Statehouse Power Shuffle: Who’s Out?

Statehouse Power Shuffle: Who’s Out?

They are the key advisors, policy-makers, and power-brokers in the offices of the Governor, Attorney General, and General Treasurer—chiefs of staff, top administrators, and other key officials. Next month, when a new Governor, Attorney General, and General Treasurer come into office, where will they end up?

Here’s who’s out and who’s staying, according to interviews with official spokespersons and other sources close to the transition teams:

GOVERNOR

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As former Republican Governor-elect Lincoln Chafee prepares to take the reins of state government, just one senior staffer from his Republican predecessor is hanging on. The rest are either retiring, entering the private sector, or moving to somewhere else in state government.

Who’s Out

Andrew Hodgkin, Chief of Staff A veteran staffer who advised Gov. Don Carcieri through the Station Nightclub disaster, Hodgkin led efforts to pass a separation of powers amendment and block the expansion of an LNG facility in Providence. He also was a key player in landmark cases involving casino gaming and Indian rights. Hodgkin, who served in private practice before joining the Governor’s staff, is expected to return to private practice.

Timothy Costa, Deputy Chief of Staff/Director of Policy This long-time Carcieri staffer and former campaign manager most recently was involved in the successful charge to get a wind farm built off Block Island. Now that Chafee picked a former Jim Langevin staffer Brian Daniels to head up policy, Costa seems to be on his way out—but where he is going is not yet clear. WRNI has reported that he is set to take a position with House Speaker Gordon Fox, but spokesman Larry Berman said he could not confirm the story.

Amy Kempe, Communications Director/Press Secretary Ever since John Robitaille left to run for governor, Kempe has been serving in the dual role of Communications Director and Press Secretary. She is leaving the Governor’s office, but she won’t be going too far—yesterday Attorney General-elect Peter Kilmartin announced she will be serving as his spokesperson.

Deborah Smith, Director of Municipal and External Affairs Came out of retirement to work for the Governor and now will be retiring again, according to Kempe. “I’m sure she’ll continue to work for the community in one capacity or another, but she will not be working for state government,” Kempe told GoLocalProv.

Sandra Winslow, Manager of Constituent Affairs Like Smith, she’s retiring, according to Kempe.

Michael Cronan, Director of Legislative Affairs A long-time state worker, Cronan isn’t leaving public employment. Instead, he’s expected to take a position in the Executive Office of Health and Human Services.

Who’s Staying

Jamia McDonald, Deputy Chief of Staff Has the distinction of being the only Carcieri staffer who is staying on with Chafee, according to his transition team. McDonald—who has served in her current position for less than a year—previously ran the state office for the federal stimulus program and was chief of staff in the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. Earlier in her career, she was a top aide to Chicago Mayor Richard Daley.

 GENERAL TREASURER

Who’s Out

Michael J. Solomon, Executive Director for Operations Has chosen to leave government service and enter the private sector.

Dave Layman, Director of Communication After a short stint as official spokesman, this former ABC 6 news anchor is on the hunt for a new job. “I am looking aggressively in both the public and private sectors for a senior communications position that will use my experience in media relations, public relations, marketing and crisis management,” Layman told GoLocalProv.

Who’s Staying

Mark A. Dingley, Chief of Staff General Treasurer-elect Gina Raimondo has announced that she will be keeping Frank Caprio’s right hand man as her General Counsel and Deputy Treasurer.

Kenneth Goodreau, Deputy General Treasurer for Finance The state’s chief investment officer, he is staying and will serve in his current post.

Frank Karpinski, Executive Director, Employees’ Retirement System His appointment is up to the state retirement board—not the General Treasurer personally, so Karpinski, a nine-year veteran of the state retirement system, is expected to continue in that role.

ATTORNEY GENERAL

There will be little turnover in the Attorney General’s office as most staff are expected to be rehired under Attorney General-elect Peter Kilmartin, according to sources familiar with the transition process.

“It’s not the kind of house-cleaning that used to happen years ago,” one source told GoLocalProv. “The reality is that he’s keeping a lot of people—it’s probably the most that’s been kept.” It’s a trend that began with Attorney General Jeff Pine, who held on to about 83 percent of his predecessor’s staff. Each successive General has retained more and more staff. Before, Kilmartin, Patrick Lynch hired back an estimated 87 percent of the staff in the office.

Who’s Out

Sources say the two officials expected to make an exit are those most closely connected with the political nature of the office—John Palangio, the Chief of Staff and Jeff Guimond, the Director of Policy. Sources weren’t sure where Palangio is headed, but GoLocalProv has learned that Guimond is planning to enter the private sector.

That Kilmartin is making his own picks for these more political positions does not come as much of a surprise, given his break with Lynch on a number of key policy issues. Lynch was a critic of Gov. Don Carcieri’s executive order on illegal immigration. Kilmartin, on the other hand, supports it. In a recent interview on WPRI 12’s “Newsmakers” he said he believed there was “no harm in it.” Kilmartin also plans to drop the Attorney General’s opposition to the proposed wind farm—something Lynch fought tooth and nail.

Michael Healey, Director of Public Information Healey’s departure was sealed yesterday when Kilmartin named Kempe to the position. Healey has also been out of the office for about two months, after suffering a serious fall in October.

Who’s Staying

Gerald J. Coyne, Deputy Attorney General Kilmartin has announced he’s retaining the number two guy at the Attorney General’s office. Coyne will continue to oversee both the civil and criminal divisions.

Kilmartin has announced that he is also keeping the heads of the civil and criminal divisions: Jim Lee, Assistant Attorney General, Civil Division Chief and Stacey Veroni, Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division Chief.

GoLocalProv has learned that most of the senior staff in each of those divisions are expected to remain under the new administration as well. They include:

Civil Division: Brenda Baum, Assistant Attorney General, Deputy Chief and Rebecca Partington, Assistant Attorney General, Deputy Chief
Criminal Division: Bethany Macktaz, Assistant Attorney General, Deputy Chief; Randall White, Assistant Attorney General, Deputy Chief; and Matthew Dawson, Assistant Attorney General, Deputy Chief.

Joee Lindbeck, Legislative Affairs Chief Bounces back and forth between legislative and prosecutorial work, depending on whether the Assembly is in session. She is expected to stay on—but it’s unclear exactly which position she’ll be settling into.