GOP Criticizes Mattiello on His Knowledge of Alleged Sexual Harassment at State House

GOP Criticizes Mattiello on His Knowledge of Alleged Sexual Harassment at State House

The criticism came flooding in of Speaker of the House Nick Mattiello after it was disclosed that he may have helped to cover up an alleged incident of sexual harassment.

The criticism came from some corners of the Republican Party, but other high profile elected officials have yet to make public comment.

The report by WPRI, claims that House Judiciary Chairman Rep. Cale Keable repeatedly sexually harassed Rep. Katherine Kazarian and that Mattiello knew about this sexual harassment and, yet allowed Keable to remain as Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. 

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Keable, an attorney with the firm Partridge, Snow, and Hahn was immediately placed on leave by the firm.

“Speaker Mattiello knew that Keable had been sexually harassing another representative for years but allowed Keable to remain as Chairman of House Judiciary. Is this acceptable to Governor Raimondo and other House Democrats? Will they finally join us and support the ouster of Speaker Mattiello?” said GOP candidate for State Senate Brandon Bell.  

“When will the Democrats in this state stop being cowards and find the courage to stand up to Mattiello? Hopefully, in a few days, the voters will kick both these men, Keable and Mattiello, out of the House,” added Bell, who is the Chair of the State GOP.

“Mattiello should resign. There is no place for an elected representative actively covering up reported Sexual Harassment in Rhode Island Government,” said GOP candidate for General Treasurer Mike Riley.

None of the candidates for Governor have issued statements on the alleged Keable harassment or Mattiello’s role in retaining him as chairman.

In October 2017, State Representative Teresa Tanzi said there were numerous incidents of sexual harassment at the Rhode Island State House. At the time, the Rhode Island State Police and Attorney General Peter Kilmartin released a joint statement regarding State Representative Tanzi’s allegations of sexual harassment.

Tanzi said in a statement that she was harassed by a high ranking State House official and was told that sexual favors would help her bills go further.

The State Police and Kilmartin released the following statement at the time:

“Yesterday, Attorney General Peter Kilmartin contacted Colonel Ann C. Assumpico, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and Director of the Department of Public Safety, regarding allegations of sexual harassment at the Rhode Island State House made by Representative Teresa Tanzi. The two agencies are working together to review the allegations. As is the policy of both the State Police and the Attorney General’s Office, the two agencies are not going to be making further comment with respect to the status of or direction of the inquiry.”