Advocates have been outraged that Governor Phil Scott will allow data on the state’s food stamp program to be shared with the federal government. But Governor Scott counters the state is legally obligated to provide the information.
Governor Scott, a Republican, opened his media briefing Thursday by acknowledging the concerns that have been raised about the state’s release of SNAP data to the Trump Administration.
“It’s unfortunate that much of what we’ve heard in the outrage hasn’t mentioned the legal obligation we have as a state to provide the information because this is a 100-percent federal program. We just administer it,” Scott reported. “I don’t believe pushing back in this case would help in any way because the law that has been in place for decades is clear and by not complying we could risk benefits that thousands of vulnerable Vermonters rely on.”
“According to the new budget bill there are already going to be negative repercussions for people who are using SNAP,” Brenda Siegel contended. ”And our state is going to have to do what we can to figure out how we make sure that people don’t end up starving here.”
The state is breaching the privacy rights of low-income Vermonters enrolled in SNAP, according to End Homelessness Vermont Executive Director Brenda Siegel. She contends the state attorney general was prepared to join a lawsuit challenging the federal demand and that Governor Scott should have let that scenario unfold.
“And we’ve seen that 21 other states have challenged it. So prior to letting that play out in court at least, the private data of 64,000 Vermonters was given to the Trump Administration,” Siegel said. “You know for someone who’s saying over and over again that he doesn’t want to react until he knows all the information, the Trump Administration did not say at all what they would do if they did not give the information to them.”
Pressed about sharing the information, Scott emphasized that the state must comply. He also said he must be selective in the issues in which he takes a stand against the federal government.
“I don’t know what they will do with it, but I just know that they’re entitled to it and I don’t know how we can resist when they have the information and they have the ability to get the information. So I’m not sure what benefit it will have to not give them what they are entitled to. And that’s what our lawyers think and I don’t think it’s beneficial to resist every single thing that comes out. Otherwise, it’s going to be a long three-and-a-half years,” Scott said.
Siegel, who challenged Scott in the 2022 gubernatorial race, counters that the governor is exhibiting worrisome priorities by not challenging the feds on the SNAP data disclosure.
“He said in his press conference there are some battles we will fight and some we won’t. It feels very concerning that one of the ones he won’t fight, that he isn’t willing to fight, is for the protection of the private data of low-income Vermonters,” lamented Siegel.
