Staff Reports
In a debate that should have been about ideas and leadership, Lieutenant Governor John Rodgers handed Democratic nominee Molly Gray a stack of government records and asked a simple question: why didn’t she speak up about the poor conditions where H‑2A migrant workers lived on the family farm she promotes in her campaign? Gray called it a “new low” and told voters her family is not on the ballot. The exchange made one thing clear — voters deserve answers, not fog and anger.
Rodgers dropped records, and the records say a lot
Rodgers’ campaign circulated inspection files from state and federal agencies showing visits, citations, and housing problems at the farm tied to Gray’s family. Agencies reportedly found issues like a privy too close to food areas, damaged floors, poor insulation, and a basement shower with no privacy. The timeline in the files shows inspectors acted after workers reported the conditions. That’s not political theater. Those are government notes. In a race where Gray has been leaning on her family farm image, it’s fair game for voters to know if the image matches reality.
Gray’s answer: “My family is not on the ballot”
Gray pushed back hard. She said the attack was personal, denied using any influence, and said the housing was later brought into compliance with state help. Fine. But claiming “family off the ballot” while using that family farm as campaign branding is a convenient fiction. You can’t parade a family story to win votes and then declare the family off-limits when someone asks about worker safety. Voters can accept pride in roots or silence about wrongdoing, but not both.
Why this matters to Vermont voters
Worker safety and the rule of law are not partisan hobbies. If inspectors found problems, those problems needed fixing — and the public should know what was fixed and who fixed it. Rodgers did the responsible thing for his campaign: he put documents on the table and asked questions on live TV. Gray’s anger at the tactic won’t answer whether the housing was safe when inspectors showed up or whether proper fixes were certified. Transparency matters more than a tearful defense of family privacy.
Voters deserve the truth — and follow-up
The next step is simple. If Gray claims the problems were corrected, produce the inspection closeouts, occupancy sign‑offs, and names of the people in charge of day‑to‑day operations. Let the agencies speak plainly. Until then, voters should be skeptical of campaign slogans that smell faintly of political theater. You can love your family and your farm, but you can’t hide behind them when the record says workers lived in unsafe conditions.
