1-on-1 with Mattiello: Re-Election, Abortion Rights, Line-Item Veto, Raimondo and PawSox
1-on-1 with Mattiello: Re-Election, Abortion Rights, Line-Item Veto, Raimondo and PawSox
PawSox
Mattiello said, “Well I wish the Paw Sox well, but at the end of the day that's a lot of money [the $100m Worcester agreement] to pay back and we'll know in five or ten years if it was a good investment or not. I'm glad that Rhode Island does not have to bear that burden.”
Extend Statute of Limitation for Sexual Abusers
On extending the statute of limitations of sexual abusers, Mattiello said: "it's complicated."
"You have to figure out who it's going to apply to and what all the nuances are, so yes I think we should extend the statute of limitations. You have to look at the retroactive aspect of it you have to look at who it's going to apply to…there's so many different versions I do expect that, that's something that we will look at next year that we should look at next year I know a lot of folks want it’ said Mattiello.
Abortion Rights
On the issue of abortion rights, Mattiello skirted a firm commitment to affirm Roe v. Wade if the issue of choice came back to the states.
On preserving abortion rights, Mattiello affirmed that he is “pro-life” but understands that pro-choice is the “law of the land” in the United States and ”every civilized nation in the world allows choice and I recognize that,” Mattiello said.
“I would think it's appropriate to address there you have a lot of folks in society and when you have and there's this very large pro-choice population out there probably the majority and you just can't neglect that so I mean we're all mindful of what society is going to expect,” said Mattiello.
Newspaper Legal Notices
Mattiello said he would review a statute that requires the state and cities and towns to publish legal notices in newspapers like the Providence Journal. In the past, both Governors Lincoln Chafee and Gina Raimondo have called for the repeal of the 50 plus-year-old mandate that cost taxpayers an estimated $750,000 a year.
While the Providence Journal has laid off or done buyouts for dozens of reporters, editors, and photographers over the past two years, they have paid lobbyist Joe Walsh more than $100,000 to fight off efforts to repeal the legal notice requirements.
Raimondo
Mattiello said he strongly supports fellow Democrat Gina Raimondo's reelection effort. While the two have sometimes had a strained relationship, Mattiello said she has been success in helping to rebuild the Rhode Island economy.