Governor Gina Raimondo said Thursday she will appeal a Superior Court decision denying access to grand jury documents in the 38 Studios case.
The court’s presiding justice, Alice Gibney, ruled last month against releasing the grand jury materials. In her decision, Gibney wrote that providing access to the grand jury records would defeat the purpose and role of the grand jury.
In a statement, Raimondo said she intends to appeal Gibney’s ruling to the state Supreme Court.
The governor is also calling for lawmakers to swiftly pass a bill requiring the release of all non-grand jury documents related to 38 Studios. That could include investigative records compiled by the attorney general’s office.
“I was against 38 Studios from the very beginning and hold firm that Rhode Islanders deserve to know what happened,” Raimondo said. “I urge the General Assembly to take swift action and send me legislation that will compel the release of all non-grand jury documents from the 38 Studios investigation. I will sign it as soon as it reaches my desk.”
Raimondo said as a candidate in 2014 that she backed an independent probe into how 38 Studios happened, but she has since backed away from the pledge, questioning whether an investigation is worth the cost.
A lawsuit initiated by Raimondo’s predecessor, Lincoln Chafee, has clawed back most of the money owed by taxpayers due to the failure of 38 Studios in 2012. The video game company was lured to Rhode Island with a $75 million loan guarantee in 2010.
