Governor's business ties violate state ethics code, commission finds

Gov. Phil Scott has violated the state’s Code of Ethics by maintaining an ongoing financial relationship with a company doing business with the state, according to the Vermont State Ethics Commission.

The commission said Scott has a conflict of interest because he has a “financial interest” in Dubois Construction while the company has a contract to do work for the state. Under political pressure, Scott sold his half interest in Dubois back to the company after he took office in 2017.

Scott received no cash at the time of the transaction and is still owed $2.5 million by the Middlesex company.

The commission said the conflict of interest arose when Dubois won a two-year contract for $250,000 in 2017, which the commission said “provides significant income to the company, and directly assists the company in meeting its financial obligation to the public official.”

Read more: https://vtdigger.org/2018/10/02/governor-violation-state-ethics-code-business-ties-commission-says/