Thread by @m_mendozaferrer

NEW: Nepotism at Burlington College

Serious questions must be raised about how Jane Sanders got a 72% salary increase over 6 yrs at Burlington College as well as how she funneled $100ks of tuition dollars to her daughter's and a Trustee's son's businesses:

As President of Burlington College, Jane Sanders quickly appointed Jonathan Leopold to the Board of Trustees. Leopold had served under Bernie Sanders as City Treasurer of Burlington, VT in the 1980s. He soon became CAO of the City of Burlington.

Leopold's tenure on Burlington College's Board of Trustees highlight some glaring ethical issues:

1) Why did Burlington College start supporting two brand new for-profit businesses owned by both Leopold's son Jesse Leopold and Jane Sanders' daughter Carina Driscoll in '09?

Jonathan Leopold's son Jesse had started running Andros Beach Club in 2006. What was the educational opportunity afforded to six students to snorkel in the Bahamas over spring break? Why was this location chosen for college tuition moneys to support for a period of yrs?

Jane Sanders' daughter Carina also started receiving tens of thousands of support in '09 to help her new for-profit business. She received 56k, 133k, 138k and 182k over 4 yrs before the program was folded into the school's operating budget.

vermontguides.com/2015/vtwoodwor…

While it appears that Burlington College's relationship with the Andros Beach Club owned by Jesse Leopold ended when his father left the Board (at the same time Jane was removed) - Driscoll's relationship lasted until the demise of the College in 2016.

At the time of the College's bankruptcy in 2016 due to Jane's pushing thru a bad land deal purchasing $10m waterfront acreage and buildings from the Burlington Catholic diocese, Carina had been named Dir. of the Woodworking program (now the largest program at the college).

Carol Moore, President of Burlington College at the time of its demise, placed the blame squarely on Jane Sanders and the Board of Trustees (Leopold was Treasurer) who enabled her to make the land deal.
What Really Happened at Burlington College shar.es/a3Vi6S

"Moore is equally critical of a deal Jane Sanders brokered between the college and Driscoll’s VT Woodworking School. This was a sweetheart deal for Driscoll." whose school Moore said was "barely profitable." utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=SocialWarfare

Students enrolled at VT Woodworking not only paid tuition $$ to the Woodworking school, but if they boarded, that also removed additional funding from the college - monies critical at the time it was struggling to survive. It's arguable those monies could have saved the college.

Leopold also approved Jane Sanders outrageous salary increases from $107k to $184k over 6 years! What did Jane Sanders do to deserve such a huge pay increase and a $200k golden parachute after she was let go for misstating gifts meant to offset the land purchase?

Much has been written about Jane and the land deal which bankrupted the college (and the FBI's decision not to indict her). But zero attention has been paid to the tuition monies that went directly to supporting businesses owned by her daughter and Leopold's son.

Ethically questionable is how Sanders also used her ties with Burlington business owner (and former Police Commissioner when Bernie was Mayor) Tony Pomerleau to get the land deal thru. She allowed Pomerleau to go through the College's books although he was helping the Church.

This is the strange story of how Tony Pomerleau became involved in the Burlington College land deal and provided an 11th hour bridge loan of $500k to secure the deal. Jane gave him and his wife honorary degrees.

https://twitter.com/m_mendozaferrer/status/990057847831564288

Bernie Sanders also included a write-up of Tony Pomerleau in the Congressional Record shortly thereafter. Pomerleau is arguably the only Republican multimillionaire Sanders gave such an honor to. (see thread)

https://twitter.com/m_mendozaferrer/status/990058974513975297

In 2011 Jonathan Leopold was forced to resign as Burlington CAO after he it was revealed "in 2009 that the city had loaned $17 million to prop up struggling Burlington Telecom — a violation of the utility's "certificate of public good.""
7d.blogs.com/blurt/2011/04/…

Also important to recall that in 1989 Jane Sanders said of Leopold who had been working with her and Bernie at the time, "He's honest and straightforward all the time... There's a behind the scenes dedication and a loyalty to his beliefs that's rare in government."

No one has reported on how Jane Sanders took advantage of her position as Pres of Burlington College to personally benefit her own daughter's financial well being at the detriment of the college she was running. Her daughter received into the millions from a college now bankrupt.

This should never have been allowed to happen - and the Board of Trustees at Burlington College are equally to blame. They not only allowed Jane Sanders to do something clearly unethical, they also allowed the Board Treasurer to do the same - to the detriment of the school.

It's shocking given how Jane Sanders is one of her husband's closest advisors that her judgement in this situation has not been brought to national attention and questioned. Why would anyone trust someone who used their position to hurt students to benefit her own family?

For those wishing to check the facts, all of the numbers are listed in Burlington College's 990 forms located here:

That's the good thing about #facts they're knowable and free.

projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/org…

Also, I've been writing about this story for years now. But it wasn't until this weekend that I put together the link between Jane Sanders and Jonathan Leopold and the issues it raises.

I just published Nepotism at Burlington College: link.medium.com/cxPi0EYx93

And, of course. Jonathan Leopold's wife ALSO taught at Burlington College during her husband's tenure on the Board and Jane's presidency.

It must be nice, it must be nice
To have Jane Sanders on your side.

Also, was it Jonathan Leopold's idea for Bernie not to pay his campaign staff as "employees" vs "consultants in the 1988 House race he lost in order not to have to pay employment taxes? He got caught out on it and ended up having to pay back those taxes to the government.