Side of the Rhode: Who’s hot and who’s not in RI politics

Friday, June 18, 2010

by Matthew Jerzyk

 

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Read Side of the Rhode - Who's Hot and Who's Not in RI Politics - every Friday only at GoLocalProv.com!

WHO'S HOT

Council 94 AFSCME -> The largest union of state workers won a big victory this week as the Rhode Island Supreme Court affirmed their right to access the Carcieri administration's records for every government contract costing more than $100,000. This was an important decision which will allow the union to determine whether the supposed cost-savings of Carcieri's privatization efforts actually resulted in savings or whether the public is getting fleeced.

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Rep. John McCauley -> This Democratic State Representative was a proud papa this week when his son John and his band Deer Tick played on David Letterman on Wednesday night. You can check out Deer Tick's latest album “Black Dirt Sessions” here. The band is touring through the summer, including Lollapalooza in Chicago.

Sen. Rhoda Perry & Rep. David Segal -> One of the areas where Rhode Island has turned from regressive to progressive in recent years is criminal justice reform. In recent years, voters granted ex-felons the right to vote and the legislature ended mandatory minimum sentencing. Now, much-needed reforms of the probation violation system have become law thanks to Sen. Rhoda Perry, Rep. David Segal and a whole host of community advocates, especially OpenDoors and DARE.

Sen. Lindsey Graham -> This Republican U.S. Senator crossed party lines and voted to confirm Jack McConnell to the federal bench in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday. The final committee vote was an overwhelming 13 in favor to 6 against. With a full-court press from big corporations and their lobbyists, it took a lot of courage for Graham to cast this vote. But, it was the right vote. McConnell has the experience, the temperament and the intellect to be a great federal judge.

Edwin Pacheco -> The new Democratic Party chairman is racing across the state to ensure that the Democrats have strong candidates in the 9 open seats in the General Assembly (Tim Williamson, John Loughlin, David Segal, Steven Costantino, his own seat, Ray Sullivan, Peter Kilmartin & Lou Raptakis). In addition, he is staffing up the party and working to build a coalition to ensure that the winner of the CD-1 race doesn't suffer the same fate as Martha Coakley.

Gina Raimondo -> After a strong showing at the Gaspee Day parade, this Democratic candidate for General Treasurer had a strong week in the media for her letter to the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission urging quick adoption of its proposed regulations designed to curtail so-called “pay-to-play” practices with public pension funds. Raimondo, the founder of Pt. Judith Capital, is raising lots of money, pushing a strong message of economic vitality and building a grassroots operation with supporters from around the state. She's en fuego this week.

Allan Fung -> This Republican Cranston Mayor vetoed the City Council's budget proposal because it used up $1.5 million in city surplus funds and deferred $1 million in pension payments: two measures that would likely affect the city's bond rating. Fung's principled position on fiscal responsibility is a good example of how this Republican survives in such a Democratic-controlled city. Despite his best efforts, the Council overrode his veto.

James Diossa -> This newly-elected and young Councilman from Central Falls is the only bright spot in an otherwise terrible situation in Central Falls. With a Mayor under a corruption investigation, the City under receivership and the 5-member City Council holding noon-time meetings to ensure that Diossa (who works for a living) could not attend and criticize their insider dealings, Diossa has a lot stacked against him. But Diossa gets props this week for being a bold voice against the Mayor and the Council and, at the most recent Council meeting, calling for the resignations of the Mayor and the Council saying that they abdicated their responsibility in creating the city's financial mess.

WHO'S NOT

Sen. Chris Maselli -> This Johnston State Senator was indicted on Thursday on charges he falsified bank and federal tax documents and lied about his income and assets in obtaining more than $1.5 million in mortgages. According to the indictment, between December 2007 and March 2009, Maselli, a self-employed attorney, inflated his annual income dating back to 2005; lied about personal assets; and submitted phony and altered bank statements and IRS tax returns when applying for mortgages, a home improvement loan and an auto loan. The matter was investigated by the FBI, HUD and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dulce Donovan. While an indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt, these charges do not bode well for Maselli in an election year.

Doug Gablinske -> This supposed Democratic State Representative voted against his own district - composed of Bristol and Warren - when he cast his ballot in support of the Education Funding Formula. The formula will cost Bristol and Warren taxpayers and students millions of dollars in education funding over the next decade. He was the only legislator representing a district that will lose money who supported the bill.

Brown University -> As I recently detailed in this article on the Huffington Post, Brown University has been acting more like a corporation than a university in recent months. Universities should be promoting critical thinking and engaging students with their host city of Providence rather than cutting staff and cutting relationships with Providence.

Keith Stokes -> A marina for yachts and a video game company? These are the two big ideas that have come out of the EDC in recent months for stimulating a Rhode Island economy that is one of the worst in the nation. Stokes, the new director of the EDC, has a controversial new idea: giving Curt Schilling's videogame company $75 million out of the $125 million that is available in government-backed loans. Such a measure once again ignores the tens of thousands of small businesses across the state who are hurting and who could use the access to capital that Schilling is set to receive.

John Lombardi -> This 26-year Providence City Councilman has made no bones about launching negative attacks early and often against his opponents in the Providence Mayor's race - Angel Taveras and Steven Costantino. Most recently, Lombardi attacked Taveras' campaign chair, Myrth York, with a Facebook post, "Shame on you, Myrth York." Perhaps he has been in politics for one decade too long, but he should stop the partisan hackery and focus on his ideas and policies for solving Providence's crises in housing, jobs and schools.

Immigrant Students -> Once again, House Finance chairman Steven Costantino refused to hold a vote on H-7172, the Student Equal Economic Opportunity Act. This bill would have had Rhode Island join a dozen other states in ensuring that undocumented immigrant high school graduates - who are on a path to legalization - could attend Rhode Island universities at in-state tuition rates. Currently, that have to pay 3-4 times that with out of state or international rates. Check out the powerful testimony of students in support of this bill. Despite support from Representatives Diaz, Slater, Ajello, Almeida and Segal, the bill was once again killed in committee without even a vote.

Anthony Gemma -> Earlier this week, Gemma officially became the 4th candidate in the September 14th Democratic Primary to replace outgoing Congressman Patrick Kennedy. After it surfaced that Gemma gave Republican Governor Don Carcieri a $1k contribution, Gemma described his Democratic bonafides as such: “How would you describe a Democrat who supports gay marriage, a Democrat who is pro-life, except in cases of rape, incest and the health of the mother, a Democrat who opposes the death penalty, a Democrat who is pro-business when business is pro-Rhode Island, who is pro-labor when labor is pro-Rhode Island?” How would I describe this Democrat? Confused. Wishy-washy. Trying to have it both ways.

Rand Paul -> This Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in Kentucky has made waves in recent weeks for saying that he doesn't believe in the Civil Rights Act and that the government should lay off BP for its "accident." Rhode Islanders can weigh in against this Tea Bagger as his Democratic opponent, Attorney General Jack Conway, will be in Rhode Island on Wednesday, June 23 for an 8:00AM fundraiser at McCormick & Schmick's at 11 Dorrance St. in Providence. Details here.

The Procaccianti Group -> These grinches out-grinched themselves when they recently informed almost 60 Westin Providence Hotel workers that they will be fired in two weeks and their jobs will be subcontracted out. You may recall that, in March, the hotel unilaterally cut wages, quadrupled health insurance premiums, eliminated sick time and vacation days, and increased the workload. The hotel workers are doing everything they can to oppose these cold-hearted maneuvers - including a current boycott against the hotel.

Email me at mjerzyk at gmail dot com with your hot/not ideas.

 

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