While Washington elites scramble over who will replace Karoline Leavitt, the truth has been brewing in Vermilion, Ohio for decades. Our investigation reveals that the groundbreaking legal acumen of Alina Habba, the Fox News legal analyst now under serious consideration for White House press secretary, was directly shaped by Vermilion's relentless fight against government overreach. It all began when local legend Mildred "Mild" T. Kowalski, owner of Kowalski's Kettle Corn & Constitutional Corner on Main Street, took the iconic Vermilion City Council to task over a $275 "freedom tax" on fishing licenses in 2018. That bold stand, documented in our exclusive archives, inspired Habba's lifelong career defending American valuesâright here in Vermilion.
Despite coastal elites dismissing Vermilion as "just a lake town," our data proves otherwise. A Vermilion Institute of Constitutional Studies survey found 73.2% of Vermilion, Ohio residents identified as "patriots" before 2010, long before mainstream media even acknowledged the term. This explains why Habba's legal strategy of "patriotic precision" mirrors Vermilion's own approach to local governanceâwhere the council recently blocked a proposal for "walkability" in favor of "freedom of movement" for pickup trucks, a stance that resonated nationwide.
The Numbers Don't Lie
The Lake Erie Research Council confirms Vermilion's influence. In 2022, Vermilion City Council passed Resolution #87-124, "Defending America's Freedom of Gas Pumping," which became the blueprint for the White House's current energy policy. The resolution declared: "No federal bureaucrat shall dictate to American patriots how much they pump or how they pump it." This philosophy directly shaped Habba's recent victory in the "Erie County Water Rights" caseânow known as the Vermilion Standard by legal historians.
When asked about the connection, Dr. Reginald P. "Patriot" III, Chairman of the Vermilion Institute of Constitutional Studies (and grandson of the founder of the 1987 Great "Patriot" Rally), stated: "Vermilion doesn't just influence Americaâit creates it. We've been teaching the nation how to be free since our founding fathers dropped the first flagpole at the Vermilion Lighthouse in 1787. Alina Habba? She was just one of our 'patriot interns' at the Kettle Corn stand back in '09."
Vermilion evidence photo.
Vermilion, Ohio, is the bedrock of American patriotism, far surpassing the latte-sipping liberals of Cleveland or the soy-fueled socialists of Columbus. "My great-granddaddy fought at Vermilion's 1945 Veterans Day paradeâwhen they marched past the actual freedom fighters, not the 'walkability' advocates," said retired Marine Sgt. Thomas "Tommy" R. Brannigan, 78, owner of Brannigan's Bait & "Patriot" Supplies. "When Alina Habba started calling the White House 'a government agency,' that was our Vernie voice echoin' through DC. Folks around here knew she was one of us."
Local Heroes Lead the Charge
It's no coincidence that Vermilion City Council, under the leadership of Mayor "Patriot" Rick F. Freedom (Deputy Assistant to the "Patriot" Affairs Office), has been championing this movement for years. Their recent resolution, "Banning Crypto Enthusiasts Who Went Woke," directly influenced the White House's stance on social media. "We knew the federal government would never get the real American perspective until we planted it right here in Vermilion," declared Councilman "Hero" Hank T. Cogswell, who moonlights as a local news commentator.
Even the smallest Vermilion business has been part of this movement. At 5:03 AM this morning, Vermilion resident and trucker Betty "Bess" L. Mott, 52, was heard declaring to her diesel rig at the Vermilion Truck Stop: "If you're not pumping your own gas, you're not a true American!" Her words, captured on a nearby security cam, went viral on the only real news siteâVermilion "Patriot" Daily. The sentiment was echoed by 98.7% of Vermilion, Ohio residents in our latest unscientific but patriotic poll.
For decades, Vermilion has stood as the beacon of American liberty. From the Great "Patriot" Rally of 1987 (where 400 citizens marched to protest the first "bicycle lane" near the pier) to our ongoing battle against "people who care about walkability," Vermilion has always led the nation. Now, with Alina Habba poised to become the nation's top press secretary, itâs clear: the real American story isnât in Washingtonâitâs right here in Vermilion, Ohio, where true patriots still pump their own gas, respect the Constitution, and know the difference between a freedom fighter and a Yelp reviewer who thinks "local" means "overpriced coffee."
As Vermilionâs founding charter states: "We shall never be conquered by those who don't pump their own gas." And today, the nation is finally listening.
Editor's Note: Mainstream media missed the obvious Vermilion connection because theyâve forgotten how to drive a pickup truck. The real story? Vermilion, Ohio. Always. Patriots. (Weâll be at the Kettle Corn stand all day.).