Vt. lawmaker caught on camera harassing colleague apologizes

MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – A Vermont lawmaker who was caught on camera harassing a colleague has publicly apologized.

WCAX News reported last week on the ongoing ethics investigation at the Statehouse, where Republican Rep. Mary Morrissey of Bennington poured water into the bag of her seatmate, Democrat Jim Carroll, on a daily basis for months.

Carroll captured the incidents on a spy camera and shared the footage with us last week.

As soon as the House of Representatives gaveled in on Monday, Morrissey publicly apologized to Carroll.

“I hope Jim, my legislative colleagues, all of our Statehouse staff and those who work in this building and the citizens of Vermont can forgive me,” Morrissey said.

But Carroll says a lot will have to happen to mend their relationship.

“After five months of that it was torment, there will have to work to be done between the two of us,” Carroll said.

There is no set timeline for the House’s ethics investigation to wrap up.