Newly Sworn-in Judge Continues to Operate $230,000 Political Campaign Fund

Newly Sworn-in Judge Continues to Operate $230,000 Political Campaign Fund

 

Newly sworn-in Rhode Island District Court Judge Michael McCaffrey continues to operate a political campaign committee with a political fund with a balance of approximately $230,000, according to state campaign finance records.

The balance of that account is $229,927.95, according to McCaffrey's most recent filing. 

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The Rhode Island Code of Judicial Conduct specifically prohibits judges or judicial nominees from engaging in political activities.

McCaffrey, who was first elected to the Rhode Island Senate in 1994, served as chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary from 2003 until 2017, when he was elected Majority Leader—the number-two position in the leadership.

 

The Code states:

A JUDGE OR JUDICIAL NOMINEE FOR JUDICIAL OFFICE SHALL NOT ENGAGE IN POLITICAL ACTIVITY THAT IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE INDEPENDENCE, INTEGRITY, OR IMPARTIALITY OF THE JUDICIARY. RULE 4.1 Political Activities of Judges and Judicial Nominees in General (A) Except as permitted by law,* or by Rule 4.3, a judge* or a judicial nominee* shall not: (1) act as a leader in, or hold an office in, a political organization;* (2) make speeches on behalf of a political organization; (3) publicly endorse or oppose a candidate for any public office; (4) solicit* funds for, pay an assessment to, or make a contribution* to a political organization or a candidate for public office; (5) attend or purchase tickets for dinners or other events sponsored by a political organization or a candidate for public office; (6) publicly identify himself or herself as a candidate of a political organization; (7) seek, accept, or use endorsements from a political organization. (B) A judge or judicial nominee shall take reasonable measures to ensure that other persons do not undertake, on behalf of the judge or judicial nominee, any activities prohibited under paragraph (A).

As McCaffrey was gearing up for his campaign to be appointed to the bench, he donated thousands of dollars to the very Senators who would ultimately approve his appointment.  In early 2025, District Court Judge Melissa DuBose was sworn in as a Federal District Court Judge, thus creating a vacancy — and McCaffrey made clear he was a candidate for that judgeship. 

In McCaffrey’s first quarter campaign finance report in 2025, as his candidacy for a judgeship was gearing up, he doled out thousands in his campaign account to the top legislative leaders. Nearly all of it went to top legislative leaders who would later vote to confirm him to the bench.

 

Senator Jake Bissaillon received $1,000

Senate Majority Leader Frank Ciccone received $350

Senator Andrew Dimitri received $300

Senator Lou DiPalma received $350

Senator Walter Felag received $300

Senator Hanna Gallo received $500

Senator Matthew LaMountain received $350

Senate President Val Lawson received $650

Senator Mark McKenney received $250

Senator Melissa Murray received $350

RI Senate PAC, controlled by the Senate Leadership, received two $1,000 payments totaling $2,000.

Ruggerio for Senate — received $1,000. [the campaign account of the late Senator Dominick Ruggerio]

Senator Susan Sosnowski received $350

Senate Whip David Tikoian received $400

 

In addition, House leaders — Speaker Joe Shekarchi received $500, and House Majority Leader Chris Blazejewski received $300 from McCaffrey.

All of the senators who received donations voted to confirm McCaffrey months later.

 

 

Even after, McCaffrey was selected by the Judicial Nominating Committee as one of the finalists for the vacant District Court Judgeship, he donated to Senator Bissaillon’s organization, Justice Assistance.

And McCaffrey also donated an additional $200, but did not identify who received the funds — only reporting it as an "aggregate" donation.

His appointment was strongly opposed by many LGBTQ and women’s rights organizations.

McCaffrey consistently voted against reproductive healthcare access, including abortion, and against marriage equality and other LGBTQ+ protections. He claimed in his interviews for the judiciary that his views had “evolved.” 

GoLocal reached out to McCaffrey’s campaign phone number and left a message. He did not return the call.

GoLocal also reached out to Alexandra E. Kriss, Assistant State Court Administrator for Community Outreach & Public Relations for the Supreme Court, but she did not respond to questions.