In an unprecedented move, the Rhode Island Senate has scheduled an expulsion vote for Sen. Nicholas Kettle (R-Coventry), who is accused of video voyeurism and extorting sex from a male Senate page in 2011.
The expulsion vote is slated for Tuesday afternoon, the first meeting of the Senate after lawmakers return from mid-winter break this week. Kettle has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
According to a Senate news release, “The Resolution, 2018-S-2490, outlines the case for expulsion. As of noon today, a sheriff is in the process of serving Mr. Kettle and his attorney with notice of the hearing, at which he will have the opportunity to offer a defense. The Resolution is sponsored by President of the Senate Dominick J. Ruggerio, Senate Minority Leader Dennis L. Algiere, Senate Majority Leader Michael J. McCaffrey, Senate Majority Whip Maryellen Goodwin, and Senate Judiciary Chairwoman Erin Lynch Prata.”
Kettle was arrested last Friday and details about the extortion charges were revealed Monday. Kettle has declined comment on the case, although one of his lawyers, Paul DiMaio, has questioned the substance of the charges.
It remains unclear if Kettle will step down ahead of the expulsion vote. DiMaio said he learned of plans for the vote from reporters.
Meanwhile, Ruggerio has directed his chief legal counsel “to conduct a full and thorough review of all aspects of the Senate page program, including an examination of how similar programs are run in other states,” the Senate said in a statement. “The Senate’s legal counsel will make recommendations to the Senate president upon the conclusion of that review.”
The Senate resolution cites campaign finance violations by Kettle. It cites how the criminal charges “brought unwanted media coverage to the [Senate] Chamber,” and “Mr. Kettle’s arrest was reported throughout the United States, including the Associated Press, the U.S. News and World Reports [sic] and the New York Times.”
The resolution notes details of the criminal charges and said Rhode Islanders believe “that public officials and employees must adhere to the highest standards of ethical conduct, respect the public trust, and rights of all persons, be open, accountable and responsive, avoid the appearance of impropriety and not use their position for private gain or advantage.”
Kettle is one of five Republicans in the 38-member Senate.
The three-page resolution notes that the General Assembly has not invoked its power to expel a member in the 165 years since the adoption of the Rhode Island Constitution.
The RI ACLU has questioned the idea of expelling Kettle from the chamber.
In a letter to Senate President Dominick Ruggerio, RI ACLU Executive Director Steve Brown wrote in part, “It is our understanding that the Senate has not used Article VI, Section 7 in modern history to expel a member. We therefore believe it is essential that there be clear standards and measures in place before engaging in such an historic effort. To vote to expel a sitting Senator without any formal, carefully-considered procedures establishes a dangerous practice. In the absence of clear due process standards, the Senate’s actions in this case will set a precedent that could be used for less principled purposes in the future.”
This story has been updated.
