Complaint follows investigation into governor awarding contract to ILO Group 

Today Common Cause Rhode Island filed a complaint with the Public Information Office of Secretary of State Gregg Amore asking that office to investigate, and seek sanctions against, Michael Magee, the former CEO of Chiefs for Change, for failing to register as a lobbyist in the state of Rhode Island. This complaint grew out of a Common Cause Rhode Island review of documents released by Attorney General Peter Neronha and the Rhode Island State Police at the conclusion of their investigations into the awarding of a state contract to the ILO Group, LLC.

Common Cause Rhode Island also sent a letter to the Rhode Island Ethics Commission asking them to place stricter limits on gifts to public officials from lobbyists, require additional disclosure of gifts given to public officials, and to conduct a review of the state’s ethics laws as they apply to procurement. Finally, Common Cause Rhode Island announces its intention to introduce legislation in the upcoming General Assembly session to strengthen the limits on in-kind contributions to candidates.

“The investigation into how the ILO Group was awarded a state contract exposed politics at its worst including a procurement process full of back-scratching,” says John Marion, Executive Director of Common Cause Rhode Island. “We are disappointed that the state’s public integrity laws did not protect against the unethical behavior revealed in the ILO Group investigations. While ultimately few may be held accountable, Rhode Islanders deserve to know this behavior won’t be repeated. That is why we are seeking these changes to our ethics and campaign finance laws.”

To view the complaint with Secretary of State Gregg Amore, Cliquez ici.

To view the letter to the Rhode Island Ethics Commission, Cliquez ici.