Vermont Republican has been dumping water in her Democratic colleague’s bag for months

Rep. Jim Carroll said he felt “paranoid of his fellow legislators” after repeatedly finding his bag soaked

By Marin Scotten

News Fellow

Published June 18, 2024 5:08PM (EDT)

Pouring water from bottle (Getty Images/RunPhoto)
Pouring water from bottle (Getty Images/RunPhoto)

A Republican lawmaker in Vermont has secretly been pouring water into her Democratic colleague’s work bag over the last few months.

Several videos captured by state Rep. Jim Carroll showed Rep. Mary Morrissey pouring cups of water into his bag when nobody was looking. The footage was first obtained by local news outlet Seven Days through a public record request.

Carroll had been finding his bag soaked for months and said he felt “paranoid of his fellow legislators,” he told The Guardian. He then decided to secretly film the corridor where his bag was kept  and found that Morrissey had been the culprit all along.

The two have known each other since childhood, Carroll said, and both represent the City of Bennington. Morrissey later apologized to Carroll, claiming she didn’t know the bag belonged to him.

"I am truly ashamed of my actions,” Morrissey said during a state house session Monday, according to Boston.com. “It was conduct most unbecoming of my position as a representative and as a human being and is not reflective of my 28 years of service and civility.” 

Morrissey now faces an ethics investigation for harassment and could face disciplinary action if the House Ethics Panel decides she violated the Code of Conduct, state news outlet Seven Days reported.


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