Stewart Ledbetter

It may be repeating the obvious, but @marykbruce is a first-rate reporter. In the face of a presidential tirade aimed at silencing her, she calmly and professionally showed why a free, independent media remains essential, asking questions that powerful people don't want to answer

Still amazing to explore the backroads of #Vermont in autumn.

BIG DAY: So happy to see my friend & longtime NBC5 colleague Oli Birgisson, who grew up in Iceland, take his oath of allegiance today. (At the #VT birthplace of Pres. Calvin Coolidge no less!) CONGRATULATIONS on becoming a U.S. citizen after all these years. #vtpoli @MyNBC5

Trump is now trying to kill public TV and radio in America... Sesame Street, local journalism, emergency alerts, and community connection. It's nuts! Urge every Senator to vote NO @MyPublicMedia: bit.ly/3YMxiXB #ProtectMyPublicMedia

Trump says reporting by independent news outlets is biased and should be deemed to be against the law. "It has to be illegal, it’s influencing judges and it’s really changing law, and it just cannot be legal. I don’t believe it’s legal." @AlexGangitano thehill.com/homenews/admin…

This is nuts. Nothing but praise for the sentiment and teacher in Idaho. Glad we don't have this ridiculous culture war BS in Vermont. (We don't, right?!?)

Musk said the quiet part out loud: he’s going after your Social Security and Medicare. Period. Mark my words. They will make you pay in every part of your life.

All know that a strong America is the best ally of peace—the world’s avaricious dictators of Russia, China, North Korea and Iran are hesitant to invade and brutalize in the face of 1) American strength and 2) American resolve. Our tepid response to Russia’s invasion of Georgia and Crimea surely contributed to Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine. American strength is greatest when we have friends that stand with us; we must not let economic squabbles fray the bonds of our alliances. American resolve is greatest when we stand with the victims of oppression and invasion. After Russia invaded Ukraine with hundreds of tanks and hundreds of thousands of troops, America - together with Europe - rallied to give Ukraine the weapons and aid to defend itself. Three years later, Russia continues its brutal assault. We must not let personal squabbles weaken our resolve to stand with the freedom fighters and to oppose the authoritarian aggressors. Lasting peace will only be achieved if America demonstrates strength and resolve and if Ukraine is certain that it will not be invaded again. Anything short of that would elicit only temporary celebration; it would open the door to global conflicts that we may be unable to contain.

Here is some truth: Putin invaded Ukraine. NATO is the most successful military alliance in history. Since 1945, American leadership has ensured freedom and security for ourselves and millions of others around the world. Together with our allies, we defeated the Soviet Union—an empire so evil it had to build gulags and walls to keep its own people in. Destroying America’s alliances and abandoning the cause of freedom is morally and strategically indefensible. Putin will pocket Trump’s naive concessions and demand much more. Appeasement makes a wider war more likely, not less. @realDonaldTrump, @JDVance, and @elonmusk have made clear who they are. Only fools—or Kremlin tools—would abandon NATO, side with Russia, and demand Ukraine surrender in the face of Putin’s brutal aggression.

@peterbakernyt This is nauseating to most normal Americans. Seeing Trump bully Zelensky in Friday's WH charade was a national embarrassment. Now he's cutting off US aid? Exactly what KGB Putin wanted: break the West. Big Q: Are there 3-4 strong GOP members of Congress willing to speak up?

Trump suspends all US military aid to Ukraine just days after berating Zelensky in the Oval Office for not being grateful enough, undercutting an ally trying to fend off Russian invaders as Moscow celebrates the change in US policy. nytimes.com/live/2025/03/0…

More than a thousand people protest Vice President JD Vance’s visit to Vermont #vtpoli buff.ly/BtoZUsz

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Waitsfield on Saturday morning to protest Vice President JD Vance, who is visiting Vermont with his family for a ski trip this weekend.

VP Vance asked for a thank you for an aid package he voted against. His administration also told Zelensky that he (1) has to give up parts of his country to Putin , (2) cant join NATO, (3) has to pay back the US for past aid, and (4) there will no new aid. So exactly why does Vance think he is owed a thank you? The American people deserve a thank you & have received it from Zelenskyy many times.

Joy in Burlington #VT tonight. Proud to be a Catamount! @uvmvermont #btv

Great music (and crowd) in Barre last night at #BOH for the #Vermont Symphony Orchestra holiday pops concert. #BTV and @Rutland #vt audiences this weekend are in for a treat.

Awesome. #snl50 bravo.

Let’s be clear: This is illegal and unconstitutional. The American people had voted. The courts had ruled. The Electoral College had met and voted. The Governor in every state had certified the results and sent a legal slate of electors to the Congress to be counted. The Vice President has no constitutional authority to tell states to submit alternative slates of electors because his candidate lost. That is tyranny. Our institutions held on Jan 6 because Mike Pence refused to violate his oath to the Constitution. Trump picked JD Vance because Vance will do whatever Trump wants, including violating the Constitution. They are both far too dangerous to serve. It’s our duty to stop them.

BREAKING: Health officials are strongly recommending people in Alburgh, Burlington, Colchester and Swanton avoid spending time outdoors between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. due to the HIGH RISK that mosquitoes there could carry the deadly EEE virus. MORE: agriculture.vermont.gov/agency-agricul…

@MikePieciak Bravo! 👏👏

This past weekend, I married my partner Will. I couldn’t ask for a more loving person to share my life with. Growing up, I never thought I would be able to live, love, and serve as a gay man. As a public servant and as a husband, I am committed to protecting LGBTQ+ rights.