This commentary is by Monique Priestley of Bradford. She is a Vermont state representative for Orange-2.
I share Vermonters’ anger and deep concern over the Scott administration’s decision to release sensitive SNAP data to the Trump administration. This action was not legally necessary, ethically defensible nor protective of the privacy and dignity of our neighbors.
Gov. Phil Scott’s administration stated that Vermont had no choice but to comply. Meanwhile, national privacy and legal experts — including the Center for Democracy & Technology, Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) and Protect Democracy — made clear in their detailed May 2025 analysis that the USDA’s request violated several federal laws, specifically the Privacy Act, the Paperwork Reduction Act and the E-Government Act.
USDA failed to meet legally required steps before requesting Vermonters’ personal data, including publishing notices for public comment, creating a privacy impact assessment and establishing a system of records.
Attorney General Charity Clark recognized this clearly and was prepared to challenge the legality of this request. Instead, the Scott administration chose to comply without meaningful resistance, despite the fact that at least 20 other states refused on solid legal grounds. Vermont chose compliance over protecting Vermonters’ privacy and civil rights.
The damage this disclosure causes is real and immediate. Vermonters’ personal data — including Social Security numbers, addresses, income and household information — is now unnecessarily exposed. Such data can be misused in decisions regarding housing, employment, education, healthcare, insurance, loans and immigration. It threatens Vermont families with discrimination, surveillance and loss of critical support programs. Most troubling, it undermines trust, discouraging people from seeking the assistance they need for fear their information will be used against them.
I have spent the past several years leading efforts in the Legislature to strengthen Vermont’s data privacy protections. Many fellow legislators joined this tripartisan fight and supported comprehensive privacy laws, only to face a veto from Gov. Scott in 2024 and significant industry opposition again in 2025. We could have acted sooner to prevent this exact situation. Some politicians now speaking out publicly failed to step up when it mattered most: when we were in the trenches, crafting meaningful legislation to protect Vermonters’ privacy.
Leadership is not speaking up only when headlines break. It requires showing up every day, pushing back against powerful lobbyists and taking tough, principled stands when no one is watching. Vermonters deserve genuine, consistent advocacy, not opportunistic statements issued after the fact.
Today, I urge Vermonters across all political parties to unite behind strong data privacy protections. Privacy is a fundamental issue that transcends partisan divides. Democrats, Republicans, Progressives and Independents alike share core values of freedom, dignity and protection from unjust surveillance. We must turn our collective concern into sustained action and demand that our elected officials fully commit to passing strong privacy laws.
I believe we have an obligation to lead proactively on these issues. Privacy rights affect us all, and protecting Vermonters’ dignity and personal freedom must remain central to our shared mission.
Vermont can lead again by enacting enforceable privacy protections that respect and safeguard every resident’s personal information. I will continue fighting for these critical rights, and I ask Vermonters everywhere to join me in holding all elected officials accountable.
