BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Mike Pieciak is a rising star in Vermont politics.
In 2022, he was elected state treasurer. Before that, he worked for eight years at the Department of Financial Regulation, first as deputy commissioner and then as the commissioner. There, he played key roles in the state’s pandemic response and untangling the Ponzi-like fraud in the Northeast Kingdom.
The 40-year-old Democrat also has higher ambitions and has talked to insiders about running for governor, likely after Phil Scott steps aside.
In this edition of 802 News, Mark Johnson spoke with the Brattleboro native, who was inspired to become a lawyer — get this — by the movie “My Cousin Vinny.” starring tough guy actor Joe Pesci. We began by discussing his efforts in the state treasurer’s office to connect Vermonters with money they might not have even known they were owed, including this reporter, who got a $29 check from his office’s unclaimed property fund just a short time ago.