WPRO Newsroom and the Associated Press
A spokeswoman for Gov. Lincoln Chafee said he will decide Wednesday whether to release a report on waste and fraud in the state's Medicaid and food stamps systems.
Chafee has declined to release the report, saying he does not want to jeopardize the investigation by doing so. Chafee said Monday there is currently no criminal investigation underway.
Ken Block, a former gubernatorial who compiled the report for free, is prohibited to speak about any of his findings because of the terms of his contract. He did, however, take to Facebook to post this Tuesday morning:
"I cannot believe how hot this story has become. Don't ask, because I cannot tell. I will say, however, that the idea of cleaning up government inefficiencies and wastefulness is desperately needed. Whether it is State agencies like Health and Human Services, the DMV or the Dep't. of Labor and Training, or Federal agencies and programs like the military, HUD or FNS, paying attention to the details can save the taxpayers a huge amount of money."
Chafee's spokeswoman Christine Hunsinger told the Associated Press that the Governor's office has received requests to release the report under the state's open records law. WPRO is among those who have filed a request.
Hunsinger told the AP the governor is "availing himself of the time allotted" under the law. That time expires Wednesday.
By then, Chafee's office must either release all or part of the report or give a reason for refusing to release it.
