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Lynch blasts Carcieri for creating ethics loophole

Providence- Bill Lynch, Rhode Island Democratic Party Chairman, today issued a statement criticizing Governor Donald Carcieri for single-handedly creating what Lynch described as "the biggest ethics loophole in Rhode Island history."

In 1987 Rhode Island established a Code of Ethics requiring that all state employees adhere to the highest standards of ethical conduct. Under our code of ethics "all state employees" must be accountable, avoid the appearance of impropriety and not use their position for private gain. (§36-14-1, R.I.General Laws)

"Now, Governor Carcieri has unilaterally exempted almost 300 people from the Code of Ethics by contracting with his private staffing company, Smart Staffing Services. The taxpayers of Rhode Island now pay hundreds of people to work for the state while also making it allowable for them to use their 'state position' for their own private gain. He created the biggest ethics loophole in Rhode Island history," Lynch stated.

Because the Governor has chosen to intentionally avoid the normal state hiring process he has now authorized hundreds of people to:

1. Engage in business that is in direct conflict with the his or her public duty to the state; and
2. Accept other employment even if it impairs his or her independence of judgment as to his or her official duties or employment; and
3. Disclose confidential information acquired by him or her in the course of their state duties;
4. Willfully and knowingly disclose for financial gain, to any person, confidential information acquired through their public duties;
5. Use his or her public position to obtain financial gain for him or herself or for any family member or business partner.

"This Governor has turned his back on the people of Rhode Island who have a right to demand that every state worker adhere to the highest possible ethical code" said Lynch.

"Instead Carcieri has created an entirely separate class of state workers who:

• can represent him or herself before the same state agency of which he or she is a member or by which he or she is employed;
• can act as an expert witness before any state agency of which he or she is a member even if it will result in a direct economic benefit to them, their family or their business partners."

Lynch expressed amazement that the Governor would think it's appropriate for state workers' to:

• solicit or accept gifts, loans, political contributions, rewards and future employment based on their state position; and
• personally own and operate a business that also has state contracts;

Lynch concluded that "The taxpayers of Rhode Island have every right to insist that state employees, as well as elected officials, are held to the highest ethical standards and laws. Instead we have a Governor who has managed to devise a plan that places absolutely no ethical constraints on hundreds of state workers. The people of Rhode Island deserve better, Governor."

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