Kilmartin Could Be Vulnerable to Hodgson in RI AG’s Race
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
RI Attorney General candidate Dawson Hodgson can’t match his opponent’s war chest, but he may have found the boost he needs in the 38 Studios saga.
Hodgson, a Republican state senator from North Kingstown, faces incumbent Peter F. Kilmartin, a 20-year General Assembly Democrat who has 7 times more campaign cash, won his last election by 41%, and can rely on his Pawtucket Police career to net him plenty of votes.
However, "Hodgson could make some headway by pressing his arguments about the need to dig deeper into the 38 Studios scandal," said former Providence Journal Political Columnist M. Charles Bakst.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTAnyone who touched the state’s involvement with former Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling’s failed video game company will likely have to answer to their challengers and the voters on the campaign trail. Kilmartin is among them. He voted for the loan guarantee legislation that eventually went to 38 Studios.
"Hodgson's claim is that Kilmartin was the Majority Whip who got the vote for 38 Studios and then didn't do any investigations [as Attorney General]," said former Providence Mayor Buddy Cianci.
Kilmartin lacks media presence
"Peter Kilmartin is a good candidate. So is Hodgson. I think that Peter has got to get out there more than he has. As far as the press is concerned, he's not available," Cianci said.
The former mayor speculated that Kilmartin may not think it's the responsibility of the Attorney General to be available to the media. But the public, however, may expect more during election time.
"He still has to stand for the election. And he has an aggressive candidate [Hodgson] who speaks well and will bring up a couple of issues that Peter has to squash. I think 38 Studios will be a defining issue in every single election," Cianci said.
Pete Kavanaugh, a partner at Hilltop Public Solutions, advised Kilmartin to his 2010 victory and is doing so again with this year's election. He would not comment on 38 Studios – "we don't consider 38 Studios to be a campaign issue" – but he did highlight Kilmartin's first-term achievements.
Campaign promises
"I think it's important to go back to the promises he made and the platform he ran on in 2009-2010. The three key things were enhancing economic security, protecting public safety, and helping restore public trust in the government," Kavanaugh said.
Kavanaugh cited specific actions by Kilmartin for each of the three campaign promises. Kilmartin created the Child Abuse Unit within the department of Attorney General to prosecute individuals charged with physical and sexual abuse of minors. He also proposed stricter penalties for those who illegally possess firearms, and announced indictments charging MS-13 gang members, including their leader, for various gun, drug and assault crimes.
In terms of economic security, Kavanaugh said "Kilmartin helped to take on Wall Street and announced the landmark national mortgage settlement with the nation’s five largest mortgage service providers over foreclosure abuses and mortgage servings practices, bringing more than $150 million in benefits and relief to Rhode Island homeowners."
Finally, the campaign believes Kilmartin has helped restore the public's trust in government by establishing a confidential tip line to report disability pension fraud and an online, anonymous method for reporting Medicaid fraud and abuse.
"Attorney General Kilmartin has also moved aggressively to prosecute elected officials who violate the public trust. Along with the US Attorney, the Attorney General prosecuted former Central Falls Mayor Charles Moreau for his scheme in boarding up vacant buildings for personal profit. Attorney General Kilmartin also successfully prosecuted former North Providence Police Chief John Whiting for larceny and conspiracy."
War chest disparity
Kilmartin is currently sitting on $154,000 in campaign funds, compared to his opponent's $21,717.
Hodgson said those dollars aren't as important as the millions the state lost in the 38 Studios failure – and why. The Rhode Island Commerce Corporation is suing Schilling and 13 others in state superior court over the failed $75 million 38 Studios investment. Governor Chafee's proposal to encourage a settlement in the state's lawsuit is now headed to the senate. The proposal would protect parties who settle with the state. Hodgson believes this could recoup some cash, but also shut the door on the truth behind the deal.
"It's a multifaceted scandal. It's about accountability, justice and a matter of exercising our fiduciary responsibility to the people,” Hodgson said.
Hodgson's campaign cornerstone
It's also become the cornerstone of his campaign against Kilmartin.
"The AG voted for the 38 Studios project as a rep. He is, in fact, partially responsible for this. Unlike the other legislators who were part of this he's the only one who six months later became the attorney general. He could have done something about this."
Had Hodgson been the Attorney General, he said he would have convened an investigative grand jury – "a fact-finding and truth-seeking exercise that is a powerful tool that only the AG and the US Attorney have at their disposal." Hodgson went on to say he would have been a participant, if not the lead counsel, in any civil action related to 38 Studios, as well as the current lawsuit.
But he was not the Attorney General during the height of this debacle, and he has a long way to go to get there. A self-proclaimed "outsider," he believes Kilmartin's performance in his first term makes him vulnerable.
"He has a significant financial head start. I have a head start in being engaged in all of the substantive policy issues that have come in the past three years. That's really the strength of my campaign. I've been engaged in issues that matter. I have been known as somebody who stands up for my constituents. Why won't he stand up?"
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