EDITORIAL: In McKee Land, a Fender-Bender Is Worse Than Breaking the Washington Bridge

Sunday, April 07, 2024

EDITORIAL

 

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L-R Tony Afonso, McKee's Chief of Staff and Gov. Dan McKee PHOTO: GoLocal

Behind the scenes, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee is working to remove RIPTA CEO Scott Avedisian. McKee has encouraged the RIPTA board to meet about Avedisian’s future.

Nearly two weeks ago, Avedisian was snagged for leaving the scene of a hit-and-run. He allegedly hit another car in a McDonald's parking lot and drove away. Stupid move by the head of the transportation agency and embarrassing.

He pled innocent in court on Wednesday. 

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Avedisian’s silence has been deafening. 

But let’s remember who is after Avedisian, after all — none other than RIDOT Director Peter Alviti, who now also chairs the RIPTA board.  

Alviti became chair of the RIPTA board through special legislation pushed through by Alviti’s former Laborers’ International co-worker and close friend, Senate President Dominic Ruggerio.

Ruggerio has wanted Avedisian removed as head of RIPTA for the past year.

In February of 2023, Ruggerio said, “I am asking that CEO Scott Avedisian step down immediately and that the governor conduct a national search for someone with expertise in transit to head Rhode Island’s public transit office, under this new structure.”

 

Follow the Money

What is most amazing is that Alviti still has a job. But actually, it is quite easy to comprehend, if you follow the money.

The nicest way to say it is the failure of Rhode Island’s transportation infrastructure and the Washington Bridge happened under Alviti’s watch.

He has been the head of RIDOT for the past nine years. He was placed in the position with the “strong support” of his former bosses, Armand and Michael Sabitoni. 

Then-newly elected Governor Gina Raimondo admitted to the Providence Journal in February 2015 that the Sabitonis helped direct the process:

"I consulted with Michael, the transition team and business leaders, labor leaders...to find the best person I could," she responded, in an apparent reference to Michael Sabitoni, the president of the Rhode Island Building and Construction Trades Council and business manager of the Rhode Island Laborers District Council who served on her transition team. Michael and Armand Sabitoni are cousins.

"I think he may have been in some interviews," she added. “I had a number of people do our interviews.”

Asked by The Journal whether either Sabitoni had taken part in interviewing [then] DOT director Michael P. Lewis to determine whether he would be reappointed, a Raimondo spokeswoman said: "Both."

Asked about "‘Armand’s input,’’ Raimondo said: “He was very helpful. He has a lot of expertise in this area."

Raimondo named Alviti to head transportation despite the fact that he functionally had never built a bridge or a road in his life

Fast forward to the 2022 election when the Laborers funneled hundreds of thousands to McKee's election for governor.

McKee defeated Helena Foulkes by just 3,357 votes to win the Democratic gubernatorial primary in 2022, which catapulted him to an overwhelming victory in November’s general election, where he beat Republican Ashley Kalus.

Fueling McKee's campaign was a massive expenditure from Laborers’ International via an independent expenditure group — called Forward Rhode Island.

Money flowed from the “Laborers Political League - Education Fund” and a separate account, the “Build New England Fund,” to the special Forward Rhode Island account. Each of the Laborers’ funds funneled $300,000 to benefit McKee.

More than 100 donations were made to the "Laborers Political League - Education Fund," according to a document filed with the Rhode Island Board of Election, Campaign Finance Division.   

None of the donations were made from Rhode Island; most were union "Locals" from around the country, and the list included donations from just two individuals - two Laborers' officers of Local 341 in Alaska — Augustine Merrick and Wesley Canfield.  In total $600,000 moved from Laborers' related funds to independent expenditures.

SEE ALL THE DONATIONS REPORTED.

The physical address for Forward Rhode Island is just a few blocks from the Laborers’ Washington, DC headquarters.

By far and away, the Forward Rhode Island monies were the single biggest funders of McKee’s narrow victory.

The man who signed the check for the Laborers' Political League was the then-General Secretary-Treasurer of the Laborers, Armand Sabitoni. 

 

Bridge Fails - Rhode Island's Transportation System in Peril

Now, McKee continues to defend Alviti while going after Avedisian.

Remember that over the past nine years under Alviti, his team failed to detect what may have been potentially questionable inspection reports that apparently failed to identify issues with the Washington Bridge. 

So, in McKee's world, Avedisian's offense is worse than Alviti's.

One ironic twist, on Thursday of last week, a McKee staffer was charged by Massachusetts police for driving under the influence.

When asked about the staffer's miscue, McKee's office said, "It was a personal matter."

More and more, in McKee Land, right and wrong and competency v. incompetence are really much more about the money.

Always follow the money.

An editorial is the opinion of a publication — specifically, the ownership.

While based on facts and news reporting, it is an opinion intended to discuss critical community issues. Often, the opinion is written with the intention of positive change.

GoLocal editorials have sparked conversations, change, and even the naming of a bridge.

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