Man charged with starting a fire outside U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Vermont office pleads not guilty

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — The man charged with starting a fire outside independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Vermont office earlier this month has pleaded not guilty to a federal charge. Thirty-five-year-old Shant Michael Soghomonian was indicted by a grand jury on a charge of maliciously damaging or attempting to damage and destroy by fire a building used in interstate commerce. Sanders was not in the office at the time. But seven employees working in the office during the fire on April 5 were able to get out unharmed. The building’s interior suffered damage from the fire and water sprinklers.