NEW: Group Calls on State Rep. to Recuse Herself from Vote
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Yesterday Common Cause Rhode Island wrote a letter to Representative Lisa Baldelli-Hunt asking her to withdraw her sponsorship, and recuse herself from further participation with a bill related to check cashing being heard today before the House Committee on Corporations.
The bill, H 7480, impacts check cashing businesses in Rhode Island. Recent media attention has focused on the possible direct financial impact this legislation would have on Representative Baldelli-Hunt as well as her brother, an owner of several such businesses. Because there is no mechanism in place for Representative Baldelli-Hunt to seek legal advice regarding any potential conflicts, Common Cause believes the best course of action is for her to remove herself from involvement with the legislation. Common Cause does not assert that Representative Baldelli-Hunt has engaged in unethical behavior.
In June of 2009 the Rhode Island Supreme Court ruled that the Rhode Island Ethics Commission no longer has jurisdiction to investigate, prosecute and punish members of the General Assembly for conflicts involving their "core legislative activities." Since that point there has been no oversight of potential financial conflicts of interest among members of the General Assembly for sponsoring, speaking in support of, or voting on bills.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTIn 2010 the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly, including Representative Baldelli-Hunt, to send a question to the voters asking them whether the Ethics Commission's jurisdiction should be restored. The Rhode Island Senate has never acted on the resolution, and there has been no ethical oversight of "core legislative activities" since. Again in 2012 Common Cause has supported resolutions in both the House and Senate asking that the voters be allowed to decide this question.
