Are staff changes at AG's office a precursor?
9:22 AM Mon, Oct 15, 2007 | Permalink
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Attorney General Patrick Lynch has never been shy about his affinity for the governor’s office. Political Scene was curious if a recent staffing change may be a sign that Lynch is among the Democrats gearing up for 2008. Jeff Guimond joined the attorney general’s office last week as Lynch’s new director of policy and legislation. Guimond spent most of the past year working for the Mayforth Group, the small lobbying firm headed by the well-connected Democratic insider Rick McAuliffe. You may remember that Guimond played a key role — finance director — in former Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty’s gubernatorial campaign. Was Guimond and his network of Democrat campaign contributors brought in to start laying the groundwork for a run for the governor’s office? Lynch spokesman Michael Healey neatly dodged the question: “The attorney general hired Jeff because he’s got great experience in a variety of areas, specifically his legislative and governmental affairs experience,” Healey offered. “The attorney general’s really glad to have him.” Healey said Guimond, who will earn $85,143 a year, will join the attorney general’s other lobbyist, Joee Lindbeck, on Smith Hill in the coming legislative session. Meanwhile, Lynch’s office also confirmed another staffing change. John “JP” Palangio has officially been hired as the attorney general’s chief of staff. Palangio had largely assumed the chief of staff duties since his predecessor, Leonard Lopes, left Lynch’s office to become a lobbyist earlier in the year. Palangio — yes, he’s the brother of former City of Providence lobbyist Thomas Palangio — will earn $104,986 a year. He spent the last three years in the attorney general’s consumer protection unit, a job he took after working as the chief of staff to a former secretary of state named James Langevin. --By Steve Peoples, Katherine Gregg and Scott MacKay 
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Over the years, as the City of Pawtucket's Economic and Cultural Affairs Officer, I have worked on a variety of projects with Jeff Guimond when he worked for former Lt. Governor Charles Fogarty. Although the projo writers speculate that Guimond's new job is to facilitate Attorney General Lynch's future bid to become the Ocean State's Governor I say it is because Guimond has great public policy experience in a variety of positions. Combine this with his professionalism and education and you have very sound reasons as to why he was hired. Herb Weiss
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