West Warwick Democrats: Teaching Their Children Well

Dateline: the small town which generates a disproportionately large share of the political mischief and bad governmentalism in this state.

The trouble began when someone swiped a “Vote for Anybody But Alves” sign from Alan Palazzo’s lawn on Robin Lane.
About a week later, somebody egged his wife’s BMW, as well as another political sign on his property.
Three hours later, shortly before midnight on Aug. 11, according to the police report, Palazzo was working at his computer when he heard the bang of a door and looked outside to see someone steal a political sign from his yard and jump into a Toyota Camry.
Palazzo, a longtime political critic of eight-term Sen. Stephen D. Alves, gave chase in his car. The Camry got away, but not before Palazzo got the license plate.
The car turned out to be registered to Joan Brousseau, wife of recently retired Police Chief Peter T. Brousseau, according to the police report.
The West Warwick police investigated and, according to a spokesman for the state attorney general, identified two of the people in the Camry as the daughter of the ex-chief and Alves’ son, William.

Where oh where could these young ‘uns have learned such disrespect for their neighbors’ fundamental Constitutional rights?
For the record, in this ABC 6 report, Senator Alves decries the release of his seventeen year old son’s name and offers an alibi on his behalf.
ADDENDUM
By the way, remember the night that Senator Stephen Alves turned up at a West Warwick Town Council meeting apparently inebriated and definitely combative? What had him riled was the non-unanimous vote by the Council to approve the appointment of J. Patrick O’Neil as the new district court prosecutor. From a December 20, 2006 Kent County Times article no longer available on line.

The arguments stemmed from a vote that took place earlier in the evening. The council voted 3-2 to appoint J. Patrick O’Neil as the new district court prosecutor, replacing Brenda Carcieri (see accompanying story).
Councilmen David Gosselin Jr. (D-Ward 2) and Angelo A. Padula Jr. (D-Ward 1) voted against O’Neil.
Toward the conclusion of last night’s council meeting, Sen. Stephen D. Alves (D-Dist. 9) entered the council chambers and took a seat.
After the council adjourned, he pointed toward Gosselin and Padula. Apeaking loudly enough to be heard through the room, he told them they were each leaving the council after one term.
“You threatening me?” Padula said as he flew out of his seat. “You can’t threaten me.” A few more words were exchanged and Padula took off out of the back of the chambers in an effort to get to Alves.

And from the ProJo:

News of the possible replacement of District Court prosecutor Brenda E. Carcieri with state Rep. J. Patrick O’Neill brought protesters to the council meeting. Residents voiced concern about the appointment, suggesting it was a result of political favoritism. The council went on to vote 3 to 2 to appoint O’Neill. Council members Angelo A. Padula Jr. and David Gosselin Jr. voted against the appointment.
“If it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” Padula said yesterday. “It’s not anything against O’Neill, but we had a prosecutor everyone was satisfied with. I didn’t think we needed a change.”

The nerve of those two council members, not voting to replace a perfectly good prosecutor!
We should further note here that J. Patrick O’Neil, the subject of the contention of that 2006 meeting, is the West Warwick prosecutor currently declining to prosecute Senator Alves’ son and the daughter of retired Police Chief Peter Brousseau for vandalism and theft in the recent sign incidents. (Signs, to reiterate, critical of Senator Alves.)
To paraphrase Mel Brooks, “it’s good to be Steve Alves”.

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rhody
rhody
16 years ago

May this be the incident that finally takes this thug down.

Chris
Chris
16 years ago

It’s honestly shameful what the voters of West Warwick let Sen. Alves get away with. Our state would be a much better place with him out of office.

Citizen Critic
Citizen Critic
16 years ago

There are lots of articles about Alves on this following website:
http://AlvesSucks.com
AlvesSucks.com is the largest resource for articles about Senator Alves.
Check it out!

Will
16 years ago

Why is West Warwick still a separate town? Seems like a big waste, in more than a few ways. Would merging it back with Warwick make a big difference? I think so.

johnpaycheck
johnpaycheck
16 years ago

frightening…..

jd
jd
16 years ago

“Why is West Warwick still a separate town? Seems like a big waste, in more than a few ways. Would merging it back with Warwick make a big difference? I think so.”
As a resident of Warwick I would have to say, “Thanks but NO THANKS, that my friend is not the type of CHANGE that we need”. I say we should just rename WW “South Woonsocket” and be done with it..

Pragmatist
Pragmatist
16 years ago

Oh please. This kind of political shenanigans is the most common thing in the world. It happens in every town in America every election season. Get over it.

Will
16 years ago

Pragmatist,
You’re obviously not a Rhode Islander, because otherwise, you wouldn’t make such a foolish and factually untrue statement.

Outraged
Outraged
16 years ago

Let’s see? The Town and especially the WWPD conducted a thorough and extremely professional investigation concerning the theft on personal property and violation of First Amendment rights on 11 August 2008. By all accounts, the investigation did, in fact, determine the parties responsible for this breach of the peace and violation of property and civil rights. What is particular disturbing are remarks cited in the 28 August 2008 edition of the Providence Journal where in J. Patrick O’Neill, the town’s prosecuting attorney, concluded that “there wasn’t enough there to prosecute anybody for anything.” Let me get this straight? There were at least three eyewitnesses who identified the vehicle in question and the fact that it contained the stolen signs and at least one eyewitness who positively identified the parties in the vehicle? The owner of the vehicle admitted to returning the signs but there is not enough evidence to prosecute? What am I missing here? It would seem to me that judging from Attorney O’Neill’s remarks that it is now the policy of the town’s prosecuting attorney to overlook a complete and detailed investigations for political expediency? Are the residents of West Warwick to assume that if a crime is committed by politically connected individuals that they are to suffer in silence? What has happened to the rule of law? One has to question the competency and the motivation of Mr. O’Neill’s assertion “there wasn’t enough there to prosecute anybody for anything.” But if one looks at his appointment as a political payback for becoming one of “Murphy’s Marionettes” in the general Assembly then it all becomes quite clear. The fact that Sen. Alves was a vocal and ardent supporter of this appointment may also explain O’Neill’s willingness to completely overlook the fact that one of the parties involved admitted… Read more »

Greg
Greg
16 years ago

As a non-native Rhode Islander I am so shocked to discover that one of your scumbag politicians has scumbag kids. I wonder if they hang with the Mollis boy.

George Elbow
George Elbow
16 years ago

{Irrelevant, repetitive comment of questionable taste deleted. You were doing so good, George!}

Greg
Greg
16 years ago

Nice pony, George.
Does it know any other tricks?

George Elbow
George Elbow
16 years ago

Greg,
Thanks. My pony appreciates the compliment.
Unfortunately, my Pony once worked for the Union.
So, like the Union that only knows how to do ONE thing well (screwing the taxpayers while doing as little as possible), my Pony too is a “one trick pony”.

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