RI Political Corruption
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
It may be limited in scope, but at least proof of conduct that enables the reduction or rescindment doesn’t have to be so egregious that it stands up as a crime in a court of law: An employee of the City of Providence does not have to be convicted of a job-related crime to lose…
And so the method goes: After a nationwide search for a green energy company to utilize as-yet unsecured federal grants… Johnston and North Providence signed agreements with RI Representative Peter Palumbo (D., Cranston): [Johnston Mayor Joseph] Polisena and [North Providence Council President Joseph] Burchfield signed the agreements with Palumbo’s company, which was incorporated in March,…
Whether by ignorance or deceit, there’s a curious omission from the Providence Journal’s coverage of Governor Carcieri’s plan to bring the state government’s budget out of deficit. It’s not in the summary article by Cynthia Needham and Katherine Gregg. It’s not in the article conveying state workers’ anger, by Richard Dujardin. And at best, it…