On July 4 Glocester conducted its 90th annual Ancients and Horribles Parade which spoofs local and national politics. It got me wondering, WHAT IF Rhode Island wasn’t so rich with corrupt stories? For example:

WHAT IF East Providence Mayor Thomas Rose hadn’t allegedly tried to lease a Chevrolet Tahoe for about $1000 a month for his personal use from the Enterprise location in his city? According to Bill Rappleye and Matt Reed of NBC10News he was driving the vehicle for 5 months after signing for it as the mayor and directing that the bill go to the police department which sometimes rents undercover cars. NBC News called him and asked him about the situation.

Here’s his response:
Rose: "I don’t know what you are talking about."

When informed that the station’s I-Team had the unpaid bills, he stated, "It never happened" and hung up the phone. The I-Team also had emails between Mr. Rose and an Enterprise employee wherein the Mayor stated that the money was being processed by a department in the City. Later, the Mayor would claim that the emails didn’t come from his phone!

“Mayor” is an honorific title in East Providence with no executive powers. He receives the same $3500 per year (and no automobile) as his colleagues.
WHAT IF former Representative Raymond Gallison, who allegedly marshalled legislative grants to his own pocket, hadn’t embarrassed the fine folks of the wonderful Bristol Fourth of July Parade who had selected him as the Chief Marshall just last year?

WHAT IF Representative John Carnevale actually lived in the district he represents? What If he hadn’t draped a t-shirt around his face to hide from a WPRI camera which documented his Johnston address? Like Mayor Rose, he wasn’t about to acknowledge any wrongdoing and instead sent a letter to the voters in his non-district that he only covered his face because he had allergies.

WHAT IF the Rhode Island General Assembly really terminated all legislative grant-giving in order to enhance their re-election bids using our taxpayer money? What if they actually used their own money for such worthy causes themselves?

WHAT IF the General Assembly abandoned another grants trick when it gives money to various state entities to pass through to favored projects. The Hummel Report recently unveiled the practice whereby the legislative body looks like it sends money, say to URI, but URI neither asked for it and has no say other than to pass it through to a recipient. This is what happened to a project known as Italiana American which apparently publishes a semi-annual “report” devoted to the Italian experience. As Representative Patricia Morgan noted, “That doesn’t sound like it bubbled up from a URI request.”

WHAT IF the City of Pawtucket actually pried the alleged “study” done by Larry Lucchino et al out of their mitts, which was often cited as showing that the renovations at McCoy Stadium would be too costly? Instead, the City agreed to front part of the costs for an additional study. Would not a more rational approach have been to get the study from the Red Sox organization—if it truly existed—for a review first?

WHAT IF? Alas, Glocester will be holding the parade for another 90 years!

Arlene Violet is an attorney and former Rhode Island Attorney General.