WPRO News and the Associated Press
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The Rhode Island Republican Party has filed a complaint with the state Board of Elections over a former Republican candidate’s campaign advertisement endorsing Democratic House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello.
GOP Chairman Brandon Bell filed the petition Monday asking elections officials to investigate the mailer from anti-vaccination activist Shawna Lawton, who lost September’s Republican primary for the Cranston seat to lawyer Steve Frias. Lawton is now endorsing Mattiello over Frias in next week’s election.
The complaint comes after the Providence Journal reported that Lawton told political allies in an online chat about a promise to support the anti-vaccination cause if she supported Mattiello.
In response to the filing, in a statement, Speaker Mattiello said “I have never met Mrs. Lawton nor ha ve I made any promises to her in return for her support of my candidacy. I am certainly proud to receive her endorsement, just as I am about gainng the support of many of her fellow Republicans. That said, I have stated that her interest in the HPV vaccine is an issue for the Department of Health, not the Legislature. I have called on Mrs. Lawton to disclose the funding source of her recent mailer.”
Mattiello told WPRO’s Gene Valicenti Monday that no discussions were had with Lawton regarding the HPV vaccination issue, and that it was “a Health Department issue and not a legislative one.”
SEE THE COMPLAINT BELOW:
