This week’s issue of Seven Days has a story on Lenore Broughton, the mysterious Burlington woman who is bankrolling the conservative super PAC Vermonters First to the tune of $682,500 — singlehandedly boosting the electoral fortunes of two down-ticket Republicans and a selection of legislative candidates.
While we learned quite a bit more about Broughton’s background than had previously been reported, we were not able to get a photograph of her. Broughton is notoriously private and would not agree to be interviewed for the story, much less photographed.
As the story notes, there doesn’t appear to be a single picture of her anywhere on the web — a rarity in this digital age. (If you know of one, by all means, email us.)
On Tuesday, we tried — and failed — to capture the elusive GOP funder on film. This picture was pretty much all we managed to get (explanation below). Here’s how it went down.
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Maybe the money comes from a shadowy donor with a penchant for spending extravagantly on fear-inspiring illusions.
BT is deader than a doornail.
Lenore Broughton pours almost three-quarters of a million into funding campaign groups designed to sway state elections, sits on a public advisory board… yet somehow believes that she isn’t a public figure and behaves like an indicted criminal during a perp walk covering her face to avoid being photographed?
Thorsen should have taken the picture of Broughton running out of the building with her hands covering her face… it would have said been the perfect illustration for the shadowy SuperPAC using her wealth attempting to buy Vermont political offices.
Pay no attention to the woman behind the curtain.
What is Amber Thibeault who was responsible for Compliance with the PSB Certificate of Public Good still doing being employed by BT?
We all believe in a right to privacy, and we all believe in a right to free speech, but ever since the Supreme Court’s “Citizens United” decision gave First Amendment protection to corporate spending on political ads, it’s become painfully obvious that, a la “Animal Farm”, some speech is more equal than others.
I hope Ms. Broughton never again has the experience of finding people protesting outside her front door, but I also hope that those who provide the lion’s share of funding to political campaigns –whether corporations, unions, or wealthy individuals– become well, well known to us all.
No, this is supporting Brock and Wilton, not Bernie Sanders
BT would just like to clarify that the Halloween decorations were brought in by an employee and NOT purchased BT itself, nor the city of Burlington.
BT would just like to clarify that the Halloween decorations were brought in by an employee and NOT purchased by BT itself, nor the city of Burlington.
Wow, I didn’t expect so much hoopla about my Halloween decorations, although they are very cool and newsworthy. To answer the next potential question, I came in on Sunday, after Church, to decorate. It took me about 45 minutes. FYI I also decorate, with my own stuff, for Christmas although it would not be considered quite as spectacular or dramatic as the grim reaper.