UPDATED: State Police Find “Missing” 38 Studios Documents, But Kilmartin’s Interview Withheld
Sunday, June 04, 2017
Another day and another 38 Studios embarrassment. Just after 4:00 PM on Friday the Rhode Island State Police released more than one hundred pages of additional 38 Studios documents that were "missing." GoLocalProv had been in court last week continuing to press for the release of a range of documents that the State Police has yet to release.
"GoLocalProv requested these records almost ten months ago at the beginning of last August," said Tom Dickinson, former Assistant Attorney General and legal counsel to GoLocal in pursuing the release of public documents.
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GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTFormer RI State Police Colonel Steve O’Donnell claimed that he had interviewed Kilmartin. Kilmartin had been a legislator and he voted for the 38 Studios funding scheme and had previously been in the House leadership along with former Speaker Gordon Fox and Fox’s lawyer, and former Speaker Bill Murphy.
Up until February of 2010, Kilmartin was the Majority Whip of the House, Fox the Majority Leader and Murphy the Speaker. Murphy stepped down and Fox became Speaker. The 38 Studios legislation passed in May of 2010.
According to Colonel Ann Assumpico, who held a press conference on March 9, 2017, that the State Police had interviewed Kilmartin, but that those interview notes were missing, however, a document released Friday raises questions if Kilmartin was ever interviewed despite claims. SEE VIDEO HERE
A State Police timeline of the case also released by on Friday with other “missing” documents, ten months after GoLocal filed for their release listed ll of the interviews. GoLocal was in court as recently as a week ago pressing for the release of missing documents that GoLocal had previously requested and yet not released.
The detailed 15-page timeline document lists every interview and includes a list of legislators who were interviewed.
“During the months of June and July 2014, members of the Financial Crimes Unit contacted and interviewed the below listed members of the 2010 Rhode Island House of Representatives and Senate regarding the passage of the Jobs Creation Guarantee Program and 38 studios.”
Kilmartin was listed in the names of those interviewed, but again his interview was not released by the State Police among more than 100 pages of new documents.
"It's good to see that we're now getting more records today, but it's also discouraging that even at this late date the State Police say they still have more documents to review. Frankly, it raises some questions about what process the Department of Public Safety used in responding to our records request," said Dickinson.
The State Police offered no viable explanation of the missing documents.
"This is yet another embarrassment to the state and the investigative process," said Josh Fenton, CEO and Co-Founder of GoLocal.
“Governor Raimondo was against 38 Studios from the start and has pressed for the release of all documents related to the case. She is very disappointed that Rhode Island State Police documents that should have been released previously were not. Rhode Islanders deserve to know what happened with the 38 Studios deal and all of the documents from the 38 Studios investigation should be public,” said David Ortiz, Press Secretary.
"The public has a right to know and a need to know the evidence that this investigation turned up. GoLocalProv is committed to pursuing this case until we're absolutely certain that the search for records is complete and we've obtained all the evidence that the law allows," said Dickinson.
