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GENERAL ASSEMBLY SPENDING
FROM THE JOURNAL
5.6.2001
PART
ONE: Making law on Smith Hill: A $22-million enterprise
Newly elected lawmakers got a taste of their new job at a "Holiday Get-Together"
that House Democratic leaders hosted for them at the State House last
December. First they were offered tray after tray of hors d'oeuvres —
Hawaiian chicken, scallops wrapped in bacon, shrimp cocktail.
5.7.2001
PART
TWO: The State House: A family business
General Assembly jobs are not, as a rule, advertised in the help-wanted
section of any newspaper. When jobs open, they often go to the sons and
daughters, nieces and nephews, hometown political backers and friends
of past and present legislators. In some cases, they go to the former
legislators themselves.
5.8.2001
PART
THREE: Legislative work both ample and lucrative for lawyers
When ousted Lottery Director John Hawkins went to court in his long-running
effort to get his job back, House Speaker John B. Harwood hired a $250-an-hour
lawyer at Adler, Pollock & Sheehan to fight the case. When questions
came up last November about the ethical propriety of Harwood's own role
as a lawyer in a case before a state agency, the "Speaker's Office"
paid another private law firm $175 an hour to research the "conflicts
of attorney/legislators."
REACTION
5.9.2001
REACTION:
Almond calls for controls on spending by Assembly
Governor Almond and several state lawmakers criticized the General Assembly's
spending practices yesterday, saying that recent disclosures by The Journal
highlight the need for more oversight and tighter controls.
5.10.2001
REACTION:
Bill for their expenses
PROVIDENCE — A group of dissident Democratic
lawmakers introduced a bill yesterday to require an annual outside audit
of the General Assembly's finances, a response to newspaper reports of
questionable expenditures by legislators and their aides.
5.18.2001
REACTION:
Critics assail Assembly audit as proposed
PROVIDENCE — The call by the
House speaker and Senate majority leader for an audit of legislative expenses
by a private firm chosen by the legislature's auditor general has not
quelled the controversy over the way the General Assembly runs its $22-million-a-year
business.
5.24.2001
REACTION:
Irons uses e-mail to rebut critic over audit of legislative spending
PROVIDENCE — Electronic
mail has given Senate Majority Leader William V. Irons a forum for telling
critics — such as former state Rep. Rodney Driver — what he
thinks of them.
5.31.2001
REACTION:
Audit bill whisks through the Senate
PROVIDENCE — Moving with
unusual speed, the Senate yesterday approved a bill requiring "independent
audits" of the General Assembly's own books at least once every two
years.
6.23.2001
REACTION:
House nixes bill requiring outside audit of Assembly
PROVIDENCE — When the Senate
had its chance to vote last month, it unanimously endorsed a proposed
law requiring an outside audit of the General Assembly's books at least
once every two years. But now, the House has decided no law is necessary.
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