Latest news with #Cicilline
Boston Globe
16 hours ago
- Health
- Boston Globe
Under Trump, the federal government is stepping back. Charities, states, and others are stepping up.
Write to us at . To subscribe, . TODAY'S STARTING POINT The Trump administration has cut funding to states, universities, nonprofit organizations, and public media. It has shrunk access to Medicaid and food stamps. And it has changed the federal government's longstanding approach to public education and vaccination guidelines. But as the federal government steps back, states, philanthropies, and individuals in New England and across the country are stepping up to fill some of the gaps. Charities are funding nonprofits that have lost federal support. States are considering creating their own vaccine guidelines. Listeners are chipping in to keep their local radio stations afloat. Advertisement 'These are all noble efforts,' said David Cicilline, who leads the Rhode Island Foundation, one of the charitable groups that has used its giving to offset lost federal funding. But, he added, they're at best partial solutions. 'We just simply don't have the ability to make up for what the federal government is cutting, and the harm to our communities is real.' Plugging holes The Rhode Island Foundation, founded in 1916, has helped the state weather World War II and the Covid pandemic. But when the Trump administration began withholding federal funding from nonprofits there and across the country, the need to respond was clear. 'We understood after hearing from many of the organizations we support what the impacts of these either changes in federal policy or cuts in funding mean,' said Cicilline, who became the chief executive of the foundation in 2023 after representing Rhode Island in Congress as a Democrat. Advertisement In recent months, the foundation has directed The story is similar elsewhere. Earlier this month, the Boston Foundation announced a And it's not just foundations. Giving to local NPR and PBS stations spiked in recent months, with 120,000 new donors Some states have reached for solutions beyond money. As the administration mulls cutting resources Advertisement And as the administration weighs not recommending Covid vaccinations this fall, Massachusetts officials have contemplated teaming up with Connecticut, Rhode Island, and other states to make their own vaccine recommendations A ways to go But the US government is arguably the most well resourced entity on Earth, and there's only so much anyone can do to fill the vacuum. 'There isn't any organization where we were able to replace 100 percent of what they lost,' Cicilline said of the Rhode Island Foundation's recent giving. The foundation has focused on supporting organizations that work on basic needs like health care, housing, and hunger, even as groups that support the arts Even when organizations do get a lifeline, losing federal funding can be fatal. Surging donations haven't matched what Congress cut from public media, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting A future Congress or president could restore much of the funding Trump has cut. But in the meantime, the problems that lost money was meant to address seem likely to fester. The administration's cuts to food stamps and Medicaid are Advertisement And, of course, there's still three and a half years of Trump left to go. 'We're going to continue to monitor this and, obviously, be asked to do more,' Cicilline said. 'I don't think this is the end of it.' 🧩 7 Across: 70° POINTS OF INTEREST Judge Frank Caprio inside Municipal Court at the Providence Police Station in 2017. Jessica Rinaldi/GLOBE STAFF Steve Tompkins: The Suffolk County sheriff, charged with extortion, Rhode Island prosecutor: Attorney General Peter Neronha vowed to 'sanction' a prosecutor who told police who she was and that they'd regret arresting her. Republicans criticized Neronha #1: Massachusetts once again has the most public high schools in the top quarter of US News & World Report's ranking of the country's best. America's 'nicest judge': Frank Caprio, the municipal judge whose charming and forgiving temperament captured hearts across the world through his 'Caught in Providence' TV show, Off to the races: Karishma Manzur, a progressive nonprofit leader, Overbooked: Why don't Harvard students encounter a diverse range of viewpoints? Because Trump vs. the Fed: The president demanded Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook's resignation after an administration official accused Cook, a Biden appointee, of possible mortgage fraud. Cook said she wouldn't be 'bullied.' ( Advertisement Jeffrey Epstein: Another judge refused the Trump administration's request to unseal grand jury transcripts in the case — and said what's them 'pales in comparison' to documents the administration is refusing to release. ( DOGE's legacy: Eastern Kentucky is among the most flood-battered parts of the country. It now has among the most Israel-Hamas war: Israel approved new settlements in the occupied West Bank, dimming hopes for a future Palestinian state, and will expand military operations in Gaza City, where it says Hamas remains active. ( BESIDE THE POINT 📚 New books to read…: Browse the 40 titles the Globe's critics 📱 …assuming you still do: The share of Americans who read for fun fell 40 percent between 2003 and 2023, a study found. Technology could be to blame. ( 🧳 Be spontaneous: These 8 New England destinations are close enough for a weekend getaway — 💸 'Cute debt': Buy-now-pay-later services, promoted as interest-free borrowing, are targeting female shoppers. ( ✉️ Stamp act: The US Postal Service recently unveiled a pair of commemorative stamps that celebrate Boston's role in the American Revolution. 🎵 Boston born: James Taylor, the 77-year-old singer-songwriter, is ⛳ Stroke of genius: What makes a great mini golf course? When it offers a built-environment journey that leaves you Advertisement Thanks for reading Starting Point. This newsletter was edited by ❓ Have a question for the team? Email us at ✍🏼 If someone sent you this newsletter, you can 📬 Delivered Monday through Friday. Ian Prasad Philbrick can be reached at
Boston Globe
09-07-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
The country's most vulnerable governor
So what's it all mean? 'I think it's safe to say at this point that he is probably the most vulnerable Democratic governor in the country to a primary,' said Matthew Klein, an analyst with the Cook Political Report who tracks gubernatorial and US House races. 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 'He's probably among the two most vulnerable governors overall, along with South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden,' Klein said. 'But it's not clear that Rhoden will even run again.' Advertisement McKee, on the other hand, is all-in. He Foulkes is running no matter what, even though she hasn't publicly launched her campaign, which is part of a strategy that allows her to avoid answering questions she'd have to answer as a candidate — like whether she'd support the most recent state budget approved by the General Assembly that McKee refused to sign into law. Advertisement Klein said he considers Foulkes a slight favorite in a primary matchup with McKee, pointing to McKee's sagging poll numbers, Indeed, the Salve Regina University poll found that only 13 percent of 2024 voters believe the bridge will be repaired on time 'It is extremely rare for a governor to be at risk of losing a primary,' Klein said. 'It probably only happens a couple of times a decade.' McKee reminds me a little of the place Cicilline was battling terrible poll numbers because won election to the US House of Representatives in 2010 making the case that he was a successful two-term mayor of Providence. In reality, the Great Recession had taken its toll on the city's finances, and the new mayor, Angel Taveras, was left to clean up Cicilline's mess. But Cicilline largely cleared the potential Democratic primary field — McKee, then the mayor of Cumberland, opted against running — and ended up facing an overmatched opponent in businessman Anthony Gemma. Cicilline also had the benefit of running in a congressional race in a presidential election year, so he was able to deflect local questions and pivot back to how important it was to reelect Barack Obama over Mitt Romney that year. Advertisement Let me state the obvious: Foulkes is far more formidable than Gemma ever was, and McKee doesn't have a monopoly on anti-President Trump fervor. But McKee is still the incumbent, and he has a narrow path to victory by focusing solely on Democratic primary voters, according to Joe Fleming, a veteran pollster and analyst for WPRI. 'The big thing to remember about Governor McKee's approval rating is that these polls are general population polls,' Fleming said. 'In a Democratic primary, there will be between 110,000 and 160,000 voters. So it's a lot smaller universe for him.' McKee hasn't proven that he can move the needle on his overall approval ratings, even in places where he deserves credit. Rhode Island wouldn't have passed legislation outlawing the purchase of assault-style weapons if not for McKee, but his role in the debate was overshadowed by the General Assembly. McKee still has 14 months to prove himself, but I've already written that I don't believe McKee If he stays in the race, he's bound to make history either way — by losing in a primary few governors ever lose, or by pulling off an improbable comeback Rhode Island hasn't seen in more than a decade. Dan McGowan can be reached at
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump removes Cicilline from Holocaust Memorial board
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Former Congressman David Cicilline is among the members of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council who have been terminated from their positions by the Trump administration, Cicilline confirmed Tuesday afternoon. The New York Times reported earlier in the day that the administration had begun firing a number of people appointed to the board by former President Joe Biden, including Doug Emhoff, the husband of former Vice President Kamala Harris. Cicilline served as a Democratic congressman for Rhode Island's 1st District from 2011 to 2023, when he resigned to become president and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation. He served as one of the impeachment managers during President Trump's second impeachment trial following the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. The 55-member Holocaust Memorial Council oversees the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington and organizes remembrance events. Biden had named Cicilline to the board just over a year ago. 'I received communication today from the White House Presidential Personnel Office that my position as a member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council has been terminated, effective immediately,' Cicilline said in a statement. 'This action is deeply disappointing,' he continued. 'The Museum's work has always been nonpartisan and should remain so. It is meant to challenge us all to think critically and clearly about our role in society, to confront antisemitism, and all other forms of hate. I will continue to do all that I can to support those efforts.' Trump has ordered similar shakeups of the boards of other cultural institutions, including the Kennedy Center, since he returned to office in January. Asked by 12 News about Cicilline's removal, the White House issued a statement from press secretary Karoline Leavitt. 'President Trump looks forward to appointing new individuals who will not only continue to honor the memory of those who perished in the Holocaust, but who are also steadfast supporters of the State of Israel,' Leavitt said. Ted Nesi (tnesi@ is a Target 12 investigative reporter and 12 News politics/business editor. He co-hosts Newsmakers and writes Nesi's Notes on Saturdays. Connect with him on Twitter, Bluesky and Facebook. Shannon Hegy contributed to this report. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
