Progressives say he's ideologically pure, but Chris Blazejewski is a top deputy to Speaker Mattiello, who they say is a right winger.
For centuries now, American political scientists have said that American politics closely resembles a game. That’s certainly the case here in Rhode Island as we get ready for the primary elections tomorrow.
For instance, I have noticed these so-called Rhode Island “progressives” droning on about the state’s “know a guy” culture. It’s all over their campaign literature, on their websites, and in media reports about their races.
Yet keep your eyes on these folks long enough and you’ll peel back the onion to realize that ethics is merely a side issue (at best) to these folks that they’re merely fashioning as their major issue in order to get elected.
Once elected, they’ll fight for their real pet issues—unfettered abortions, crippling economic regulations (artificially high minimum wages), and environmental measures (carbon taxes), which will stifle business. We’ll all get hurt, but the people who get hurt by this the most will be the poor—the very same people these folks claim to wish to help.
Real Priorities
In order to make these priorities a reality, they’ll fall into line with House Leadership on most, pretty close to all, of the other major issues. Make no mistake about it: there’s a lot of games being played around here.
That’s basically what progressive heroes like Chris Blazejewski and Aaron Regunberg have done since they’ve been in office.
When former House Speaker Gordon Fox got his statehouse office raided back in 2014 and he was forced to step aside, Blazejewski initially tried to muster up the votes to make himself the legislative top dog. He couldn’t do it. I do give him credit for having the courage to try.
But since then, he’s made quite an about-face. In fact, he’s been such a good boy in the eyes of Mattiello and his top lieutenants, by voting for everything they want, that he’s been installed as a member of Leadership—House Deputy Majority Whip. I guess that’s sort of like “the Junior Assistant to the Assistant Manager”, or something.
Playing the Game
The question of whether to fight for progressive issues and values or “play the game” wasn’t really a question at all.
While so many progressive insurgents are running around criticizing their opponents for voting against a measure in the budget that would have funded a special prosecutor for 38 studios, Regunberg, who is supposedly a progressive’s progressive, voted against the measure as well. Basically, we’re talking about some high level hypocrisy here. Let’s not forget that Regunberg also voted for the 2016 state budget which imposed a cost on bus passes to the state’s neediest and poorest folks while cutting taxes on social security benefits for some well-off folks. The Koch brothers would have been proud. (Regunberg voted against the amendment to impose a cost on bus passes, but he voted for the final state budget, which contained the language.)
But the “progressive” coming to your door asking for your vote is going to promise you that things are going to be different with them. Don’t expect them to point out that their friends are “playing the game” though.
This week, GoLocal reports that Lisa Scorpio, “a candidate for embattled Representative John Carnevale’s seat name-dropped her relationship with Providence Chief of Police Colonel Hugh Clements and Public Safety Commissioner Steven Pare at a traffic stop”.
Do You Even Know Who I am?
“Scorpio at this point told Ptlm. Furtado that she was on the Providence Police advisory board. Scorpio told Ptlm. Furtado that she was good friends with Colonel Clements and Commissioner Pare. Scorpio then asked Ptlm. Furtado what “name” she can use to help her with “this.” Ptlm. Furtado advised Scorpio that there was no “name” she can use to help her with “this.”
Ah, the good ole, “do you know who I am” line. We get it candidate Scorpio, rules are for people that aren’t connected or know powerful people.
Clearly, this must be one of the candidates backed by House leadership, right? No, actually this candidate “is the endorsed Progressive Democrat in the race,” according to the GoLocal report.
None of this is to say that the candidate’s talking points aren’t spot on. Of course Rhode Island is a state where the connected flourish and the nobodies suffer. But to me eyes, it seems like most of these “progressives”, are more interested in being somebody or in charge than really changing the culture of Rhode Island’s government.
Russell Moore has worked on both sides of the desk in Rhode Island media, both for newspapers and on political campaigns. Send him email at [email protected] Follow him on twitter @russmoore713.
Related Slideshow: Mattiello and Frias - June 2016
When asked about presumptive Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump — or what he thought of the Democrat sit-in on the U.S. House of Representatives floor this week to bring about a vote on gun control, Frias was mum.
“My focus is on the state house, and my focus is on this race,” said Frias on Thursday.
Frias is not the first Republican candidate in Rhode Island to side-step the Trump question; former Democratic State Rep turned Republican Congressional candidate Karen MacBeth — who ultimately dropped out of the race — refused to weigh in on the controversial Presidential candidate.
As for Frias’ incumbent Democratic opponent?
“What I’ll say about Trump is I'm glad he's a Republican,” said Mattiello.
Frias is Anti-Gambling, Has No Position on Tiverton Casino
With gaming being the third largest source of revenue in Rhode Island — and a ballot question this November to build a new casino Tiverton after repeated efforts failed in Newport, Frias said he is not a gambling proponent.
“I understand that we need to compete, but we need to get off our addiction of gambling,” said Frias.
When asked if he would support the Tiverton casino question this year on the ballo, Frias said that he believed it’s “up to the voters” to decide. “I’ll need more information before I make a decision,” said Frias.
Mattiello was staunch in his support of the measure when asked on Thursday. “It’s our third largest source of revenue, it reduces our tax burden from other sources and reduces the burden on taxpayers -- I've alway been supportive of their revenue to fund our central state needs and put the burden off the taxpayer,” said Mattiello.
“They've been a good operator, and I will tell you I fully support Twin River and the new casino," said Mattiello. "It will provide revenue and jobs -- if someone's not sure, sometimes you have to make a decision and be counted. It's hard to make decisions. Everyone knows where I stand. You can't make everyone happy, but that's the job. If someone doesn't support that revenue source, then what's their plan about where they're getting it from instead.”
Frias said that he “isn’t a fan” and “wouldn’t support” marijuana legalization.
When former Speaker of the House Gordon Fox was arrested and stepped down, and Mattiello took over, proponents of legalizing marijuana were concerned the new more conservative, pro-business Speaker would put the brakes on marijuana legalization. And so far, that has been the case.
With legalization on the horizon in Massachusetts, the prospect of marijuana legalization in Rhode Island will no doubt come up again in the near future.
The Republican candidate wants so repeal RhodeWorks legislation (and truck tolls) if elected — despite the fact that multiple RI GOP efforts to do so last session failed.
Speaker of the House Mattiello had publicly ousted Democrats from key committee positions who didn’t fall in line with leadership and voted against the measure.
“If there is a new Speaker, I think the current Speaker being defeated on a fiscally conservative government reform agenda, I think that's a signal that's what more people want, where its tolls, or a whole host business initiatives,” said Frias.
Frias is an associate at Keegan Werlin LLP, where he specializes in public utility, energy and regulatory, telecommunications, and administrative law
Before that, Frias served as Senior Legal Counsel to the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission, and then as Executive Counsel at the PUC and Legal Counsel to the Rhode Island Energy Facility Siting Board for six years.
Currently, Frias’ wife works at the PUC.
“With my wife being [there], if there was anything involving the PUC, I’d probably recuse myself,” said Frias of how he’d address the issue.
Frias Wants Legislative Grant reform, Line-Item Veto
Frias said in his announcement that he supports reform of the legislative grant program — and putting the spending officially in the budget, as well as a line-item veto for the Governor.
Speaker Mattiello, who oversaw the abolition of the controversial community service grant program this session, spoke to both of the proposals.
“Legislative grants are small and there voluminous -- there would just be a long list and people would get blurry eyed,” said Mattiello. “You don't always know what the comm needs are -- you'd have to consider every Little League and high rise -- everyone who has a need would have to get in before the budget passes. To put them in the budget lacks the flexibility it needs -- its impractical. It’s a nice political soundbite, butI would suggest that he doesn't understand the enormity of that task.
Mattiello also weighed in on the line-time veto.
“I know in 2015 I said it a lot of issues that were ‘distractions’ at that time -- we had a change in leadership and we had an economy that needed jump staring desperately, which I think we succeeded at to some extent,” said Mattiello. “It’s clear from this past session we've moved to a reform agenda, which has been robust. The line-item veto is a government structure issue. My understanding is the states that have it don't have it to the extent that they want here. So we’re going to study it this fall, what should be considered, and we'll address it early next year.”
While Frias refused to talk about the gun-control sit-in that occurred on the U.S. House of Representatives floor this week, he said he is “staunchly pro-2nd Amendment.”
Speaker Mattiello has consistently received an “A” rating from the NRA.
What the difference between the two candidates on this issue is yet to be seen.
Frias Wants to Prohibit Fundraising During GA Session
Frias wants to ban fundraising by General Assembly members during session.
“It’s something I’ve seen that other states do,” said Frias.
Mattiello said that he did not think the idea would be practical.
“I’m not sure when you'd do fundraising then. We're in session most of the winter months, in the sumer people want to spend time with their family and that includes those who engage in the political process,” said Mattiello.
“And I don't think it would make a difference in fundraising. If you're a good candidate and good fundraiser you'll raise money, if not, then not — the legal structure won't change that," said Mattiello. "There could be a first amendment issue, in that it limits how people can express themselves the way they want.”
Frias ran twice unsuccessfully for office — State Senate — while he was a student.
In 1992, Frias lost in Providence in Senate District 2 to Democrat Myrth York. Frias got 1,183 votes; York, 4,101. (A third party candidate got 411).
In 1994, when York ran for Governor and lost against Almond, Frias lost in District 2 to Democrat John Roney. Frias got 1,251 votes; Roney got 2,786.
“Back in college and law school I was living in Providence, when I was 20 and 22, that was in the early 90s, I ran for the State Senate as a republican. You could say I was spending more time focusing on school back then.”
