Jack Lindley, hypocrite

This is a little old, but attention must be paid.

Remember last week, when VT Democratic Party chair Jake Perkinson criticized Randy Brock and the VTGOP for inviting Maine Governor (and staunch tea-partier) Paul LePage to Vermont for a Brock fundraiser? Remember how VTGOP chair Jack Lindley got all huffy in response, accusing the Democratic "flamethrowers" and "name callers" of engaging in personal attacks against LePage?

When, in fact, the Dems had attacked LePage purely on policy grounds. Not a personal attack at all.

Lindley closed his screed with "And  even if they don't like [LePage's] ideas, the least they could do is treat this man with the same civility that our side demonstrated during President Obama's recent visit to Vermont."

Okay, one lesson in civility from the VTGOP, coming right up.  
Let's take a look at civility, Jack Lindley style. This is, verbatim, the VTGOP news release, dated March 28, regarding the Presidential visit.

"It's a huge deal," Vermont Democratic Party Chairman Jake Perkinson, said of the president's visit.

"Yes, it's a huge deal," said Vermont GOP Chair Jack Lindley. "It's a huge deal for Vermont taxpayers, who are still reeling from the cost of the worst flooding in the past 100 years; Vermonters who are still reeling from the cost of Obamacare and the skyrocketing cost of gasoline and heating oil. And for Vermonters who are also going to be faced with a projected 18% increase in the cost of health care under the Governor's plan for the health care exchange and an additional rate increase in their electric bill from the Governor's proposed renewable energy bill."

Said Lindley, "I had hoped the President would take time to meet some of those suffering as a result of his policies. Unfortunately, he'll be spending most of his time raising money. And according to WCAX, it appears he'll be sticking Vermont taxpayers with the tab for state and local police and traffic detail. WCAX reports that 'police officers are expected to be stationed at every intersection along the route - a special detail that's going to require dozens of officers from surrounding towns.' And South Burlington Police Chief Trevor Whipple says he expects the cost to be 'community borne.' "

"The President says he expects to raise and spend one billion on his reelection campaign," said Lindley. "The least he could do is reimburse Vermont's taxpayers for the cost of his fundraising visit, rather than ask the people of cash strapped Vermont to subsidize the cost of his campaign. Let us hope that our esteemed Governor, who is still having trouble balancing the budget, will see fit to speak up on behalf of Vermont's taxpayers and ask the President for reimbursement."

These words are taken directly from the Vermont Republican Party's website. (You'll have to scroll down; it's the fifth item on the VTGOP "News" page, and the items can't be selected individually. Cheesy web design.)

So Jack Lindley is a hypocrite. And a liar -- about civility, and also about that billion-dollar Obama war chest. No one in the Obama campaign -- much less the President himself -- has ever said such a thing.

Civility, my Aunt Fanny.