Post by Logan on Feb 10, 2016 3:41:23 GMT -6
Senator tells of alleged threat by House Speaker if Senate approves ethics reform
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- A lawmaker has alleged Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed told Democratic senators that House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello would kill important legislation if the Senate were to approve ethics reform this year.
In a Feb. 2 letter addressed to Paiva Weed, Senate Government Oversight Committee Chairman James Sheehan said he was "taken aback" by the Senate president's alleged suggestion that senators should oppose ethics reform. Sheehan said the statements were made Jan. 30 at a closed meeting of the Senate Democratic Caucus, which he attended.
"Specifically, you stated that if the Senate were to approve the ethics amendment, Speaker Nicholas Mattiello would likely consider it an act of "war" and retaliate against the Senate by killing legislation important to each of our Democratic members," Sheehan wrote in the letter, which he said was copied to all Democratic senators.
Mattiello spokesman Larry Berman said the speaker "has no idea what Senator Sheehan is referring to."
Read more: www.providencejournal.com/news/20160209/senator-tells-of-alleged-threat-by-house-speaker-if-senate-approves-ethics-reform
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- A lawmaker has alleged Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed told Democratic senators that House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello would kill important legislation if the Senate were to approve ethics reform this year.
In a Feb. 2 letter addressed to Paiva Weed, Senate Government Oversight Committee Chairman James Sheehan said he was "taken aback" by the Senate president's alleged suggestion that senators should oppose ethics reform. Sheehan said the statements were made Jan. 30 at a closed meeting of the Senate Democratic Caucus, which he attended.
"Specifically, you stated that if the Senate were to approve the ethics amendment, Speaker Nicholas Mattiello would likely consider it an act of "war" and retaliate against the Senate by killing legislation important to each of our Democratic members," Sheehan wrote in the letter, which he said was copied to all Democratic senators.
Mattiello spokesman Larry Berman said the speaker "has no idea what Senator Sheehan is referring to."
Read more: www.providencejournal.com/news/20160209/senator-tells-of-alleged-threat-by-house-speaker-if-senate-approves-ethics-reform