Lawmakers Drop Impeachment Inquiry After Prosecutor Resigns 

A special committee of Vermont lawmakers has ended its impeachment inquiry into Franklin County State’s Attorney John Lavoie after the veteran prosecutor announced he would resign.

The seven-member panel voted unanimously on Friday to drop the probe. Lavoie will step down effective September 1.

Lavoie, a Democrat, was elected last November to an office primarily staffed by women. An internal investigation released in May found he used crass and sexist language in the workplace. He'd worked as a prosecutor in Franklin County since 2004.

Lavoie declined to resign when the report came to light, though he did acknowledge that his "sense of humor is often inappropriate.”

On Friday, the lawmakers thanked the witnesses who testified and vowed to keep their statements confidential. Given Lavoie’s resignation, “the Special Committee finds that it would not be in the best interests of the State to impose additional burdens and stress on witnesses, nor to expend additional State resources involved in continuing the investigation,” a resolution ending the probe said.
Gov. Phil Scott has the power to appoint a replacement for Lavoie. He’ll choose from a slate of potential candidates suggested by Franklin County Democrats.

The committee isn’t done yet. It has also been investigating Franklin County Sheriff John Grismore, who was caught on video kicking a handcuffed suspect. Grismore, too, was elected last November — after the video came to light. He’s since been charged with simple assault.
The impeachment committee has hired the law firm Downs Rachlin Martin to investigate Grismore; a final report is expected this fall.

The resolution of the Lavoie inquiry “does clear up our calendar and ability to focus on that matter,” Rep. Martin LaLonde (D-South Burlington), the committee chair, said at Friday’s meeting.