Matt Jerzyk, a familiar presence at the Statehouse, started in a new role Wednesday as chief legal counsel for House Majority Leader Joseph Shekarchi, RIPR has learned.
Jerzyk came to Smith Hill as deputy legal counsel for Speaker Nicholas Mattiello in November 2014, with a salary of $99,072. He is also the part-time city solicitor for Central Falls.
A graduate of Brown University and Roger Williams University Law School, Jerzyk previously worked as senior legal counsel and director of government relations during Angel Taveras’ time as mayor of Providence. He also served for part that time as deputy city solicitor.
Jerzyk is a respected campaign strategist who has run campaigns for state Rep. Grace Diaz and other candidates. He founded the Rhode Island’s Future blog and built a strong local following before selling it.
“Matt is a very talented attorney with a great legal mind who has been a tremendous asset to me,” Mattiello said in a statement to RIPR. “Majority Leader Shekarchi has chosen Matt as his legal counsel over many other qualified candidates. We work as a team and I’m sure Matt will serve Majority Leader Shekarchi very well, while continuing to assist me and our team.”
Jerzyk succeeds former rep Peter Wasylyk, who served as chief legal counsel for former Majority Leader John DeSimone. In an upset, freshman Rep. Marcia Ranglin-Vassell (D-Providence) defeated DeSimone in a primary race last September, and his general election write-in campaign fell far short. (Woonsocket Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt announced earlier this week she was appointing DeSimone as city solicitor.)
Like Shekarchi, Jerzyk is known as a deal-maker and savvy political strategist. He played a key role in the passage last year, after many years of intrasigence, of a bill to strengthen the state Ethics Commission.
Shekarchi, of Warwick, was formally backed during a pre-session Democratic caucus to succeed DeSimone as majority leader.
House spokesman Larry Berman confirmed Jerzyk’s new position. He said Wasylyk has been offered a different staff position. Berman said Jerzyk’s salary in his new role has not yet been determined. He said Jerzyk’s former post of deputy legal counsel to the speaker is not being filled at this time.
This report has been updated.
