Lawson may serve as president of both the state Senate and teachers union, R.I. Ethics Commission says
Advertisement
'Mere recusal may not be sufficient,' Ricci said. 'She is in a class of one. She is not a general member of the Senate. She is the president of the Senate, and with that comes vast powers.'
Get Rhode Map
A weekday briefing from veteran Rhode Island reporters, focused on the things that matter most in the Ocean State.
Enter Email
Sign Up
Ricci noted that former Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio,
He said Ruggerio represents the only precedent for this specific situation, and he sought to ask Lawson, who attended the meeting, whether she agreed with what Ruggerio did.
But other commission members cut off that line of questioning, saying Tuesday's meeting was not an investigatory hearing.
Ricci also asked what others states do regarding situations of this type. But the commission chairman, Lauren E. Jones, said the Ethics Commission can only apply Rhode Island statutes and regulations. 'What other states do in this context is really irrelevant to our situation,' he said.
Advertisement
After the meeting, reporters asked what Lawson thought of Ruggerio's decision to leave his union post, 'I can't speak to the legality of a precedent, whether that applies or not,' Lawson said, adding that she's not sure why Ruggerio did not hold both positions simultaneously.
Lawson said she has recused herself from certain votes during her tenure in the Senate, including two recent votes on labor-related bills. And, she said, 'I'll continue to be thoughtful and mindful in the process and use the standards outlined by the commission.'
In a written statement, Lawson said, 'I am pleased that the Ethics Commission has affirmed that the standard I had been using as a senator, as whip, and as majority leader remains applicable in my role as president of the Senate.
She said the Ethics Commission decision 'helps to distinguish between a vague notion of a perceived, general conflict and an actual, specific conflict requiring recusal under the Code of Ethics.'
Also, Lawson said, 'It ensures that one does not have to be retired or independently wealthy to serve in this role. This decision supports the operation of our legislative body as the framers intended: a part-time, citizen legislature comprised of a diverse membership from all walks of life, who can draw from their varied experiences to best serve the public.'
Lawson, who is 58, earns
After the meeting, Common Cause Rhode Island executive director John M. Marion said the advisory opinion analysis is 'a little naive' about what the office of Senate president involves.
Advertisement
While it mentions the Senate president sets the 'consent calendar,' it doesn't mention her influence over the calendar of bills voted on the Senate floor, he said. And while it mentions she no longer sits on particular committee, it doesn't mention that the Senate president has ex officio power to sit on any committee, he said.
Marion said he is glad that Lawson sought guidance from the Ethics Commission, but he said it's unusual for an opinion to address a potential conflict without reference to specific legislation. And he said he expects Lawson will be back before the Ethics Commission to address whether she may vote on particular bills.
Marion noted that two of the four Senate presidents in state history stepped away from their day jobs to lead the chamber, and the two Senate president who kept their other jobs — William V. Irons and Joseph A. Montalbano — " were pursued by the Ethics Commission."
In 2019, the state Ethics Commission
And in 2024, the Ethics Commission
But the circumstances are different now that Lawson is president of both the Senate and NEARI, Marion has said.
Advertisement
'Lawson is no longer a classroom teacher or vice president of NEARI,' he said. 'She's president of NEARI, responsible for a very large organization with lots of business before the state Senate. Her duty to lead NEARI at the same time as exercising the vast powers of Senate president create a unique challenge.'
Marion said other legislators might be able to sidestep conflicts of interest by recusing themselves from certain votes and stepping out of the room during any debate. 'But as Senate president, you can't really step out of the room when the final decision needs to be made,' he said, noting the Senate president plays a pivotal role in deciding which bills make it to floor votes and in negotiating with the House and the governor.
Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Politico
15 minutes ago
- Politico
The mysteries of megabill 2.0
IN TODAY'S EDITION:— A Senate buzzkill for megabill 2.0— California Dems prep new congressional map— Murphy looks to revive doctor pay revamp Republicans are going through the motions on the road to megabill 2.0. But a growing number of GOP lawmakers are skeptical about what's to come. Despite Speaker Mike Johnson's push for second and third budget reconciliation bills, it's becoming clear that Senate Republicans aren't so sure what the party can deliver after a grueling battle over the 'big, beautiful' tax and spending plan that became law last month. Mia, Jordain Carney and Cassandra Dumay are out this morning with a look at the big reasons why GOP skepticism abounds. No direction — A White House official tells Mia that President Donald Trump really does want Congress to craft another domestic policy bill using the party-line budget reconciliation process. But Republicans say they're still waiting for the administration to provide specific instructions about what they should consider. Among those in the dark are committee leaders including Budget Chair Lindsey Graham and Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker. Commerce Chair Ted Cruz says he doesn't even know what the administration's broader legislative priorities are heading into the fall. 'You have to have a reason to do it,' Sen. Mike Rounds says. 'It's not easy to do, so you have to have a purpose for doing it in the first place.' Some Senate Republicans are working to fill in the gaps. Sen. Ron Johnson, a deficit hawk, is looking to cut spending. Senate Finance Chair Mike Crapo says he'll sort through roughly 200 tax proposals that were left out of the first reconciliation bill. No deadlines — Even if the White House floats some policy asks, it's not likely Republicans will feel as much pressure to advance a bill. With megabill 1.0, they had to avert a year-end expiration of Trump's 2017 tax cuts and head off a debt ceiling crisis. 'Without the pressure, I don't see how you get it done,' says one Republican senator granted anonymity. 'I don't think I see what the pressure is here.' GOOD MONDAY MORNING. Mia's out for the week. Email us: crazor@ and bguggenheim@ THE LEADERSHIP SUITE The latest on redistricting Democratic state lawmakers in California are expected to unveil a new congressional map this week. One draft that's circulating would give Democrats five new seats, potentially offsetting a GOP redistricting effort underway in Texas. Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to put the redistricting effort on the ballot in November. 'We discovered that we indeed could, consistent with the Voting Rights Act, put five Republican seats in play,' Rep. Zoe Lofgren, chair of the California Democratic congressional delegation, told CNN Sunday. 'We're unanimous in wanting to move forward.' As the White House ramps up pressure on red states to pursue redistricting, Vice President JD Vance said in a Fox News interview that he told Indiana state officials last week 'we want a unified Republican team.' Vance also said a new census sought by Trump could add 10 GOP seats and lead to 9 fewer Democratic seats. POLICY RUNDOWN COURT AFFIRMS CONGRESS' POWER OF THE PURSE — The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals is giving the Trump administration until Friday to put back online a public database that tracks federal spending, Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein report. The three-judge panel's unanimous decision over the weekend comes after the administration decided in March to shut the database down, claiming it threatened Trump's ability to manage federal spending. The judges declared that action was an affront to Congress' authority over government spending. MURPHY PREPS DOC PAY REVAMP — Rep. Greg Murphy, a House Ways and Means member and co-chair of the GOP Doctors Caucus, is looking to revive legislation aimed at shielding doctors from recurring cuts to their Medicare payments. It's a potential menu item for a year-end health care deal that lawmakers are beginning to sketch out. Doctors have seen declines in their Medicare payments for decades even as the cost of health care has steadily increased. The tax law that Trump enacted last month included a 2.5 percent bump for 2026, after Senate Republicans scrapped a House-backed provision that would have permanently tied the doctor fee scale to an index that tracks rising medical costs. Murphy wants a second shot. 'I cannot overemphasize how much damage these persistent cuts to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule have done,' Murphy tells Benjamin. Best of POLITICO Pro and E&E: THE BEST OF THE REST Affairs, fraud and attack ads: The dirty fight for the Texas Senate, from Benedict Smith at The Telegraph Bernie Sanders thinks Democrats have turned on their base. Now it's time to fight back, from Veronica Stracqualursi at CNN THE CARRYOUT Welcome back to your Inside Congress hosts' favorite recess activity: sharing lawmakers' Capitol Hill food recommendations. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen said her go-to is a ham and swiss sandwich on rye from Capitol Hill Supermarket. What's your regular order in the neighborhood? Email crazor@ CAMPAIGN STOP CHIP ROY FOR AG? — Rep. Chip Roy is eyeing a bid for Texas attorney general as current AG Ken Paxton campaigns to oust Sen. John Cornyn, reports Mychael Schnell in The Hill. IOWA WATCH — Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego attended the Iowa State Fair over the weekend. Asked by a reporter about a potential 2028 bid for president, the Arizona Democrat said he's 'focused on 2026' for now. TUNNEL TALK NEW EATERIES ON CAMPUS — The renovated Rayburn Cafeteria is scheduled to open this morning. It features the new CHA Street Food, which is available today, and Java House, which is expected to open Tuesday. Also opening today is the Starbucks Kiosk and Longworth Convenience Store, as well as the Common Grounds coffee shop in the Cannon basement. The Longworth and Ford cafeterias are closed for renovations. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Former Rep. Dan Kildee … former Sen. Tim Hutchinson … Billy Long (7-0) … NYT's David Brooks and Lyndsey Layton … Charles Blow … POLITICO's Toby Eckert, Michael Roberts and Danielle Bello … Lauren Maddox of Holland & Knight … Jesse Barba of Cengage Group … Kedrin Simms Brachman … former USTR Charlene Barshefsky … Marissa Secreto … Colin Cunliff … Thad Huguley … Greg Michaelidis … Ilana Drimmer … Sam Myers Jr. … National Journal's Emily Akhtarzandi TRIVIA FRIDAY'S ANSWER: Jim Wholey correctly answered that Theodore Roosevelt was the first president to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. TODAY'S QUESTION, from Calen: Name the current senators who have cast more than 10,000 votes. The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Inside Congress. Send your answers to insidecongress@
San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno pushes Trump's agenda on drugs and trade in Colombia homecoming
MIAMI (AP) — When Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno visits Colombia this week as part of a three-nation tour of Latin America, it'll be something of a homecoming. Ohio's first Latino senator was born in the Colombian capital of Bogota, and even as he was chasing the American dream in the Buckeye state, he kept close tabs on the country through older brothers who are heavyweights in politics and business back home. In an interview with The Associated Press ahead of the trip, Moreno expressed deep concern about the country's direction under left-wing President Gustavo Petro and suggested U.S. sanctions, higher tariffs or other retaliatory action might be needed to steer it straight. The recent criminal conviction of former President Alvaro Uribe, a conservative icon, was an attempt to 'silence' the man who saved Colombia from guerrilla violence, Moreno said. Meanwhile, record cocaine production has left the United States less secure — and Colombia vulnerable to being decertified by the White House for failing to cooperate in the war on drugs. 'The purpose of the trip is to understand all the dynamics before any decision is made,' said Moreno, who will meet with both Petro and Uribe, as well as business leaders and local officials, during the visit. 'But there's nothing that's taken off the table at this point and there's nothing that's directly being contemplated.' Elected with Trump's support Moreno, a luxury car dealer from Cleveland, defeated incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown last year with the help of Donald Trump's endorsement and $441 million in political ad spending — the most in U.S. Senate race history. He became Ohio's senior senator on practically his first day in office after his close friend JD Vance resigned the Senate to become vice president. In Congress, he's mimicked Trump's rhetoric to attack top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer as a 'miserable old man out of a Dickens novel,' called on the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates and threatened to subpoena California officials over their response to anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles. On Latin America, he's been similarly outspoken, slamming Petro on social media as a 'socialist dictator' and accusing Mexico of being on the path to becoming a 'narco state.' Such comments barely register in blue-collar Ohio, but they've garnered attention in Latin America, where Moreno has emerged as an interlocutor for conservatives in the region seeking favor with the Trump administration. That despite the fact he hasn't lived in the region for decades, speaks Spanish with an American accent and doesn't sit on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 'He's somebody to watch,' said Michael Shifter, the former president of the Inter-American Dialogue in Washington. 'He's one of the most loyal Trump supporters in the senate and given his background in Latin America he could be influential on policy.' Moreno, 58, starts his first congressional delegation to Latin America on Monday for two days of meetings in Mexico City with officials including President Claudia Sheinbaum. He'll be accompanied by Terrance Cole, the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, who is making his first overseas trip since being confirmed by the Senate last month to head the premier federal narcotics agency. Seeking cooperation with Mexico on fentanyl Moreno, in the pre-trip interview, said that Sheinbaum has done more to combat the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. than her predecessor and mentor Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who he described as a 'total disaster.' But he said more cooperation is needed, and he'd like to see Mexico allow the DEA to participate in judicial wiretaps like it has for decades in Colombia and allow it to bring back a plane used in bilateral investigations that López Obrador grounded. 'The corruption becomes so pervasive, that if it's left unchecked, it's kind of like treating cancer,' said Moreno. 'Mexico has to just come to the realization that it does not have the resources to completely wipe out the drug cartels. And it's only going to be by asking the U.S. for help that we can actually accomplish that.' Plans to tour the Panama Canal From Mexico, Moreno heads to Panama, where he'll tour the Panama Canal with Trump's new ambassador to the country, Kevin Marino Cabrera. In March, a Hong Kong-based conglomerate struck a deal that would've handed control of two ports on either end of the U.S.-built canal to American investment firm BlackRock Inc. The deal was heralded by Trump, who had threatened to take back the canal to curb Chinese influence. However, the deal has since drawn scrutiny from antitrust authorities in Beijing and last month the seller said it was seeking to add a strategic partner from mainland China — reportedly state-owned shipping company Cosco — to the deal. 'Cosco you might as well say is the actual communist party,' said Moreno. 'There's no scenario in which Cosco can be part of the Panamanian ports.' 'We want Colombia to be strong' On the final leg of the tour in Colombia, Moreno will be joined by another Colombian American senator: Ruben Gallego, Democrat of Arizona. In contrast to Moreno, who was born into privilege and counts among his siblings a former ambassador to the U.S., Gallego and his three sisters were raised by an immigrant single mother on a secretary's paycheck. Despite their different upbringings, the two have made common cause in seeking to uphold the tradition of bilateral U.S. support for Colombia, for decades Washington's staunchest ally in the region. It's a task made harder by deepening polarization in both countries. The recent sentencing of Uribe to 12 years of house arrest in a long-running witness tampering case has jolted the nation's politics with nine months to go before decisive presidential elections. The former president is barred from running but remains a powerful leader, and Moreno said his absence from the campaign trail could alter the playing field. He also worries that surging cocaine production could once again lead to a 'narcotization' of a bilateral relationship that should be about trade, investment and mutual prosperity. 'We want Colombia to be strong, we want Colombia to be healthy, we want Colombia to be prosperous and secure, and I think the people of Colombia want the exact same thing,' he added. 'So, the question is, how do we get there?' ___ Smyth reported from Columbus, Ohio.
The Hill
2 hours ago
- The Hill
Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno pushes Trump's agenda on drugs and trade in Colombia homecoming
MIAMI (AP) — When Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno visits Colombia this week as part of a three-nation tour of Latin America, it'll be something of a homecoming. Ohio's first Latino senator was born in the Colombian capital of Bogota, and even as he was chasing the American dream in the Buckeye state, he kept close tabs on the country through older brothers who are heavyweights in politics and business back home. In an interview with The Associated Press ahead of the trip, Moreno expressed deep concern about the country's direction under left-wing President Gustavo Petro and suggested U.S. sanctions, higher tariffs or other retaliatory action might be needed to steer it straight. The recent criminal conviction of former President Alvaro Uribe, a conservative icon, was an attempt to 'silence' the man who saved Colombia from guerrilla violence, Moreno said. Meanwhile, record cocaine production has left the United States less secure — and Colombia vulnerable to being decertified by the White House for failing to cooperate in the war on drugs. 'The purpose of the trip is to understand all the dynamics before any decision is made,' said Moreno, who will meet with both Petro and Uribe, as well as business leaders and local officials, during the visit. 'But there's nothing that's taken off the table at this point and there's nothing that's directly being contemplated.' Elected with Trump's support Moreno, a luxury car dealer from Cleveland, defeated incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown last year with the help of Donald Trump's endorsement and $441 million in political ad spending — the most in U.S. Senate race history. He became Ohio's senior senator on practically his first day in office after his close friend JD Vance resigned the Senate to become vice president. In Congress, he's mimicked Trump's rhetoric to attack top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer as a 'miserable old man out of a Dickens novel,' called on the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates and threatened to subpoena California officials over their response to anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles. On Latin America, he's been similarly outspoken, slamming Petro on social media as a 'socialist dictator' and accusing Mexico of being on the path to becoming a 'narco state.' Such comments barely register in blue-collar Ohio, but they've garnered attention in Latin America, where Moreno has emerged as an interlocutor for conservatives in the region seeking favor with the Trump administration. That despite the fact he hasn't lived in the region for decades, speaks Spanish with an American accent and doesn't sit on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 'He's somebody to watch,' said Michael Shifter, the former president of the Inter-American Dialogue in Washington. 'He's one of the most loyal Trump supporters in the senate and given his background in Latin America he could be influential on policy.' Moreno, 58, starts his first congressional delegation to Latin America on Monday for two days of meetings in Mexico City with officials including President Claudia Sheinbaum. He'll be accompanied by Terrance Cole, the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, who is making his first overseas trip since being confirmed by the Senate last month to head the premier federal narcotics agency. Seeking cooperation with Mexico on fentanyl Moreno, in the pre-trip interview, said that Sheinbaum has done more to combat the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. than her predecessor and mentor Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who he described as a 'total disaster.' But he said more cooperation is needed, and he'd like to see Mexico allow the DEA to participate in judicial wiretaps like it has for decades in Colombia and allow it to bring back a plane used in bilateral investigations that López Obrador grounded. 'The corruption becomes so pervasive, that if it's left unchecked, it's kind of like treating cancer,' said Moreno. 'Mexico has to just come to the realization that it does not have the resources to completely wipe out the drug cartels. And it's only going to be by asking the U.S. for help that we can actually accomplish that.' Plans to tour the Panama Canal From Mexico, Moreno heads to Panama, where he'll tour the Panama Canal with Trump's new ambassador to the country, Kevin Marino Cabrera. In March, a Hong Kong-based conglomerate struck a deal that would've handed control of two ports on either end of the U.S.-built canal to American investment firm BlackRock Inc. The deal was heralded by Trump, who had threatened to take back the canal to curb Chinese influence. However, the deal has since drawn scrutiny from antitrust authorities in Beijing and last month the seller said it was seeking to add a strategic partner from mainland China — reportedly state-owned shipping company Cosco — to the deal. 'Cosco you might as well say is the actual communist party,' said Moreno. 'There's no scenario in which Cosco can be part of the Panamanian ports.' 'We want Colombia to be strong' On the final leg of the tour in Colombia, Moreno will be joined by another Colombian American senator: Ruben Gallego, Democrat of Arizona. In contrast to Moreno, who was born into privilege and counts among his siblings a former ambassador to the U.S., Gallego and his three sisters were raised by an immigrant single mother on a secretary's paycheck. Despite their different upbringings, the two have made common cause in seeking to uphold the tradition of bilateral U.S. support for Colombia, for decades Washington's staunchest ally in the region. It's a task made harder by deepening polarization in both countries. The recent sentencing of Uribe to 12 years of house arrest in a long-running witness tampering case has jolted the nation's politics with nine months to go before decisive presidential elections. The former president is barred from running but remains a powerful leader, and Moreno said his absence from the campaign trail could alter the playing field. He also worries that surging cocaine production could once again lead to a 'narcotization' of a bilateral relationship that should be about trade, investment and mutual prosperity. 'We want Colombia to be strong, we want Colombia to be healthy, we want Colombia to be prosperous and secure, and I think the people of Colombia want the exact same thing,' he added. 'So, the question is, how do we get there?'
