I am a fifth generation Vermonter, U.S. Army veteran, small businessman, living in the Northeast Kingdom. I own and operate two successful international Internet based businesses – Chess Maniac and Radio Free Vermont. My wife, Amber, my two children, and I live in Kirby, Vermont.
On January 15, 2010, I officially announced my candidacy for Governor of Vermont in the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Montpelier. My candidacy attracted a lot of national and international media attention including Time Magazine, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and the Associated Press.
Since I am running as an independent, I have not been invited to participate in a single gubernatorial debate. To compensate for this fact I have shown up at five of the debates since January to ask questions and make my views known. The April 1 debate in the Barre Old Labor Hall was the fourth such debate I have attended.
Since I was broadcasting the Barre debate live on Radio Free Vermont, I was there as an official member of the Vermont press corps. As an ordinary Vermont citizen, as a gubernatorial candidate, and as a radio broadcaster I wanted to participate in what I thought was a democratic election process. The debate was televised live by Vermont Public Television. What I had not realized was that Marselis Parsons, the debate moderator, wanted to exercise absolute control over the debate and the flow of questions. Therefore, when I attempted to ask a question from the floor, Parsons was unamused and became quite agitated.
As I was backing away, Parsons beckoned to the Barre police who immediately grabbed me and dragged me out of the Labor Hall onto the street, handcuffed me, took me to police headquarters, finger-printed me, photographed me, and charged me with disorderly conduct.
What was the big deal? Why was I dragged out of the Labor Hall? I was only trying to exercise my First Amendment rights in a free election. Why was I handcuffed? What did they think I was going to do? It seemed like we were back in the USSR.
As a Vermonter, am I not entitled to freedom of speech? I wanted to know how the five candidates would deal with the state’s $150 million deficit.
The charges against me are frivolous and without basis in law. They should be dropped. Furthermore, I am entitled to an apology from the Barre Police Department.
Dennis Steele
May 13, 2010
