As Gina Raimondo showed us in 2021 before exiting for DC, politicians are committed to doing/saying one thing…until the very second the situation changes. (I’ll be on vaca in the coming week, so my next column will appear Aug. 2.) You can follow me through the week on threads and what we used to call […]
Ian Donnis
One of the state’s top political reporters, Ian Donnis joined The Public’s Radio in 2009. Ian has reported on Rhode Island politics since 1999, arriving in the state just two weeks before the FBI raided City Hall and Buddy Cianci’s East Side home. Ian covers breaking news, develops in-depth features and investigative reports, and welcomes a range of newsmakers to “Political Roundtable” each week. He also writes our Friday political newsletter and maintains a strong social media presence.
For many years, Ian was a panelist on WPRI-TV’s Sunday morning public affairs show, Newsmakers, and he’s a regular guest on A Lively Experiment on Rhode Island PBS. His previous experience includes serving as news editor of The Providence Phoenix and as a reporter for the Associated Press and the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. He has a BS in journalism from Boston University.
Outside of work, Ian enjoys baseball, cooking, and exploring Rhode Island.
Posted inPolitical Roundtable, Politics
Steve Frias on why he’s not supporting Trump or Biden, how the RI GOP has to change, and more
Until recently, Steve Frias of Cranston held one of the top posts in the Rhode Island Republican Party — national committeeman. Frias decided to not seek re-election for that role because he does not support Donald Trump, now the GOP nominee for president. Frias is among a small number of Rhode Island Republicans who have publicly repudiated Trump, and he’s been more outspoken than most in calling out the former president’s false claims about a stolen election in 2020. So does Frias share Democrats’ concerns about Trump’s possible return to the White House? What about Trump’s pick of JD Vance as his running mate and the theatrics at the RNC in Milwaukee this week? And does the Cranston Republican have any bright ideas for how to improve the meager GOP legislative representation in Rhode Island? This week on Political Roundtable, I’m going in-depth with local historian, past legislative candidate and former Rhode Island GOP National Committeeman Steve Frias.
Posted inLocal, Politics
UNH poll finds 29% approval rating for Gov. McKee
A University of New Hampshire poll published Thursday finds that Gov. Dan McKee has a 29% approval rating and that 60% of Rhode Islanders think the state is on the wrong track. The findings, based on online responses earlier this month from 598 Rhode Islanders, signal a warning for McKee ahead of the 2026 race […]
Posted inBusiness, Local, Media
GBH, Frontline veteran named CEO for public media in RI
Veteran multimedia journalism leader Pam Johnston is set to take the helm of the recently merged public broadcasters Rhode Island PBS and The Public’s Radio. In an interview on Wednesday, Johnston says she reacted with tears of joy on learning of her selection as president and CEO. “This is truly a dream job, a dream […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for July 12, 2024
If your bingo card had George Clooney delivering a sharp jab to POTUS via op-ed, raise your hand. You can follow me through the week on threads and what we used to call the twitters. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox every Friday? Just sign up right here. *** […]
Posted inPolitical Roundtable, Politics
Brown professor Corey Brettschneider on the presidents who have threatened democracy and the citizens who fought back
Presidential threats to democracy are nothing new. Our second president, John Adams, outlawed dissent and tried to prosecute his critics. Andrew Johnson’s presidency featured threats against his perceived opponents, and Richard Nixon engaged in a criminal conspiracy. But there are some key differences in our current moment. In a recent decision, for example, the U.S. Supreme Court expanded presidential power, and groups aligned with Donald Trump, like the Heritage Foundation, have ambitious plans for remaking the federal government. As Democrats wrestle with doubts about President Joe Biden, what is the outlook for American democracy? Are the traditional checks and balances of our system out of whack? And does the way in which Americans responded to overreaching presidents in the past offer clues for the future? This week on Political Roundtable, I’m going in-depth with Brown University political science professor Corey Brettschneider, author of “The Presidents and the People: Five Leaders Who Threatened Democracy and the Citizens Who Fought to Defend it.”
Posted inLocal, Politics, Transportation
Lawsuit over westbound Washington Bridge likely, state’s lawyer says
A lawyer hired by the state of Rhode Island to claw back money for the debacle involving the westbound Washington Bridge said a lawsuit is more likely than not, although a final decision is not expected for a few more weeks. Barring a surprise, lawyer Max Wistow said the call on whether to pursue litigation […]
Posted inLocal, Metro Desk, Politics
With no bids to rebuild, RI officials decline to define timeline for opening westbound Washington Bridge
State officials declined on Tuesday to project when a new westbound Washington Bridge would open. Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee’s administration plans to issue a request for information to determine why a proposal to rebuild the span attracted no bids by a recent deadline. The governor declined at a press conference to say what the […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for July 5, 2024
If you think that news slows down around here in the summer, do not pass go and do not collect $200. You can follow me through the week on threads and what we used to call the twitters. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox every Friday? Just sign up […]
Posted inPolitical Roundtable, Politics
Reporters discuss the top Rhode Island stories so far in 2024
Rhode Islanders are among those celebrating the Fourth of July this week with cookouts, fireworks and family get-togethers. But politics rarely takes a day off, and July Fourth marks a line between the end of the General Assembly session last month and the start of campaigns for the legislature and other offices. In short, it’s a good time for a few political reporters to consider the top Rhode Island political stories so far in 2024. Has anger dissipated over the Washington Bridge fiasco? Does a low unemployment rate mask weaknesses in Rhode Island’s economy? And hey, since we reporters are people too, we’re also revealing our favorite summer food and most eagerly anticipated summer activity in the Ocean State. This week on Political Roundtable, I’m going in-depth with the senior reporter for the Rhode Island Current, Nancy Lavin, and politics/economics editor for WPRI-TV, Channel 12, Ted Nesi.
