I write this wearing two hats, one as a former legislator, the other as a taxpayer. The public has lost faith in its elected officials. As the Fox plea agreement was announced, the cries of the taxpayer grew louder and angrier.
You could hear people saying things like, "Only in Rhode Island" or "They are all the same" or "This state is terrible." I've heard those cries before when I served in the House of Representatives and I hear them now.
But there are many good legislators who work hard every day to serve their constituencies. Although it is a part time legislature, many legislators work endless days and nights representing their districts. And every time I say that to someone, they say to me "You've got to be kidding!" Public resentment and apathy has resulted in lower voter turnouts and lack of trust of elected officials.
Many people simply do not want to run for public office anymore because they believe it's not a good place to be. It's sad, but true. One of the reasons people avoid the chance to serve as an elected official is because they have a low opinion of the institution itself.
Interestingly enough, most people like if not love their own legislator or elected official that represents them. On many occasions I have heard people say, "Well, my own legislator is good, but I'm not happy with the rest of them." Many people simply like their own legislator but dislike the legislature as a whole. The institution has taken another hit and needs to recuperate. They need to repair some of the damage that has been done.
I have always felt that it is an honor and privilege to serve as an elected official and I know many who feel the same way. When you think about it, it truly is amazing to be chosen by your peers in your neighborhood to represent them. I remember leaving the state house late one night and looking up at the beautifully lit dome amongst the stars and thinking, "I am honored to be working there!" Yes, it may sound corny but these days " corny " feels good to me. I think one mistake some politicians make is forgetting how they got there. The people put you there and the people can and will take you out if you betray their trust. "Either the public trusts you or not, and it's not a gender thing." It applies to everyone.
So what can be done to change things? For start, more accountability and transparency is needed in the campaign finance laws. Campaign accounts should have limits as to what elected officials can spend their money on. Some elected officials have their own personal limits as to what they will spend their campaign money on. Detailed reports of expenditures and donations need to be more transparent to the public. A public guideline of what you can and cannot spend campaign money on should be reviewed and rewritten. That would clarify some of "the fifty shades of grey" area in the campaign laws.
It is important that the public be aware of changes being made. They need to be aware of steps that are taken to restore the public confidence in government and to right the wrongs. It is no easy task. No one has all the answers or solutions to change things but sitting back and doing nothing is the worse thing to do.
And let's not forget the new candidates each election year who run for office. Even though it may be their first time running, they need to be informed of the guidelines and should also follow them. I can remember new candidates who never filed reports or filed inadequate reports and said they didn't know they had to file. Guidelines for following the campaign laws should be clearly explained to each new candidate. An informational seminar explaining campaign finance laws should be offered by the Board of elections to all candidates each election cycle.
It takes determination and hard work to change things. Especially things that create new guidelines and rules. But that is why the people elect their elected office holders, so they will walk the walk and not just talk the talk at election time.
These are trying times to be in office, but they could also be the best of times. There is an opportunity for all elected officials to make some needed changes in the campaign laws and an opportunity to restore some of that broken trust. It's also an opportunity for elected officials throughout the state to change the culture of mistrust and apathy the public feels.
All they have to do is remember two things, who elected them to serve and to keep their word to the people. It's not impossible, but it is needed.
Joanne Giannini served as a RI State Representative from Providence from 1994 to 2010. She has previously written commentaries for the Providence Journal and the Federal Hill Gazette. During her tenure in the General Assembly, she made appearances on CNN, Primetime News, and American Morning regarding legislation she filed in Rhode Island.
Related Slideshow: The History of Gordon Fox: From Camp St. to Speaker to…
Gordon Fox gained power right out of the block. He was appointed to Finance immediately and rose quickly to be Chairman of the House Finance Committee - arguably one of the three or four most powerful positions in Rhode Island state government.
As Finance Committee Chair he emerged as a supporter of progressive causes.
In addition, Fox scored a job in then-Mayor Buddy Cianci's Law Department.
John Harwood was forced out as Speaker and the combo of the popular Bill Murphy from West Warwick and Gordon Fox teamed up to take control of the House. Murphy and Fox were young, both grew up in working class neighborhoods and lawyers.
The two of them were popular and press savvy - together they guided the team for nearly a decade.
In 2003, Majority Leader Fox faced harsh criticism and an investigation for his law firm's role and his involvement in the effort to reach an agreement with GTECH to stay in RI. Ultimately, Fox pleaded guilty and was issued one of the largest penalties in the history of the Ethics Commission.
Pursuant to the above Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Mitigating Factors, the Prosecution and the Respondent agree, pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 36-14-13(d), to the imposition by the Commission and to payment by the Respondent of a civil penalty of Ten Thousand ($10,000) Dollars. The above terms represent the full and complete Informal Resolution and Settlement for Complaint Nos. 2003-6 and 2003-7.
In 2004, Gordon Fox announced that he was openly gay. The announcement was a breakthrough for the gay community at the time. He became the first openly gay speaker of any House of Representatives.
He married his long-time partner Marcus LaFond in November of 2013.
The rise of Gordon Fox was now complete. In February of 2010, Fox was elected Speaker of the House. He was the first Minority to rise to such a position of power in Rhode Island's history.
It was a remarkable trip from being bullied as a kid for being mixed-race in a predominately black neighborhood to the most powerful political position in the State of Rhode Island.
The genesis of 38 Studios started when Gordon Fox's close friend and fundraiser Michael Corso hosted a private meeting between Fox and 38 Studios executives. This meeting was the spark for the General Assembly passing special legislation after the legislative deadline. The result, $75 million to 38 Studios.
The Fox and Corso relationship included Corso being the landlord to Fox's now husband Marcus LaFond's hair salon.
As GoLocal reported in July of 2012:
House Speaker Gordon Fox on Tuesday wrote a check to the business owned by 38 Studios insider Michael Corso to cover previously undocumented expenses from a March 2007 fundraiser, according to a letter obtained by GoLocalProv.
The $648 payment came nearly two months after initial inquires into the event, which was hosted by Corso, Steven Nappa and Robert Britto of Nappa Building Corp. and former State Representative Ray Rickman. Fox spokesman Larry Berman said the payment will appear on Fox’s third quarter campaign finance reports.
Gordon Fox was an advocate for the passage of civil unions and then marriage equality legislation. Both bills languished for years. Then, Senator Donna Nesselbush arrived in the legislature and changed the political dynamics.
Nesselbush created a new political dynamic in the Senate and drove the effort to push the legislation through the Senate. Combined, Fox and Nesselbush ushered through gay marriage legislation through both Chambers.
Speaker Fox did work for a number of applicants for the federally investigated Providence Economic Development Partnership (PEDP). GoLocalProv, which has written more than 50 articles on PEDP, reported in January that the RI Ethics Commission had fined Fox for a second time tied to his PEDP work:
The Rhode Island Ethics Commission has fined Speaker of the House Gordon Fox $1500 for violating the state's code of ethics.
Fox was fined $500 for each of the three years between 2007 and 2009 he did not report income for legal work with the Providence Economic Development Partnership, the quasi-public agency under the Department of Planning and Development for the City of Providence.
In 2004, Fox was fined $10,000 by the Ethics Commission while House Majority leader for voting on a no-bid deal for GTECH in which his law firm was involved.
Statement in Response:
Fox's lawyer, Albin Moser, Esq., issued the following statement following the ruling on Tuesday:
“Speaker Fox had stated from the beginning that if the Ethics Commission would like his Financial Disclosure report to be amended, then he would do so. That being the case, Speaker Fox has amended his reports for 2007, 2008 and 2009.
In keeping with past practice of the Commission, there is usually a fine involved. He will pay the fine of $500 per year for each of those three years.
He did not list work for PEDP in those years because he believed he was a subcontractor to Joshua Teverow’s law firm on his loan closings that were performed at Mr. Teverow’s office.
Beginning in 2010 and continuing in 2011 and 2012, Speaker Fox began doing the closings directly for PEDP, which he reported during those three years and the Ethics Commission has acknowledged. He has not performed any work for PEDP since 2012.”
On Friday, the State House office of Gordon Fox was raided by RI State Police in conjuction with FBI and IRS agents. This was the first time a State House office was ever raided by law enforcement officials.
By end of day Saturday, Fox had resigned, here is his statement:
The Rhode Island House of Representatives is an institution that I deeply respect and serving my constituents has been a major part of my life for the past 22 years. I will not let yesterday’s events distract my colleagues from addressing the challenges facing Rhode Island.”
“Because of the respect I have for all members of the House of Representatives, I am resigning as Speaker. The process of governing must continue and the transition of leadership must be conducted in an orderly manner.”
“I want to thank my colleagues and loyal staff for all that we were able to accomplish together. I will continue to serve out the remainder of my term and represent my neighbors and constituents in District 4. That said, I do not intend to seek another term in the House.”
“My personal focus going forward will be on my family and dealing with the investigation. Because of the nature of this matter, I will not be commenting further.”
Fox Pleads to three charges of bribery, wire fraud, and filing a false tax return on March 3, 2015.
The charges stem from former Speaker Fox’s theft of $108,000 donated by campaign supporters to pay for personal expenses; his acceptance of a $52,000 bribe to advocate and move for issuance of a liquor license for an East Side restaurant while serving as Vice-Chairman of the City of Providence Board of Licenses in 2008; and his failure to account for these illegal sources of income on his tax returns.
