RI Political Corruption

A shadowy man on the phone

State government theft from workers shows we need trust in ourselves, not new laws.

By Justin Katz | May 6, 2022 |

With a bit of spectacularly bad timing for Rhode Island insiders (who may very well win anyway), an employee of the state Department of Labor and Training has been charged with stealing funds from exactly an area that labor unions are trying to make more flush: An employee of the Rhode Island Department of Labor…

Mail ballot envelope

Two questions persist with the voter fraud story.

By Justin Katz | April 28, 2022 |

Without insinuating an answer, I find myself wondering how it was that progressive Democrat state senator Dawn Euer, apparently alone among all people who track and inform the public about such things was the one who knew of three voter fraud arrests.  Think of that.  If she hadn’t mentioned the situation to score political points,…

Working on a checklist

Politics This Week with John DePetro: Talking Points and Ruts

By Justin Katz | April 4, 2022 |

John DePetro (now back in the states) and Justin Katz pick RI politics back up with missing a step.

Hospital beds

When activists call for more government, remind them of Eleanor Slater.

By Justin Katz | March 28, 2022 |

Here’s an important detail from a recent budget analysis by the Rhode Island Public Expenditures Council (RIPEC), as summarized by WPRI’s Eli Sherman: In a breakdown of the hospital’s financial picture, RIPEC estimated McKee is seeking to spend $143.7 million in state and federal revenue next fiscal year on the state-run medical and psychiatric facility,…

A water drop and ripples

Add a leaky Dunk to the signs of RI’s deterioration.

By Justin Katz | February 28, 2022 |

For the cost of taxes and the cost of living around here, why do Rhode Islanders tolerate this sort of thing? For the third time in the last four years on national television, the Dunkin’ Donuts Center has served as a national embarrassment, as games have had to be canceled or delayed because the management…

Hospital beds

The hospital merger controversy is our second warning.

By Justin Katz | February 18, 2022 |

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha isn’t wrong to be concerned about a lack of competition in healthcare in our state, but our selective acceptance of market forces is going to start killing Rhode Islanders: Attorney General Peter Neronha on Thursday rejected the proposed merger of Rhode Island’s two largest hospital groups and joined a…

RIPEC state revenue and spending infographic

RIPEC’s recommendation to slow spending is based on obvious facts.

By Justin Katz | February 17, 2022 |

Perhaps the key detail to be found in the report and interactive tools that the Rhode Island Public Expenditures Council (RIPEC) just released is to be found at the top of its associated infographic.  As shown in the featured image of this post, although Rhode Island is the 18th state in the country for per…

A water drop and ripples

The courts aren’t the right place for deciding JCLS controversies.

By Justin Katz | February 10, 2022 |

Don’t get me wrong.  RI House Minority Leader Blake Filippi is right to be pursuing his lawsuit against the Joint Committee of Legislative Services, which is undoubtedly a central hub of our legislature’s corruption.  But the judiciary isn’t where these disputes should have to be resolved.  Think about it: Filippi, the top Republican in the…

A water drop and ripples

The Superman building is going to prove that corruption is a waiting game.

By Justin Katz | February 4, 2022 |

Often, public corruption is simply a matter of special interests waiting out public attention.  Voters don’t want to subsidize a non-viable bit of real estate in Providence?  Just wait them out.  They’ll forget or some money will come along: It’s been nine years since Bank of America moved out of the 26-story skyscraper known as…

School girl in medical mask

McKee’s new school policy for COVID feels like backfilling.

By Justin Katz | January 11, 2022 |

Governor Dan McKee, along with the Rhode Island departments of health and education, implemented new guidelines for how schools handle COVID infections, yesterday.  Employees and students who have been vaccinated and boosted (depending on age) do not have to quarantine, even if they had close contact with somebody who tested positive.  Notably, the same applies…