WPRO News and the Associated Press
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) – Lawmakers say they’re going to reform the campaign finance system because former House Speaker Gordon Fox exploited weaknesses in it.
Current Speaker Nicholas Mattiello says House leaders are drafting a bill to require elected officials to file bank statements for their campaign accounts with their campaign finance reports, so there’s a document to reconcile the reports against.
He says the Board of Elections knows what the bank balance should be, but not what it actually is.
Fox acknowledges making dozens of interbank transfers totaling $108,000, taking the money from his campaign account and using it for personal expenses. Fox overstated his campaign account’s balance on campaign finance filings to hide his actions.
Fox pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges of bribery, wire fraud and filing a false tax return.
