In his first public comment on the ill-fated trip to Philadelphia by two Rhode Island officials in March, former state Department of Administration director James Thorsen denied he engaged in the disrespectful and insensitive conduct that was attributed to him.
Thorsen and David Patten, director of the state’s property management division, were in Philadelphia to meet with officials from Scout Ltd to discuss its potential renovation of the Cranston Street Armory, and to tour one of Scout’s developments in Philadelphia, known as Bok.
“I was aware that the Director of the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance was behaving strangely during this trip and was not representing the State in an appropriate or positive way,” Thorsen said in a statement, referring to David Patten. “This presented a dilemma on how to complete the meeting, but because of time constraints, I endeavored to do so.”
In an email to the state – released by Gov. Dan McKee’s office last week following an order by Attorney General Peter Neronha – a Scout official said the experience left the company wondering “how to work with people who are so blatantly racist, sexist and unprofessional.”
The story has since received national attention through the Washington Post and other news outlets.
In a statement released by Providence lawyer Kevin Bristow, Thorsen said he responded to what happened in Philadelphia while on the way to the airport for the return trip to Rhode Island, contacting the state Human Resources office. After returning, he said, he proceeded directly to that office to express concerns about Patten’s conduct and his health.
Thorsen, in his statement, does not refer to Patten by name.
“I provided a more detailed statement to Human Resources and subsequently to the Rhode Island State Police regarding what I had heard and seen during the trip,” Thorsen said.
After details of the trip became public last week, Patten’s lawyer said Patten was on leave, suffering from acute stress due to work and a series of personal losses. He remains on paid leave from his state job.
Thorsen, a Cumberland native, now works for the U.S. Treasury.
In his email to the state, Scout’s development director, Everett Abitbol, said the visit by Thorsen and Patten “reflects incredibly poorly” on Rhode Island.
In particular, Abitbol wrote that the Rhode Islanders made various demands for food and drink – including insisting on lunch at a closed Michelin star restaurant, adding, “You have three hours to convince us to give you $55M,” for the Cranston Street Armory project. Abitbol also accused Patten of making sexually suggestive remarks to a senior Scout official.
In his statement, Thorsen denies that he asked or had anyone else ask Scout for preferential treatment. Nor did he advise the company, or cause anyone to advise it, he said, that his treatment during the visit “would have any impact on the prospective awarding of state funding relating to the proposed Armory project.”
Thorsen denied engaging in any conduct that was sexually or racially insensitive or inappropriate.
Thorsen also said that, after he learned “what had occurred regarding the early opening of the restaurant,” he had sent an email indicating that he wanted to pay for the meal.
“The allegations made in this matter are very serious,” Thorsen said. “I did not engage in the conduct described. Nor would I ever condone such conduct. Finally, I did not know the content of communication by the Director regarding treatment from Scout Ltd. or any of the tenants at Bok. I intend to continue to cooperate with state authorities to fully investigate what occurred during this trip.”
Bristow, Thorsen’s lawyer, said Thorsen will not make additional comment on the Philadelphia trip “until the investigation and other proceedings relating to this matter are fully resolved.”
Ian Donnis can be reached at idonnis@ripr.org
