BREAKING NEWS: Chafee Offers Costantino Top Post

BREAKING NEWS: Chafee Offers Costantino Top Post

Governor-elect Lincoln Chafee has offered House Finance Chairman and former Providence mayoral candidate Steven Costantino the position of Secretary of the Office of Health and Human Services in his new administration, according to transition spokesman Mike Trainor.

But before the transition office can make a formal announcement, Trainor said it is awaiting an advisory opinion from the state Ethics Commission on whether Costantino can enter the executive branch after serving in the General Assembly. Yesterday, Costantino submitted a letter to the commission requesting the opinion.

“We’ve offered the position to Steven but the offer can’t be consummated until the Ethics Commission can render its advisory opinion,” Trainor told GoLocalProv.

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That is expected to happen around December 14 or 15, according to Trainor.

Until an opinion is issued, he said the transition office will not make any other comments on the potential appointment.