Rhode Island House Majority Leader Blazejewski lays out his priorities
The Providence progressive says he chose âa seat at the tableâ over rebellion and now holds the No. 2 House position
By Edward Fitzpatrick Globe Staff,Updated December 16, 2020, 6:48 a.m.
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Rhode Island House Majority Leader Christopher R. Blazejewski, a Providence DemocratCourtesy of Christopher R. Blazejewski (Custom credit)
PROVIDENCE â In November 2018, a group of progressives rebelled against House Speaker Nicholas A. Mattiello, a conservative Democrat from Cranston. But one Providence progressive, Representative Christopher R. Blazejewski, did not join them.
Though he was inspired by former President Barack Obama, had organized a local chapter of the progressive social club âDrinking Liberally,â supports abortion rights, and has an âFâ rating from the National Rifle Association, Blazejewski chose to remain on Mattielloâs leadership team as deputy
R.I. political operative Jeff Britt cleared of charges in money laundering trial
By Edward Fitzpatrick and Dan McGowan Globe Staff,Updated December 16, 2020, 10:58 a.m.
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Jeffrey T. Britt listens to Wednesday s verdict via video conference from his Florida location. A state Superior Court judge cleared the political operative of money laundering in a trial stemming from House Speaker Nicholas A. Mattiello s 2016 campaign.David DelPoio/The Providence Journal (Pool) (Custom credit)/David DelPoio
WARWICK, R.I. â A state judge on Wednesday cleared political operative Jeffrey T. Britt of all wrongdoing stemming from House Speaker Nicholas A. Mattielloâs 2016 re-election campaign, dismissing a felony money laundering charge and finding him not guilty of a misdemeanor campaign finance violation.
Rhode Islanders will vote on $400 million in bond items in March
The proposed borrowing would fund affordable housing, parks and recreation, state college renovations
By Edward Fitzpatrick Globe Staff,Updated December 9, 2020, 8:06 p.m.
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PROVIDENCE â Rhode Islanders: get ready to head back to the ballot box.
After picking presidential nominees in June, deciding state legislative primaries in September, and surviving the tumultuous general election in November, Rhode Island voters will be asked to vote on $400 million in bond items in March.
On Tuesday night, the House Finance Committee voted 11 to 2 to pass a $12.7 billion state budget that uses federal coronavirus relief funds to plug a $275 million budget gap. With current fiscal year now nearly halfway over, the full House is scheduled to take up the budget at 3 p.m. on Dec. 16 at Veterans Memorial Auditorium.