Rhode Island Politics

2010 AG Race: Ian Donnis’ Interesting Conversation with the Current AG

By Monique Chartier | May 22, 2009 |

… can be found at Donnis’ blog on WRNI. It sounds like the current AG read a recent comment here by Joe Bernstein – something about the inadviseability of two Lynchs running for two out of five General Offices in 2010 – and has taken it to heart. During a taping this morning of WPRI/WNAC-TV’s…

The Rhode Island Economic Story

By Justin Katz | May 20, 2009 |

In the second paragraph of the following quotation we see why Rhode Island will find another bottom to hit as the rest of the country recovers economically (hopefully): “With the exception of the tax proposals, I’m not sure what else has been put on the table,” [Department of Administration Director Gary Sasse] said. “If you…

Attorney General: Pay No Attention to that Plea Agreement Behind The Bench

By Monique Chartier | May 19, 2009 |

In 2007, Attorney General Patrick Lynch charged Ryan Greenberg with Second Degree Murder; Operating a boat to Endanger, Death Resulting; Refusal of a Chemical Test for Intoxication; and Minor Possessing Alcohol – charges related to the death of Patrick Murphy on the Barrington River. Yesterday, Ryan Greenberg pled no contest to being involved in a…

Spotted Today During Lunch

By Justin Katz | May 19, 2009 |

How Economic Development Should Work

By Justin Katz | May 19, 2009 |

Brian Bishop takes up the appropriate call to government when it comes to economic development: just get out of the way. The last thing we need is a government-run Chamber of Commerce, a retread bureaucracy of fortune tellers picking winning businesses or sectors that will be offered state loans and regulatory absolutions. Rather, we should…

Moving Independent Candidates to a Different Spot on the Ballot?

By Carroll Andrew Morse | May 16, 2009 |

Take a look at the sample ballots that TPublico has mocked at up over at RI Future. Start off with this one, laid out according to how the law now reads.Either laugh or scream, depending on your temperament, especially after reading the choices under Governor and Lt. Governor.Then return to pondering the serious issue that…

This Would Certainly Save Him the Trouble of Having to Ask for Investigations of Voters of Who Vote Against Democratic Incumbents…

By Carroll Andrew Morse | May 15, 2009 |

…because he could move right to ordering them instead! From Katherine Gregg in today’s Projo…Disappointed in his quest to become U.S. Attorney for Rhode Island, state Democratic Chairman William J. Lynch says he is considering whether to run to succeed his term-limited brother, Patrick, as attorney general.

A Problem of Remuneration Strategy in Education

By Justin Katz | May 14, 2009 |

We on the right understand, of course, the concept of paying a premium for quality executives and administrators, but there seems to be something of, well, an employer’s vanity in paying our new, relatively young Education Commissioner Deborah Gist substantially more than her predecessor, who had logged nearly two decades in the position: Rhode Island’s…

E-Verify in the Senate Judiciary Committee (and Some Blog-Lobbying on It)

By Monique Chartier | May 14, 2009 |

The Senate Judiciary will hear Senator Cote’s e-verify bill this afternoon at the Rise of the Senate in Room 313. Employment is the biggest draw to the United States. Legal immigration is a wonderful thing. But illegal employment encourages illegal immigration. A simple, highly accurate tool, E-Verify discourages illegal employment. E-Verify passed the RI House…

A Fair Hearing for E-Verify in the Senate?

By Justin Katz | May 14, 2009 |

A comment from Joe Bernstein: E-verify will not make it through the Senate. It is “inexplicably” being scheduled for hearing before the Judiciary instead of Labor. Why? Because Paiva-Weed knows she can’t any longer just bury it, so she wants to make damn sure it gets voted down in committee. That won’t happen in Labor.…