News Release     

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, March 11, 2010

CONTACT: Giovanni Cicione, Esq. 
(401) 732-8282 

(401) 996-3536

MEDIA ADVISORY:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CRANSTON TAXPAYERS!

RIGOP CONGRATULATES ALLAN FUNG AND THE CITY OF CRANSTON FOR BOLD MOVE TO 401K TYPE RETIREMENT PLANS

            On the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of the City of Cranston, Mayor Allan Fung didn’t want to spend taxpayer money on a big celebration for the politicians to get the media attention - instead he gave the City a gift that they will be appreciating for the next 100 years; 401k’s for new city hall employees.  In an unprecedented mayoral accomplishment, Mayor Fung and the members of the Teamsters union came to common sense agreement to eliminate old-style public employee pensions and allow the city workers to control and protect their own retirement investments through defined contribution plans. 

            Said Rhode Island Republican Party Chair Giovanni Cicione: “This is an unprecedented victory for the taxpayers of Cranston, and shows that strong Republican leaders can work hand-in-hand with forward thinking union membership to get real results.” 

News Release     

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, February 26, 2010
CONTACT: Giovanni Cicione, Esq. 
(401) 732-8282 

(401) 996-3536

MEDIA ADVISORY:

RIGOP Congratulates

LincolnTown Administrator T. Joseph Almond

on Proposed Tax Cut

The Rhode Island Republican Party took note today of a bit of good news – at least for Lincoln residents – in these dire economic times.  Party Chair Giovanni Cicione publically commended Lincoln Town Administrator Joe Almond for showing strong leadership and management skills and proposing tax relief for homeowners in the form of a property tax cut.  (Valley Breeze 2/25/2010, “Tax cut in Lincoln”.)

“The only real way to rebuild an economy and create jobs is to put money back in the pockets of citizens,” said Cicione.  “Joe Almond has proven once again that in tough times it is not only possible, but vitally important, to do whatever can be done to put more money back into constituents’ pockets.”   

                                                               ###

News Release     

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, February 19, 2010

CONTACT: Giovanni Cicione, Esq. 
(401) 732-8282 

(401) 996-3536

MEDIA ADVISORY:

SPECIAL RIGOP REPORT –

“THE OPPOSITE OF RIGHT PART X”

CHAFEE IS THE TEACHERS’ PET, GIVES TAXPAYERS A ROTTEN APPLE

Lincoln Chafee tries to take credit for many things which occurred while he was mayor of Warwick.  But, as more Warwick residents wonder why their city spends $43.2 million more on schools than the City of Cranston or $4,394 more per pupil than Cranston  (Warwick Beacon 2/16/10), Mr. Chafee should be raising his hand to take some credit for this boondoggle. 

It all goes back to the shiny red apple Mr. Chafee gave the Warwick Teachers Union in 1994.  The Warwick Beacon identified two key areas where Warwick schools cost more than Cranston schools.  First, the Warwick Teachers contract is the only teachers’ contract in the state which has a pupil weighting system that increases the number of teachers by requiring class size to be reduced.  This provision alone costs Warwick taxpayers $11 million more a year (Warwick Beacon 2/16/10).  Second, Warwick teachers pay a de minis co-share for health care of $11 per week (Warwick Beacon 2/16/10).

Back in 1994, the Warwick School Committee was fighting “to do away with the pupil weighting system that is used to reduce class size” (ProJo 5/3/94), and was trying to get teachers to “pay up to 20 percent of their health insurance” (ProJo 5/4/94).  Instead, then Mayor Chafee decided to circumvent the Warwick School Committee and agreed with the Warwick Teachers Union to give teachers a 19.4 % pay raise with no health insurance premium co-share while keeping the pupil weighting system in their contract (ProJo 5/3/94).  Although the Providence Journal described this sweetheart deal as "the biggest achievement of his early tenure in City Hall," (ProJo 10/10/2000), a former Warwick School Committee Chairperson was quoted at the time as saying “the city taxpayers could not have done any worse” and that “[e]ven a monkey can manage to give everything away.”  (ProJo 5/3/94 and 5/4/94).  By comparison, a few months later in that same year, the Cranston School Committee was able to negotiate a teachers’ contract which required new teachers to pay 20 percent of their health insurance premium and did not adopt Warwick’s pupil weighting system (ProJo 8/31/94).  

While Warwick taxpayers continue to shoulder the burden of paying more for the schools than similar communities like Cranston, Chafee went on to cash in on his sweetheart deal with the Warwick Teachers Union.  The Providence Journal reported that “[i]t is no coincidence that the mayor raised money from various teachers unions across the state in September, within weeks of his settling the contract with the Warwick Teachers Union.  The American Federation of Teachers, the parent of the local group, sent a note to other member unions in the state, saying Chafee helped the union with a good contract and suggesting the favor be returned.”  (ProJo 1/6/95, emphasis ours.)  Chafee continues to receive PAC contributions from teachers’ unions (Chafee Finance Reports 2^nd and 4^th quarter 2009).  

Support the R.I. GOP when you file your state income tax return !!!

Paying taxes is always painful, but there is a painless way to support your Rhode Island Republican Party when you file your state income tax this year!

On the first page of the RI-1040 form, beneath "Name and Address," you are given the option to designate a contribution of $5.00 (or $10.00 if married and filing jointly) for the public financing of the electoral system.

The first $2.00 ($4.00 if married and filing jointly) can be designated to go directly to the RI GOP.
If you wish the first $2.00 ($4.00 if a joint return) to be paid to your RI GOP, simply check the "YES" box and fill "REPUBLICAN" on the blank line next to the instructions.  (If you forget to fill out this part, most of the money will go to the Democrats).

This will NOT cost you anything, and will NOT reduce the size of any refund.

Most years the party receives more than $50,000 from this political check off. So PLEASE utilize this painless tool to help fund your Party this year!
If each of the 8,000 people who receive this Update does this, it will generate at least $16,000 extra for our Party.

SPECIAL RIGOP REPORT –

“THE OPPOSITE OF RIGHT PART IX”

FOR CHAFEE THE QUESTION IS: DID FATHER KNOW BEST?

On February 14, 2010, the Providence Journal reprinted a letter by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to a federation of government employees dated April 16, 1937 in which President Roosevelt declared: “All Government employees should realize that the process of collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into the public service. It has its distinct and insurmountable limitations when applied to public personnel management.”  While Rhode Island Democrats try to figure out whether they should agree with the patron saint of their party, President Franklin Roosevelt, or with their modern day masters, the public employee union bosses, the RIGOP has searched the archives and has found an interesting letter about state employees unions that may be of interest to at least one current gubernatorial candidate.

On April 28, 1966, then Governor John Chafee sent a letter to the Rhode Island Senate explaining why he vetoed a bill that gave Rhode Island state employees the right to collectively bargain as a union.  Governor John Chafee saw the “organizational problems inherent where the machinery designed for private industry is imposed on State employees”.  He explained that “since wages, hours and practically all working conditions are now established by laws enacted by the General Assembly … or regulations”, collective bargaining for state employees will “inevitably” lead to “bad relationships between …employees and the State” resulting in “the public [being] the loser.”

Unfortunately, the would-be Governor Lincoln Chafee won’t follow the sage advice of the former Governor John Chafee when it comes to state public employee unions.  Candidate Lincoln Chafee wants “the endorsement of organized public sector unions” (Warwick Beacon 1/5/10) and has “urged” the House Finance Committee “to leave benefits alone” for public sector union employees (ProJo 1/13/10).  Said Republican Party Chair Giovanni Cicione: “Despite a recent WPRI 12 Poll that shows voters think labor has too much power by a margin of 57% to 31%, Linc Chafee ignores this enduring warning from his father and embraces the same public employee unions that his father fought against.”  “I wonder who Linc will defer to on this question,” asked Cicione - “his respected late father or his more recent benefactors - the fat cat public employee union bosses.”

Warwick, RI - Another scandal is brewing in Rhode Island. This one involves Mayor Charles Moreau of Central Falls who got a big discount on a home heating furnace from a friend who does business with the City of Central Falls (Hummel Report 1/14/10 and 1/21/2010).  

At a minimum Mayor Moreau has violated the Code of Ethics and accepted an illegal gift.  Today the RIGOP has filed the attached complaint with the Ethics Commission arguing that, at a minimum, Mayor Moreau has violated the Code of Ethics and accepted an illegal gift.  “Somehow we need to make sure public officials are held accountable for their actions,” said Republican Party Chair Giovanni Cicione.  “Unfortunately, Attorney General Lynch does not seem willing to vigorously pursue public corruption – perhaps the Ethics Commission will do the job that he refuses to do.”

When current Attorney General Lynch was confronted with this story by former Attorney General Violet and Jim Hummel on local public broadcasting show the Lively Experiment on January 14, 2010, he indicated he would not initiate an investigation into Mayor Moreau’s conduct because Moreau was ‘a friend’ of Lynch. 

“Regardless of Lynch’s warm relationship with the Moreau administration, Mr. Lynch has a duty to look into this kind of wrongdoing and bring people to justice,” concluded Cicione. “This ‘do nothing’ attitude towards fighting public corruption exhibited by our Attorney General is one key reason why economic growth is stifled in Rhode Island – it must stop.” 

***

At the Rhode Island House Finance Committee yesterday, Gubernatorial Candidate Chafee made it clear once again he is no champion of the property taxpayer but merely a politician who will grovel for the support of the public sector union bosses.  He has officially broken his first promise of his new gubernatorial campaign, which was “to be a champion of the property taxpayer” and “a partner with our mayors and town managers … to repeal many of the costly state mandates on cities and towns.”  Instead of siding with mayors and town managers in favor of reducing benefits through pension reform (i.e. a minimum retirement age) and a 25% co-share for health care premiums for public sector employees, he “urged” the House Finance Committee “to leave benefits alone” for public sector union employees (ProJo 1/13/10).

Without a doubt, Mr. Chafee does not want his mayoral legacy in Warwick of giving away the store to public sector union members to be tampered with in anyway.  He is proud of signing union contracts that allows employees to retire with no minimum retirement age after only 20 years of work.  (ProJo 7/29/96).  He believes it was his “biggest achievement” as mayor to give public employees big raises while paying no co-share of their health care premium. (ProJo 5/3/94, 10/10/2000)  He thinks it is “awesome” to give part time crossing guards “full benefits.”  (ProJo 9/3/93)  No doubt the public sector unions thought these kinds of these deals were “awesome” too.  This is why “local unions were endorsing Lincoln Chafee's 1998 City Hall reelection bid” and letters were being sent out to “municipal union members on Chafee's behalf” as a “payoff for the years” Chafee “spent nurturing labor friendships in the state's second-largest city.” (ProJo 10/10/2000).  This is also why, in a prior mayoral campaign, after “Chafee helped the union with a good contract,” the American Federation of Teachers asked other unions to have “the favor be returned” by supporting Chafee. (ProJo 1/6/95).

Rhode Island Republican Party Chair Giovanni Cicione commented:  “Mr. Chafee’s old three step plan has not changed one bit - give the public sector unions what they want, get the unions to support your campaign; raise taxes to pay for those sweetheart deals.”

“Mr. Chafee may not have any coherent plans to cut spending, but taxpayers can be certain he will not to cut the generous benefits of public employees - he seems to be going out of his way to protect these outrageous union benefits by raising taxes on groceries and medicine,” concluded Cicione.

***

Within hours of the Mr. Chafee’s campaign announcement earlier this week, the Rhode Island Republican Party made it clear that Chafee’s ‘New Way Forward’ was really just his old three step plan as Mayor:

1.         give the public sector unions what they want;

2.         get the unions to support you; and

3.         raise taxes to pay for those sweetheart deals. 

With each passing day, it is becoming clearer that Chafee is ready to raise taxes on anything, including basic necessities, in order to maintain the current generous benefits enjoyed by public sector union employees and win “the endorsement of organized public sector unions” (Warwick Beacon 1/5/10).  Said RIGOP Chairman, Giovanni Cicione: “Our seniors and taxpayers don’t need the “Chafee Three Step.”

Mr. Chafee has unequivocally put the generous pensions of “current public employees” off limits to any reform efforts even if it would reduce the cost to taxpayers (ProJo 1/7/10).  This makes it clear that Mr. Chafee is more willing to play ball with the public sector labor bosses than even the R.I. House Democratic leadership.  Even though the House Democratic leadership has unfortunately put 401k plans for government employees off the table (ProJo 1/4/10), they at least supported some of the Governor’s pension reform efforts which affected current public employees and saved taxpayers millions.  (09-H5983Aaa Article 7 House Journal 6/24/09, and 05-H5270Aaa Article 7 House Journal 6/27/05). 

“It appears Mr. Chafee thought that these pension reforms went too far since they affected current public employees,” said Cicione.  “As a former mayor, Chafee should really have a better handle on the impact of pension handouts and long term municipal budgeting.”  “Without reasonable concessions from all state and municipal employees on pensions, cities and towns across the state will face bankruptcy or higher taxes.”

“It appears that Mr. Chafee is not at all serious about reducing government spending,” concluded Cicione.  “Simply put, under Chafee’s “New Way Forward”, a 70 year old on a fixed income would have to pay higher taxes on their home, their medicine, and their food in order to subsidize the lifestyle of a 40 year old retired city worker – that’s just wrong.”

***

When Lincoln Chafee announced his candidacy for Governor this week, he pledged “to be a champion of the property taxpayer” and “a partner with our mayors and town managers … to repeal many of the costly state mandates on cities and towns.”  Unfortunately, when he was mayor, Mr. Chafee acted more as a champion for public sector unions than for the taxpayers when he gave sweetheart deals to unions, like the Warwick Teachers Union, and then raised regressive property taxes year after year to pay for these deals.  (As noted by the RIGOP in its press release yesterday entitled “OPPOSITE OF RIGHT PART II: Chafee’s ‘New Way Forward’ Will Send Rhode Island Backwards.”)

If Mr. Chafee is really a champion of property taxpayer who will support city and town officials in their efforts to eliminate state mandates, the RIGOP challenges Mr. Chafee to unequivocally support the elimination of state law mandates that benefit public sector unions.  Here are two simple examples: 

First, will Mr. Chafee support cities and towns who want to be free from being required to negotiate with firefighter and police unions as to minimum staffing levels?  This was proposed in Article 43 of 09-H5019, and was supported by Dan Beardsley of the R.I. League of Cities and Towns (Beardsley 2009 Final Legislative Report), and the Democratic and Republican Mayors of Cranston, Cumberland, Johnston, Lincoln, North Providence and Pawtucket (Letter from The Coalition of Communities Improving Rhode Island 4/14/09)

Second, will Mr. Chafee support cities and towns who want to be free to impose a 25% co-share for health care premiums on all city and town employees without having to negotiate with local public sector unions?  This was proposed in Article 44 of 09-H5019, and was supported by Dan Beardsley of the R.I. League of Cities and Towns (Beardsley 2009 Final Legislative Report), and the Democratic and Republican Mayors of Cranston, Cumberland, Johnston, Lincoln, North Providence and Pawtucket (Letter from The Coalition of Communities Improving Rhode Island 4/14/09)

“If Mr. Chafee is, as he claims, a champion of the property taxpayer, then Mr. Chafee should not hesitate to support these two pieces of legislation,” said RIGOP Chair Giovanni Cicione.  “I suspect, however, that he is simply avoiding the hard choices and once again robbing Peter to pay Paul.”

“The last thing this state needs is another privileged member of the Rhode Island political class who has spent a career currying favor with public sector unions in order to win office,” Cicione continued.  “Mr. Chafee’s plan to tax food, clothes, and prescription drugs will just be yet another ‘new way’ to raise taxes in an era when we should be finding solutions to put more money in peoples pockets by cutting taxes across the board.”

***

CHAFEE NOT BEING HONEST AND HIS CAMPAIGN HASN’T EVEN STARTED YET

In a press release announcing his campaign kick-off, Mr. Chafee modestly spoke of his “unquestioned integrity”.  The RIGOP has a question, Mr. Chafee. Is integrity based on honesty?

Republican Party Chair Giovanni D. Cicione noted today that “as Linc Chafee’s campaign is about to start, it appears the spinning is well underway and Chafee is not telling truth about something as simple as his less than stellar fundraising performance.”

As was reported last week on WRNI radio that J.R. Pagliarini, Mr. Chafee’s new campaign manager, asserted that “Chafee wasn't focused on fund-raising in the last quarter of 2009” when asked to explain why Chafee only raised about $41,000 from individuals in the most recent quarter.  (WRNI 12/31/09). 

However, Mr. Chafee publically stated that at the start of the 4^th quarter and a month into it that he needed to do better at fundraising.  For example, in early October, Chafee said, "We've got to do better than the last quarter", when he only raised about $70,000 from individuals.  He also admitted that he was “working harder at raising money” (ProJo 10/8/09).  In early November, Chafee said “you’ve got to raise the money,” and admitted “We’ve got to do better at fundraising.”  (ProJo 11/9/09).  Clearly, Mr. Chafee was focused on fund-raising in the last quarter of 2009.

“If Mr. Chafee wants to claim “unquestioned integrity” then he should be sure to communicate with his campaign staff so as not to mislead the public,” said Cicione.  “If you can’t even be honest about your poor fundraising performance, then why should the voters expect you to be honest about important issues such as Rhode Island’s dire economic and budgetary problems?”  “It’s time for solutions,” concluded Cicione, “not spin.”

###

SPECIAL RIGOP REPORT –

“THE OPPOSITE OF RIGHT PART II”

CHAFEE’S “NEW WAY FORWARD” WILL

SEND RHODE ISLAND BACKWARD

Today, Lincoln Chafee announced his candidacy for Governor.  The man who is “happy to be called liberal” (ProJo 10/14/09) offered Rhode Islanders what he called a “New Way Forward.”  Rhode Islanders who are familiar with Chafee’s free spending fiscal record as Mayor of Warwick know that means simply more spending for special interests and more tax increases for the public.  Based on Chafee’s record as Mayor, the “New Way Forward” has three simple steps:

STEP ONE:  GIVE AWAY THE STORE TO THE PUBLIC SECTOR UNIONS.  

Described by the Providence Journal as "the biggest achievement of his early tenure in City Hall," (ProJo 10/10/2000) Chafee gave a sweetheart deal to the Warwick Teachers’ Union in 1994 that taxpayers are still paying for today.  In order to end a contract dispute Chafee simply gave up and gave in.  He circumvented the Warwick School Committee and agreed with the Warwick Teachers Union to give teachers a 19.4 % pay raise with no health insurance premium co-share.  The deal was so flawed that a former Warwick School Committee Chairperson was quoted as saying “the city taxpayers could not have done any worse” and that “[e]ven a monkey can manage to give everything away.”  (ProJo 5/3/94 and 5/4/94).

STEP TWO:  HAVE THE UNIONS RETURN THE FAVOR TO YOU

After Chafee cut this great deal for the teachers union in Warwick in 1994, the Providence Journal reported that “[i]t is no coincidence that the mayor raised money from various teachers unions across the state in September, within weeks of his settling the contract with the Warwick Teachers Union.  The American Federation of Teachers, the parent of the local group, sent a note to other member unions in the state, saying Chafee helped the union with a good contract and suggesting the favor be returned.”  (ProJo 1/6/95)

STEP THREE:  RAISE TAXES AGAIN AND AGAIN TO PAY FOR ALL THIS

From 1994 through 1996, Chafee raised property taxes to pay for this sweetheart deal for the Warwick Teachers’ Union (ProJo 5/11/94, 5/24/94, 6/14/94, 5/25/95, 6/14/95, 5/31/96, 6/18/96).  In fact, he raised taxes so much that the Democrat controlled City Council actually tried to freeze taxes in 1996, but Chafee, who now claims that he can bring people together, fought in Court in order to raises taxes again and stop a tax freeze (ProJo 6/18/96, and Sullivan v. Chafee 703 A.2d 748 (R.I.1997).  

Said RIGOP Chair Giovanni Cicione, “Chafee’s ‘New Way Forward,’ is nothing more than a new way to label his proven lack of leadership and his proven tendencies to dodge hard choices.”  “This is not a new way forward,” concluded Cicione, “but the same old backwards path to buying union votes by raising taxes on regular Rhode Islander’s.”

    The Rhode Island Republican Party took note of a poll released yesterday by Brown University, with Party Chair Giovanni Cicione commenting that “it should send a clear signal to Attorney General Patrick Lynch that the voters of Rhode Island are starting to see the truth about him and his cronies and that they don’t like what they see.”

    In May 2009, Attorney General Lynch had a job approval rating of 47% (the combined excellent and good percentage) and a negative rating of 39% (the combined fair and poor percentages) or a net positive rating of 8%.  Now, a little over six months later, Mr. Lynch has a job approval rating of 38% and a negative rating of 47% or a net negative rating of 9%.  This flip is a huge swing of 17% over a seven month period.  Nearly one in five voters has changed their minds about Lynch. 

    Although some of Rhode Island federal elected officials saw their approval ratings decline, none matched Mr. Lynch.  It is telling that none of the other elected officials to statewide office saw such a dramatic change over the same period.  For example, Lt. Governor Roberts went from 22% approval rating and 36% disapproval rating in May to 22% approval rating and 37% disapproval rating in December.  Governor Carcieri went from a 36% approval rating and 59% disapproval rating in May to 37% approval rating and 56% disapproval rating in December.  General Treasurer Caprio only saw a slight decline.  He went from a 41% approval rating and 24% disapproval rating in May to a 39% approval and 26% disapproval rating in December. 

    “Clearly Mr. Lynch’s approval rating is in the dump”, said Cicione, “because of the revelations and negative publicity regarding Lynch’s out of state travels, the related complaints filed by the RIGOP against Mr. Lynch at the Board of Elections and Ethics Commission relating to those trips, and the total inaction by the Mr. Lynch in stopping corruption at Rhode Island’s dump, the Johnston Landfill.”  “If Mr. Lynch seriously expects the voters to consider him as a credible candidate for Governor, he will need to take a break from the junkets and fundraising tours and instead stay in Rhode Island to start addressing the waste and corruption perpetrated by political insiders.”

###

RIGOP Congratulates Woonsocket Mayor-Elect Leo Fontaine

Calls Strong Victory "Hope for Woonsocket and for Rhode Island"

Warwick, RI - Rhode Island Republican Party Chairman Giovanni Cicione today congratulated former State Party Chair Leo Fontaine on his resounding win in the race for mayor of the City of Woonsocket.  "Having known Leo for close to twenty years, I am sure that his proven committment to public service and especially to the people of Woonsocket will yield great results for the city."   

Fontaine won the elction by a 14.8% margin, made all the more dramatic by the fact that Woonsocket has long been a stronghold for Democrats, having most recently giving Barrack Obama a 32.2% margin of victory on the 2008 election cycle.  "To see such a dramatic swing in voter interests in a one year period is stunning," said Cicione, "and is even more telling given that Leo is so strongly identified as a Republican, having served at State Party Chair."  "A win like this will certainly help put to rest any concerns about the Republican 'brand' in Rhode Island."               

"The voters have put their trust in Leo Fontaine," Cicione continued, "and we wish him success in doing what it takes to make Woonsocket a center for growth and prosperity and a great state leader once again."  "With such an impressive and clear mandate for change, I have every confifdence that, even in these difficult times, there is hope for Woonsocket and for all of Rhode Island."

Warwick, RI – The Rhode Island Republican Party has today filed an Ethics complaint against Attorney General Patrick Lynch stemming from his acceptance of gifts from industry associations that he regulates.  Attorney General Patrick Lynch has violated Regulation 36-14-5009 of the Code of Ethics, which prohibits public officials from receiving a gift of more than $75 in one year from an interested person. Based on records received from the Office of Attorney General, Mr. Lynch was the recipient of a gift of $428.50 for a trip to New Orleans on May 18 - 20, 2008.  For a gift to violate the Code of Ethics, it must meet certain criteria.  Essentially, under Regulation 36-14-5009 of the Code of Ethics, a gift of more than $75 in any calendar year from a single “interested person” is prohibited.  As to the amount requirement, a trip to New Orleans, which cost at least $428.50, certainly exceeds $75.00. 
 

RI GOP Chairman Giovanni Cicione noted that “If we allow our elected officials and regulators to be wined and dined by the very industries we ask them to oversee, we are leaving the door wide open to corruption, graft, and abuse of public office.”  “Patrick Lynch could have easily paid for this travel through his campaign account and avoided this conflict, but once again he has shown that when you are a powerful Democrat in Rhode Island, the rules are made to be broken.”  Accordingly, the RIGOP recommends that the Commission investigate this violation, and fine Mr. Lynch for violating the Ethics Code.  A copy of the complaint is attached for reference. 

###

Warwick, RI - The Rhode Island Republican Party today noted the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy and extends it’s condolences to the entire Kennedy family.  “Ted Kennedy left his mark on our nation and the world, and was truly a political force,” said party Chairman Giovanni Cicione.  “Our thoughts are with his family and the many people whom he touched in his long and storied career.

###

Warwick, RI - Today, the Rhode Island Republican Party has filed a formal  complaint with the R.I. Board of Elections against “The Friends of Patrick Lynch Committee” for violations of Rhode Island Campaign Finance Law and R.I Board of Elections’ Campaign Finance Manual for the campaign finance reports the Lynch Committee has filed for the second quarter of 2008 through the first quarter 2009. The RIGOP hereby requests a public hearing on the record on this complaint as set forth in Rule B.1 (d) of the Rules of Practice & Procedure in Adjudicatory Hearings of the Boards.  

After a careful review of the Campaign Finance reports evidence shows the campaign finance reports filed from second quarter of 2008 through the first quarter of 2009, the Lynch Committee spent approximately $9,110.27 from its campaign account on expenditures with it labeled as “petty cash” including items such as “trip to Kentucky” together with numerous expenditures on meals, hotels and taxis. The Lynch Committee has violated Rhode Island campaign finance law and the R.I. Board of Elections’ Campaign Finance Manual repeatedly over the past year.  These actions violate Section 10.4 of the Board’s Campaign Finance Manual, and R.I.G.L Section 17-25-11(a) (3) (iii).

Under R.I.G.L Section 17-25-13, each violation of campaign finance law is subject to a fine of up to $100. There are 31 separate petty cash entries, over the past year, which exceed the $25 per transaction limit for petty cash expenditures. The RIGOP hopes the R.I. Board of Elections will find these expenditures done by the Lynch Committee a violation of the two legal requirements and be assessed a fine of $3,100.00.

“We are confident that once a carful and diligent investigation has been conducted, the R.I. Board of elections will find these expenditures done by the Lynch Committee a violation of the two legal requirements and that the Board requires the Lynch Committee to disclose to the public the name and address of the recipients of the improperly disclosed expenditures”, said Steve Frias, General Counsel of the RI Republican Party.

###

WARWICK, RI - Citing the continuing spendthrift practices of the 111th Congress, the Rhode Island Republican Party expressed significant concerns with the current health care reforms being debated in the US House and Senate and called on our federal delegation to put the brakes on their massive spending spree.

“Having pushed several 1,000 page plus tax and spend bills already, our Democrat controlled House and Senate are now debating the most effective ways to control nearly one fifth of the national economy.  The artificial deadline in early August, set by the President, requires massive health care reform to become law before those in Congress can return to their constituents and hear their concerns”, said party Chair Giovanni Cicione.

The RIGOP is urging lawmakers to withhold their support of health care reform until they return to Rhode Island during legislative recess in August.  The RIGOP cites growing civic concern and eroding faith in these lawmakers’ ability to understand the impacts of 1,000 page bills that dramatically increase the scope and power of the federal government.

“The political class in Washington tells us that elections have consequences.  We agree, but that should not allow for reckless spending and regulatory bills to pass with the haste we have seen with Cap and Trade, Stimulus, and Bailouts.  Reform of this nature must be deliberate and comprehensively understood.  We urge all Rhode Islanders to contact their Representative and Senators and ask them to hold off support for this reform until they come home and adequately explain its impact,” Cicione continued.

Nancy Pelosi is trying to recapture momentum in the face of rising public resistance to government run healthcare by calling it a “stimulus” bill.  “That’s an absurd assertion,” charged Cicione.  “It flies in the face of economic realities and will do nothing to restore jobs and economic security to the people of Rhode Island.  Our congressional delegation needs to stand up for the people for a change – not the health care industry lobbyists who are looking for their own personal bailouts this summer.”

###

Responding to attacks earlier today by the Rhode Island Democratic Party challenging Governor Carcieri’s attempts to lower taxes and create jobs, Rhode Island Republican Chairman Giovanni Cicione today fired back at democratic Chair Bill Lynch by calling on Democrats to disclose their own sources of funding before they go looking for others to give up their rights to privacy and free speech.

“Rhode Island Democrats have a long history of ‘pay to play’ when it comes to statehouse access, and they don’t like it when the business community stands up for itself”, said Cicione.  “To call on a non-profit to disclose its donors flies in the face of free speech protections that cover such entities.  Bill Lynch wants to toss out the First Amendment so that he and his cronies can punish those businesses who would dare stand up to the Democrat machine and actually try to help our states economy.”

“More importantly, when will the unions start disclosing how they spend their members forced dues?  When will ACORN and the Poverty Institute and all of the other Democrat front groups pushing for tax hikes disclose their funding sources?  When will they disclose where they’re spending their millions?”

“And only the Democrats would call giving taxpayers their own money back a ‘giveaway’,” continued Cicione.  “Bill Lynch says that the Governor’s tax cuts will raise taxes for others, but he knows as well as we do that tax hikes will only happen if the Democrat controlled legislature fails to cut spending.”

“The Governor and Transform RI are fighting to lower taxes for every single citizen of this state.  The Democratic Party doesn’t like that message, and they’re afraid that more and more voters are becoming fed up with their big spending ways.”  “The citizens have had enough, and no amount of political game playing will change the hard reality that the Governor is offering the only solution that will put our people back to work.”

  ###

01:00 AM EDT on Friday, May 22, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 1, 2009

CONTACT: Giovanni Cicione
(401) 732-8282 

(401) 996--3536

MEDIA ADVISORY:

“Due to poplar demand, RIGOP joins with Providence Protesters

 For Joint Tax Day Tea Party Event.”

WARWICK, RI – As part of the nationwide Tax Day Tea Party movement, the Rhode Island Republican Party is joining efforts with the Providence Tax Day Tea Party at the Rhode Island State House. “Due to popular demand, the RIGOP is joining with the Providence Protestors for Joint Tax Day Tea Party Event”, said RIGOP Chairman Giovanni Cicione. The Tea Party will take place from 3:00 - 6:00 p.m., on April 15th.  Carpool from RIGOP Headquarters leaves at 3:30 PM.

The RI GOP will be protesting, along with many other organizations, in order to remind the politicians on Smith Hill and in Washington DC of the fact that government attempts to stimulate the economy just don’t work.  “An economy is really just the sum of all of the millions of individuals making efforts to improve their lives through hard work,” said Cicione.  “Every new plan to stimulate the economy through new taxes and higher spending really just does the opposite – it takes money away from those workers and from families who are already struggling.”

The administrations Stimulus Plan relies on borrowing an unprecedented amount of our money.  It is the largest giveaway in American History and will lead immediately to a one year deficit that for the first time ever is measured in ‘trillions.’  Even the Congressional Budget Office says that the Stimulus Bill will create few jobs in 2009 and 2010, but will instead cause dangerously high levels of inflation as the Federal Government lets the Treasury printing presses run indiscriminately. 

“We cannot stand by and let them do this to us,” continued Cicione.  “It is time to make our voices heard.”  “Protesting unfair taxes is as American as Apple Pie,” he noted.  “We all need to take a few moments on April 15^th, join our fellow citizens in protesting the burdens of sky high taxes, and remind the politicians once again that they work for us, not the fat cats who are getting our money.”

WHAT: Tax Day Tea Party - Providence
WHEN: Wednesday, April 15, 2009 from 3:00 p.m. To 6:00 p.m.
WHERE: Rhode Island State House (City side steps)

NOTE: Carpool from RIGOP Headquarters Leaves at 3:30 PM (Corner of Airport Road and Post Road, Warwick RI)

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