Rhode Island
Senate President Ruggerio fends off challenge by his former no. 2; Lawson to be new majority leader • Rhode Island Current
In the end, the attempt to oust Rhode Island Senate President Dominick Ruggerio from the top Senate leadership spot proved unsuccessful.
Ruggerio clinched his eighth year as Senate president by a 14-vote margin among Senate Democrats at a caucus Thursday night. The 23-9 vote, with one abstention and one lawmaker voting “present,” acts as an affirmation of Senate leadership roles, until lawmakers are formally sworn in when the 2025 legislative session begins in January. Eleven senators instead opted for Senate Majority Leader Ryan Pearson, whose growing feud with Ruggerio became a formal battle earlier this week, when Pearson confirmed he would vie for the no. 1 spot.
A much less divisive election — 32 yes votes, with one no and one “present,” — affirmed Sen. Valarie Lawson as Senate majority leader. Lawson, of East Providence, will replace Pearson as the second-in-command.
Ruggerio, a North Providence Democrat with four decades as a state senator under his belt, offered a bit of levity as he took the podium in a dimly lit event space at Providence’s Waterman Grille.
“Well, that was interesting,” he said. “I’ve never been through anything like that.”
Cane in hand, a deep cut healing on his forehead, Ruggerio insisted he was on the mend after experiencing health setbacks. He pledged to bring senators together to advance a long list of priorities: higher reimbursement rates for primary care providers, full funding for the state panel in charge of carrying out Rhode Island’s decarbonization mandate, and of course, balancing what is expected to be a tight budget in the year ahead.
Behind-the-scenes tension
Ruggerio’s health, and multiple absences during the 2024 session, sowed the seeds of separation between him and Pearson. The two met behind closed doors in March to discuss the Senate President’s physical condition. Pearson, of Cumberland, allegedly expressed interest in taking over the leadership spot, though he has refuted those claims.
Both denied any estrangement, even as rumors swirled. The behind-the-scenes feud was cemented in the public eye in October, when Ruggerio announced he was backing Lawson to be the next majority leader.
Pearson at the time was caught off-guard by the news, but indicated he would not give up the spot without a fight. Earlier this week, Pearson confirmed he would vie for the Senate president seat rather than majority leader.
In a Nov. 6 email sent to fellow senators, Pearson proposed an alternative leadership team, led by himself with Lawson, of East Providence, as majority leader; Sen. Dawn Euer of Newport as majority whip; Sen. Hanna Gallo of Cranston as president pro tempore; and Sen. Ana Quezada of Providence as deputy president pro tempore.
“Without a leader in the room every day working with Senators, the House and The Governor, the Senate’s effectiveness has suffered and our ability to deliver results for our constituents has been weakened,” Pearson wrote. “Senators have shared with me their many frustrations with the way business was conducted during the last legislative session, including the lack of communication, the lack of commitment to a legislative agenda, too much reliance on staff, and the waning of Senate negotiating power with the House.”
Euer, who nominated Pearson as president Thursday night, shared similar concerns over the consequences of Ruggerio’s absence this year.
“It has not allowed us to be our best,” Euer said, repeating the statement a second time.
Ruggerio’s supporters, however, highlighted his open door policy, decades of experience and dedication to his constituents as reasons why he should remain their leader.
“Donnie has shown a willingness to adapt and change, at times at a significant personal cost, something that is not lost on me as a pro-choice, openly queer senator,” said Sen. Melissa Murray of Woonsocket.
Ruggerio drummed up support among longstanding senators along with all of the newly elected senators. In Pearson’s camp were several freshman and more progressive legislators alongside Euer, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Sen. Alana DiMario, chair of the Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture.
Others backing Pearson were: Jonathan Acosta, Meghan Kallman, Tiara Mack, Quezada, Linda Ujifusa, and Bridget Valverde.
Sen. Pamela Lauria voted “present” while Sen. Sam Bell abstained.
Mack, who canvassed for Ruggerio ahead of his contested September primary, said she was swayed to back Pearson because she never received the signed letter from a majority of Senate Democrats calling for the caucus to be held, despite requesting it multiple times.
In an interview after the caucus ended, Mack, of Providence, said she felt like she and other senators of color had been excluded, frustrations echoed in a debate during the caucus meeting over transparency and inclusion.
Secret ballot proposal fails
Several senators sought to make the selection for senate president chosen by secret ballot, citing potential sanctions for those who picked the losing candidate. Critics insisted that a public, roll call vote was necessary for transparency.
“If we don’t have the gall to stand up and say how we feel, and who we’re voting for, that’s a disgrace,” said Sen. Frank Ciccone, of Johnston.
The roll call option prevailed, ironically affirmed via a roll call vote.
Speaking to reporters after, Ruggerio said he would not sanction anybody, including Pearson. Asked for his thoughts about his former ally challenging his leadership role, Ruggerio shrugged.
“It’s a free country,” he replied.
DiMario said she had not received any threats or warnings of sanctions for not backing Ruggero.
“Of course, it’s a possibility,” she said in a later interview. “I understood the risk.”
If we don’t have the gall to stand up and say how we feel, and who we’re voting for, that’s a disgrace
– Sen. Frank Ciccone, a Johnston Democrat of opting for roll call vote over secret ballot
John Marion, executive director for Common Cause Rhode Island, pointed to the fallout from the 2014 battle for speaker of the House as proof.
“If history is any guide, there will be a price to pay for the price to pay for senators who end up on the losing side,” Marion said.
Cranston Democrat Nicholas Mattiello prevailed against Scituate’s Michael Marcello for the open leadership spot following former Speaker Gordon Fox’s abrupt resignation. The competition didn’t end up being a close one after all, with Mattiello securing 61 votes to Marcello’s 6, according to news reports.
A flurry of surprising budget items and policy proposals in the months that followed hinted at deals Mattiello cut to win the leadership position.
Marion suspected similar behind-the-scenes promises could have been brokered between Ruggerio and his supporters ahead of Thursday’s caucus.
“There are things that will happen 12 months from now that we won’t even know were promises made to secure votes,” Marion said.
To the outsider looking in, a failed political power play might not seem to amount to much. But in Rhode Island, legislative leaders hold an outsized amount of power, controlling which policy priorities advance to the floor.
“The vote for leader is ultimately one of the most important, if not the most important, votes of the next two years,” Marion said.
Despite the potential closed-door negotiations, Marion was pleased the caucus votes Thursday played out in the open.
“Given the impact of the vote for leadership, the public should have a window into what’s happening,” Marion said. “It’s healthy that these debates are happening in public.”
The four Senate Republicans caucused Wednesday night, reelecting Sen. Jessica de la Cruz as minority leader and Gordon Rogers as minority whip, according to Brandon Bell, the Senate Republicans’ chief of staff.
House Republicans announced results of their 10-person caucus Thursday, affirming Rep. Mike Chippendale as minority leader and David Place as minority whip.
House Democrats will hold their leadership caucus at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Spain Restaurant in Cranston. The elections are also open to the public, though no challenges are expected to House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi and Majority Leader Chris Blazejewski.
The Rhode Island General Assembly is expected to reconvene on Jan. 7.
The 38-member Senate is slated to include 31 Democrats and four Republicans, while the 75-member House features 64 Democrats, 10 Republicans and one independent.
However, question marks linger in two races, where trailing candidates have requested recounts from the Rhode Island Board of Elections. Preliminary election results late Wednesday showed Democratic challenger Peter Appollonio leading Republican Sen. Anthony DeLuca by 67 votes in Warwick Senate District 26. In Cranston’s House District 15, Republican Chris Paplauskas held a 31-vote lead over Democrat Maria Bucci.
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Rhode Island
Rhode Island FC falls 3-0 to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in USL Championship final – What's Up Newp
Rhode Island FC’s historic inaugural season came to an end in the USL Championship Final on Saturday when it fell 3-0 to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC at Weidner Field. Becoming the first Eastern Conference team in league history to advance to the final match in its first season, the Ocean State club will return to Rhode Island proud after making the farthest run by an expansion side in eight years.
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC had a golden chance to take the lead less than a minute into the match when Yosuke Hanya was on the receiving end of a central pass as he cut behind the Rhode Island FC defense. Sprinting into a one-on-one opportunity with Koke Vegas, the midfielder dragged his shot just wide of the right post.
Holding just 30 percent of possession throughout the first 15 minutes, RIFC got its first real chance of the match when it won a dangerous free kick at the corner of the 18-yard-box in the 14th minute. JJ Williams stepped up to take the free kick, and curled it narrowly over the bar as the match stayed scoreless.
Colorado Springs eventually broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute when Hanya broke free on the right wing, sending a cross into the six-yard box for Juan Tejada. Making a run into the open space, Tejada side-footed the ball into the back of the net from close range to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
In the 42nd minute, Colorado Springs doubled its lead with a powerful strike from the top of the box. It happened when Jairo Henriquez tore down the left flank, cut inside and took a shot that was blocked by RIFC. Unfortunately for the Ocean State club, the rebound fell kindly to Haneriquez, who made no mistake on his second effort and picked out the top-left corner to make it 2-0.
The Switchbacks nearly took complete control with a third goal in first-half stoppage time when Quenzi Huerman unleashed yet another shot from distance, but Vegas punched the effort over the bar and took care of the resulting corner to keep the match 2-0 at the break.
Nine minutes into the second half, RIFC nearly cut the deficit in half when Clay Holstad connected on a corner kick from the top of the box. Instead, Colorado Springs blocked the shot and quickly broke out on the counter-attack, where Roaldo Damus finished with a low, one-on-one effort to make it 3-0.
RIFC came within inches of getting one back in the 64th minute when Frank Nodarse headed a corner towards the bottom-right corner, but Colorado Springs goalkeeper Christian Herrera produced a sharp diving save to deny the Ocean State club. Minutes later, Jack Panayotou forced another save out of Herrera, and Morris Duggan couldn’t keep the close-range rebound on frame.
The opportunities were as close as RIFC could get to finding the back of the net in the match as the USL Championship Final ended 3-0.
After the match, the visitors walked over to thank the over 400 Rhode Island FC faithful who made the trip out west. The fanbase’s incredible support during the record-breaking inaugural season fueled the team to a memorable finish. The Ocean club will now look forward to its launch of season two from The Stadium at Tidewater Landing in downtown Pawtucket.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN
COS – Juan Tejada (Youke Hanya), 22nd minute: Tejada connects with Hanya’s right-wing cross from inside the six-yard box. COS 1, RI 0
COS – Jairo Henriquez, 42nd minute: Henriquez picks out the top-left corner with a powerful strike from the top of the 18-yard box. COS 2, RI 0
COS – Ronaldo Damus (Matt Real), 53rd minute: Damus finishes a one-on-one counter-attack with a low finish into the bottom corner. COS 3, RI 0
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Saturday’s match was the first-ever USL Championship Final to air nationally on network television (CBS).
- The opening goal for Colorado Springs in the 22nd minute marked the first time RIFC trailed during the 2024 USL Championship Playoffs.
- The 2-0 halftime deficit marked the first time RIFC has trailed by multiple goals at halftime since April 26.
- RIFC will return to the Ocean State after making the furthest playoff run by any Eastern Conference expansion team in league history, and becoming the first expansion club in eight years to advance to the final.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Clay Holstad
Match stats and information available here.
Thank you, Joe Biden
Trump has learned that if he tells lies often enough and loudly enough, they will be believed. He keeps repeating that Joe Biden has been a terrible president.
In fact, President Biden has accomplished much. He tackled the COVID crisis by helping hospitals get supplies, getting COVID vaccines distributed, making free testing kits available, sending checks to all Americans, and helping people return to work and students return to school.
He revitalized the U.S. participation in NATO and supported Ukraine vs. Putin.
He recognized climate change and rejoined the rest of the world in battling its effects.
He appointed the first Black female Supreme Court justice.
He initiated projects to improve the nation’s crumbling infrastructure.
He oversaw the U.S. economy’s rebound from the pandemic.
The list goes on.
But, best of all, he stopped the daily flow of lies that had been streaming from the White House.
Cindy Kaplan, West Warwick
Better compensation for doctors
What is happening to the health-care system in America? The quality of care seems to be diminishing. One of the reasons is the abysmally poor salaries we pay to our medical residents and fellows, doctors who have already spent years in medical school and are now honing their skills in hospitals throughout the country.
The problem is especially acute in Rhode Island where these young doctors are paid an average of less than $70,000 per year at our hospitals (“Resident doctors make union bid,” News, Nov. 21).
How can these doctors’ patients and hospital management expect them to excel while trying to survive on such meager wages for four to seven years of residency and fellowship, especially with the high cost of housing in Rhode Island and with their average quarter-million-dollar student loan debts?
The only thing that keeps at bay the hounds who are constantly calling for the nationalization of our health-care system is that our country provides the best medical care in the world. Nationalization would destroy our system as it has done in the UK and Canada.
Poor pay and overly arduous working conditions foisted upon residents and fellows in the U.S. will lead to fewer quality doctors entering the profession. Nationalization will eventually follow.
I have opposed unions in the past, but when we pay our young doctors less than what we pay electrical and plumbing apprentices, something is terribly wrong.
If we want our citizens to continue receiving the world’s best medical care, we better start properly compensating residents and fellows and allowing them a bit of time off. Otherwise, they will enter other professions and the quality of medical care in America will deteriorate to that provided by nationalized health systems.
Lonnie Barham, Warwick
Saving RI’s forests
Many environmentalists are concerned about the upcoming administration being filled with individuals who do not take climate change seriously. While, unfortunately, these next four years will probably take us backwards in the fight against climate change, we can still protect the environment here in Rhode Island.
Currently, Rhode Island is the only state in New England with no protected forests on state-owned land. Rare and endangered species are threatened due to their habitats being destroyed by DEM and solar developers through forest clear-cutting.
By joining the Save Rhode Island’s Forests Campaign, you can help in the effort to get legislation passed to create laws to finally protect our state forests and endangered species. In Rhode Island, you can save the environment.
Nathan Cornell, Warwick
The writer is president of the Rhode Island Old Growth Tree Society.
Rhode Island
Police recover watch belonging to Travis Kelce in Rhode Island following break-in of his mansion: report
A watch belonging to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was reportedly found over 1,000 miles away from his Kansas mansion that was broken into last month.
The homes of Kelce and teammate Patrick Mahomes were burglarized last month shortly before one of their games — Kelce’s house is in Leawood, Kansas, while Mahomes’ residence is in nearby Belton, Missouri.
The watch was recovered in Providence, Rhode Island, where Kelce’s girlfriend, pop star Taylor Swift, also owns a home.
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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce looks on during the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Oct. 20. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)
NFL players were cautioned by the league to be on high alert after the homes were broken into last month in a wave of burglaries reportedly tied to international organized crime. It was eventually revealed that $20,000 in cash was taken from Kelce’s home.
In a memo obtained by The Associated Press, the NFL issued a security alert to teams and the NFL Players Association, warning that professional athletes in different sports have become “increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups.”
Law enforcement officials say the suspects conduct extensive surveillance on their targets’ homes and have even posed as groundskeepers or joggers. Some have even attempted home deliveries.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, left, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes, right, wait to lead their team onto the field before the preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, on Aug. 10. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
49ERS’ BROCK PURDY, NICK BOSA RULED OUT FOR POTENTIAL SEASON-DEFINING GAME VS. PACKERS
The memo urged players to take special precautions, including installing home security systems. They were also encouraged not to post live updates of their comings and goings on social media or showcase their expensive items online.
“Obviously, it’s frustrating, disappointing. I can’t get into too many of the details because the investigation is still ongoing, but, obviously, it’s something that you don’t want to happen to really anybody, but obviously yourself,” Mahomes said last week.
Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs looks on before kickoff of the game against the New Orleans Saints at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on Oct. 7. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
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The Chiefs suffered their first loss of the season on Sunday, falling to the Buffalo Bills after winning their first nine games.
Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.
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