Press Releases

  A TALE OF TWO COMMMUNICATIONS DIRECTORS

If Carcieri ‘doesn’t know’ then someone’s got to go

  Lynch calls on Carcieri to live within his budget, dismiss either Kass or Robitaille

PAWTUCKET - Rhode Island Democratic Party Chairman Bill Lynch is calling on Gov. Don Carcieri to live within his allotted budget and immediately cease paying the salaries of two high-priced communications directors.

“Rome is burning and it seems like all the governor cares about is surrounding himself with as many political spinners as possible. It is wholly irresponsible for the governor to talk about reigning in government spending while he lavishly throws taxpayer money at message men to help repair his sinking public image,” Lynch said.

Here are the facts: The governor had a communications director, his name was Steve Kass, and his $126 thousand salary was paid for out of the governor’s personnel budget. Then the governor dumped Kass on RIEMA and brought in John Robitaille to replace him. Assuming that Robitaille is also being paid out of that same executive personnel budget, then Carcieri has ignored the state’s fiscal crisis and defiantly created a new position in state government.

“Moving Steve Kass to RIEMA and giving him a new job title doesn’t change the fact that his salary is still being paid by the governor’s office. Wishful thinking that the federal government is going to cover half of Kass’s salary doesn’t cut it. It’s time to pick: The governor can have Kass or Robitaille, but it’s clear now that Rhode Island taxpayers shouldn’t settle for both,” Lynch said.

When EOC was activated Kass was nowhere to be found

This morning Kass told WPRO’s Buddy Cianci that yesterday was his first day on the job. But an email circulated to emergency management officials on Saturday said that Kass would be acting that day in “support” of Public Information Officer Britain Bates, who was to prepare a media release to announce that the Emergency Operation Center would be activated in response to heavy rain and potential flooding. The Providence Journal obtained a copy of that email, details of which where published today. When the EOC was activated on Saturday, Kass was nowhere to be found.

“How could Monday be Steve Kass’s first day on the job when we know he was supposedly acting in some supporting role on Saturday. Somebody’s playing games with the truth because the timelines just don’t match up. It’s time the governor come clean as to what specific role Steve Kass will play at RIEMA and how he’s going to account for his $126 thousand salary,” Lynch said.

Emergency Management ‘not all that complicated’

When asked by Cianci what qualified him to serve as the spokesperson for RIEMA, Kass curtly told Cianci that emergency management was “not all that complicated.”

“I think it’s pretty obnoxious for a man whose only experience in emergency management comes from building pet shelters to so quickly dismiss the hard work that first responders put into drafting and implementing plans that will service our citizens in an actual emergency,” Lynch said.

Bottom line: No one knows where Carcieri’s going to find the money

Yesterday a spokesperson for Governor Carcieri could not answer questions as to how the administration was going to afford Kass’s $126 thousand salary. [Providence Journal 03/11/08]

Today, when asked a similar question by Cianci, Kass replied: “I don’t know, I don’t know what the governor has in mind.”

“It’s time we heard directly from the governor on this issue. No more hiding behind one of his ever-growing number of flacks and spokespeople. Either tell us how you’re going to afford both high-priced jobs, or say goodbye to one of them. It’s the governor’s choice,” Lynch said.

<< View all Press Releases