Rhode Island Politics
Aren’t Democrats supposed to represent the common man? The work-a-day joe? Sure, here we go – from the official website of the Democrat National Committee: an abiding faith in the judgment of hardworking American families, and a commitment to helping the excluded, the disenfranchised and the poor strengthen our nation by earning themselves a piece…
If, after all of the technicalities are applied, Stephen Alves returns to his seat in the Rhode Island Senate, Rhode Islanders ought to take it as a final straw: Yesterday, the court gave some insight into its decision. According to Craig Berke, spokesman for the state judiciary, the court withheld its decision on the Alves…
This has been floating around my inbox for a few weeks because it’s worth noting, but I’m not sure how much there is to say about it: Saying that the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission is not effectively doing its job of implementing and enforcing reasonable rates for consumers, Sen. John J. Tassoni Jr. (D-Dist.…
No doubt, many of us find ourselves impeded by the finer points of legalistic legerdemain, but is it possible to see the argument put forward by the RI House of Representative’s lawyer on the matter of Separation of Powers and the Coastal Resources Management Council as anything other than specious? Lawyer Sandra Lanni, representing House…
RI Supreme Court, according to script: The state Supreme Court has deferred a decision in the case brought by Stephen D. Alves in West Warwick’s Senate District 9 until Oct. 23, according to Armando E. Batastini, lawyer for Alves’ Democratic primary opponent Michael J. Pinga. The court denied the identical request for a new primary…
With foreboding of a procedural mess of a national election, something in yesterday’s Stephen Alves story indicates a perverse incentive (emphasis added): The change in the number of Republicans does not change Alves’ argument, Taveras said last night. In addition to the 15 questionable ballots cited by the Town Clerk, he says three ballots were…
For those wondering, yes, I’m still around, but priorities are elsewhere at the moment (nothing wrong, just a temporary shift in priorities). I’m keeping up with the news, if not my commentary (no great loss, that, I hear some saying). FWIW, some scattered thoughts…. I watched the first 15 minutes of last night’s debate and…
In the event their financial troubles lead to foreclosure, General Treasurer Frank Caprio has proposed, though not as a first option, the state purchase of Twin Rivers. The Treasurer further proposes to do so without voter approval. (By the way, where have we heard about a chunk of the taxpayers’ change being spent against taxpayer…
Yeah, it’s not difficult to see where this is going: In a court-ordered recount yesterday, victories by Michael J. Pinga and Erin C. Lynch were upheld by the Board of Elections, but state Sen. Stephen D. Alves’ quest to retain his seat on Smith Hill isn’t over just yet. After already recounting the votes from…
To be clear, I don’t speak for Tiverton Citizens for Change with what follows (or, really, in any sanctioned sense). However, I do have some insight into the group’s candidate-endorsement process, which may be summarized with two words: fair and open. Every candidate received a questionnaire specific to the position that he or she sought,…