Patrick Leahy

With just hours until Election Day, gubernatorial candidates have kicked campaigning into high gear.

For the next 48 hours, the top-three gubernatorial candidates will be working almost nonstop to gain the support of every last voter around the state.

Former Gov. Howard Dean (D) is by far the biggest winner this week. Find out why and see all of this week's Winners & Losers. | CLICK HERE

U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy addressing the Democratic National Convention: Getty Images PhotoIn his speech to the Democratic National Convention Tuesday evening, U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy said presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama would do right by rural Americans.

Leahy started his presentation by telling the delegates that he lives on a dirt road in a town of 1,800.

He went on to say that U.S. Sen. Obama would help rural families by making health care affordable, lower the price of fuel by expanding renewable energy sources, increase Internet access to rural areas and address the spike in violent crimes taking place across rural America.

Leahy also blasted the current Bush administration, and said Republican U.S. Sen. John McCain would bring more of the same if elected to a term in the White House.

"Rural America needs the change Barack Obama offers. Our communities have suffered a 10 percent drop in household income, three times the national average. As jobs continue to disappear, 8 million rural Americans now live in poverty," Leahy said.

"Through it all, George Bush and Dick Cheney have sided with big business and big oil and left the rest of us to fend for ourselves. As much as John McCain would like us to believe he's different, his e

Below is a transcript of remarks made by U.S. Rep. Patrick Leahy (D-Middlesex) at the Democratic National Convention Tuesday evening, as prepared for delivery.

Below is a transcript of remarks made by U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Middlesex) at the Democratic National Convention this evening, as prepared for delivery.

U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D)Vermont's senior U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D) railed against a decision by Attorney General Michael Mukasey not to seek charges against a number of Justice Department employees implicated in a political scandal in 2006.

Mukasey told a crowd at the American Bar Association in New York Tuesday that he would not seek to prosecute a handful of former Justice Dept. employees suspected of favoring conservative candidates for non-political jobs, and discriminating against those with "liberal" backgrounds.

In a statement Tuesday, Leahy -- the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee -- called Mukasey's decision "premature" as an investigation into the scandal by the Inspector General is not yet complete. Leahy also accused Mukasey -- who was appointed by President Bush -- of shielding the White House from further scrutiny over the issue.

Vermont's U.S. Senate delegation today joined several prominent colleagues in introducing legislation aimed at boosting Americans' access to primary healthcare, as well as expanding existing federal healthcare programs.  

The bill, called Access for All Americans Act, is co-sponsored by U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama (D-Ill.), Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), and Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.). The legislation seeks to provide all citizens with primary healthcare, tackle a shortage of primary care physicians by encouraging students to enter the healthcare field, and expand a Federally Qualified Health Centers program, which would boost services to low-income and uninsured citizens.  

U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Middlesex) expressed his grave concern today after a report from the Office of the Inspector General revealing that certain Justice Department officials relied on illegal hiring practices that routinely benefited conservative or Republican candidates over other applicants, particularly in regard to career prosecutors and immigration judges. 

Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a former attorney, said in a statement today: "The report reveals decisions to reject qualified, experienced applicants to work on counterterrorism issues in favor of a less experienced attorney on the basis of political ideology. Rather than strengthening our national security, the Department of Justice appears to have bent to the political will of the administration."

I'm back from vacation, and what a week I missed. Here's a brief round-up of the last week's worth of cartooning news.

U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Middlesex) announced this afternoon that Vermont will benefit from a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for new buses and public transportation maintenance equipment.

Leahy, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations committee, worked with former U.S. Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-Shrewsbury) to secure the funds in earlier transportation bills.