On Tuesday evening, State Senator Paul Jabour criticized Governor Gina Raimondo for taking $7,000 from the University of Rhode Island’s Foundation to fund her trip to the International Business leaders conference - Davos.
Raimondo canceled her trip on Wednesday afternoon citing the impending snow storm scheduled to hit Rhode Island this weekend. GoLocal Meteorologist John Ghiorse predicts only a small snow storm this weekend.
On Wednesday night the Governor’s office confirmed to GoLocal that Raimondo would return the $7,000 to the Foundation.
In an email from Marie Aberger of the Governor’s staff wrote to GoLocal, “any expenses will be reimbursed to URI Foundation.”
"I think [Raimondo] should give it (the money) back," said Jabour on Tuesday. "If we want to pay for it, then I think it should be on the next agenda. If the Foundation board wants to authorize it and sees a benefit to it for college research, and she says she's made a match, and this is what will give us a benefit, then so be it. I don't think there was any discussion -- it's a slippery slope."
Many were perplexed that Raimondo tapped the URI Foundation — a group that funds scholarships to students when the Governor has more than $500,000 in her campaign fund, her office has a multi-million budget and
The leadership of Davos includes former Vice President Al Gore, Chinese billionaire Jack Ma of Alibaba, and Queen Rania Al Abdullah Hashemite of Jordan.
Davos — or its more formal name “World Economic Forum” is the “it” event for political and economic leaders. It describes itself as, “Our activities are shaped by a unique institutional culture founded on the stakeholder theory, which asserts that an organization is accountable to all parts of society. The institution carefully blends and balances the best of many kinds of organizations, from both the public and private sectors, international organizations and academic institutions.”
Related Slideshow: Raimondo and Mattiello - Friction Going Into the 2016 Session
Mattiello has long questioned why little Rhode Island has its own health exchange. His questions center around scale, cost and long-term viability. Raimondo had been defending the Chafee initiative, but the move of Anya Rader Wallack from her leadership position at HealthSource to Medicaid (right when open enrollment started, to boot) is one of the indications of Raimondo’s walk away.
Raimondo has been the champion of an ever-changing funding scheme to rebuild Rhode Island’s infrastructure.
No one questions the need to rehab Rhode Island’s failed bridges and roads, but most everyone has raised questions about the constantly changing funding structure and the corresponding lack of disclosure.
Raimondo’s request to legislative leaders has been to pass legislation - and to trust her and her administration. Last session of the General Assembly the Senate functionally went along with the plan and the House held firm on wanting to see the numbers.
Now, it is six-months later and much of the plan has not been disclosed to legislative leaders, the public or the media.
For decades, Rhode Island Speakers have been wildly criticized for being all powerful, Machiavellian, and highly secretive, but in this unusual situation it is often that Mattiello is the open, responsive and proactive communicator.
In contrast, Raimondo less than two months ago came under fire from the media and civil rights groups for secrecy, failing to respond to media inquiries, and non-responsiveness to public information requests.
Five organizations, including ACCESS/RI, American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island, Rhode Island Press Association, New England First Amendment Coalition,and League of Women Voters of Rhode Island, sent sharply wordedletter to Governor Gina Raimondo on Tuesday asking her to issue an executive order which calls on state agencies to "adopt a strong presumption in favor of disclosure in addressing public information requests.
Mattiello, unlike his predecessors, has been the voice of the voter asking for information and requesting greater transparency.
The Democratic Governor enjoys a four-year term, but she needs the support of a legislature who is up for re-election with an electorate that is wildly dissatisfied with the direction of the country, the direction of the state, the performance of Congress. It is a Presidential election year which will only add to the volatility.
The Governor who only won the Democratic primary with 40% of the vote and then was elected last November with 40% off the vote hardly has the most powerful bully pulpit to speak from.
For many legislators the smart political step maybe to show independence and raise questions rather than to lock step with her.
For Mattiello, this means he may need to give far greater latitude to legislators to vote freely.
Raimondo is trained as an attorney and worked nearly her entire professional career as Venture Capitalist. Lots of Non-Disclosure Agreements, “paper the deal” with agreements and little disclosure.
This training is great for confidentiality as it relates to high stakes venture, but those skills become obstacles to governing in a Democracy during a period when the public demands transparency.
There is a growing sentiment among Democratic legislators that the Governor has a “I am better than you” attitude. Raimondo who was educated at Yale, Harvard and Oxford seems to intentionally or unintentionally exude superiority.
As one legislator told GoLocal at the request of anonymity, “The only thing worse than her being pompous is when she tries to act like she is ‘just like everyone else.’ It is insulting.”
The ramifications of the Governor and her staff’s tone is not lost on legislators. Top Raimondo confidant Representative Joe Shekarchi can only do “Shuttle-Diplomacy” so much.
Raimondo has announced a series of initiatives to restrict gun ownership in Rhode Island. A corresponding pro-gun control campaign is being funded by Democratic heavy weight Mark Weiner and former Hasbro CEO Alan Hassenfeld.
Raimondo uses the issue of gun control as a fundraising trigger with her supporters. The initiative may be good political fundraising, but will put her at odds with Mattiello, who is a strong gun rights supporter who has received high scores for his voting record on from the gun rights organization.
