Originally published December 19, 2012.
While Vermont may be the most liberal state in the country, its gun politics remain those of a rural enclave ruled by sportsmen.
“Hunting is an integral part of who Vermonters are, so that’s why I think you see a lot of Vermont politicians seeking not to offend on this issue,” former Associated Press Vermont bureau chief Chris Graff says.
That may explain why, in the wake of last week’s horrific school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, many of the state’s most prominent politicians have been loathe to answer questions about whether new gun laws are necessary.
Spokesmen for Leahy, Sanders, Welch and Gov. Peter Shumlin, who is out of the country, turned down repeated requests for interviews Monday and Tuesday. They each declined to answer specific written questions from Seven Days — and from the Burlington Free Press — about their positions on gun laws and about potential legislative responses to the Sandy Hook tragedy.
Instead, they offered up only opaque statements that fail to say, well, anything.
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