Seven Days first ran the video last week, which showed Rep. Mary Morrissey (R-Bennington) dumping cups of water in Rep. Jim Carroll's (D-Bennington) bag on two occasions. The practice had become so frequent that Carroll installed a hidden camera.
A Vermont lawmaker issued a public apology on Monday after a video surfaced of her dumping water into the bag of a fellow member of the House of Representatives.
"I am truly ashamed of my actions ... it was conduct most unbecoming of my position as a representative and as a human being, and is not reflective of my 28 years of
service and civility," said Rep. Mary Morrissey (R-Bennington).
Morrissey also said that she had also privately apologized to the man whose bag she dumped water in for five months, Rep. Jim Carroll (D - Bennington).
Seven Days first ran the video last week, which showed Morrissey dumping cups of water into Carroll's bag on two occasions. The practice had become so frequent that Carroll installed a hidden camera to capture the culprit on video, which Seven Days then obtained through a public records request.
"I hope Jim, my legislative colleagues, all of our state house staff and those who work in this building, and the citizens of Vermont can forgive me for my poor judgment and actions and allow me to take the necessary steps to repair what I have done," Morrissey said in her closing remarks on Monday.
Carroll then asked to be heard on the matter and expressed his frustration.
"For five months I went through this and each time, each day that I went through this, Rep. Morrissey had a choice to make and each time that she didn't choose to either drop it or to come to me and say: 'Look, I'm sorry we screwed up. Let's put our heads together and try to serve our constituents the way they ought to be served.' And for that I'm really sorry and sad," said Carroll.
He then said that after five months of "torment" he was ready to sit down and talk with Morrissey and find a way to move forward
"That first time that we sit down together it's going to be kind of awkward, but we have to start somewhere," said Carroll.
Morrissey has yet to explain why she started dumping water in Carroll's bag.
