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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) — Unified and Strong. Republican leaders in Southern New England see the Democrats’ change of plan as a win for them.
They feel united and believe that former President Donald Trump is now in a better position to win in November.
The Republican National Convention was a major source of party unity, and Republican leaders are highlighting the strength of their party right now.
“You’ve got the Democratic Party which looks like an octopus on roller skates, quite frankly,” Rhode Island Republican Party Chairman Joe Powers said Sunday night.
State Republican leaders aren’t afraid of what’s to come, as President Joe Biden announces he’s dropping out of the presidential race, providing space for a new Democratic candidate to face off against Trump.
“As far as the polls are concerned, a fresh face may intrigue some people, however I strongly doubt it’s going to sway everybody,” Powers said.
Biden is endorsing his vice president, Kamala Harris, to fill his spot on the ticket.
Rhode Island Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz said it’s a weak choice.
“A vote for Kamala Harris is the same thing as voting for Joe Biden. They run on a ticket. They have the same platform, the same ideals, and I believe still would have the same disastrous outcomes that we’ve seen here in the presidency of Joe Biden,” she said.
In a case of questioning Biden’s capacity to fulfill the responsibilities of leading the nation, others now questioning Harris’s ability.
“I’ll be interested to see if Kamala withstands the pressure of the highlight and spotlight of a presidential campaign,” said Sue Cienki, former GOP chair.
Even with Biden’s endorsement, the decision of who will run against Trump will be made next month at the Democratic National Convention.
WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) — Two people are dead and another person seriously hurt after a crash involving two vehicles on the highway in Warwick Saturday.
Rhode Island State Police said the crash happened around 1:34 p.m. on the ramp from Route 113 West to I-95 South.
According to police, a Hyundai SUV that was driving in the middle lane of the highway started to drift to the right, crossed the first lane, and then crossed onto the on-ramp lane. The car struck the guardrail twice before driving through the grass median.
The Hyundai then struck the driver’s side of a Mercedes SUV that was on the ramp, causing the Mercedes to roll over and come to a rest. The impact sent the Hyundai over the guardrail and down an embankment.
The driver of the Hyundai, a 73-year-old man, and his passenger, a 69-year-old woman, were both pronounced dead at the hospital.
A woman who was in the Mercedes was rushed to Rhode Island Hospital in critical condition.
State police said all lanes of traffic were reopened by 4:30 p.m.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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A federal judge on Friday tossed the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) lawsuit aiming to force Rhode Island to hand over its voter information as part of the Trump administration’s push to acquire voter data from several states.
Rhode Island U.S. District Court Judge Mary McElroy wrote that federal law does not allow the DOJ “to conduct the kind of fishing expedition it seeks here,” siding with Rhode Island election officials. She added that the DOJ did not provide evidence to suggest that Rhode Island violated election law.
McElroy, a Trump appointee, wrote that she sided with the similar decision in Oregon. That decision ruled that the DOJ was not entitled to unredacted voter registration lists.
“Absent from the demand are any factual allegations suggesting that Rhode Island may be violating the list maintenance requirements,” she said in her ruling.
Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore (D) praised McElroy’s decision. He said in a statement that the Trump administration “seems to have no problem taking actions that are clear Constitutional overreaches, regularly meddling in responsibilities that are the rights of the states.”
“Today’s decision affirms our position: the United States Department of Justice has no legal right to – or need for – the personally-identifiable information in our voter file,” he said. “Voter list maintenance is a responsibility entrusted to the states, and I remain confident in the steps we take here in Rhode Island to keep our list as accurate as possible.”
The Hill reached out to the DOJ for comment.
The DOJ called for the voter lists as it investigated Rhode Island’s compliance with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, which allowed Americans to register to vote when they apply for a driver’s license.
The DOJ sued at least 30 states, as well as Washington, D.C., in December demanding their respective voter data. This data includes birth dates, names and partial Social Security numbers.
At least 12 states have given or said they will give the DOJ their voter registration lists, according to a tracker operated by the Brennan Center for Justice.
The department stated after it lost a similar suit against Massachusetts earlier this month that it had “sweeping powers” to access the voter data and that, if states fail to comply, courts have a “limited, albeit vital, role” in directing election officers on behalf of the administration to produce the records. The DOJ cited the Civil Rights Act as being intended to unearth alleged election law violations.
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