RI Political Corruption

Perpetual Contract: Making a Spark in a Gunpowder Factory

By Justin Katz | October 29, 2009 |

Andrew’s news might explain the lack of the usual angst from the state’s unionists over legislative assurances that binding arbitration is dead, for the time being: The unions’ first choice — perpetual contracts — is alive and well. You’ll recall that the deadly bill, S0713, passed the Senate and the House Labor Committee and then…

Send the State to the Dump and Rebuild

By Justin Katz | October 25, 2009 |

Some explanation may lie with the crappy discount coffee that I bought in a pinch at CVS, Friday night. I’d forgotten to pick up my usual brew on the way home, and because the cold snap and the replacement of heavy winter socks in my work-clothes dresser bring the threat of rapid defeat in my…

Rhode Island Sleaze Brings Left and Right Together

By Justin Katz | October 21, 2009 |

You know the Rhode Island way of doing government is sickly when the habits and practices of elected officials drive the political left and right so close as to leave no space whatsoever between them. Witness Bob Kerr‘s suggestion that the state replace its current system of selecting its Speaker of the House through back-room…

An Association of Associates

By Justin Katz | October 12, 2009 |

I’ve procured a copy of the proposed change in the Ethics Commission’s general advisory pertaining to union members’ voting, as elected officials, on contracts and such that affect other locals of their unions (PDF). There’s nothing in it that will surprise those who’ve been following along, and frankly, with the exception of replacing “adequate” with…

A Little Less Tilt on the Union Playing Field

By Justin Katz | October 8, 2009 |

Perhaps there is hope that the winds are changing (too slowly, of course) in Providence Journal reporter Steve Peoples’ story on the RI Ethics Commission’s movement toward a decision that would expand the prohibitions against union members’ participation, as public officials, in matters pertaining to other locals under the same umbrella organizations. A 2008 advisory…

Erik Wallin: The Cancer That Is Corruption

By Engaged Citizen | September 30, 2009 |

The cancer that is corruption continues to devour our state. Most recently, the Governor’s audit shed light on $75 million of willfully mismanaged taxpayer dollars for insider deals, extravagant bonuses, over-paying, and a variety of other corrupt actions. Taking a step back from these despicable practices for just a moment, one can look at the…

Common Ethics in Rhode Island

By Justin Katz | September 18, 2009 |

In the extended entry, I’ve posted the entire Common Cause Rhode Island panel discussion about the RI Ethics Commission and its recent diminution by the Rhode Island Supreme Court. For those who can’t take the shoe-string aesthetics, my understanding is that Operation Clean Government will be posting a more professional video on its Web site…

Ethics in the Evening

By Justin Katz | September 16, 2009 |

Attending an event on the Brown campus, a blogger knows that he’s attending an event on the Brown campus. Entirely unaccountable suit jackets . Very professorial-looking people. (I hope nobody breaks into my van after the sun goes down.) Also, the seats have folding desktops. When I was a kid… I’m not sure whether this…

Re: A Whiff of Sanity

By Justin Katz | September 12, 2009 |

The question of public pensions can lead quickly to basic premises. Consider a comment from Joe Bernstein: DISCLAIMER:I am a friend of Barney Prignano and worked in the SIB squad from 1990-94 when he supervised that group. I was one of two Federal agents assigned there. Forget who lost their pension here and think about…

A Monopoly of Power

By Justin Katz | September 9, 2009 |

As we wait for the General Assembly to make an appearance on the local governance scene — maybe helping, you know, to figure out from where tens of millions of dollars are supposed to come #&151; the pause offers opportunity to revive a metaphor articulated by Larry Valencia, Operation Clean Government, back in July: Our…