Video Coverage
Placed On Web

Angell’s comments regarding his decision to prohibit the Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) from video taping in the House Natural Resources Committee (Herald of Randolph, April 12th) have overshadowed the real issue of the public’s right to know what their elected officials are doing in Montpelier.

VPIRG believes Vermonters have a right to see their legislators in action. Since the beginning of the legislative session, VPIRG has been web-broadcasting video highlights of legislative committee testimony and floor debates to help educate the public on the actions of their elected officials on important environmental and consumer issues. All of our video coverage, including hours of testimony before the House Natural resource Committee, is available at www.pirg. org.

We have always taken great care to be unobtrusive when filing and firmly support the right of the committee chairs and the Speaker to ensure that legislative proceedings are not unnecessarily disrupted by anyone. However, no one has the right to pick and choose who is allowed to cover these proceedings based on whether or not they agree with their positions on various issues.

VPIRG believes that both Speaker Freed and Rep. Angell made the right decision to once again permit VPIRG to record statehouse activities on a limited basis. However, because the Speaker failed to support efforts to modify the House rules guaranteeing complete public access to legislative proceedings, it remains to be seen whether even this limited access will be permanent or temporary.

VPIRG urges Angell and Speaker Freed to support clear state policies that will permanently guarantee full public access to the House of Representatives.

Peter Sterling

Vermont Public Interest

Research Group