Projo Politics Blog

At least five more Republicans are joining the party’s effort to crimp the Democrats’ overwhelming majority on Smith Hill.

But state GOP Chairman Giovanni Cicione and Senate Finance Chairman Stephen Alves tell very different stories about how one — and possibly two — of those Republicans ended up as General Assembly candidates. Wednesday was the deadline for candidate
declarations. Party chairmen have 24 hours after the deadline to name candidates on their own.

As Alves, D-West Warwick, tells it: Cicione called him at 11:49 a.m. yesterday, offering to spare him another challenge by Republican John Clarke, one of Governor Carcieri’s stalled nominees to the state Board of Elections.

“He said, 'I have John Clarke over here, and [Providence Republican] Elaina Goldstein,' and I said, ‘Yeah, what about them?’ ” said Alves, “and [he said] ‘If you can get them confirmed for the Board of Elections, obviously, I wouldn’t put their names through.’ ”

Alves said he gave this response: “If you think I am looking for some trade, the answer is no.”

But Cicione yesterday said Alves mischaracterized their conversation.

In May, Carcieri nominated Clarke of West Warwick, Martin E. Joyce Jr. of Cumberland and Richard Pierce of Cranston for openings on the Board of Elections. Goldstein’s name was not mentioned in initial reports, but Cicione yesterday said he thought she, too, was in contention for a seat.

Cicione acknowledged calling Alves, but said he did so to simply “point out to him” that the Senate confirmed Carcieri’s two Democratic nominees to the Board of Elections, but “ignored’’ the Republicans. Had the Senate been “a little more open” and less swayed by politics, Cicione said, he told Alves that he could have “avoided’’ having Clarke challenge him again for reelection “because he couldn’t have run and served’’ at the same time.

“It was a point about the backroom dealing. Basically, Steve Alves doesn’t like John Clarke because they have a long history of West Warwick politics … and so a very a good guy who deserved to be on that board didn’t even get a hearing." Alves beat Clarke by a wide margin in the 2006 election: 6,541 to 3,537.

But Cicione said he never suggested the Senate would resurrect the Clarke nomination and approve it in a matter of five hours yesterday, when the Senate was meeting for the sole purpose of approving judicial nominees. “They would have had to have confirmation hearings for these two people…And the Senate would have to vote on them. He’s saying I expected that to happen within five hours? That’s absurd.”

Cicione said he believes the Clarke nomination wasn’t considered because the Senate refused to read it into the record. “The Senate wouldn’t even read the names the governor submitted into the record…That’s how corrupt the process was.”

As it stands, three of the governor’s nominees to the board of elections were left hanging when the General Assembly adjourned last week: Clarke who was nominated to replace Thomas V. Iannitti, Goldstein to replace Judith Bailey, and Richard Dubois to replace Florence G. Johnson-Gormely, who agreed to remain on until her replacement is confirmed.

If there is no action by the on the nominations with 60 legislative days, they are automatically confirmed, which creates the potential that Clarke and Goldstein could win both their legislative races and seats on the elections board. But Cicione said he sees no conflict at this point, or reason they should drop out of the running on either front.

As to why they were not considered by the Senate, spokesman Greg Pare said the governor’s office assured Senate leaders the names would be withdrawn. And Senate President Joseph Montalbano said that he believed the governor was aware of his belief the board of elections is not a place where you pack …with partisan people.’’ He said they agreed the Senate would approve enough people to assure the board a quorum, and then consider other nominees later.

-- Katherine Gregg, Journal State House Bureau

---