Britt’s Defense Team Names Mattiello, Skenyon, 15 Others Including Media & GOP Chair as Witnesses

Britt’s Defense Team Names Mattiello, Skenyon, 15 Others Including Media & GOP Chair as Witnesses

Jeffrey Britt’s defense team has filed its list of witnesses for the upcoming trial of the campaign consultant, and the witness list is a who’s who of the Rhode Island political and media world. 

In October, Britt, a top campaign consultant to Speaker of the House Nicholas Mattiello, was indicted by a statewide jury on two counts — felony money laundering and a misdemeanor charge of making a prohibited campaign contribution.

Britt, who is being represented by former U.S. Attorney Robert Corrente, faces a charge that carries a sentence of up to 20 years.

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Over the years, Britt has also worked on the staff of Governor Donald Carcieri and as a consultant for Governor Gina Raimondo and GOP candidate for Governor Ken Block.

 

Witnesses For Britt

The list of witnesses includes Speaker of the House Nicholas Mattiello, his Chief of Staff Leo Skenyon, former GOP Chairman Brandon Bell, GoLocal CEO and Co-Founder Josh Fenton, radio talk show host Dan Yorke, and more than a dozen of others.

The narrative in the filing by Britt's team relating to Mattiello, Skenyon, former Mattiello aide Matt Jerzyk, and head of the Joint Committee on Legislative Services Frank Montanaro, Jr., and others claims that Britt did not act alone and Mattiello was directly involved with a campaign mailer that is at the center of the state's charges against Britt.

In the court filing, Britt's attorney writes regarding Mattiello, “Speaker Mattiello is expected to testify about the respective duties of members of his campaign staff and operations, his knowledge and approval of the Shawna Lawton mailer, his filings with the Board of Elections in connection with its investigation in which he denied that his campaign had played any role in the Lawton mailer, his campaign's reporting to the BOE and reimbursement to Shawna Lawton, his communications, both oral and written, with Leo Skenyon and Jeffrey Britt, and the public statements made by and on behalf of his campaign concerning the mailer."

Regarding Skenyon the filing points to a direct link between Britt, Skenyon, and Mattiello.

"Leo Skenyon is expected to testify about the respective duties of members of the Mattiello campaign staff and the campaign operations, his knowledge and approval of the Shawna Lawton mailer, his directions to Jeffrey Britt and other campaign staffers and contractors about the Lawton endorsement and mailer, the affidavit he prepared and asked Jeffrey Britt to sign which falsely denied that the Mattiello campaign arranged, coordinated or directed Shawna Lawton to make an independent expenditure for her campaign mailer, Mr. Britt's refusal to sign the false affidavit, his statement to the Rhode Island State Police in connection with their investigation, the campaign's reporting to the BOE and reimbursement to Shawna Lawton, and his communications, both oral and written, with Jeffrey Britt and other campaign staffers and contractors," sites the filing.

According to the filing Fenton, Yorke and State Representative Greg Costantino all had knowledge at the time of the mailer, "Rep. Costantino, Dan Yorke of WPRO, and Josh Fenton of GoLocalProv are all expected to testify that during the 2016 campaign, Jeffrey Britt spoke openly and publicly about his work to secure endorsements from Shawna Lawton, and a variety of other public figures on behalf of the Mattiello campaign, and about the fact that those efforts were undertaken with the full knowledge and express approval of Leo Skenyon and the Mattiello campaign." 

 

Constant Theme By Corrente

Last fall Corrente charges that Britt did not and could not act alone, "We think it will become apparent that these charges should not have been brought -- and certainly not against Mr. Britt. Obviously, in the sometimes sordid history of Rhode Island politics, participating with others in raising $2100 for a campaign mailer, three years ago, is a pretty underwhelming offense. That's probably why the Board of Elections closed its investigation into the matter in April 2018, with just a warning to the Mattiello campaign. It certainly does not justify the State's overcharging this petty episode as money laundering when -- at most -- it might be a misdemeanor under Rhode Island law."

Britt's case returns to court on March 30 and a trial date is expected to be set then.