Blistering Criticism By Democrats and Republicans on Raimondo Administration’s Legal Bungling

GoLocalProv Political Team

Blistering Criticism By Democrats and Republicans on Raimondo Administration’s Legal Bungling

Governor Gina Raimondo
The criticism is growing from all political corners on Governor Gina Raimondo’s administration’s failure to respond to a court decision — a blunder that could cost the state more than $24 million.

Independent gubernatorial candidate Joe Trillo is calling on Raimondo to fire employees responsible and is calling her administration an “epic failure.”

“Missing a judicial appeal deadline clearly demonstrates that in an election year, when things like this are so important, the governor still cannot fix a problem and she can’t even select the appropriate professionals to fix the problem.  How can we trust the resources of a $9 plus billion budget in the hands of such incompetence,” said Trillo.    

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

Earlier this year, Superior Court Judge Lanphear ruled that the Raimondo administration had no legal authority to use a one-year rate reduction of 2 percent that ran from July 1, 2015, to June 30, 2016, when it estimated how much to pay the nursing homes in the following years.  The judge decided that at the end of that year, the rates should have reverted to what they were before the cut.

Gubernatorial candidate Joe Trillo
“It has recently come to light that the state missed a critically important May 23 deadline for appealing an April 9 ruling by Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Lanphear.  Missing that deadline, giving the state an opportunity to overturn that decision, now requires the state to pay nearly $8 million in payments to dozens of nursing homes.  This didn’t have to happen!  Time and time again Rhode Island taxpayers have been put on the hook for Governor Raimondo’s mismanagement, and I’m sick of it,” said Trillo.  

GOP Attack

Republican Party Chairman Brandon Bell
The Republican Party said today in a press release, “Under Governor Gina Raimondo, R.I. Health & Human Services failed to file an appeal of a court decision, which could cost the state $24 million. This is the same agency which is responsible for the UHIP debacle. Gregory Hazian, who failed to file the appeal, is a Mattiello donor who volunteered on Mattiello’s campaign in 2016. Eric Beane, who heads the agency that failed to file the appeal, previously served as Raimondo’s deputy chief of staff.” 

Chairman Brandon S. Bell said: “They should all be fired. This is gross incompetence. First, Hazian, then Beane, and finally the voters should fire Raimondo herself. Four years of incompetence is enough. Let’s get people working at Health and Human Services who know what they are doing.”

Gubernatorial candidate Allan Fung
According to GOP Gubernatorial candidate Allan Fung’s campaign, “Rhode Islanders are now on the hook for even more incompetence at EOHHS - this time, not her self-imposed UHIP debacle - but a failure to do the very basics correctly by not bothering to file a judicial appeal on a case costing state taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.”

“Leadership needs to be held accountable. A lawyer that deletes email and doesn't even bother to file an appeal should be fired. A cabinet secretary who isn't paying attention to a case worth tens of millions of dollars, needs to be fired. And this Governor and her reckless incompetence must go,” said Fung.

Gubernatorial candidate Matt Brown
Democratic challenger Matt Brown was equally critical, “Yesterday we learned that the state’s failure to file a 'timely' court appeal has opened up a budget sinkhole that could require the retroactive payment of millions of Medicaid dollars to dozens of nursing homes. The financial consequences are so potentially large they could seriously affect legislators’ plans to roll out a new state budget this coming week.

“Raimondo’s absenteeism and gross negligence have caused enormous harm to Rhode Islanders and cost the state millions. Just two months ago in April, we learned that the state has been unable to apply for $100 million in Medicaid reimbursements because of Raimondo’s mismanagement. In May we learned that the Raimondo administration misled lawmakers about indicted call center leader Richard Noceto. Every month it’s more scandal and mismanagement,” said Brown in a statement.

No word from the Governor’s office on Monday regarding the issue.

GoLocal: Benchmark Poll, October 2017

Sponsor: GoLocalProv

Sample: N=403

Rhode Island General Election Voters Margin of Error: +/- 4.9% at 95% Confidence Level

Interviewing Period: October 9-11, 2017

Mode: Landline (61%) and Mobile (39%)

Telephone Directed by: John Della Volpe, SocialSphere, Inc.

Are you registered to vote at this address?

Yes: 100%

When it comes to voting, do you consider yourself to be affiliated with the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, Moderate, or Unaffiliated with a major party?

Unaffiliated: 49%

Democrat: 32%

Republican: 15%

Moderate: .4%

Next year, in November of 2018, there will be a statewide general election for Governor and many other state offices. How likely is it that you will vote in this election?

Will you definitely be voting, will you probably be voting, are you 50-50...

Definitely be voting: 78%

Probably be voting: 13%

50-50: 9%

In general, would you say things in Rhode Island are headed in the right direction or are they off on the wrong track?

Right track: 39%

Wrong track: 45%

Mixed: 10%

Don't know/Refused: .6%

What would you say is the number one problem facing Rhode Island that you would like the Governor to address?

Jobs and economy:  21%

Education: 12%

Taxes: 12%

Roads: 12%

State budget: 9%

Corruption/Public integrity: .8%

Healthcare: 3%

Governor: 3%

Homelessness: 2%

Immigration: 2%

Other: 7%

Don’t know: .9%

Over the past three years or so, would you say the economy in Rhode Island has improved, gotten worse, or not changed at all?

Changed for the better: 35%

Changed for the worse: 16%

Not changed at all: 43%

Don't know/Refused: 5%

Over the same time, has your family's financial situation improved, gotten worse, or not changed at all?

Changed for the better: 26%

Changed for the worse: 19%

Not changed at all: 54%

Don't know/Refused: 1%

Recently, a proposal has been made to permit the issuance of $81 million in bonds by the State to build a new stadium for the Pawtucket Red Sox. If there was an election today on this issue, would you vote to approve or reject issuing $81 million in financing supported moral obligation bonds to build the stadium?

Net: Approve: 28%

Definitely approve: 15%

Probably approve: 14%

Net: Reject: 67%

Probably reject: 19%

Definitely reject: 48%

Don't know: 4%

Could you please tell me your age?

18-24: 7%

25-34: 15%

35-44: 15%

45-54: 20%

55-64: 17%

65+: 25%

Don't know/refused: 1%

What was the last grade you completed in school?

0-11: 2%

High school grad: 16%

Technical/Vocational school: 1%

Some college: 23%

College grad: 34%

Graduate degree: 24%

Don't know/refused: 1%

The next question is about the total income of YOUR HOUSEHOLD for the PAST 12 MONTHS. Please include your income PLUS the income of all members living in your household (including cohabiting partners and armed forces members living at home).

$50,000 or less: 27%

More $50,000 but less than $75,000: 13%

More $75,000 but less than $100,000: 13%

More $100,000 but less than $150,000: 17%

$150,000 or more: 13%

Don't know/refused: 17%

What particular ethnic group or nationality - such as English, French, Italian, Irish, Latino, Jewish, African American, and so forth - do you consider yourself a part of or feel closest to?

American/None: 21%

English: 13%

Italian: 13%

Irish: 12%

Black or African American: 6%

Latino/Hispanic: 6%

French: 6%

Portuguese: 3%

Jewish: 3%

German: 1%

Would you say that Donald Trump has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as President?


Excellent: 13%
Good: 12%
Fair: 14%
Poor: 57%
Never heard of:  0%
Cannot rate: 3%

Would you say that Jack Reed has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as a United States Senator?

Excellent: 22%
Good: 29%
Fair: 23%
Poor: 15%
Never heard of: 6%
Cannot rate: 6%

Would you say that Sheldon Whitehouse has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as a United States Senator?

Excellent: 17%
Good: 22%
Fair: 21%
Poor: 28%
Never heard of: 6%
Cannot rate: 7%

Would you say that David Cicilline has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as a Member of Congress?

Excellent: 9%
Good: 29%
Fair: 21%
Poor: 27%
Never heard of: 6%
Cannot rate:  8%

Would you say that James Langevin has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as a Member of Congress?

Excellent: 7%
Good: 30%
Fair: 20%
Poor: 18%
Never heard of: 13%
Cannot rate: 11%

Would you say that Gina Raimondo has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as Governor?

Excellent: 6%
Good: 28%
Fair: 30%
Poor: 31%
Never heard of: 1%
Cannot rate: 3%

Would you say that Daniel McKee has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as Lieutenant Governor?


Excellent: 3%
Good: 16%
Fair: 21%
Poor: 8%
Never heard of: 26%
Cannot rate: 25%

Would you say that Peter Kilmartin has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as Attorney General?


Excellent: 3%
Good: 20%
Fair: 28%
Poor: 17%
Never heard of: 13%
Cannot rate: 19%

Would you say that Seth Magaziner has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as General Treasurer?

Excellent: 4%
Good: 18%
Fair: 24%
Poor: 13%
Never heard of: 21%
Cannot rate: 21%

Would you say that Nellie Gorbea has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as Secretary of State?

Excellent: 5%
Good: 21%
Fair: 21%
Poor: 10%
Never heard of: 20%
Cannot rate: 23%

Would you say that Jorge Elorza has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as Mayor of Providence?

Excellent: 4%
Good: 24%
Fair: 24%
Poor: 22%
Never heard of: 9%
Cannot rate: 15%

Selected Image

Enjoy this post? Share it with others.