Speaker Mattiello faces his biggest legal challenge yet as Attorney General Peter Neuronha signals there is a new sheriff in crimetown and he is getting ready to take down Mattiello. The indictment of Mattiello campaign chief Jeff Britt for felony money laundering signals a new era in the fight against political corruption in Rhode Island.
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| AG Peter Neuronha |
It was uncomfortable and pathetic to watch as AG Neuronha had to explain to “legal experts” (Eileen Violet) the definition of money laundering, which had been seen as acceptable and nothing more than a minor campaign violation. Mattiello was shocked at the Britt indictment and went into hiding on Friday while watching and (reportedly) cursing as he watched the Neuronha press conference. Does not sound like there will be handshakes and hugs. Britt, a sleazy hustler turned political hack, was once banned from gay bars in Providence for fighting and getting arrested which apparently makes him qualified to run a Rhode Island political campaign.
The local media attempts to portray Britt as a “political operative” yet he has lost every campaign he has been part of with the exception of the 2016 Mattiello race, which they stole by 85 votes. Britt has announced he “won’t be the fall guy for the speaker” yet he is described by many as a pathological liar and criminal (perfect for a fall guy). Britt lost his first campaign race in Pawtucket in 2002 and then was the mastermind of the disastrous Frank Caprio 2010 “shove it” campaign for Governor which is considered one of the worst run campaigns in recent memory. Britt ran the Binder campaign against Gordon Fox (lost), Ken Block 2014 campaign for Governor (lost) and then Mattiello 2016 ( won by 85 mail ballots). The single biggest question is whether is it possible Mattiello did not know what Britt was up to (which seems highly unlikely) and if Britt can prove it.
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| Gordon Fox inmate and former speaker |
