Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman’s offers of menstrual products to lawmakers prompted reprimand from House speaker

Speaker Jill Krowinski instructed Zuckerman to remove the products from his office in early 2023 and “consider meeting with House members in the company of others.”

By Sarah Mearhoff
August 6, 2024, 7:03 pm

In early 2023, House Speaker Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington, issued verbal and written warnings to Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman after state legislators reported feeling uncomfortable when Zuckerman offered them access to a supply of menstrual products located in a drawer in his chief of staff’s office.

Krowinski and other top Statehouse leaders got involved in late January that year after “a number of individuals” reported to her office similar accounts of uncomfortable conversations initiated by the lieutenant governor concerning menstrual products, the speaker confirmed to VTDigger in a written statement Monday.

At least two lawmakers brought these reports to Krowinski’s office at the start of the 2023 legislative session, according to Krowinski. At the time, Zuckerman — back in the Statehouse after a two-year hiatus — was inviting first- and second-term legislators to his office for one-on-one introductory meetings, according to several lawmakers and Zuckerman.

After the Legislature’s own internal investigative committees determined that they lacked jurisdiction over Zuckerman because he’s a member of the executive branch, Krowinski called a meeting with the lieutenant governor and other legislative leaders on Jan. 27, 2023, to discuss the allegations and issue him a verbal warning, she recounted in her statement.

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