News Clips

A year ago, state lawmakers approved the appointment of a former state representative, the House speaker’s legal counsel and a legal adviser to the governor with family ties to the Senate leadership and the Laborers International Union to top-paid posts in the state courts, in which they get to wear the same black robes as judges without having to go through the same screening.

Rhode Island General Assembly hearings must be announced at least 48 hours ahead of time, which is supposed to give the public a heads up. On Monday afternoon, one legislative commission barely beat that deadline with an announcement it would take testimony on the line-item veto at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.

Campaign season continues to heat up, with the end-of-June filing deadline drawing ever closer. So thanks for stopping by for my weekly column. As usual, your tips and comments are welcome, and you can follow me through the week on the twitters. Here we go.

Jorge Elorza’s administration has been making improper payments to campaign donor and State House lobbyist Joe Walsh’s firm, Government Strategies, for the past year. The $33,000 in total payments were not approved through the City’s bidding process — the Board of Contract and Supply — nor is there a contract in place between the lobbying firm and the City.

John Marion, Executive Director of Common Cause in Rhode Island, joined me on The Open Forum on AM 1540 WADK to discuss important voting and ethics issues before the General Assembly, and issues of transparency at the local level.