Former AG Candidates Offer Advice to Kilmartin

Tuesday, January 04, 2011

GoLocalProv Politics Team

 

The candidates who did not win the race for Attorney General tell us what they’re up to now, what they learned from their campaigns, and what advice they have for Peter Kilmartin as he is sworn in to office today.
 

Steve Archambault

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1. What have you been up to since the election? Back to work. I am pleased to report that I have recently been appointed the Foster Town Prosecutor. This new appointment, coupled with my ongoing work as the Lincoln Town Prosecutor, will enable me to continue to play a significant role in law enforcement.

2. What did you learn from your campaign? The real willingness of voters throughout our state to take time out of their busy lives and listen and really wrestle with potential solutions to issues.

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3. What advice do you have for Attorney General Kilmartin? To bring a new level of strict scrutiny to any proposed health insurer rate increases.

4. What do you think will be the biggest issue the state—and Kilmartin—will face in 2011? The biggest statewide issue remains how to create jobs and put our economy on a sustainable growth path. In terms of the Attorney General’s office, the biggest issues are protecting public safety and standing up for Rhode Island consumers.

5. Will you run again? I enjoyed the experience and would certainly consider doing it again.

 

Christopher Little

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1. What have you been up to since the election? I have been back at my firm since November 3 and am working at saving a small Massachusetts specialty piping company in a fight with Dominion Energy and a large New York contractor, scheduled for a three- to four-week trial in Fall River in early February and also seeking to vindicate the rights of investors who were victimized by the Picerne real estate empire. Judge Silverstein ruled in my clients favor in early December in a 50-page decision which Picerne continues to fight. And, I am representing residents of Jamestown in a fight against a real estate developer who wants to build a huge residence right at the edge of a coastal bluff, notwithstanding the views of all of the (Coastal Resources Management Council) staff that the project, as proposed, is a disaster in the making. These are but some of the matters that I am handling now.

2. What did you learn from your campaign? I developed a greater understanding of the extent to which all Rhode Islanders share common views, as well as anxieties, about our government’s role with respect to the critical issues that affect us all and that are within the power of government to control, or at least direct.

3. What advice do you have for Attorney General Kilmartin? Peter won the election. It is not my province to offer him advice, unless requested by him. I wish him well in the position, for if he does well, so does Rhode Island.

4. What do you think will be the biggest issue the state—and Kilmartin—will face in 2011? Doing more with less—that is meeting greater citizen needs with fewer resources.

5. Will you run again? I ran for office out of a desire to address issues of concern to all Rhode Islanders, not to hold office for the sake of a title. As I have done in the past, I will continue to work outside government to deal with issues of health care, environment, public safety, consumer protection, government accountability, fiscal integrity and human rights. It is premature to determine if this leads me to seek a statewide office again.

 

Erik Wallin

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1. What have you been up to since the election? After spending nearly 22 months on the campaign trail, I decided to take November and December to spend time with my wife and two small children. With the New Year upon us, I expect to spend the next month or so exploring what opportunities are available. I have yet to decide whether I will return to the practice of law or explore other uses for my talents in the public or private sector.

2. What did you learn from your campaign? I learned that a field of five candidates can make an election almost impossible to win against a member of the majority party. One of the biggest difficulties was the lack of time and coverage dedicated to the AG’s race. It was much less than in elections past without even a single debate on broadcast television. More coverage was given to the Democratic primary than the general election.

3. What advice do you have for Attorney General Kilmartin? Attorney General Kilmartin does not need my advice. He won, I lost. I wish him the very best in doing some of the most important work there is to be done in public service.

4. What do you think will be the biggest issue the state—and Kilmartin—will face in 2011? The biggest issue the State of Rhode Island faces is getting a handle on fiscal issues. The only special interest group that our elected officials should be catering to are the taxpayers both individual and small business. If we do not get our budget, unfunded pension liabilities, and retirement systems under control at the state and municipal level, Central Falls will be just the tip of the iceberg. The new Attorney General will need to do more with less if the expected budget cuts are enacted. That will be a challenge for an office already stretched to the bone where prosecutors and staff work thousands of hours beyond a thirty five hour work week—all uncompensated.

5. Will you run again? I expect that I will run for office again. The experience was extremely positive and I have no regrets. It is premature to make a decision as to what office or when. I will say that I am in no way limiting my focus to the office of Attorney General.


Keven McKenna

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1. What have you been up to since the election? My goals and activities have not change, except that campaign forum is no longer present. I had hoped that the campaign for Attorney General could assist in bring to the attention of votes ideas for a better government. It did allow me to move the discussion of ideas up a notch. Several press releases did gain some traction and debate:

a. Workers’ Compensation Court Rip-off: Distribution of Beacon’s accumulation of employers’ refunds could spur jobs if the money was released.
b. Mortgage foreclosures: Statutes are needed to stop foreclosures through advertisement by service companies without promissory notes.
c. State bank- deposit of municipal and state monies into voter owned state bank could create loans for jobs.
d. R.I. Department of Justice with DOC and State Police and AG could make law enforcement more effective.
e. Central Falls implications: 20 towns of equal proportion could work better than the existing 39 municipalities.
f. Government Waste: Traffic Court and WCC should be eliminated.

Through litigation and legislative advocacy, I am still pursuing those goals.

2. What did you learn from your campaign? The members of the media are not interested in ideas. They think that better rating and more advertising are developed by baiting candidates on personal issues. In general the members of the media seem to lack sufficient educational talents to understand the news that they should be reporting. Also: The talents of candidates who win are not consistent with the talents of those needed to govern.
For example, expertise in fund raising is a crucial talent which usually creates victories for the candidate least able to govern the position he has won.

3. What advice do you have for Attorney General Kilmartin?
• Read the R.I. State Constitution each day and enforce each line because it is the will of the people. You are supposed to represent the People not the Government Insiders.
• Do not pander to special interest groups or the General Assembly with press releases, with prosecutorial decisions, or hiring;
• Hire only the best and the brightest and most experienced;.
• And, do not use the position of AG as a stepping stone for another electoral position.

4. What do you think will be the biggest issue the state—and Kilmartin—will face in 2011? Biggest issue for the AG: Lack of experience in administration of the law.
Biggest issue for the State: Lack of creative ideas for improvement.

5. Will you run again? I am not inclined to do so. I am concerned that the cost of campaign advertising exceeds the value of the office. Public office should be an award of honor, not an award to the highest bidder in the advertising game.

 

Rob Rainville

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1. What have you been up to since the election? Well after a long campaign I have tried to focus on spending more time with my family and at the office. Campaigning takes a significant amount of time and dedication. My wife and I are expecting our first child in February, so that will be a main priority in my life for the foreseeable future. I am back to work at my law firm, The Rainville Law firm and Hope Title and Closing, Inc. another company that I have owned and operated for the last 10 years.

2. What did you learn from your campaign? Although we did not win I took many positives away from this campaign. It was my first run for statewide office and everyone I met along the campaign trail from regular voters to all the different media outlets were all very positive and supportive of my message that the Attorney General needs to be an independent voice protecting all Rhode Islanders. I believe many people were impressed by my knowledge and delivery of the message one on one as well as in the debates, but I learned that you cannot win without a significant amount of MONEY to get your message out to everyone!!

3. What advice do you have for Attorney General Kilmartin? I wish Peter Kilmartin all the best in his time as Attorney General. I truly do, but his biggest challenge will be to convince the public that he is unbiased and can run the office in a non-political manner after all his prior years in office. If he surrounds himself with good people as it seems he is doing, then he may be able to accomplish that. I love Rhode Island and I want him to do well.

4. What do you think will be the biggest issue the state—and Kilmartin—will face in 2011? The biggest overall issue is how we handle the budget deficit we are facing! From my perspective it will be interesting to see how we do away with the waste in government and make sure we provide for the necessary services to protect and provide for the most urgent needs of Rhode islanders. Secondarily, healthcare and education are the next most important issues to address and reform.

5. Will you run again? If I ever run again, and I believe I will, I will start very early in fundraising efforts and getting a good team together to help us in that regard. I am not sure that it would necessarily be Attorney General again, but I am committed to making this state better in some capacity.
 

 

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