BREAKING: Fourth State Legislator Has Criminal Background
Friday, September 23, 2011
Too often, people view the state of Rhode Island as one ridden with political corruption. More often than not, particularly of late, they’re right. Generations of citizens have lived with this moniker as our elected officials, time and time again, provide us with examples of poor decisions and criminal activity.
For a state with just over 1 million residents, Rhode Island, according to a 2010 report by Newsweek, has the dubious distinction of having the most per capita corruption in the country. And, there’s even more to the story that many realize.
Criminals on Capitol Hill
Recently, a number of Rhode Island’s Legislature has experienced run-ins with the law, with one instance revealing a lengthy history of criminal activity for Representative Dan Gordon, a Republican. As Gordon continues to spend much of his time in the news, the same cannot be said for Representative John Carnevale, a Democrat with his fair share of criminal history.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTUnfortunately, this type of news has become too much of the norm for Rhode Islanders. John Carnevale, a former Police Sergeant who now represents District 13 Providence/Johnston, was arrested in 2004 by the North Kingstown Police for allegedly assaulting his ex-wife. It marked the third time in five years that he had been arrested, and the third time the charges were either dismissed or he was found not guilty. None were a problem, or exposed, as Carnevale ran unopposed for the House of Representatives in 2008.
Unlike Gordon, whose recent arrest from driving with a suspended license revealed an outstanding warrant in Massachusetts and a record that includes being charged more than a dozen times since 1993 and spending time in a Massachusetts jail on 3 separate occasions, there has been little noise regarding Carnevale’s past.
As political leaders, including Governor Chafee, call for Gordon to resign from his post, one has to wonder whether different rules apply to the two parties when faced with these issues. To date, there has been little outcry from peers in calling for Democrats Carnevale, and Leo Medina, arrested earlier this month for pocketing the proceeds from a friend’s life insurance policy, to step aside.
With Rhode Island historically being a state led by Democrats, and with all of the current focus on Dan Gordon, are there different rules that apply to members of each party under these circumstances?
A Dual Set of Rules?
When asked about the potential for different standards between the two parties, Representative Daniel Reilly, a Republican who represents District 72 in Middletown, Newport and Portsmouth, felt there was in fact a sense of things being handled differently.
“It’s certainly an interesting point,” stated Reilly. “The Democratic party, simply by way of the figures and how they outnumber us, seems to have higher representation of engaging in criminal activity.
There’s certainly been a lot less talk about someone like Leo Medina when he was arrested, with fewer calls for his resignation, when compared with Dan Gordon. I definitely see a noticeable difference between the two.”
Reilly feels that despite the muted calls for Medina to step aside, it would be appropriate for him to resign considering the circumstances. As for Gordon, it should be a no-brainer.
“I’ve called for Gordon to resign myself, and agree with Representative Newberry on his stance. Being the other representative from Portsmouth, I’m concerned about his ability to serve his constituents. For him to be involved in this controversy, it renders him unable to do his job,” continued Reilly.
When told about Representative Carnevale’s criminal past, of which he was previously unaware, Reilly supported the need to ensure that elected officials are capable of effectively doing their jobs. Something he’s not sure can be done under certain circumstances.
“I think anyone that’s charged with criminal wrongdoing, while certainly entitled to their day in court, should all be held to the same standards. They become a major distraction if they serve in public office, and these are serious issues that have a negative impact on the community. This stands true for both Republicans and Democrats, but we’ve certainly been hearing more calls for Dan Gordon to resign when compared with the others; he’s blowing them out of the water.”
A Black-Eye for Rhode Island Republicans?
As calls for Gordon to resign reach a feverish pitch, many see his actions as delivering a black-eye to Rhode Island’s Republican Party at a time they can ill afford. Not everyone however, feels this way.
“One of the things I’ve said when asked about the Dan Gordon situation being a black-eye for Rhode Island Republicans is that I view it as an opportunity to demonstrate our strength,” said Representative Newberry. “When one of our party members comes out with this news, we deal with it head-on. As Minority Leader, I want to set the tone that Republicans in our state won’t sweep the issues under the rug that the Democrats tend to do.”
As a result of the plethora of news surrounding embattled members of the Legislature, it has spurred a debate as to whether Rhode Island voters deserve more transparency from those running for office.
Seeking Office? Provide a BCI
Representative Scott Slater, a Democrat representing District 10 in Providence, recently filed legislation that proposes BCI checks for candidates. In its current form, the legislation would require all candidates running for office to provide a BCI when they submit their name to be added to the ballot. The results of the BCI would not prevent a candidate from running, but would instead be used to increase the transparency of the legislature.
“I feel it’s important that our voters have as much information as possible regarding the people they’re voting for,” stated Slater. “Obviously, there appears to be a need for it. As a legislative body, we require these on a regular basis from many of the people we work with, so why not for those running for office.”
While a move like this would be somewhat unprecedented, there are concerns about its Constitutionality and potential effectiveness. For example, Dan Gordon’s troubles in Massachusetts would only have become known if the state utilized Federal BCI instead of the Rhode Island BCI it uses the most. At the same time, Representative Carnevale’s past most certainly would have come to light being that it occurred in North Kingstown. Though early in the process, the legislation has received some traction.
“I think the legislation is well-intended, and coming up at a time when many are looking at the Dan Gordon situation, but there are others,” said House Minority Leader Brian Newberry. “It’s something that I still need to take a closer look at, but conceptually, it sounds good. The mechanics of it need to be investigated more thoroughly, because in my experience, things that sound good don’t always work out once you look at the practicalities.”
Time to Take a Stand
With overwhelming examples of our elected officials having their fair share of bouts with the law, it’s time to develop a plan that addresses these critical issues. The time has more than arrived where we must do everything possible to move Rhode Island away from its resounding reputation as a state full of corrupt, criminal politicians. The first step could very well be to ensure that all politicians, Democrats and Republicans alike, are held to the same standards if they insist on finding themselves at the center of criminal activity.
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