As much as I would love to see his primary opponent leave the city council, sending her to the general assembly is not the answer. Since being elected in 2018 Senator Sam Bell (Mt. Pleasant, Olneyville, Federal Hill, West End) has been a fierce and vocal advocate for honest, above-board governance, so obviously Senate President Dominick Ruggerio wants him out of there.
And Bell has an opponent in this year’s primary: Providence city councilperson, Jo-Ann Ryan, has been a big supporter of Ruggerio’s pet project, the Fane Tower, and he is now thanking her. According to today’s Political Scene in the ProJo;
How much is it worth to Senate leaders to oust outspoken incumbent Sen. Sam Bell in September’s primary? At least $4,000, according to the latest campaign finance reports.
Senate President Dominick Ruggerio has given the annual maximum $1,000 to Bell’s opponent, Jo-Ann Ryan, this year, as has the PAC he controls. Majority Leader Michael McCaffrey gave Providence City Council member Ryan $1,820 combined from his campaign and PAC. And Ruggerio’s chief of staff, Steven Iannazzi, gave Ryan $200.A longtime manager of the Laborers International Union, Ruggerio has found himself frequently on the receiving end of criticism from the progressive Bell. The R.I. Laborers’ PAC and Laborers’ Public Employee PAC also gave Ryan a combined $1,250.
If you live in District 5, make sure to get out and vote for Senator Sam Bell in the September 8th primary. If you don’t live in his district, make a donation! Keeping Bell in the senate benefits all Rhode Islanders.
For women wondering why they should vote for the man? Bell has a perfect record vis-a-vis women’s issues and received a key endorsement today.
I’m so incredibly honored to be one of the first ever recommended male candidates by the RI Democratic Women’s Caucus.
I was proud to vote against the rules changes that targeted and disenfranchised women from the Democratic party. I was proud to sign on to and vote for the RPA, protecting Roe vs. Wade in RI. But there is so much more we need to do. We need to ensure state health plans cover all reproductive healthcare, we need to expand maternity leave, ensure equal pay, and so much more.
Take note: Tuesday is the last day Rhode Islanders can request to vote by mail in September’s upcoming state primary elections. (ProJo 8.17.20)
***For those new to the state, a quick primer on Ruggerio’s illustrious career: 1) A forty-year-old Ruggerio was first arrested in 2012 for shoplifting condoms. He shoved them in his sock . . . he was with his mother at the time. CVS declined to press charges. 2) That same year Ruggerio was arrested for drunk driving in Barrington, with his pal Senator Frank Ciccone following in on the arrest and threatening the police officer’s pension, an event described by John Oliver as “Peak Rhode Island” (at the 11:45 mark).***