[A]t the Vermont Democrats annual fundraiser, speakers bashed President Donald Trump, cheered on recent democratic victories in Virginia, New Jersey, and elsewhere and articulated a vision for a party that was reeling after Trump’s victory nearly a year ago to the day.
The three members of Vermont’s congressional delegation spoke to the crowd of roughly 500 democratic lawmakers, activists and party officials at the Echo Center in Burlington Thursday night. Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn. headlined the rally-like fundraiser. The party raised about $50,000 Thursday, said Conor Casey, Vermont Democrats Executive Director.
Nearly every speaker referenced Trump — either by name or through implication — and pointed to his rhetoric and policies as the antithesis to their platform. While Ellison and others were eager to jab Trump, and the crowd was happy to hear it, speakers were careful to note they want to push their own platform and not simply obstruct and critique Trump and his GOP allies.
“The Democrats have to be the pointed edge, the sharp edge that says this country is for everybody,” Ellison said.
Ellison represents Minnesota’s fifth district, a post he has held since 2007, and is considered a rising progressive star. After the 2016 election, he was a top choice for the Democratic National Committee chairman, picking up endorsements from progressive groups and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
President Barack Obama’s labor secretary Tom Perez defeated Ellison for the DNC chairmanship. Perez quickly tapped Ellison to serve as deputy DNC director.
Ellison is the first Muslim to be elected to Congress. He made headlines when he used Thomas Jefferson’s personal copy of the Koran, commonly called the Alcoran of Mohammed to rest his hand on while reciting the oath of office.
If they are to be successful, Democrats need to focus not only on national elections that roll around every four years, but down ballot, Ellison said.
“We aren’t going to give them the Park’s Board. We need the Park’s board,” Ellison said.
Sanders, an Ellison ally, introduced the Minnesota congressman. During his speech, Sanders touched on some of his marquee issues — income inequality, low voter turnout and overturning the Citizens United decision.
Sanders pointed to a recent data leak known as the Paradise Papers that reveal massive tax avoidance schemes by a plethora of global figures and companies as evidence that rich people and companies are not contributing their fair share.
“All over the world, the largest corporations and the wealthiest people, including a number of people in Trump’s own cabinet, are shielding $21 trillion in revenues from taxation,” Sanders said.
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. spoke to the crowd via a pre-recorded video from Washington, D.C. Leahy’s wife, Marcelle, had recently undergone a hip surgery, so Leahy stayed in the Capitol to care for her.
“She’s gone from Wonder Woman to bionic woman,” Leahy said.
Leahy promised the crowd he would have sharp questions for Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who is due before the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday.
Sessions, who previously testified under oath that he did not have contact with Russian operatives during the 2016 presidential campaign, is facing new scrutiny after revelations that Sessions shot down the prospect of a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“He is going to be held accountable for his faults and misleading statements,” Leahy said.
Vermont’s sole congressman, Peter Welch, sardonically described the state of politics in the Capitol.
“We came in on the plane tonight with Keith and we were just comparing notes about how great things were going in Washington,” Welch said.
Welch, Ellison and their colleagues in the U.S. House are currently debating how to reshape the U.S. Tax Code, while their counterparts in the Senate do the same. Welch clobbered the House bill, which he said was written by Republicans in secret and would provide a tax break for the wealthy.
“Isn’t it a wonderful tax bill,” Welch said.
