Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Milne revealed Thursday that he had drunken driving and drug convictions 35 years ago while in college.

Milne disclosed in a news release that he was arrested twice for driving under the influence and once for possessing small amounts marijuana and cocaine.

He also shared information about a personal health scare — stroke that he suffered in 2006. He declared he had made a full recovery and had his doctor’s assurance that he is fit to hit the campaign trail and serve as governor if elected.

“I hope disclosing these facts will illustrate to Vermonters my full commitment to transparency as a candidate and as governor,” Milne stated in his news release.

Vermont Republican Party Chairman David Sunderland commended Milne “for being upfront and open and honest.”

“I give him a lot of credit for having the courage to put out this statement,” Sunderland said. He noted that Milne’s drug and alcohol problems occurred 35 years ago. Everyone deserves a second chance, Sunderland said.

Ben Sarle, spokesman for the Vermont Democratic Party, said Democrats would have nothing to say about Milne’s revelatory news release.

Milne was a late entrant in this year’s gubernatorial race. Other potential mainstream Republican candidates — Randy Brock and Heidi Scheuermann — considered then decided against challenging two-term Democratic incumbent Peter Shumlin. Milne will face two other candidates in the Republican primary election on Aug. 26 — Emily Peyton and Steve Berry.

In his statement, Milne explained his decision to disclose potentially embarrassing past history and worrisome health history.

He said he wanted to show that for him, “transparency is more than just a talking point.” It would be a governing principle in his administration.

He said he wanted people to have a full picture of him as a candidate — including his mistakes.

And he said he wanted to take away “gotcha” opportunities from the Shumlin campaign to introduce this information as a political bombshell during the race.

Milne said he expected Shumlin “or his partisan apparatus from Washington DC” would want to use his health record and youthful mistakes “as a political tactic that distracts from the financial burden their policies have imposed on working families and their failure to adequately address our economic challenges.”

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Mistakes of youth

Milne, 55, of North Pomfret, disclosed that 35 years ago “during an irresponsible 18-month period” while in college, he was arrested and charged with drunken driving on two occasions and also for possession of small amounts of marijuana and cocaine.

Milne spent one year at the University of Vermont and then transferred and graduated from the University of Redlands in California. When asked where his youthful transgressions took place, he said in both locations, but refused to share the dates and locations for the arrests.

He did confirm that he was convicted for drunken driving and drug possession, paid fines and had his license to drive suspended. He offered no details about the amounts of the fines or length of his license suspension.

He called the convictions “embarrassing and powerful life lessons” that prompted him to change course. “I stopped using drugs and committed to only consume alcohol in moderation.”

Health scare

Milne also decided to get out in front of potential questions about his health by disclosing that he suffered a blood clot in his brain in 2006.

“But for the good fortune of being at home with my bright, confident and loving 16-year-old daughter — who took control of the situation and sought medical help — I may very well have been permanently incapacitated or dead,” Milne wrote in his statement.

Instead, he declared, “I have made a full recovery, have very little residual effect and I have my doctor’s medical clearance for the rigors of both a vigorous campaign and serving as governor.”

He acknowledged he is an underdog in the governor’s race. The travel business owner is a political unknown who must focus first on a primary in his own party before he can take aim at the incumbent who already has $1 million in his campaign treasury.

Milne suggested in his statement that having bared the problem areas of his past, he intends now to focus on the issues in the governor’s race: government management, job creation, economic security and making health care and property taxes more affordable.

Contact Nancy Remsen at 578-5685 or nremsen@freepressmedia.com. Follow Nancy on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nancybfp

Scott Milne statement

Below is the full text of Milne’s statement:

Vermonters have a right to a governor who is upfront and transparent.

Whether it relates to my personal experience or the economic challenges and crisis of affordability we face as a state, I’m going to be upfront with Vermonters. The economic stakes are too high, and the reforms we need are far too important to let the politics of half-truths and sound bite leadership prevail.

I hope disclosing these facts will illustrate to Vermonters my full commitment to transparency as a candidate and as governor.

By sharing health history and mistakes as a college student, I have three goals:

• To demonstrate that transparency is more than just a talking point. It will be at the core of a Milne administration as we lead Vermonters to a better economy and more prosperous future.

• To let folks know more about me, including my mistakes, so they can fully evaluate which candidate they will elect as governor for the next two years.

• To diminish the opportunity that my opponent or his partisan apparatus from Washington, DC would have to use my health records and youthful mistakes as a political tactic that distracts from the financial burden their policies have imposed on working families and their failure to adequately address our economic challenges.”

Personal Health Care Scare

In 2006 I suffered an ischemic stroke — a blood clot in my brain. I have made a full recovery, have very little residual effect and I have my doctor’s medical clearance for the rigors of both a vigorous campaign and serving as governor.

But for the good fortune of being at home with my bright, confident and loving 16 year-old daughter — who took control of the situation and sought medical help — I may very well have been permanently incapacitated or dead.

This experience strengthened my belief that there is nothing more important in life than our human relationships — our family, our friends, our neighbors and our communities.

My experience also provided tremendous insight into the importance of good doctors and ensuring that every Vermonter has health insurance they can afford.”

Mistakes as a College Student

35 years ago, during an irresponsible eighteen month period when I was in college, I was arrested three times — twice for driving under the influence of alcohol, and once for possession of a small amount of pot and cocaine.

Though I was academically successful, I was making poor choices. These were embarrassing and powerful life lessons of which I am not proud.

Shortly after these incidents, I stopped using drugs and committed to only consume alcohol in moderation.

As an adult, I have used these lessons, and others, as the foundation of a life dedicated to personal responsibility and improvement, and for understanding and talking with others who may need a hand up or a shoulder to lean on.

Focusing on the Issues

From this point forward, our campaign will focus on the challenges Vermont faces and on convincing Vermonters that I can better manage state government and be a stronger advocate for job creation, an economy that ensures the economic security of every family and making our state — including healthcare and property taxes — much more affordable.”

There’s no doubt we’re underdogs in this campaign. Facing an incumbent with a national partisan organization and millions of dollars at his disposal is a challenging task. But I believe the political insiders and pundits are going to be surprised at the outcome.

Join Our Campaign for Change

If you are one of the thousands of Vermonters who believe we need a better manager in state government and a governor who will be a more vocal advocate for a stronger economy, more and better paying jobs and policies that make Vermont more affordable for working families — please join our campaign as it rolls out over the next couple of weeks.