McKee Criticizes Campaign Finance Laws for Creating "Uneven Playing Field"
Kate Nagle, GoLocal Contributor
McKee Criticizes Campaign Finance Laws for Creating "Uneven Playing Field"
McKee said that he was informed by the Board of Elections last week that of the roughly $180,000 he is going to be reporting on hand for the quarter, he is ineligible from using $60,000 he had in his coffers from prior to 2013, when he announced he would be seeking higher office, because he is on a two-year cycle -- not four.
"It's not an even playing field if one candidate has had four years to raise money, and another candidate is limited to two," said McKee, referring specifically to primary opponent and current Secretary of State Ralph Molllis. "There's an inherent bias against someone who's not already in a four year term."
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTMcKee noted that he had anticipated he would not be able to use the prior funds raised to be eligible for matching funds, but did not think it would apply using any of the money prior to being raised after January 1, 2013.
Letter of the Law
"This is the first time this was brought to my attention," said Robert Cando with the Rhode Island Board of Elections, of having the McKee campaign's information brought to his attention last week.
"It's only when someone files for public matching funds, that's when we take a look, that's when we start examining a person's campaign accounts, and we look at the races they've been in," continued Cando. "We look for the last race, to see if it's been in the last four years. They can always return the money."
McKee noted that he was informed he could return contributions given to him during the period prior to the last two years, and seek to have those donors re-contribute during this election cycle.
"I've set up a separate account for that money, and have begun the process of reaching out to folks on on this," said McKee. "It's not as though I've got the time to be doing this right now. I've got to write 40, 50 checks, and make the exchange. There are some people in there however that have maxed out already for this year, so it's not like that helps."
Opponent Responds
"I was required to abide by the same law when I was Mayor and ran for this office," said Mollis, noting his ascent from Mayor of North Providence to the state's Secretary of State. "I knew of the law, however. Do I think it's unfair? Certainly."
Mollis, who had close to $60,000 in his own coffers at the end of the first quarter of 2014, continued, "I think the law has its pros and cons, but I think the pros outweigh the cons. If people gave [McKee] money when he was running for Mayor unopposed in 2012, did they think it was going towards a run for higher office? I think he should have been aware of the letter of the law going into this year's race. I know I did."
McKee said, however, he never got a clear picture as to the situation facing him in his current effort. "I kept asking about this, but was told to wait until the new [election] rules were finalized, which happened only recently. [Mollis] knew about this, why wasn't there better information and education for all candidates?"
Mollis noted that he hadn't begun his fundraising for this race "in earnest" until last year. "If I raised a lot of money in those first two years in 2011 and 2012, I could understand his concern, but I didn't. I don't think he should use that money he already had from people when he was running for another office."
Mollis said he couldn't recall what he had in his account back in 2006 when he ran. The campaign of Democratic opponent Frank Ferri, who was recently in the RI General Assembly in the House of Representatives, did not respond to request for comment.
"Bottom line, I think a candidate should be able to decide if they are running on a two year or four year cycle," said McKee. "To me, this is about taking out a piece of paper, and see about changing the rules. This is about a level playing field."
Top Ten RI General Assembly Races to Watch in 2014
House District 4
Providence
Current Member: Rep. Gordon Fox (D)
Status: OPEN
Departing former Speaker of the House Gordon Fox might have held arguably the state's most powerful top post since 2010, but his tenure representing the Mt. Hope-to-Blackstone swath of the East Side dates all the way back to 1992, before he stepped down this past spring following the state's first ever raid on a State House office.
Now, challenging for his seat are three Democrats and an Independent, one of whom was hardly out of diapers when Fox first walked the marble halls -- progressive activist Aaron Regunberg, who started the Providence Student Union. Democratic opponent Heather Tow-Yick launched Teach for America - RI in her native Providence, and like Regunberg is a Brown graduate. Lawyer and SBA 2012 Woman in Business award-winner for New England Democrat Miriam Ross and independent environmental engineer Ethan Gyles round out the crowded field, which will see the winner of the Democratic primary face Gyles in the general.
House District 41
Cranston
Current Member: Rep. Michael Marcello (D)
Status: FACING CHALLENGER (General Election)
Rep. Michael Marcello (D), who mounted a campaign to gain the Speakership following Fox's departure, is facing perhaps his strongest challenger since getting elected in 2008 in Republican Lillian Delmonico, who is a current member of the Scituate School Committee.
The District was Republican for many years -- the seat was held by Republican Carol Mumford for ten years. Watch for this pivotal race -- as well as who comes to Marcello's aid from the party.
House District 34
Narragansett-South Kingstown
Current Member: Rep. Teresa Tanzi (D)
Status: FACING CHALLENGER (General Election)
Former Fox ally and progressive Rep.Teresa Tanzi (D), who was recently a delegate to the first White House Summit on Working Families, is being challenged by Republican Stephen Tetzner, who is in the mortgage business, well-funded, and intent on proving his base of support.
50 signatures are required for a candidate to appear on the ballot, and Tetzner dwarfed all other signature gatherers with over 400.
House District 35
South Kingstown
Current Member: Rep. Spencer Dickinson (D)
Status: FACING CHALLENGER (Primary)
Rep. Spencer Dickinson is facing repeat challenger Kathleen Fogarty, a former member of the South Kingstown Town Council who lost to Dickinson in a close primary contest two years ago.
Dickinson was an outspoken critic of paying back the 38 Studios bond debt during the 2014 session, when he advocated that the state rely on the insurance policy taken out, rather than pay back the bonds, which is what leadership ultimately decided to do. Dickinson was recently passed over for the party's endorsement -- and spoke with GoLocal as to his views on the possible rationale.
The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican Lacey McGreevy in the general election.
House District 7
Providence
Current Member: Rep. Maria Cimini (D)
Status: FACING CHALLENGER (Primary)
In the Speaker shakeup from perceived progressive Fox to the more conservative Mattiello -- who was recently a guest speaker at the RI Taxpayer annual meeting -- progressive incumbent Rep. Maria Crimini is facing a heated primary from more-moderate lawyer Daniel McKiernan.
Cimini, who was first elected in 2010, is a coordinator for the Feinstein Center for a Hunger Free America -- and received the highest grade in the General Assembly on the 2012 Common Cause Legislative Scorecard, based on a two-year voting record of a number of government reform issues.
House District 12
Providence
Current Member: Rep. Joe Almeida (D)
Status: FACING CHALLENGER (Primary)
Deputy Majority Whip Joseph Almeida, a retired Providence cop, is facing a primary challenge in the party by Anthony Roberson, a current Providence police detective -- and the winner will face independent Luis Vargas Rivera in the general.
It's a tall order for the thirteen year veteran state Representative who now faces an inter-party adversary in the way of Roberson, so plan to keep watch of who prevails in this race.
House District 22
Warwick
Current Member: Rep. Frank Ferri (D)
Status: OPEN
The battle for progressive State Rep Frank Ferri's seat (as Ferri is running for Lt. Governor) will see a Democratic duel between Jennifer Siciliano and Joe Solomon, Jr -- cousin of Providence City Council President and Providence Mayoral candidate Michael Solomon.
The winner will face Republican Ralph Leone, so look to see which way this Warwick race goes -- whoever wins, it will mean a new face for sure in the State House come January.
House District 28
Pawtucket
Current Member: Rep. William San Bento (D)
Status: OPEN
The void by the retirement of veteran legislator and Deputy Majority Leader WIlliam San Bento will see a Democratic primary pitting Carlos Tobin -- who mounted a legal challenge in 2012 in a too-close-to-count race against San Bento that ultimately saw the incumbent prevail -- and challenger Joseph Clark, who snagged the endorsement in the race.
The winner will face Independent Jonathan Vallecilla.
House District 26
West Warwick/Coventry/Warwick
Current Member: Rep. Patricial Morgan (R)
Status: FACING CHALLENGER (General Election)
Republican incumbent Rep. Patricia Morgan is being challenged once again by Nicholas Denice, an attorney who came close to knocking off Morgan last time, losing by roughly 250 votes.
Watch to see if Denice can succeed in representing perhaps the Democrats' best chance of taking out an incumbent House Republican -- there are only 6 Republican House members to begin with, and only 4 are being challenged this election.
Senate District 7
Current Member: Sen. Frank Ciccone III (D)
Challenger: Doris De Los Santos
12 year incumbent Frank Ciccone will face veteran political operative Doris De Los Stantos in a Democratic primary -- with no other challengers on the ballot.
The battle between old Providence and new will play out at the polls -- and while DeLos Santos might be newcomer to running, she's been in the political game for some time, having been President of the state's Latino PAC and Latino Civic Fund, and worked in Governor Chafee's administration.
