“Mattiello's Inner Circle is a Hodgepodge of Corruption,” Charges Fenton-Fung
GoLocalProv Political Team
“Mattiello's Inner Circle is a Hodgepodge of Corruption,” Charges Fenton-Fung
Cotugno and his wife Teresa Graham are two central figures in the State of Rhode Island’s case against Mattiello’s former campaign consultant Jeff Britt.
The move by Mattiello has drawn criticism from the Speaker's Republican challenger and Britt’s attorney.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"In a wildly brazen move, Nick Mattiello has re-engaged a shady mail ballot operative in Ed Cotugno, who, along with his wife, are central characters in the upcoming criminal trial involving felony money laundering charges in the 2016 campaign,” said Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung who is set to face the Speaker in November.
The trial is now expected to begin in September and both Cotugno and Graham were on Britt's witness list.
“Mattiello has also given Cotugno's son a plush $75,000 a year job at the State House. How's that for using taxpayer money to potentially influence someone,” said Fenton-Fung.
“Nick Mattiello's inner circle is a hodgepodge of corruption, from Frank Montanaro's disgusting abuse of taxpayer money to fund a family member's college tuition, to leadership team members being convicted of federal and state crimes. He walks around with a disgusting level of arrogance thinking he can get away with it, which is an enormous turn off to your hard-working voters. It's just another reason why his time is up as far as representing District 15,” she added.
According to campaign finance documents filed by the Mattiello campaign on Friday, Cotugno’s company Winning Ways was paid $6,000 on June 29. Cotugno worked with Mattiello in the 2016 reelection campaign. Another payment of $2,000 was made by the Mattiello campaign to Winning Ways in February of 2020.
Britt's attorney Robert Corrente wrote in an email to GoLocal Sunday, “This is a typical response from the Speaker, trying to buy off witnesses in the upcoming trial. He tried to do that with Jeff Britt, and get him to sign a false affidavit, but Jeff refused. Fortunately, most of the witnesses are already on record. To the extent that they now try to change their stories, now we know why.”
Mattiello Says Cotugno Is Valuable
A spokesperson for Mattiello’s campaign Patti Doyle told GoLocal in an email on Sunday, “Ed was a valuable member of the last two successful campaigns and will be a member of this one as well.”
During his career, Cotugno also worked for Providence Mayor Vincent “Buddy” Cianci, Ed DiPrete and his firm is also working for Senate President Dominick Ruggerio’s campaign.
Winning Way's website states, "Winning Ways is a full-service election firm that has been winning elections for more than a decade. If you are thinking about running for office, start with Winning Ways. Our candidates win."