Projo Politics Blog

Speaking of lobbyists, you may want to keep an eye on your mailbox.

Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis was in the process Friday of mailing what-gives letters to 89 corporations and interest groups with lobbyists at the State House who missed the Jan. 15 deadline for reporting “anything of value” they gave a state lawmaker over the last year or, alternatively, filing a statement to say they gave nothing.

One letter asks Newport Grand why it failed to disclose its financial relationship with the Newport law firm in which Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Paiva Weed is a partner.

Another asks the Laborers International Union of North America, headquartered on South Main Street, in Providence, why it failed to disclose the financial relationships two of its branches have with Senators Frank Ciccone and Paul E. Moura.

(The only branch of the sprawling Laborers union that reported any financial relationship with a state lawmaker was the one employing Senate Majority Whip Dominick Ruggerio, at $176,060 a year, that acknowledged having a lobbyist, .former Sen. John Orabona, at the Rhode Island State House last year. Ruggerio’s title: administrator, New England Laborers’ Labor-Management Cooperation Trust.)

A sample Mollis letter read: “As an entity that has engaged in lobbying activities in 2006 you are responsible to list all ‘monies’ provided to a state decision maker directly or through compensation.

“It appears that your entity has provided such compensation to a state decision maker or decision makers but has not listed the compensation. Please provide my office with a response within 15 days either acknowledging that you have amended your report to reflect the compensation or why you believe it was not necessary to list the compensation. Your response will be viewed before any further action is taken.”

Stay tuned.

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