UPDATED: Raimondo Administration Continues Fight To Block Release of 38 Studios Documents
Thursday, November 24, 2016
Court documents filed on Thanksgiving eve by Governor Gina Raimondo through her Chief Legal Counsel Claire Richards attempt to thwart the lawsuit filed by GoLocalProv that seeks the court to order the release of the RI State Police interviews and notes relating to the failed criminal investigation of 38 Studios.
“The Governor basically argues that she should have no role in this case because the 38 Studios records aren't in her personal custody,” said former Assistant Attorney General for Rhode Island Tom Dickinson - GoLocal’s attorney.
“But she (Raimondo) is the chief executive of the state, and the constitution gives her the duty to see that all laws are faithfully executed. She also has authority over the Director of Public Safety, who is by law Colonel of the State Police. So the records are in the custody of an agency over which the Governor has final responsibility,” said Dickinson.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTRaimondo's Richards has asked that GoLocal's complaint against Raimondo be dismissed. The hearing of the Raimondo's administration will be held February 23, 2017.
“It is disappointing that Governor Raimondo continue to block and delay the release of the 38 Studios criminal investigation interviews. The Governor’s efforts to keep these documents secret — information that could easily be released — is sad and only goes to raise questions about her relationship with those who were interviewed during the criminal investigation,” said Josh Fenton, CEO of GoLocalProv.
Government Failure
"As we've said all along, 38 Studios represents failure in two branches of Rhode Island government - the Executive and Legislative. The people have a need to know how and why that occurred, and they won't know as these records remain secret," said Dickinson.
Raimondo has made a number of contradictory statements regarding the release of the documents over the past few months. One of her most recent statements on the issue was that she would seek to release the documents after the remaining civil matter is resolved. SEE VIDEO But, Attorney General Peter Kilmartin has declared that there was and is no relationship between the failed criminal investigation and the ongoing civil cases seeking to recover economic damages to the state of Rhode Island.
Kilmartin, in the press conference announcing the conclusion of the 38 Studios, stated that the civil case and the criminal cases have no relationship to one another. Moreover, he stated that the failure of his Department to prosecute on the criminal matter should have no influence over the civil case or vice a versa. “One does not impact the other,” said Kilmartin.
The Grand Jury ran for eighteen months from December of 2013 to July of 2015 — the most allowed by court rule, according to Kilmartin.
Related Slideshow: GoLocal’s Attorney Dickinson Appeals to Gain Release of State Police 38 Studios Documents
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