Brady Toensing, the vice chair of the Vermont Republican Party, alleged Thursday that Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) Senate office pressured a bank to approve a loan to Burlington College while his wife, Jane O’Meara Sanders, was its president.
A spokesman for Sanders dismissed the allegation as “preposterous,” “politically instigated” and an example of an outrageous personal attack.
Toensing, a lawyer, said he was following up on a request he made in January for a federal investigation of Sanders’ wife in her former role as president of Burlington College. Toensing alleged then that in applying for a loan to purchase a new campus, O’Meara Sanders overstated by nearly $2 m
illion the amount of donations the college had received.
On Thursday, Toensing told a federal prosecutor he had new information.
“I was recently approached and informed that Senator Bernie Sanders’ office improperly pressured People’s United Bank to approve the loan application,” Toensing said in letters to U.S. Attorney Eric Miller and to Fred Gibson Jr., the acting inspector general of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
In an interview, Toensing declined to reveal who approached him or what evidence the person offered. Asked what kind of pressure was allegedly exerted, he said, “The bank was told to get it done.”
The bank’s Vermont president, Michael Seaver, did not return a call seeking comment.
Miller said he cannot say whether his office will pursue the allegation. “As a general matter, my office does not comment on public requests to conduct criminal investigations. Every such request is evaluated for appropriate action, and we are committed to enforcing federal law in a neutral and impartial manner,” he said via email.
Miller has similarly declined to say whether there is an investigation underway based on Toensing’s January request.
The college announced May 16 that it is closing, citing “the crushing weight of the debt incurred by the purchase of the archdiocese property on North Avenue” — funded by the loan. Asked at the time if there was an investigation, interim president Carol Moore said, “No comment.”
Board member Tom Torti told Seven Days, “I have heard that federal people have been asking questions.” But he said he knew nothing more.
Toensing also wrote Thursday to Sanders’ Senate office, asking the senator to release records including his Senate office’s correspondence with People’s United Bank and the Vermont Economic Development Authority.
In both letters, Toensing said he was representing Wendy Wilton of Rutland, a Vermont Catholic whose interest in the situation stems from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington’s sale of property to Burlington College. Wilton is a former Republican state senator who ran unsuccessfully for state treasurer in 2012.
Sanders’ spokesman Michael Briggs pointed to Toensing’s and Wilton’s GOP links in a response to the allegations via email Thursday.
He wrote:
Brady Toensing is the vice chair of the Vermont Republican Party. Wendy Wilkins [sic] is a former Republican candidate for statewide office. Bernie is currently running for president of the United States to make certain that the Republican candidate, Donald Trump, will not become president of the United States and do disastrous harm to our country. Nothing more needs to be said about this preposterous and politically-instigated charge. Sadly, making outrageous and lying personal attacks against candidates and their families is what modern-day Republican politics is all about.
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I am a “liberal” and I don’t like liberal con artists any more than I like conservative ones. I do think Team Sanders are a pair of swindlers who have put themselves first for years and they have done this at the expense of the citizens of Vermont. The Senator has done precious little in his many years in DC. He’s great at complaining, and, if this report pans out, even better at chiseling.
This Old Man, He Played One Too Many Times–and he needs to be primaried by a real Democrat, maybe one of those “establishment” ones in the mold of JFK or RFK, not “let’s put my family on the payroll” Bernie.
“The bank’s Vermont president, Michael Seaver, did not return a call seeking comment.”
He’s either the source or very close to it. The source is INSIDE the bank. Did he get a call from Bernie’s office leaning on him?
Well Well well … I get now why Janey sticky fingers can’t locate her tax reports. There could be something in them they don’t want the public to see.
Oh wait the FEC Investigating too 639 pages of violations by Bernie. Tsk tsk
Come on people, you know darn well that Sanders had something to do with it, and you know that he had it swept under the rug about Janey lying to the bank and the amount that were pledged..Because he is big shot Bernie Sanders the draft dodger Socialist the liar.. and all you liberal Bernie kissers just don’t want to believe it..I talked to ole Bernie about Social Security 2 yrs ago and he said that we are lucky to get SS as the Gov don’t have to give us any money.. I told him that we paid into SS, that the Government doesn’t put a dime in..they just take what they want from it.. He said I was wrong that it’s the Governments money….Friggin jerk.. but he is all for illegals getting SS..So go ahead and hit the dislike all you want..Maybe some day you’ll take your blinders off and see the real Socialist Sanders and his lying thief of a wife..
“Wendy Wilkins,” eh? Methinks Michael Briggs could use a refresher course on Vermont politics.
Seriously folks- Bernie Sanders has not come down off the cross to save humanity- he is a POLITICAL ANIMAL ( albeit and elder one) AND WANTS NOTHING MORE THAN TO WIN…if he can’t lie and beliitle- he’ll get his unhappy minions to do it for him…..JANE ARE YOU STILL LOOKING FOR THE REST OF YOUR TAXES? Maybe you could help donny dark to find his too.
Why is it when motives and questions regarding ethical behavior are made from the left, there is not the condemnation there is when it is the opposite? This whole affair should be investigated as it sure sounds like there was impropriety from either Jane Sanders and/or Bernie’s influence in approving a loan that otherwise would not have been approved. Why not take all the evidence and present it in the most transparent manner possible. If there is nothing to hide then why not prove it and put it to bed now?
Biased because he is a Republican? Why should the source be revealed a la Watergate? I fully support having this contentious and seemingly slip-shod loan investigated, sooner rather than later with Burlington College officially kaput.
With another ridiculous charge, Mr. Toensing is quickly becoming a parody of himself. It simply goes to show that, whether nationally or here in Vermont, Republicans are our biggest problem and that they should be voted out of existence. Mr Toensing must be very proud of his little Trumpian escapade. What’s next, Brad? Are you going to mimic Trump’s haircut, too? These people have no shame!
“In an interview, Toensing declined to reveal who approached him or what evidence the person offered.”
So why are you reporting this, Terri? An “anonymous” source from one very biased source? Breitbart “News” would be proud.