WPRO Debates – Secretary of State Last Night, Congressional Double Header Today
Stephen Beale, GoLocalProv Politics Editor
WPRO Debates – Secretary of State Last Night, Congressional Double Header Today
Debate week continues today with a double-header. In the morning at 9 a.m. First Congressional District candidates David Cicilline and John Loughlin meet for a debate, followed by an hour-long recap on the Dan Yorke show. Then, this afternoon at 5 p.m. it’s the Second Congressional candidates—Mark Zaccaria and Jim Langevin, followed by another hour-long post-debate show.
Both debates and the recaps will be broadcast on 630 WPRO and can also be heard online at www.630wpro.com.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTAt last night’s debate, the two candidates clashed over insider politics, access to public records, and Mollis’ campaign contributions. Mollis, the Democratic incumbent, said that he initially did not return the contributions of the three indicted North Providence councilmen because they were his friends. He said he did not want to make a campaign issue out of it. “I didn’t want to make any political gain on the back of a friend,” Mollis said.
“Your insticts have to be right on this,” Taylor, a Republican, responded. “If one of your friends is found to have been involved in selling their vote, and violating the public trust, then your instinct needs to be to go to that person and say, 'We're friends, I love you, but I'm sorry, this money has to go back to you.’”
The two also debated who was more of a political insider. Mollis has been an elected official in Rhode Island for 20 years. Taylor has not held elective office, but she was a staffer for Senators John Chafee and Lincoln Chafee for two decades. “I think her 20 years in Washington should be used against her as much as my 20 years … should be used against me,” Mollis said. “It shouldn’t be.” Taylor said she actually spent only 16 years in Washington.
Taylor also revealed that she would not be voting for her former boss, Lincoln Chafee, who is running as an independent in the race for governor. Instead, she plans to vote for Republican John Robitaille. “I am running on a ticket and I have to support that,” Taylor said. “I think the Chafees understand that.”
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