Just another quiet week in Rhode Island politics, right? Lots to chew on here, so thanks for stopping by for my weekly column. As usual, your tips and comments are welcome and you can follow me through the week on the twitters. Here we go.
1. Speculation about the timing of Teresa Paiva Weed‘s departure from the General Assembly has been a guessing game among close political observers for a few years. But it wasn’t until a Hospital Association of Rhode Island board meeting Monday that the right exit strategy materialized. Word quickly spread through the Statehouse that Paiva Weed was on her way out, and RIPR reported the outcome — the new leadership team of Dominick Ruggerio as Senate President and Michael McCaffrey as majority leader — two days before it became official. In explaining her departure to become the six-figure head of HARI, Paiva Weed pointed to the timing: “The opportunity came now and the people in my immediate life that I love and trust, including my parents, all said, opportunities, you don’t get to pick when opportunities come, and I knew that I had a group that would carry on the things that I believed in, and sometimes you just follow your intuition.” There are other reasons why this match made sense: legislative leaders seem to tempt fate when they stick around for longer than eight years (and Paiva Weed is among the relative few who have left on their own, without the taint of scandal or a rejection by voters). The pairing with HARI is symbiotic: the Newport Democrat gets a lucrative post that meshes with her skill-set, and the Hospital Association gets a Smith Hill insider at a time when Rhode Island hospitals face sharp financial challenges. In taking over the Senate presidency, Ruggerio emphasized a message of continuity. But changes will invariably come, to a lesser or greater degree — in staff assignments, a more conservative tilt to the Senate, the broader Statehouse dynamic, the aspirations of individual senators, and the outlook for Governor Gina Raimondo‘s legislative priorities (more about that in a bit). Still, despite the drama that comes with a change in legislative leadership, it’s worth remembering how the Senate’s three top officials — Ruggerio, McCaffrey and Majority Whip Maryellen Goodwin — are part of the same tight circle that has formed a core of the chamber with Paiva Weed for more than 20 years.
2. Sen. Erin Lynch-Prata of Warwick is the perceived front-runner to succeed McCaffrey as the new chair of Judiciary Committee. (Before TPW’s resignation, women chaired just three of 11 Senate committees, so gender is one factor in this equation.) For now, a related question is whether Finance Committee Chairman Daniel DaPonte of East Providence remains in that role.
3. During her farewell news conference, Teresa Paiva Weed described what she called a team-style approach to leadership in the Senate. That can be interpreted in different ways. One view is that Dominick Ruggerio (who has routinely joined TPW for my year-end interviews with her) has enjoyed outsized influence in the chamber for years. Now, at age 68, he’s the uncontested #1 — and Ruggerio doesn’t rule out the possibility of staying on as president beyond the remainder of TPW’s two-year term. The new president addressed his past brushes with the law, telling reporters that he’s focused on the future. Ultimately, Ruggerio’s rise to the presidency was unsurprising. As the longest serving member of the Senate, he’s seen by his peers, Democrats and Republicans alike, as a gentlemanly man of his word. As one Statehouse observer told me, “They trust him. Trust is the most important thing in that building.” (Michael McCaffrey proved to be the only other credible candidate for Senate president in recent years, and he’s now lined up to be Ruggerio’s eventual successor.) Ruggerio said he might retire from his longtime role as administrator of the New England Laborers Labor Management Co-Op Trust. Known as a deal-maker who cuts to the chase, Ruggerio seems philosophically in tune with House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello, a fellow socially conservative Democrat with a pragmatic streak, marking a likely reset for the Smith Hill dynamic ….
4. The last two legislative sessions have ended ugly. Last year, things went all night and TPW wound up in tears when her priority (the Justice Reinvestment package) died in the House. The year before, in 2015, the session broke down in impasse due to chicken crate legislation and other less-than-riveting topics. More recently, a media narrative has developed, pitting (as seen in the graphic for a recent Sunday ProJo spread) Speaker Mattiello and Governor Raimondo against one another. So at minimum, Dominick Ruggerio‘s ascent as Senate president offers the chance for a fresh start. Is this a setback for Raimondo? That will take time to evaluate. Paiva Weed was a staunch Raimondo supporter, but that was no guarantee that the governor’s Rhode Island Promise priority was going to make it through the legislature. Conversely, Ruggerio’s place at the top doesn’t preclude the striking of some kind of a deal. What’s more, Ruggerio was an early supporter of RhodeWorks, and Raimondo has a close political ally in the Laborers’ Armand Sabitoni.
5. The timing for a special election to fill TPW‘s Senate seat remains unclear for now. Newport City Councilor John Florez, a Democrat, was first out of the gate to announce a run for the District 13 seat. According to a campaign announcement, “Florez has made revitalizing Newport’s economy a top priority. He played an instrumental role in crafting the Innovation Hub proposal – a project with the potential to transform Newport’s economy from a seasonal tourist-driven economy to a year-round robust economy that attracts high-paying jobs with good benefits. He successfully fought for tougher environmental regulations and has consistently stood up for Newport’s children, public schools, seniors and working families.” Florez is the founder of Drupal Connect, a technology company ….. Also in the hunt is lawyer and community organizer Dawn Euer, also a Democrat, who was part of the Marriage Equality Rhode Island team that fought for same-sex marriage in 2013. According to a campaign announcement, “Always willing to be a personal resource for positive community change, Euer provides advocacy and strategy guidance to numerous local agencies and nonprofits, including Newport Health Equity Zones (HEZ), Newport Open Space Partnership, and the Newport Energy and Environment Commission. Additionally, she serves as Board Chair at Bike Newport, and has been a board member for the Environmental Justice League of Rhode Island, Chair of the Newport and South County chapter of the RI National Organization for Women, Field Director of FightBackRI, Director of Education and Community Outreach of Marriage Equality Rhode Island, and Deputy Campaign Director for Rhode Islanders United for Marriage. ‘I am deeply committed to public service because I cherish my community and am proud to call Rhode Island my home,’ added Euer. ‘I look forward to serving the residents of Jamestown and Newport in Senate District 13 and fighting to bring their voices to the State House.’ ” …. State GOP Chairman Brandon Bell said Republican Mike Smith, who ran a competitive race against Paiva Weed in 2014, is considering a run, and that a couple of other Republicans are looking at the race.
6. Beer Break: state Rep. Michael Morin (D-Woonsocket) is sponsoring a bill that would appropriate $500,000 to the Commerce Corporation to promote beer tourism and the craft beer industry in Rhode Island. Supporters tout this as a logical next-step after the state last year expanded the amount of beer that can be sold on-premises by local micro-brewers.
7. Paiva Weed didn’t mention this in her parting address, but she was a key figure in the passing into law of same-sex marriage in 2013. As Devin Driscoll, who helped run the campaign for Marriage Equality RI, recalled for TGIF, “Senator Paiva Weed played a critical role in bringing the freedom to marry to the Ocean State. She did what so few legislative leaders across the country are willing to do: she let the process play out. She could have stacked the Judiciary Committee against us. She could have refused to bring it for a floor vote. She could have whipped votes against us. Instead, she had the courage to let Rhode Islanders tell their stories of loving, committed relationships to their legislators and persuade them in an open and fair way. Ultimately, Senator Paiva Weed voted no on the bill, from the rostrum. But she lost, 26-12. That was her great contribution — she played fair.”
8. Some thoughts on TPW‘s legacy from her former chief of staff, Tom Coderre, who started in that role in 2009, and who is now CoS at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: “Leadership positions are hard work. You have to balance the push and pull of competing interests of your members, with the other branches of government, as well as among numerous constituency groups. Teresa loved this challenge. She approached every situation, every bill, every resolution, every constituent meeting as if it were her first, with enthusiasm and interest. She is smart and tenacious and has a historical memory like no one else on Smith Hill. She formed coalitions and built consensus. She knew she couldn’t do it alone and she formed a leadership team, which she trusted and relied heavily upon for their expertise and input. She fought fiercely for the members of the Senate, and their priorities became her priorities. She led the Senate with the highest integrity and made the chamber an important partner in government and leader on important policy issues. She always focused on the challenges her constituents faced and understood the difficult choices that families make to: keep a roof over their heads and food on the table, afford child care and health care, obtain transportation to work, and the other essentials to allow them to grow and prosper. Her working class roots informed and influenced every decision — from her legislation capping local property taxes to shepherding universal full-day kindergarten and continued improvements to higher education. She also cared deeply about the environment, helping to realize the first off-shore wind-farm in the United States and ensuring clean water and sewer infrastructure projects.”
9. The General Assembly remains a male-dominated institution, so Paiva Weed’s ability to move up in leadership at a time when things were even more tightly controlled by men stands as a real accomplishment. She’ll be remembered for her compassion in government, and that’s no small thing. But Rhode Island’s leaders have struggled for years to spark some glimmers of economic progress, and that’s part of her record, too.
10. With the GOP healthcare bill struggling to go anywhere in the U.S. House of Representatives, a pro-President Trump rally at the Statehouse on Saturday, March 25, will serve as a chance for POTUS fans to show their support for the administration. The action begins with an 11 am parade from City Hall to the south side of Smith Hill.
11. Rhode Island’s two U.S. senators, Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed, came out against the Supreme Court nomination of Neil Gorsuch, following a move by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer earlier in the week. Whitehouse got a lot of national coverage with his Senate Judiciary questioning of Gorsuch, particularly whether the nominee has any concerns about the growing amounts of anonymous contributions, known as dark money, flowing through U.S. politics. Here’s a more critical view, from the WSJ.
12. Four Notes from Governor Raimondo‘s week: 1) She outlined support for the line-item veto and other good government proposals via a ProJo op-ed, but isn’t making a big public push for now of measures that might offend legislative sensibilities; 2) A Chicago Tribune editorial: “What Struggling Illinois Should Learn From Fellow Blue State Rhode Island’s Success“; 3) Raimondo is among the Dems under fire in a GOP-friendly video; 4) a PAC is running an ad in support of the governor’s college tuition plan; 4) A terrible situation at a long-troubled state agency.
13. On FB, State Rep. Robert Nardolillo (R-Coventry) indicates he’ll formally launch his run against Senator Whitehouse on May 15, 6 pm, at the VFW Post in Coventry. Here’s a short profile of Nardolillo from when he joined the House in 2015. Whitehouse, meanwhile, has hired Massachusetts operative Joe Caiazzo, who helped run RI campaigns last year for Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton.
14. State Rep. Jared Nunes, the Coventry Democrat, has been the unintended target of a series of angry recent tweets, due to how he shares the same last name as US Representative Devin Nunes of California. U.S. Rep Nunes has backed down after eliciting criticism by asserting President Trump was monitored by U.S. spies. Two more tales on mistaken identity: #1 and #2.
15. Journalism lost an iconic columnist when Jimmy Breslin died at age 88 this week. Here’s part of an appreciation by The New York Times’ Dan Barry: “Poetic and profane, softhearted and unforgiving, Mr. Breslin inspired every emotion but indifference; letters from outraged readers gladdened his heart. He often went after his own, from Irish-Americans with ‘shopping-center faces’ who had forgotten their hardscrabble roots to the Roman Catholic Church, whose sex scandals prompted him to write an angry book called ‘The Church That Forgot Christ,’ published in 2004. It ends with a cheeky vow to start a new church that would demand more low-income housing and better posture. Love or loathe him, none could deny Mr. Breslin’s enduring impact on the craft of narrative nonfiction. He often explained that he merely applied a sportswriter’s visual sensibility to the news columns. Avoid the scrum of journalists gathered around the winner, he would advise, and go directly to the loser’s locker. This is how you find your gravedigger.” [That’s a reference to a Breslin column about the man who dug JFK’s grave.]
16. The latest on new legal hurdles and opposition to Invenergy’s proposed power plant in Burrillville.
17. A hardy perennial at the Statehouse — the auto body bill — is back once again.
18. My former Providence Phoenix colleague, the esteemed Lou Papineau, knows as much about music (and beer) as anyone in Rhode Island, so I asked him to share him an appreciation of Chuck Berry. Here’s what Lou wrote: “Chuck Berry was as essential as rock and roll itself. It’s tempting to just list his monumental contributions to the popular music pantheon: ‘Roll Over Beethoven.’ ‘Sweet Little Sixteen.’ ‘Johnny B. Goode.’ ‘Memphis.’ ‘Back In the U.S.A.’ ‘No Particular Place To Go’ — and ‘Rock and Roll Music.’ His songs hot-wired R&B with C&W, bursting with his signature double-string riffs and propulsive rhythms which were matched with an exuberant torrent of words celebrating cars, girls, and the pure joy of being alive. Roy Orbison called Chuck the ‘first singer-songwriter I know of.’ Berry’s lyrics ranged from fluid, detailed narratives graced with ingenious wordplay and lovely, poetic flourishes (‘With hurry home drops on her cheeks that twinkled from her eye’). Chuck’s work had a massive influence on rock’s greatest artists — he was a genuine originator. He also helped break the color barrier on the pop charts, when ‘Maybellene,’ his first single, hit No. 5 in 1955. And let’s not forget the duck walk! John Lennon said, ‘If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it ‘Chuck Berry.’ ‘ It doesn’t get any more essential than that. Fun fact: Berry had 12 Top 40 hits from 1955 to 1964, but his only No. 1 was the slightly salacious 1972 novelty song, “My Ding-a-Ling.” Essential album: Chuck Berry: The Definitive Collection.
19. Should Republicans try to resurrect their overhaul of Obamacare, keep in mind this report from RIPR healthcare reporter Kristin Gourlay: “How Millennials Lose and Win Under the GOP Health Bill.”
20. Former state Democratic Chairman Bill Lynch is back in the fold as a special adviser and party spokesman. “I look forward to talking about ideas and initiatives put forth by Democrats to create jobs, strengthen our economy and move our state and nation forward, and to setting the record straight whenever Republicans misrepresent the facts or take aim at Rhode Islanders,” Lynch said in a statement. A partner at the Providence law firm Lynch & Pine, Lynch has been retained on a monthly basis beginning on April 1. RI Dems say the Rhode Island Democratic Party and the Democratic National Committee will pay for his services.
21. The loneliness of middle-aged men is seen as a serious health issue.
22. President Nixon created the EPA, and other Republicans — including John and Lincoln Chafee — have been strong advocates for the environment. So how did the EPA become a target for President Trump, with the enviroment emerging as a political battlefield. Give a listen to this recent segment from WNYC’s On the Media (heard every weekend on RIPR at 4 p.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. Sunday.)
