The Nastiest Battle in RI — Mattiello v. Fenton-Fung

The Nastiest Battle in RI — Mattiello v. Fenton-Fung

Speaker of the House Nick Mattiello is fighting for his political life. Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung is looking to topple the king.

The two have been hammering each other with negative direct mail and now third parties are joining in the battle for the 15th House District.

Some of the strongest interest groups have taken sides. The Rhode Island Right to Life committee, once strong backers of Mattiello, has now endorsed Fenton-Fung -- a blow to Mattiello in the very conservative and Catholic 15th District. The labor union SEIU has also come out against Mattiello.

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

The Speaker has retained the support of the International Brotherhood of Police Officers.

Mattiello has hit Fenton-Fung for her lack of connection to the District and she has fired back raising questions of corruption linked to Mattiello and his effectiveness.

 

One Mattiello mailer that drew criticism was a claim that the Speaker had supported women’s issues — specifically health issues.

“Well, there’s a lot to unpack there. I find it deeply offensive that the speaker thinks women are so forgetful that we would believe these lies. The speaker fought tooth and nail against the codification of Roe v Wade into Rhode Island law,” said outgoing State Representative Moira Walsh, a longstanding Mattiello critic.

"He gutted the women’s equal pay bill. He has consistently targeted women who don’t agree with him and then has the audacity to label himself as a champion for women. I genuinely can’t tell if Nick Mattiello thinks women are stupid enough to believe these lies, or if he doesn’t care whether they do. Either way, I’d say that only women get to decide if Nick has been a champion for women, and I don’t exactly see them lining up to say so,” added Walsh.

 

Relentless Attacks on Mattiello's Ethics

Fenton-Fung has been relentless in her criticism. “People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.  Mattiello's campaign has no problem sending out negative mailers about me, but when the truth is pointed out about his misdeeds, he finds that to be offensive and highly negative.  How else do you tell the story of one of the most scandal-prone Speakers in RI history?  It's quite exasperating for all of us,” said Fenton-Fung.

Mattiello says he has tried to keep the race positive, but some of his mailers tell a different story.

"The Speaker has engaged in a highly substantive conversation with his constituents via direct mail pieces that seeks to highlight his record of accomplishments over the last 14 years as their representative and the last six as Speaker. We will continue to run a very positive, issues-oriented campaign,” said Patti Doyle,  spokesperson for the Mattiello campaign.

Fenton-Fung says that Mattiello has been ineffective during the coronavirus and that he has failed to lead. Rhode Island is one of four states that still has not passed a state budget.

"The Speaker has been called the most powerful person in the state.  Yet Mattiello has not delivered for Cranston when it comes to our city being a haven for sex offenders at Harrington Hall, has not delivered for small businesses during COVID, and has not yet delivered on car tax relief as we are still without a budget," said Fenton-Fung. 

"However, he has delivered for his insider friends, like the 1.8 million dollars for Cranston chiropractor Dr. Pedro, and six-figure salaries for his friends like Frank Montanaro Jr.," she adds.