Projo Politics Blog

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- East Greenwich business executive Rory Smith has begun to assemble a consulting team for his fledgling Republican campaign for governor.

On Monday, he announced his hiring of the New Hampshire-based Norway Hill Associates, led by David Carney, a White House special assistant to former President George H.W. Bush; and James McKay, former executive director of the New Hampshire Republican State Committee, as his "general consultant,'' and Dave Sackett at The Tarrance Group, as his pollster.

A Rhode Island native, McKay had a role in the national GOP's unsuccessful 2006 run at the Vermont U.S. Senate seat won by then U.S. Rep. Bernie Sanders, and in Texas, in Republican Gov. Rick Perry's reelection campaign.

Carney is no stranger to controversy, having been at the center of a 2004 presidential campaign imbroglio involving the hiring by Republican operatives of workers to solicit signatures to put independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader on the New Hampshire ballot.

New Hampshire Democrats filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission alleging the hiring constituted an illegal corporate donation. The office of general counsel recommended the commission "find reason to believe that Norway Hill and its principals knowingly and willfully'' made an illegal corporate contribution to the Nader campaign.

Carney was quoted in the Portsmouth Herald at the time as saying: "The Kerry campaign is obviously afraid of a Nader candidacy...and anything they are afraid of, I support.''

The FEC ultimately voted to dismiss the complaint, on grounds the principals in the company "each likely reimbursed Norway Hill within...[a reasonable] period of time from their individual funds, converting the potential illegal corporate contribution into permissible in-kind contributions'' of $2,000 each, and the Nader campaign reimbursed "the remaining $265 in potentially illegal contributions.''

The FEC decision said: "The commission does not see the value of spending investigatory resources to determine whether this small amount was reimbursed in a commercially reasonable period.''

In his press release, Smith quotes Carney as saying about him: "Rory is an exceptional candidate. His experience helping small businesses through tough economic times will serve the people of Rhode Island well. More than anything, Rhode Island needs to create economic opportunity and Rory has the skill to do just that."

 Tags  providence ri rory smith Tarrance Group

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