "it is premature to take that route," Scott said.

McAllister's defense lawyer Brooks McArthur, who was in Rutland for a court hearing, learned the news from the Burlington Free Press.

"We are devoting our time to gathering facts that support his defense," McArthur said. "All political decisions will be left to him, his family, friends and political advisers."

McAllister was arrested May 7 outside the Statehouse. He is accused of three felony counts of sexual assault and three misdemeanors of prohibited acts.

The charges arise from allegations that McAllister demanded sex from tenants to offset rent payments, raped a woman who worked for him in Montpelier, and attempted to have a woman provide sex for money to farm workers.

McAllister has denied the six counts. Judge Allison Arms has released him on $20,000 bail.

He is one of nine Republicans in the 30-member Senate.


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Contact Mike Donoghue at 660-1845 or mdonoghue@freepressmedia.com. Follow Mike on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FreepsMikeD.