Kilmartin Granted Temporary Restraining Order Friday to Block 38 Studios Documents’ Release
Sunday, July 02, 2017
Late Friday afternoon Attorney General Peter Kilmartin sought and received a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) from Superior Court Judge Robert Krause to block the release of 38 Studios documents.
The General Assembly on Thursday passed legislation concurrently to force the release of all documents. "To the extent that any legislation is presented and signed by the Governor, as contemplated in the motion for a temporary restraining order in the above-captioned matter the relief request is granted," signed by Krause.
The order was filed at 4:13 PM -- almost exactly one-year after Kilmartin and former RI State Police Colonel Steve O'Donnell had their press conference announcing that there would be no criminal charges in the 38 Studio bankruptcy.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTKilmartin voted for the funding scheme for 38 Studios and had just weeks earlier been a member of the House Leadership the jammed the legislation thru the legislature. Kilmartin has been widely criticized by many, including Governor Raimondo, for not recusing himself from the investigation.
The bills introduced by Sen. Frank S. Lombardi (D-Dist. 26, Cranston) and Rep. Charlene M. Lima (D-Dist. 14, Cranston, Providence) force the release of certain records pertaining to the investigation of 38 Studios, LLC. The measure now moves to the governor’s office.
In a late Friday night statement to GoLocal, Raimondo’s spokesman David Ortiz told GoLocal, “Rhode Islanders deserve to know what happened in the 38 studios deal. Governor Raimondo called on the General Assembly to pass the 38 Studios transparency bill and will sign it as soon as it reaches her desk. The Attorney General has decided to go against the will of the people and prevent these documents from seeing the light of day. The Raimondo administration will vigorously oppose this latest effort to block transparency.”
The legislation (2017-S 0932A, 2017-H 5347B requires that any investigatory records generated or obtained by the Rhode Island State Police or the Rhode Island Attorney General in conducting an investigation surrounding the funding of 38 Studios, LLC by the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation shall be made available to the public.
“The people of Rhode Island deserve to have access to all the information regarding the 38 Studios debacle,” said Senator Lombardi, who serves as chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules, Government Oversight and Ethics. “Government works best when it’s completely transparent — and that’s exactly what people expect.”
GoLocal filled suit in October against the Raimondo, the Director of Public Safety, and the Superintendent of the State Police to release the State Police documents. Many of those documents have been released, but a number of other continue to be blocked by Attorneys for the Governor and Public Safety.
