By Steve Klamkin WPRO News
The Rhode Island State Ethics Commission Tuesday found probable cause to find that former state lawmaker Donald Lally violated the so-called revolving door ban on taking state employment within a year of leaving office, when he went to work last year for Governor Gina Raimondo’s administration.
The finding came in an hour-long, closed door hearing, after which Lally refused comment, although his lawyer, Patrick Dougherty said, “I’m very confident in our position”. He did not elaborate.
Members voted 6-2 to find that Lally violated the Ethics Commission prohibition on accepting state employment within a year of leaving office on March 17, 2015, and voted 5-3 to find that Lally violated a state statute. Lally began work for the Department of Business Regulation less than four months later.
The maximum fine for a violation is $25,000. There is no time frame for a trial before the Ethics Commission. Lally could also negotiate a settlement with the Commission.
“There are a lot of questions about the facts in this case,” said Commission Chairman Ross Cheit. “People want to hear more before they make up their mind and that’s how the process works.”
An investigative report by the Ethics Commission staff indicates that Lally was angling for a cabinet level position with then Governor-elect Gina Raimondo in December, 2014. When that didn’t materialize, her staff began talking soon after taking office in January, 2015 about finding some job for the Narragansett Democrat.
Lally himself pointed out the so-called revolving door ban. He had been down that road before.
In November, 2010 Lally spoke with the Ethics Commission staff about taking a senior position in Attorney General Peter Kilmartin’s office that would have been exempt from the revolving door law.
Lally last month left the position at the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation, which is not a senior level position exempt from the revolving door restrictions.
The complaint against Lally was filed by the Chairman of the Rhode Island Republican Party, Brandon S. Bell on September 16, 2015.
