[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 93 (Monday, June 21, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5198-S5199]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO STEVE KIMBELL
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I want to honor Vermont's leading
policymaker, Steve Kimbell, who announced his retirement on May 20 of
this year. For over three decades, Mr. Kimbell has been a major
presence within the political world of Vermont and is noted as the most
respected and influential policy maker to walk the halls of our
Statehouse.
Mr. Kimbell started his career as a lawyer at Vermont Legal Aid after
completing his juris doctor from the University of Michigan Law School.
Only a few years later, he was hired as lieutenant governor candidate
Madeleine Kunin's campaign manager and went on to be her State planning
director after she was elected Governor. Mr. Kimbell then partnered
with Governor Kunin's former press secretary Bob Sherman to form
Kimbell Sherman Ellis, a government and communications company that has
grown into the most successful firm of its kind in the State. Kimbell
Sherman Ellis developed a nationwide clientele and has additional
offices in Washington, DC and Massachusetts. Along with advising and
policymaking for Vermont State government, the firm provides
legislative and regulatory strategy in government affairs and manages
marketing and public relations campaigns nationwide.
Steve Kimbell has been credited with helping to shape almost every
piece of major legislation to pass through the Vermont Statehouse. I
offer my congratulations to Mr. Kimbell upon his retirement. I ask
unanimous consent to have printed in the Record an article from the
Rutland Herald that depicts the contributions that Steve Kimbell has
made to the State of Vermont.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
[From the Rutland Herald, May 30, 2010]
Politician's Politician
[By Peter Mallary]
Steve Kimbell can be tightly wound. But the other day
sitting in his office at Kimbell, Sherman & Ellis--the
Montpelier-based government and communications firm he
started with Bob Sherman back in 1987--he looked completely
relaxed. It is a small office, which he shares with his
partner's son, Nick Sherman. Kimbell's chair was kicked back.
His smile was broad and available.
Steve Kimbell just quit his job.
``I never expected to work forever,'' he said.
Well, you could have fooled most of us.
And he has.
In most cases more than once.
Kimbell is the politician's politician, a lobbyist and
counselor who has built relationships unlike any other in
Vermont's political world.
He started out as a Legal Aid lawyer.
``I spent my time suing state government,'' he said.
``Mostly welfare and Medicaid cases.''
And he remains a government skeptic.
``My underlying personal philosophy is that government is
very dangerous,'' Kimbell said. ``It's a huge operation. And
it breaks the law every day. This is the foundation of my
advocacy for every client. All citizens need to be watchdogs.
But we get paid to do it.''
No shock to any who know him--Steve Kimbell's decision to
retire is a political one. He tied it to Jim Douglas'
decision not to run for a fifth term. He pointed out that a
political shift like the one we may see this election cycle
only comes along every decade or so. Whatever happens there
will be a new political cast. So it seemed to him like the
right time to give a different generation a chance.
There was nothing sudden about his decision. The partners
in the firm have been planning for this for a year. But wary
of making Kimbell a lame duck in his final legislative
session they kept the story close, a remarkable
accomplishment in a town that does not guard political
secrets particularly well.
Not at all, most of the time.
I asked him if he could really quit.
``I have gotten up and gone to work for 40 years,'' he
said, ``either working for myself or somebody else. It will
be a major change but it's worth a shot.''
He says he is going to tend the farm in Tunbridge.
I am not 100 percent convinced.
Kimbell's career spans the terms of every governor since
Tom Salmon--Salmon, Snelling, Kunin, Snelling again, Dean and
Douglas.
He reflected.
``Governors are not noted for their sense of humor,''
Kimbell said, referencing a quality he values in
politicians--politicians like Art Gibb, Bob Gannett and Ralph
Wright.
``Snelling made an art form of being the intimidating
presence in the room.''
[[Page S5199]]
Not very funny.
``Howard was frantic. Not much time for levity.''
But Salmon, Kimbell said, was funny.
``He would hop into his state police car and say 'Let's go
to Boston.' And he'd go to see a Red Sox game.''
Kimbell first got directly involved in electoral politics
in almost as off-hand a manner.
``After the '78 session I was leaving the Statehouse with
Madeleine [Kunin]. She was chair of the Appropriations
Committee and running for lieutenant governor. 'I need a
campaign manager,' she said. I got paid $150 a week. She beat
Peter Smith by 2,500 votes.''
And he recalled how Kunin won.
``Within earshot of reporters, Peter Smith said that 'all
the broads' were going to vote for Madeleine. That ill-
advised comment is what swung the election.''
When Kunin was governor Kimbell served for two years as her
state planning director, the person in charge of the
administration's legislative program.
``I found that I didn't really like working inside the
government,'' he said. ``I got out and went back to my
private practice.''
Then came the partnership with Kunin's press secretary, Bob
Sherman.
``We went to Seyon Pond fishing and talked about what we
really ought to do. We concluded that combining law and
journalism in a firm to do advocacy was a good idea.''
And to call it just that is an understatement. Kimbell
Sherman & Ellis has no peer in Vermont. Not only is it the
most successful lobbying firm in the state, it has also built
an out-of-state client list which now represents about half
of the business. It has offices in Washington and does
business all over the country, tracking and reporting on
issues and also specializing in crisis management.
When I asked Kimbell about the most dramatic moment in his
political memory, he recalled the death of Richard Snelling
in August of 1991.
``How many times does a sitting governor just drop dead,''
he said.
Howard Dean was in touch almost immediately.
``Howard called Sherman and said 'I need a speech within an
hour,''' Kimbell recalled. ``And we helped the new governor
make the transition. He was here for a lot of meetings. And
we took some heat. The press said 'How can these lobbyists
advise the new governor.' A lot of the criticism was probably
warranted, but sometimes you just have to do things.''
And Howard Dean is not the only politician to have beaten a
path to Steve Kimbell's door. For a couple of decades now
candidates and potential candidates have come to Kimbell &
company. They want to know--from someone who does--if they
should or if they shouldn't.
``We are in the business of politics,'' Kimbell said. ``It
doesn't matter where they come from. If they want to talk to
us, we give advice.''
And Steve Kimbell has brought this sort of matter-of-fact
attitude to all his efforts. Despite his highly visible work
for civil unions and gay marriage, he insists that his
approach is always the same.
``I'm an advocate,'' Kimbell said. ``I take a hard-nosed
approach. To do this job you have got to be well prepared,
emotionless and tenacious. Gay marriage was a hugely
emotional issue. I worked very hard to be analytical and
strategic. It is my personal belief that that is what people
pay us for.''
Hard-nosed. True enough.
Savvy. Unparalleled.
Matter-of-fact. Certainly.
Passionate. Despite protestations.
And funny.
The politician's politician.
____________________