April Burbank

Free Press Staff Writer

A Republican attorney is asking for an investigation into Sen. Bernie Sanders' endorsement of a Vermont state senate candidate in the recent Democratic primary elections.

Brady Toensing of Charlotte complains that on May 24, Sanders sent an email asking supporters to donate to Christopher Pearson, whom Sanders had endorsed.

The use of this email list, Toensing contends, was an in-kind campaign contribution to Pearson's campaign that exceeded legal limits. He also suggested Pearson would be beholden to Sanders as a result of the endorsement.

Toensing, an attorney who works in Washington, D.C., and serves as vice chairman of the Vermont Republican Party, addressed the letter to the Attorney General's Office and shared it with news reporters Tuesday. State buildings were closed for Bennington Battle Day, and Attorney General William Sorrell said his staff would respond to the lawsuit after returning to the office.

Michael Briggs, a spokesman for Sanders, dismissed the allegations as part of a "string of wild and discredited political attacks by Brady Toensing."

"The senator is obviously well within his rights to endorse candidates and recommend to his supporters that they contribute to other candidates," Briggs wrote in an email. "This is common fundraising approach which is done by Democrats and Republicans every day all over the country."

Pearson, currently a Progressive/Democratic state representative from Burlington, denied any wrongdoing. He said the Sanders endorsement came as a surprise, and that Sanders' email did not need to be disclosed on a campaign finance report.

“The simplest way of thinking about it is Bernie hosted a digital house party for me, and a bunch of his supporters decided to contribute to my campaign," Pearson said.

Toensing has challenged Democrats in the past over campaign finance and public records laws.

“I assume you know this guy’s history," Pearson said in an interview. "I think he’s kind of using me as the latest conduit to harass Bernie.”

Pearson reaped thousands of dollars from Sanders' supporters and won one of six Democratic nominations for state senate in Chittenden County, according to unofficial results.

Contact April Burbank at 802-660-1863 or aburbank@freepressmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AprilBurbank

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