Justin Katz
So, in doing some research for yesterday’s post about questionable interactions between the judiciary and legislature in Rhode Island, I came across (and linked to) a Providence Journal piece on what appears to be a regular practice of nepotistic hiring between the two branches. Yet, today I read about some Ethics Commission charges against Governor…
The thing about lawyers — as about salesmen — is their ability to persuade people into forgetting well-formed opinions and garnered knowledge about their occupation. Of course, most lawyers are ethical, and many rise beyond that boundary to become downright admirable. The point is that they’ve honed an approach to addressing problems that one oughtn’t…
The Linc Chafee quotation in Marc’s post illustrates why Chafee’s so infuriating. Not only does he stand apart from his party, but he does so for reasons that are either deceptive or, if principled, just plain foolish. (Personally, I think it’s the latter.) By population, Rhode Island is 0.37% of the national total. By electoral…
Congrats to Will Ricci, of the NFRA of RI, for being named editor of the Rhode Island HQ pages of GOPUSA. The more conservatives in this state can reach beyond its borders, the better our chances of forcing change. Will’s got some blog-like posts of news from around Rhode Island, and he’s in the process…
A familiar refrain from Harry Staley of the Rhode Island Shoreline Coalition: Why am I concerned? Why can’t I be like those Rhode Islanders who embrace this state’s special brand of ethical conduct? Unfortunately, I was taught, albeit in other states, that the very perception of wrongdoing or improper influence by those granted the public…
Although I have more to say about this issue (and will hopefully do so in the near future), the Providence Journal editorial page’s position on the removal of the Ten Commandments from Roger Williams Park is worth a separate cheer: It would be as easy to expunge our Judeo-Christian heritage as it would be to…
I hope it was clear from my previous post, Marc, that my “complaints” are mostly tongue in cheek. With respect to Providence Monthly, I don’t know how much being mentioned therein would help — particularly given our differing audiences. I also enjoy the feeling of challenge to reach the point at which Rhode Island media…
I share Bil Herron’s consternation at not making the cut for the latest local-media dip into the blogosphere. Unfortunately, neither Anchor Rising nor Dust in the Light nor The Ocean State Blogger has Bil’s obvious reasons to blame. No, in our case, it’s not a lack of effort; it’s just us — the price of…
John Arcaro, an independent challenger for Pawtucket’s seat in the Rhode Island House of Representatives, directed my attention to an October piece about his race. I’m still naif enough to think this stunning: [Rep. Elaine A. Coderre] hasn’t had an opponent for her House seat since 1986, when Raymond G. Berger, a Republican who opposed…
On Friday, I went to Barnes & Noble in Middletown to see if the store had one or both of the magazines in which my work currently appears. I couldn’t find any copies of Newport Life, and the two copies of National Review on the rack were two-issues old. Well, I just called to ask…