Projo Politics Blog

PROVIDENCE -- Outgoing Senate President Joseph Montalbano won't be a member of that chamber when the new session begins next month. And neither will his legal counsel.

John Flynn, who had served as Montalbano's attorney since last July, has officially moved to the House of Representatives, according to House spokesman Larry Berman.

Flynn is now serving as the chief legal counsel to House Majority Leader Gordon Fox. That position had been held by Bob Carr, who had worked with Fox for less than a year after serving as the attorney for the House Finance Committee for 10 years.

Carr, who earns $110,406 this year, was shifted back to House Finance, Berman said, because "Speaker Murphy felt that the budget is the Number 1 priority this year." The committee used two part-time attorneys last year, Berman said, "and Speaker Murphy felt it really should get full-time attention."

Carr's shift opened a position in which Flynn fit nicely, according to Berman.

"Montalbano is leaving, so it worked out very well for all involved," Berman said. "It was not an effort to find John Flynn a job, the vacancy had been created."

Long a Senate powerhouse, Democrat Montalbano was defeated in November by independent Edward O'Neill, a retired business executive who has never held elective office.

And, of course, there are other vacancies to fill.

Despite rampant State House speculation, presumed Senate President-elect Teresa Paiva Weed has yet to name a legal counsel, chief of staff or Senate fiscal adviser. Interviews for those positions have begun.

Meanwhile, Flynn actually took a pay cut when he moved to the House. He had earned $115,000 working for Montalbano, according to Berman, but will earn $101,630 this year for Fox.

Flynn, a former member of the West Warwick School Committee and Town Council, previously served as legal counsel to the Senate Finance Committee from 2003 until 2007.

He holds a B.A. in political science from American University and a law degree from the University of Notre Dame.

 Tags  House Majority Leader Gordon Fox Joseph Montalbano lawyer John Flynn R.I. House R.I. Senate

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