VIDEO: Rep. Williams Calls Raimondo Petty and Rude — Battle Over Ceremonial Pen Explodes

Friday, June 21, 2019

State Representative Anastasia Williams took to the floor of the House of Representatives on Thursday afternoon and issued a blistering rebuke of the behavior of Governor Gina Raimondo.

Williams was the primary sponsor of the Reproductive Health Act which passed the legislature and was signed by Raimondo immediately after House passage on Wednesday night.

Tradition at Crux

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The tradition for decades has been at ceremonial bill signings that the Governor provide the signing pen to the sponsor of the legislation.

Raimondo refused to give Williams the ceremonial pen and did not acknowledge Williams' leadership on the legislation at the ceremony in the Governor’s office.

Williams on the floor Thursday criticized Raimondo in a relentless attack and said that Raimondo was dismissive and demeaning.

“I don’t have the education she has…I don’t have the riches she has — made off the state of Rhode Island," said Williams in reference to Raimondo’s venture capital fund making millions from the State of Rhode Island. 

“There is nothing [Raimondo] can do to make up for what she did to me last night,” said Williams. “[Raimondo] chose to disrespect and minimize the very active role I had in getting this legislation to her desk as the prime sponsor."

Williams said that Raimondo's actions were “personal pettiness" -- and Speaker of the House Nick Mattiello backed her up. 

“In my 11 years, I have never seen a prime sponsor not receive the pen when they were the prime sponsor," said Mattiello.

“It appears disrespectful to you,” added Mattiello. “We will stand by its colleagues that are disrespected by members of other branches of government."

Raimondo refused to comment to GoLocal, but her spokesman Josh Block wrote in an email, “This is an important bill and the Governor signed it within an hour of passage. As there was no Senate companion, our staff wasn’t immediately certain of protocol and offered pens to all the legislators and advocates present. The pen with which she signed the bill has since been delivered to Chair Williams."

This story was first published 6/20/19 8:39 PM

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