A frequent guest on local talk radio, Governor Carcieri is now the on-air radio voice for the advocacy group, TransformRI.

In a radio ad paid for by TransformRI, the term-limited Republican governor can be heard this week talking about unnamed "special interests'' attempting to thwart his budget and immigration efforts.

The group is also the sponsor of billboards along the interstate that ask anyone who may have "had enough" to "do something about it."

But just who is behind the group is unclear.

Unlike most such political ads, it is nearly impossible to trace who paid for the one airing on WPRO radio this week or the billboards the group has posted along the interstate highway.

The creators of the group - who include Carcieri's long-time political finance chairman - explain their unwillingness to disclose their financial backers this way: "Transform Rhode Island, Inc. is organized as a 501c4 corporation. Under IRS rules, such organizations are not bound by the same regulations (as) political action committees....(and) cannot support individual candidates nor contribute to their campaigns. Their purpose is to educate and advocate for or against issues of public interest.''

Yesterday, the advocacy group announced that Carcieri - who is now almost mid-way through his final four-year term - has signed on as its "honorary chairman.''

In a statement on the group's Web site, the governor says: "I am pleased to serve as the honorary chairman of Transform Rhode Island...The people of Rhode Island have had enough of high taxes, underperforming schools, ineffective welfare programs, the high cost of energy and illegal immigration.''

"Although we have made progress in a lot of these areas, the special interests groups are powerful and their resistance to change is hurting Rhode Island. This coupled with one party control of the General Assembly, makes it extremely difficult to break free of the status quo."

The group's designated spokeswoman is state Rep. Sue Story, R-Barrington. Story said she did not have access to the radio ad or the script for it and could not get either, but she said she had a general impression that Carcieri was talking in the radio ad about "good government.''

In the press release about the governor's selection as honorary chairman, she acknowledged the group's pro-Carcieri leanings. It said: "Transform Rhode Island was formed to give Governor Carcieri the help he needs to counter balance some of the advocacy groups and labor organizations that continue to resist meaningful reforms that would benefit all Rhode Islanders. For too long the deck has been stacked against the Governor, and his efforts to implement change are constantly attacked by powerful special interests."

Asked who paid for the radio ad, how much it cost and how often it has been booked to run, Story said: "I think that is proprietary information.''

-- Journal staff report