Valentine’s Day Luncheon: Speaker Mattiello Dines With Top Lobbyists
Monday, February 17, 2020
Rhode Island Speaker of the House Nick Mattiello was seen dining on Valentine’s Day at the Capital Grille with close political allies and lobbyists George Caroulo and Mark Ryan. Presently, Mattiello's actions tied to an audit of the Rhode Island Convention Center Authority are the subject of a grand jury.
Ryan -- the lobbyist for the Providence Journal and other high profile clients -- has been a political lightning rod.
Due to Ryan’s relationship with Mattiello and Ryan's business relationship with the Providence Journal, some business leaders and members of the media have criticized the influence Mattiello has had over both news coverage and the editorial page.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTOne of Rhode Island’s most successful business leaders has been a constant critic of the Mattiello-Ryan-Providence Journal triad.
“I checked, apparently it’s totally legal for a Rhode Island politician to admit a mistake. Even a public admission is allowed. Allowed even if your buddy at the editorial board agrees to cover your back on your mistake. Who knew!?," Tweeted the former CEO of America’s first offshore wind farm Deepwater Wind, Jeff Grybowski.
Grybowski has repeatedly questioned the motivations of the Providence Journal’s remaining editorial writer Ed Achorn, Tweeting, “If you think @RISpeakerwas interested in an audit of the Convention Ctr b/c of something @repmorgan said five years ago, Rudy Giuliani would like you to help rooting out some corruption in Ukraine. @Ed_Achorn."
In October, WPRO talk show host Dan Yorke said on air that the Providence Journal’s coverage of Twin River's effort to secure the state’s lottery contract was biased -- and is being influenced by Ryan, the former newspaper executive who is now a lobbyist for the casino company.
“The Journal is on the take,” said York.
LISTEN TO THE AUDIO FROM WPRO HERE
Yorke said that the newspaper’s journalism and especially their editorials are tainted due to the influence of former Providence Journal Executive Vice President and Legal Counsel Ryan, who lobbies at the State House for Twin River. According to Ryan's bio, "he remains a consultant to the publisher of the Providence Journal Company."
The Providence Journal — now owned by Gannett — is desperate to protect a state law from the 1950s that forces cities and towns, the state, and many businesses to advertise in the “paper of record” for legal notices. Today, the newspaper’s circulation has dropped by more than 80 percent in the past couple of decades -- but still receives millions in forced payments.
Both Governor Gina Raimondo and her predecessor Lincoln Chafee attempted to remove the antiquated provision, but in each case, Mattiello blocked the effort to save the state and cities and towns upwards of $1 million.
Caruolo and Ryan Top Paid Lobbyists - Lunch Time Access
For Caruolo and Ryan, their access and influence with Mattiello is unmatched. They have been tapped by a range of corporations to represent their interests in the State House. According to state lobbying reports, Ryan and Caruolo earn hundreds of thousands of dollars annually -- between the two they represent interests including The Providence Journal, Twin River, Lifespan, National Grid, and others.
While Ryan spent much of his career as a vice president for the Providence Journal, Caruolo was the House Majority Leader in the Rhode Island State House and has been a lobbyist and political advisor. Besides Mattiello, Caruolo was a close advisor to former Providence Mayor Angel Taveras when he ran for governor in 2014.
The Providence Journal endorsed Mattiello's reelection in both 2016 and 2018.
The Providence Journal two weeks ago wrote an editorial defending Mattiello's audit of the Convention Center -- Mattiello's action is now the subject of a criminal grand jury by the Rhode Island Attorney General.
The editorial mirrored the talking point sent out by Mattiello’s press office after the Speaker's audit was deemed “illegal.”
The chairman of the board of the Convention Center Authority Bernie Buonanno told GoLocal he believes Mattiello’s audit was punitive after Mattiello’s close friend James Demers, head of security for the Convention Center was placed on administrative leave tied to personnel issues.
In January, GoLocal exclusively secured a copy of a letter by Amanda Marzullo Wilmouth, the Assistant General Manager of the Rhode Island Convention Center that alleges years of verbal and mental abuse by Demers.
Mattiello unilaterally ordered the Joint Commission on Legislative Services to order the audit. That demand was deemed illegal by the Convention Center Authority in a unanimous vote and has sparked a request for a State Police investigation.
Common Cause Rhode Island Executive Director John Marion told GoLocal he thought Mattiello's audit was improperly executed.
In addition, House Minority Leader Blake Filippi filed a lawsuit against Mattiello and hours later, Mattiello withdrew the demand for an audit.
The Providence Journal editorial written by Ed Achorn, the only remaining editorial page writer, states, "After a week-long political brouhaha, House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello dropped his request that the state auditor general look into the convention center. That’s a very bad outcome for the public. We hope Republicans stop playing partisan politics, work with the Democratic speaker instead of suing him, and permit the auditor general to go forward."
Mattiello never endorsed any of the GOP calls for an audit between 2015 and 2018.
