WPRO News
Governor Gina Raimondo is losing a second cabinet director in a week, nominating Macky McCleary to head the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers. He has headed the Department of Business Regulation since she took office.
Last week, Raimondo’s Director of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals Maria Montanaro announced she is stepping down, effective June 24 to return to the private sector.
The current Public Utilities Administrator, Thomas Ahern submitted his retirement letter to the Governor this week. Ahern has headed the agency since 1997.
McCleary’s tenure at DBR was marred by Raimondo’s hiring in 2015 of former lawmaker Donald Lally, who resigned in April. Lally was “loaned” by the governor’s office to DBR to act as an $87,057 a year liaison to small businesses.
Last month, the Rhode Island Ethics Commission found probable cause to set a trial to determine whether Lally violated an ethics rule and state law, barring legislators from taking state employment within a year of leaving office.
McCleary was nominated by Raimondo to a six-year term as Public Utilities Commission Administrator.
