BENNINGTON — Attorney General TJ Donovan has opened an investigation into online threats that played a role in the decision of state Rep. Kiah Morris, D-Bennington, to end her campaign for a third House term.

Morris, who is African-American, bowed out of the race on Friday, the deadline to allow local Democrats to choose a new candidate in the Bennington 2-2 House district race for the Nov. 6 ballot.

She has cited online threats and race-related harassment over the past two years and also has told friends about health concerns as her husband, James Lawton, is facing possible major surgery.

According to a release issued late Monday afternoon, the attorney general “opened an active, ongoing investigation into complaints of online threats made against state Representative Kiah Morris. The Attorney General’s Office will work with the Vermont State Police and appropriate computer forensic experts to ensure a thorough and complete investigation of this matter.”

Donovan did not elaborate on the reasons for opening the investigation.

Bennington lawmakers on Monday said they had earlier contacted Donovan to decry the circumstances leading to Morris’ withdrawal and had called for further investigations. The statement was signed by Sens. Dick Sears and Brian Campion and Reps. Timothy Corcoran and Mary Morrissey, all of Bennington.

The lawmakers said they would ask Donovan and Bennington Town Manager Stuart Hurd, who oversees the Bennington Police Department, to “investigate the entire matter to determine whether laws were broken; and if so, determine why they were not enforced. With a report back as soon as practicable.”

The lawmakers said they were “further requesting that the Office of Attorney General suggest any laws that could or need to be added, changed or modified and at the same time do not violate the constitutional right to free speech.”

At roughly the same time that the AG released a statement on Monday, Rights & Democracy posted a statement saying in part: “We are saddened by the decision of Kiah Morris to not seek re-election and angered that it is due to the sustained, hateful threats she and her family endured during her too brief time in office.”

The group added, “We call on all legislative members to condemn these acts of intimidation and place the following among their highest priorities in 2019: expand the Human Rights Commission; create statewide Policy Racial Impact Assessments; implement Ethnic Studies in schools; and, remove slavery from Vermont’s Constitution.”

The group also called on the attorney general and Human Rights Commission to “immediately conduct a top-to-bottom review of protocols used to respond to threats and harassment of people of color in our communities.”

As of Friday, the state police had not conducted an investigation into the threats independent of local police investigations, a VSP spokesperson said in the hours after Morris announced the end of her campaign.

Morris, a Democrat, had been unopposed for re-election in the November election. She was one of two candidates — including Morrissey, R-Bennington — running in the two-seat House district.

Local Democratic Committee members in the House 2-2 district are expected to meet Wednesday evening to choose another candidate during a 6 p.m. caucus at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Bennington.

Town Select Board member and former legislative candidate Jim Carroll is the only declared candidate and has received the backing of Morris to replace her.

“The last two years have been emotionally difficult for many,” Morris, 42, said in her announcement on Friday.

“Political discourse, and in particular within the sphere of social media has been divisive, inflammatory and, at times, even dangerous. It is my hope that as a state, we will continue to demand greater support and protections for one another from those forces which seek to divide and destroy our communities,” she added.

Morris could not be reached Monday for comment on the AG’s announcement.
She has said she intends to finish her second two-year term representing the House district, and signaled that she may return to politics in the future.