Rhode Island GOP files complaint against Shekarchi

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The Rhode Island GOP filed a complaint with the Rhode Island Ethics Commission this week against House Speaker Joe Shekarchi.

Joe Powers, who’s the new head of the state’s GOP, claims that in 2017, Shekarchi “pushed for and voted in favor of legislation which overrode local zoning and financially benefited his legal client.”

Powers said this bill would’ve overruled the zoning of municipalities that didn’t allow large farm owners from hosting weddings on their properties for a fee.

The legislation, said Powers, was being considered by the General Assembly. At this time, Shekarchi’s client had a case on appeal in the Supreme Court about his ability to host weddings on his farm.

According to the GOP, the speaker’s “conduct violated the [Rhode Island] Ethics Code.” This complaint comes after the speaker has been pushing for legislation regarding affordable housing.

“For about a month, we have been raising concerns that Shekarchi is pushing legislation, which overrides local control over zoning and land use in order to benefit his clients,” said Powers. “Shekarchi has denied this.”

Powers said the Senate shouldn’t pass and Gov. Dan McKee shouldn’t sign any of Shekarchi’s legislation until the Ethics Commission completes its investigation.

“This complaint is totally without merit,” Shekarchi said Thursday in response to the complaint. “It is yet another baseless political attack from the Republicans, who have been opposed to my efforts to provide much-needed housing relief.”

“The Republican Party continues to be out of step with Rhode Islanders who are suffering during a severe housing crisis,” he added. “This is clearly a misguided attempt to distract from the important work being addressed in the final weeks of the legislative session.”