Keith Hoffmann, who worked in a series of different roles in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s office, formally announced Tuesday his campaign to be the state’s next attorney general. Hoffmann, 38, until recently served as director of policy in current Attorney General Peter Neronha’s office, and before that as chief of the civil and community […]
Politics
Posted inCriminal Justice, Local, Politics
Rhode Island’s big swing at police reform is slow to make change
Around the time of George Floyd’s murder in the spring of 2020, Providence had its own incident that fueled protests and allegations of police brutality. Joseph Hanley, a Providence police sergeant, was filmed kicking a Black man, Rishod Gore, as he laid face down on the ground in handcuffs. Providence publicly announced it was firing […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Local, Politics
State Rep. Robert Craven announces run for Rhode Island attorney general
At least three Democrats will compete in the September 2026 primary State Rep. Robert Craven (D-North Kingstown), a long-time lawmaker and former state prosecutor, announced Monday his run to be Rhode Island’s next attorney general. Craven, 69, was first elected to the House in 2012 and he currently chairs the House Judiciary Committee. According to […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for Sept. 26, 2025
The real menace in baseball is less robot umpires and more the relentless stream of sports-betting ads between innings. You can follow me through the week on Bluesky, threads and X. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox every Friday? Sign up right here *** 1. STORY OF THE WEEK: […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, South Coast Bureau
City Council sues New Bedford’s mayor over police chief appointment
The New Bedford City Council filed a lawsuit against Mayor John Mitchell last week, asking a Bristol County Superior Court judge to clarify that the mayor must seek council approval to appoint a new police chief. Mitchell appointed John Thody as the city’s new police chief on June 24. Council president Shane Burgo said that […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
Rhode Island election expert Ken Block on why election fraud is less likely after 2020
Ken Block founded the Rhode Island Moderate Party in 2010 and ran for governor of Rhode Island as the Moderate candidate. He then left that party in 2014 to run for governor as a Republican. In the wake of the 2020 election, he was hired by the Trump campaign to search for election fraud. After […]
Posted inBusiness, Local, Politics
5 biotech startups are coming to Rhode Island life science incubator
Rhode Island officials on Wednesday touted the unveiling of the first members of the state’s new life science incubator as a sign of economic progress. The incubator, due to open next year, is meant to spur the growth of innovative companies by bringing together researchers, investors and entrepreneurs. The project is to be housed in […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for Sept. 19, 2025
Let’s hold off on the Halloween stuff for now — it’s not even October. You can follow me through the week on Bluesky, threads and X. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox every Friday? Sign up right here *** 1. STORY OF THE WEEK: Fallout from the assasination of […]
Posted inHousing, Local, Politics
R.I. House GOP says state housing finance agency spends too much on administrative costs
Rhode Island’s House GOP caucus asserted Wednesday that the state’s housing financing agency spends too much on administrative costs and not enough to create housing. An analysis unveiled by the caucus during a Statehouse news conference shows that RIHousing has 2.13 employees per 10,000 residents compared with 0.51 for its counterpart agency in Massachusetts. When […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
Rhode Island rejects Trump administration request for voter registration list
Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore on Tuesday told the Trump Administration he wouldn’t provide the state’s full voter rolls, which include personally identifiable information. In a letter to an attorney in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights division, Amore said he would provide the DOJ with voter information that is already publicly available, but […]
