Rhode Island Politics

Rhode Island’s Presumptive New Historian Laureate Testified Against Separation Of Powers

By Monique Chartier | April 29, 2012 |

On Friday, Governor Chafee signed the bill that created the unpaid position of state Historian Laureate. Per the ProJo, … the presumptive candidate-in-waiting has been the controversial lawyer, historian and developer Patrick T. Conley. Let’s not forget that in the mighty battle to bring separation of powers to Rhode Island, Dr. Conley testified at length…

RI Assoc of Firefighters Re Municipal Relief Package: We Will Litigate

By Monique Chartier | April 14, 2012 |

Justin live-blogged the Senate Finance Committee hearing of Governor Chafee’s Municipal Relief Package for Ocean State Current. Justin’s coverage of hearings on Smith Hill are a treat for us followers of Rhode Island policy and politics because he includes many interesting and enlightening details and macro items. This time is no exception. Therefore, with great…

Wednesday Political Roundup

By Carroll Andrew Morse | April 11, 2012 |

Republican Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney made a campaign appearance in Warwick today. Justin liveblogged the event at the Ocean State Current. Anthony Gemma announced a Sunday announcement “regarding his political intentions that will positively impact the political, economic, and cultural fates of Rhode Island and, by extension, the United States of America for the foreseeable…

Expungement and Ciccone’s Arrest Record: Because If It’s Expunged, It Didn’t Happen

By Monique Chartier | April 5, 2012 |

Yes, as Andrew notes, Ian Donnis points out at On Politics that Senator Ciccone has an arrest record. State Senator Frank A. Ciccone, under fire for threatening comments allegedly made to Barrington police during a road stop last week, was arrested twice in the early 1980s and testified under immunity against the late former state…

From Spaccone To Surreal: Senator Ciccone Had Proposed Letting The Senate (Ethically) Police Itself

By Monique Chartier | April 3, 2012 |

How did I miss Item #3 from Ted Nesi’s most recent “Saturday Morning Post”? (Thanks to a friend for pointing it out. H/T John Depetro for invoking an excellent Italian word to describe the senator’s now notorious actions last week.) … The majority leader’s arrest report was released Wednesday morning by Barrington Police Chief John…

The Slippery Governor

By Patrick Laverty | April 2, 2012 |

One skill that you can learn by watching the local politicians is a nice way to evade any tough questions. Simply don’t answer them. I don’t mean you just sit there and stare at the questioner, but you answer the question you want to answer. On this weekend’s Newsmakers, Governor Chafee was the guest and…

“Take Action”: E-Verify (Both Public & Private Sector) To Be Heard Today in House Labor

By Monique Chartier | March 27, 2012 |

… as Andrew noted on his list, though you wouldn’t know it from the General Assembly’s Bill Status page (which still has both 7315 and 7927 “scheduled for hearing and/or consideration” on March 19). If you very reasonably object to a major enticement – employment – to illegal immigration; if you would prefer private and…

Almonte First into the Democratic Gubernatorial Void?

By Carroll Andrew Morse | March 20, 2012 |

The Projo‘s Randal Edgar reported last evening that former RI Auditor General Ernest Almonte is considering running for Governor of Rhode Island as a Democrat (h/t Ted Nesi via Twitter)…Former Auditor General Ernest A. Almonte said Monday that he is “seriously considering” a run for governor in 2014. Almonte, who stepped down in 2010 after…

Got a Spare $30,000?

By Patrick Laverty | March 16, 2012 |

According to 630wpro.com, former US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi will be in Rhode Island next week to headline a fundraiser to benefit the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Also mentioned as possibly being in attendance is our own Congressman, David Cicilline, along with co-sponsors Gina Raimondo and former Congressman Patrick Kennedy. This sure sounds…

Chafee Reforms Take on Union Fundamentals

By Marc Comtois | March 16, 2012 |

Governor Chafee’s municipal reform and relief plan (link to a PDF) contains many items that have long been considered in the “good idea” category by those of us around here (as Matt Allen posted on Facebook, “I think the blind squirrel found a nut!”). As Ted Nesi writes, a lot of it was promoted by…