The Scoop: Woonsocket’s Fontaine Hid Campaign Spending, and More

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Anthony Faccenda, The Scoop

 

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Welcome to The Scoop, the 4 p.m. report on everything politics in Rhode Island – the inside daily report exclusively on GoLocalProv.com.

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Mayor Fontaine Hid Campaign Expenditures

GoLocal has learned that Woonsocket Mayor Leo Fontaine failed to disclosed numerous campaign contributions and expenditures in his latest campaign finance report filed on Monday.

Although Fontaine, a Republican, claims to have had no activity over the three-week period, sources tell GoLocal that the Mayor held a fundraiser and spent money on print ads and radio appearances.

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According to the report, Fontaine finished the period (Oct. 1 through Oct. 21) with $6,206.15 cash on hand, which is the exact amount he started with. Aside from receiving not a single dollar in donations, the report also asserts that the Mayor did not have a single campaign expense.

Failure to Disclose

Sources tell GoLocal that the Mayor failed to mention three radio appearances he had on WNRI—two on Firing Line with Jeff Gamache and one with Roger Bouchard on UPFRONT. Since there is no free time on the radio for candidates, time needs to be purchased and accounted for. Fontaine's three appearances—which occurred on Oct. 3, 7 and 10—are not included on his financial filings.

Two of the appearances were paid for by Leo Fontaine for Mayor, while the other was paid for by Christopher Bouley, Vice President of Merrill Lynch. According to campaign finance law, Fontaine would still have to report radio time bought by Bouley. This type of purchase is known as an "in-kind contribution."

Additionally, sources tell GoLocal that the the Mayor failed to disclose any contributions or expenditures from a fundraiser held at The Burrito Company on 104 Cass Ave in Woonsocket on Oct. 6. In fact, the Mayor's campaign finance report does not even acknowledge that the event ever took place. According to campaign finance law, every single donation made at the event would have to be accounted for, as well the cost of the event itself.

Lastly, the Mayor failed to disclose an advertisement that he took out in a pamphlet promoting the documentary film entitled My Old School, which tells the story of New England's largest abandoned school, in Woonsocket RI.

Baldelli-Hunt's Finances

Fontaine's opponent Democratic State Representative Lisa Baldelli-Hunt filed her latest campaign finance report yesterday showing that she finished the period with $1,418.67 cash on hand. Baldelli-Hunt reports receiving $650.00 in donations and spending $4,148.89 on campaign activities.

Upcoming Election

Fontaine will square off against Baldelli-Hunt on Nov. 5 to determine who will be the next mayor of Woonsocket. Baldelli-Hunt won a decisive victory over Fontaine in a primary election held earlier this month— beating him by a 3 to 1 margin.

Lack of Transparency in Woonsocket

Interestingly, Fontaine's apparent lack of transparency comes just days after Attorney General Peter Kilmartin announced that he is suing the city of Woonsocket citing that the city knowingly and willfully violated the Rhode Island Access to Public Record Acts (APRA).

According to Kilmartin, who filed the complaint in Rhode Island Superior Court last Thursday, the city failed to provide Attorney Michael Kelley with documents he requested related to the project for building a new water treatment plant.

"We recognize that many cities and towns are struggling financially, but that cannot be held out as an excuse for failing to comply with the law," said Kilmartin. "Government has an obligation to its citizenry to be transparent and responsive. In this instance, as in the past, the City of Woonsocket failed to be both."

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