Vermont GOP pushes for penalties against Dems accused of disrupting ‘Detrans Awareness Day' at Capitol
Green Mountain Republicans are pushing for the discipline or resignation of two Democrats they say "coordinated" a protest inside the State House that disrupted a meeting the Vermont Family Alliance was holding for "Detrans Awareness Day."
Vermont Republican Party Chair Paul Dame told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that state Reps. Mari Cordes of Lincoln and Jubilee McGill of Middlebury played an "active role" in the disruption that went viral across the nation – including on Fox News Channel's "Jesse Watters Primetime."
Video footage from the Vermont Daily Chronicle featured by Watters and other journalists showed men dressed in women's clothing singing loudly, while other disrupters shouted loud enough to stifle Vermont Family Alliance speaker Renee McGuiness, who had a microphone.
"Intentionally recruiting people – that crosses the line for me," Dame said.
While some Democrats in Montpelier are interested in working across the aisle, Dame said many "are not interested in governance for everyone."
In a statement, the VTGOP cited a Facebook post from a "Middlebury Pride" page that sought to congregate to "push back against transphobic bigots and their lies."
"Join us for a trans dance at the Statehouse in Montpelier on 3/12 at 12:30 to make our presence known. Trans joy is rebellious. Trans joy is irrepressible," the post read.
"Wear a mask – Trans power forever."
The disrupted meeting was intended to highlight resources available to former transgender people who had de-transitioned to their biological sex and are experiencing physical, mental or emotional aftereffects of their original transgender surgeries.
On the Facebook page, McGill posted a comment under the announcement that included the official day's schedule for the room in question.
"The attorney general will be meeting with the pages from 8:45-9:45. I am worried that there will be disruptions to their time together. I have seen posts all over informing people to be there at 8:45 with signs etc. and just wanted to get the word out," she wrote.
McGill and Cordes did not respond to requests for comment filed with the State House Sergeant-at-Arms office.
Dame said it was "deeply regrettable to discover that instead of working on the issues Vermonters care most about" that the two women "used their positions as legislators in the State House to deliberately sabotage a peaceful informational meeting held by a group that shares a different perspective."
He called on House Speaker Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington, to consider disciplining the lawmakers for creating an "unnecessary debacle."
While some critics also found fault with Sergeant-at-Arms Agatha Kessler, whose office eventually cleared the room of both factions, Dame said she acted responsibly and is a "genuinely [politically] down-the-middle person."
The Democratic caucus was scheduled to use the room afterward, so by the time the enforcement office arrived, it was almost the end of the Detrans Awareness Day participants' reservation.
In a statement regarding Detrans Awareness Day and "subsequently planned counterdemonstrations," Senate Majority Leader Kesha Ram Hinsdale and House Majority Leader Lori Houghton, both Democrats representing Chittenden, said the legislative majority jointly "reaffirms our unwavering commitment to the rights and freedoms of all Vermonters."
"Personal health decisions and gender identity are deeply personal matters – not political talking points. Every individual deserves the dignity and respect to make these choices free from public scrutiny, interference, or government overreach," the lawmakers said.
Hinsdale added separately that "trans Vermonters [have a] right to access the medical care, safety, and legal protections they deserve. We reject any efforts to turn their existence into a political debate."
McGuinness later demanded an apology from Houghton and Hinsdale for publicly "mischaracterizing our event as an attack on the transgender community."
Fox News Digital also reached out to Vermont Gov. Phil Scott – a Republican – for comment, but did not receive a response by press time.
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