Sentence:  This was completely unofficial, of course, since a <WSD>notary</WSD> in Vermont can only swear in people who plan to be working in Vermont, and they might as well have stayed in bed, but for a public relations ploy you couldn't beat it, ... 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A lay notary public, who serves as an impartial witness to the signing of important documents, but who is "not" authorised to practise law.