Governor

A water drop and ripples

Magaziner running from the podium after announcing a run for governor has become typical crafting.

By Justin Katz | September 20, 2021 |

The bottom line is that the news media supports progressive Democrats, so its practitioners are not anxious to press their candidates when they decline to answer questions in the service of crafting the news stories.  That’s why it’s entirely natural for Rhode Island General Treasurer to hold a press conference announcing his expected run for…

Parents have to stand up for their kids’ rights, as they’re doing in Rhode Island, but beware the judiciary and media.

By Justin Katz | September 17, 2021 |

It’s encouraging to see that some families in Rhode Island have had enough and are willing to take to court to defend their civil rights, as Kim Kalunian reports on WPRI: Sixteen parents and grandparents have filed a lawsuit against Gov. Dan McKee over his statewide school mask mandate. The complaint, filed in Providence Superior…

A water drop and ripples

Elorza bowing out of the gubernatorial race was the right thing to do.

By Justin Katz | September 15, 2021 |

GoLocalProv is reporting that Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza won’t be following through with his plan to seek the governor’s office.  It’s the obvious move to make, given the state of political play in the state right now.  I suppose it would be too much to hope, however, that Elorza has realized he’s out of his depth…

Ivan Vladimirov's Night Robbery of Humanitarian Aid

Here’s what you do if you’re angry at Anthony Silva’s $53,000 parting gift.

By Justin Katz | September 15, 2021 |

Departing Democrat Governor Dan McKee’s administration under the cloud of an influence peddling scandal, former Chief of Staff Anthony Silva is taking with him a $53,000 payout for unused time off, according to Eli Sherman on WPRI.  This benefit is always an issue when government employees leave office for some controversial reason, and the public is…

Dan McKee gets vaccinated

McKee needs to start inoculating his decisions against the symptoms of cronyism.

By Justin Katz | September 13, 2021 |

How Democrat Governor Dan McKee handled the awarding of a $5 million education-related contract to a group of his friends and allies has been a disaster, giving his opposition a wide-open window through which to pepper him with political arrows, but I’m withholding judgment on the action itself.  This paragraph from Patrick Anderson’s Providence Journal article on…

A water drop and ripples

Unpaid leave for unvaccinated healthcare workers is slightly better than firing them, I guess.

By Justin Katz | September 9, 2021 |

But in making this move, it seems Democrat Governor Dan McKee is only shining more on the arbitrary power he’s claiming to have: They will be placed on leave without pay during that time and barred from working in a state-licensed health-care facility until they get inoculated against COVID-19, according to an email from the…

A water drop and ripples

McKee jumped out of the municipal frying pan and into the 38 Studios fire.

By Justin Katz | September 7, 2021 |

This blows my mind.  As his former chief of staff, Anthony Silva falls issues a series of retirements, resignations, and property donations in an effort to put an influence-peddling scandal behind himself, Democrat Governor Dan McKee goes and fills his position with somebody who carries the stain of the 38 Studios scandal: On Tuesday, McKee…

Handcuffed resist fists

McKee takes a step toward lockdowns with new “quarantine and isolation executive order.”

By Justin Katz | September 2, 2021 |

Frankly, I intend to ignore Democrat Governor Dan McKee’s latest executive order, issued late yesterday, and make informed decisions for my own health and those with whom I come into contact.  All five of the “whereas” clauses — which are supposed to explain and justify this sort of resolution — are purely generic.  There is…

A man falls down stairs

Politics This Week with John DePetro: Stumbles in the State House and the Teacher Union Hall

By Justin Katz | August 30, 2021 |

John DePetro and Justin Katz talk about high-profile slip-ups by politicians and political actors.

Gustave Courbet's The Stormy Sea (The Wave)

Politics This Week with John DePetro: A Storm of Bias

By Justin Katz | August 23, 2021 |

John DePetro and Justin Katz discuss the ways in which the movers and shakers in RI avoid things everybody knows.