In RI, Politicians Hire Lots of Politicians - It Creates Lots of Issues

Saturday, November 04, 2023

GoLocalProv News Team

L-R Former Providence Mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci, former Speaker of the House Gordon Fox, Providence City Council Majority Whip Miguel Sanchez and Governor Dan McKee. PHOTOS: All by Richard McCaffrey except Miguel Sanchez - his campaign

For decades, Rhode Island politicians have hired other politicians to serve on their staffs. The motivations and the situations vary.

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As one example, Providence Mayor Vincent “Buddy” Cianci hired then-newly elected State Representative Gordon Fox to work in the city of Providence’s law office. Fox had only recently passed the bar.

At the time, Fox also served on the powerful House Finance Committee — a committee that directed tens of millions in state and education aid to Providence.

In May, Governor Dan McKee hired Providence Providence City Councilor Miguel Sanchez. Sanchez is the majority whip on the council.

Sanchez was paid more than $50,000 to work in the constituent services office of the governor.

Then, upheaval hit.

Sanchez claimed that Israel is guilty of “genocide” against the Palestinians.

McKee fired Sanchez. McKee has been an outspoken supporter of Israel and has repeatedly condemned the terror attack conducted by Hamas three weeks ago which killed 1,400 Israelis — nearly all civilians. Hamas also kidnapped more than 200.

The recent fallout between McKee and Sanchez has drawn criticism from some.

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Governor Dan McKee PHOTO: GoLocal

Freedom of Speech - Inherent Potential Conflict

GoLocal asked McKee’s office about the potential conflicts associated with hiring another politician.

McKee’s office did not directly address the issue, but said in an email response, “The Administration does not plan to implement a policy regarding hiring elected officials.”

According to the communications officers of the other four general officers — Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, General Treasurer and Attorney General — none of those offices employ an elected official.

Some have staff in high-profile appointed positions. In Lt. Governor Sabina Matos’ office, there are two appointees. Matos staffer Erlin Rogel is a member of the Providence Public School Board and Grace Sneesby is appointed to the state Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Disease Research and Treatment as the Lieutenant Governor’s designee.

John Marion, the executive director of Common Cause Rhode Island, says the protections in Rhode Island are limited and have been weakened by the Rhode Island General Assembly.

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State Senator Sandra Cano is also an economic development officer for the City of Pawtucket and ran for Congress. PHOTO: GoLocalProv

“Partisan politicians also being government employees presents special challenges. We don't want government jobs being used to advance partisan causes. That's why in 1939 Congress passed the Hatch Act, and the same year, our General Assembly passed Rhode Island's version. Both laws bar government employees from engaging in partisan politics while on government time,” said Marion.

“We don't have to look very far back to see some of the potential problems created by having people running for and serving in elected office while also being state government employees. Now-mayor Brett Smiley was fined by the Ethics Commission for soliciting donations from state vendors when he was serving as the Director of the Department of Administration. When you have people who are in partisan elected offices serving as state government employees, the question is, whose interests are they serving, the people who elected them to office or their employer?” added Marion.

“When it comes to elected office, Rhode Island's law is more permissive than the federal one, and was weakened last year. The Hatch Act prevents virtually all federal employees from running for, and serving in, partisan elected office. It even applies to state and local employees whose jobs are primarily federally funded,” said Marion.

The worry for Common Cause is that the laws are getting weaker.

“Under Rhode Island law, there is a significant group of unclassified employees, including those on the staff of the governor and the General Assembly, who are allowed to also hold partisan elected office. Last year the General Assembly weakened the law over objections from Common Cause Rhode Island. Previously, the law barred classified employees--what we colloquially refer to as the civil service--from running for and serving in partisan state elected office,” said Marion. “It was watered down so that now classified employees can run for partisan state elected office, but can only serve if they resign from state employment. Common Cause Rhode Island argued that the law should have been strengthened to also bar unclassified employees from running for and serving in state elected office.”

In the Rhode Island General Assembly, a number of members work for the City of Providence, including State Representatives Grace Diaz, Scott Slater, and Raymond Hull. Providence is not alone.

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John Marion, executive director, Common Cause RI PHOTO: GoLocalProv

Sandra Cano does double duty as a Senator and as the City of Pawtucket’s economic development director.

The ACLU of Rhode Island this week issued a statement on the incident and as it relates to free speech.

“The ACLU of Rhode Island finds it concerning any time that a government employee is punished for the private exercise of their First Amendment rights. We recognize that there are certain limited circumstances where the scope of free speech protection extended to government officials is reduced, but it is not obvious from Mr. Sanchez's job responsibilities that they apply here or justify the extreme action of termination,” wrote the ACLU.

The ACLU added, “While the Governor has made clear his vehement disagreement with the views expressed by Mr. Sanchez, we believe he should also clarify how those personally expressed views compromise the ability of either of them to discharge their public duties so as to warrant the sanction of firing. It is this factor, not merely strong disagreement with an employee's personal, off-hours expression of controversial views, that should be key, and which is essential to prevent a chilling impact on the exercise of free speech by others in his administration.”

And BLM RI PAC raised similar issues in a statement on Wednesday, "It is deeply troubling to witness a state government employee facing consequences, in the case of termination, for exercising their constitutionally protected right to freedom of speech. This matter transcends Miguel's individual stance on the Middle East conflict; it raises significant concerns about the precedent established by our Governor. This precedent suggests that merely disagreeing with the administration's stance on an issue could jeopardize one's job security. As a democratic governor, Gov. McKee should wholeheartedly defend every individual's right to hold an opinion, irrespective of his personal agreement or disagreement."

In RI, Politicians Hire Lots of Politicians - It Creates Lots of Issues

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