I am posting this press release on behalf of the nine members of the Addison County Democratic Legislative Delegation. Collectively, today we called on Peter Newton to resign his position as Addison County Sheriff. See below for the full text and official copy of our statement.
On Tuesday, June 28, 2022, Addison County Sheriff Peter Newton was arrested on charges of sexual assault, unlawful restraint, and domestic assault. Late in the day he was arraigned and released on $100,000 bail. Conditions of Newton’s release included requirements that he not possess firearms and not engage in “law enforcement activities.”
Upon Newton’s arrest, Addison County High Bailiff Dave Silberman called on Newton to immediately resign from office, stating that it is “simply impossible for Sheriff Newton to continue serving the community in law enforcement capacity under the cloud of these very serious charges.” Upon his release and now nearly two days since that time, Newton has refused to resign his post.
We, the Democratic members of the Addison County Legislative Delegation, call on Mr. Newton to resign as Sheriff immediately. We agree with High Bailiff Silberman that Mr. Newton cannot continue serving under these circumstances. As an individual Mr. Newton deserves a complete investigation and legal due process, however, as a law enforcement officer, the severity of the charges, circumstances of the allegations, and conditions of his release are not conducive to his ability to safely and justly lead the Sheriff’s office, even in a removed administrative capacity.
For the safety of our constituents, the residents of Addison County, we must have a sheriff who is competent and trustworthy. We believe that Mr. Newton’s refusal to resign is both unethical and unsafe. If the Legislature were in session, we would request that impeachment proceedings begin to formally remove Mr. Newton from office.
Many of us supported Mr. Newton’s candidacy for sheriff in 2018, but these egregious charges lead us to conclude that he is no longer fit for office. For the safety of Addison County and its residents, we urge Peter Newton to resign as sheriff so others can fill this important role until the people of Addison County can elect a new sheriff.
Ruth for Vermont 