Republican Caught After Pouring Water in Colleague’s Bag

(UnitedHeadlines.com) – On June 17, Republican Vermont state Rep. Mary Morrissey offered an apology to Democratic state Rep. Jim Carroll for her “disrespectful conduct” toward him over the last five months.

In remarks from the floor of the Vermont statehouse, Morrissey offered a “sincere apology” for repeatedly pouring water into his tote bag. She added that her conduct was “most unbecoming” of her position and was “not reflective of my 28 years of service,” noting that she was “ashamed.” She hoped that her fellow legislators and the public would be able to forgive her for her “poor judgment.”

Morrissey’s actions began in January, when, a few times each week, Carroll noticed the tote bag he carried between legislative meetings soaked in water, with no indication of what caused it. In February, after Carroll returned from rehab following his charges for driving under the influence, he noticed the tote bag was wet daily. This continued every day for five months until Carroll decided to find out why this was happening. To help him find out why his bag was always soaking wet, he decided to place a video camera near a committee coatroom. The video shows that after Carroll checks the tote bag, and not long after, a woman, identified as Morrissey, pours water into the bag. Carroll showed the video footage to Democratic House Speaker Jill Krowinski, who confronted Morrissey about her actions. Krowinski called it a “disturbing situation that is at odds with our legislative practices.”

Following Morrissey’s apology, Carroll stated that the past five months were tormenting. He thanked her for the apology and acknowledged the “sincerity” in her voice during her apology. However, he stated that for five months, she “had a choice to make,” and she never chose to reach out to him to discuss what she had done. He noted that “there’s going to be some work to be done between the two of us,” adding that while interactions between the two legislators, who both represent Bennington, might be “awkward,” they “have to start somewhere.”