UPDATED: Britt Found Innocent on Both Felony and Misdemeanor Charges

UPDATED: Britt Found Innocent on Both Felony and Misdemeanor Charges

Britt was tried on a both a felony money laundering charge and a misdemeanor campaign charge — the money laundering charge carried up to a 20-year sentence.

The charges stem from Britt's involvement in Speaker of the House Nick Mattiello's 2016 reelection campaign and a third party mailer.

READ THE FULL DECISION BELOW

For Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha, Procaccini's decision is a black eye.

Britt's attorney Robert Corrente said in a statement after the decision, "Today’s decision by Superior Court Judge Daniel Procaccini resoundingly rejects the State’s misguided effort to convert a minor campaign finance issue into a major felony. In a carefully reasoned 34-page opinion, Judge Procaccini held that Rhode Island’s (never before used) money laundering statute was unconstitutionally vague, and granted Mr. Britt’s motion to dismiss that charge. The Court went on to examine the evidence presented at trial, and concluded that the State’s proof fell “woefully short of establishing the offenses charged.' The Court characterized the State’s witnesses as 'tentative, evasive, inconsistent, and based upon poor memory or the complete absence of memory regarding critical facts . . . It also noted that the State had made immunity deals with two critical witnesses, and that another major witness – the campaign manager for Speaker Mattiello – was not even questioned by the Board of Elections or by the Grand Jury."

"Today’s ruling ends a case that, as we have stated from the outset, should never have been brought in the first place. Mr. Britt has had his life and career unfairly upended for more than a year. We are hopeful that the lessons from Judge Procaccini’s opinion will prevent a repetition of this sad spectacle, and Mr. Britt looks forward to getting on with his career as Rhode Island’s top political consultant. Now, after two years in the office, Neronha, a former U.S. Attorney has failed to deliver any significant prosecutions and despite his promises to take on public corruption, there have been no significant prosecutions," added Corrente.

When announcing the indictment of the Britt in October of 2019, Neronha proclaimed, “Rhode Island’s election laws exist for a reason: to ensure transparency in our elections. They exist to ensure that the public knows the true source of funds used to support political candidates. They exist to ensure that the public can judge the motivation underlying support for a candidate. In short, they exist to ensure the integrity of our elections.”

But for many, Neronha hitting Britt with a felony money laundering charge seemed like political grandstanding.

For others, including Britt and his attorney Corrente — a former U.S. Attorney for RI like Neronha, the charge was political. Mattiello was never interviewed by the Board of Elections or the RI Attorney General’s office.

For nearly two decades, Britt has been one of the top political consultants in Rhode Island. Neronha raced to beat the clock and indict Britt on two charges hours before the statute of limitations ran out.

According to campaign finance reports, Governor Gina Raimondo, Mattiello, Moderate party founder turned Republican Ken Block, and numerous other candidates and political entities have all paid Britt and his associated companies more than $150,000 over the years.

He ran two of the most unusual campaigns in Rhode Island history. In 2002, he ran his step-father Bruce Bayuk as a write-in candidate against Speaker of the House John Harwood and almost pulled off the upset victory.

Britt has been involved in nearly every major race in RI in the past 20 years

In 2012, Britt recruited and ran an East Side children’s storyteller against then-Speaker of the House Gordon Fox. That candidate -- Mark Binder, a political unknown -- came within a few hundred votes of upsetting Fox. 

In the final days of that race Patrick Kennedy, Raimondo, and then-Providence Mayor Angel Taveras campaigned for Fox.

Fox was relected and later plead quilty to federal charges. Mattiello was elected Speaker -- see his rise to power in the video below King of Rhode Island.

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Judge Daniel Procaccini Decision in State v. Britt