Common Cause RI calls for audits of general assembly members

By: Rebecca Turco

Email: rturco@abc6.com

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Government watchdog group Common Cause Rhode Island is calling on the Ethics Commission and Board of Elections to audit every general assembly member’s financial disclosure statements and campaign accounts.

"We’ve had maybe a little bit too high of a tolerance among our leaders and among the voters quite frankly in this state," explained Executive Director John Marion. "In some ways, we should try to weed out the people who are misbehaving so they don’t tarnish the reputations of everybody else."

In the course of just ten days, three former state representatives were charged: Ray Gallison, John Carnevale and Peter Palumbo.

Rhode Island’s U.S. Attorney Peter Neronha blasted this culture of corruption in a news conference Monday: "Whenever a public official raises his right hand or her right hand and takes an oath to serve the people, that means they should be of good character in their public and their private life. I don’t draw that distinction."

But, how do we hold every lawmaker accountable and sway the “bad eggs” from taking office? For starters, a new law requires the Board of Elections to receive and review campaign bank statements.

On a local level, Marion suggests it’s the voters who can make all the difference. "Voters need to take steps to send a signal to public officials that they’re not going to tolerate this, and that’s what’s going to change culture," he said.

The Board of Elections and the Ethics Commission have each received the requests for audits and will review them. Meanwhile, a spokesman for Speaker Mattiello tells us he would support whatever the organizations deem appropriate.

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