The Story of Gina Raimondo America Does Not Know About-Yet

While the Concerns Have Not Been in the Public Eye Much, They Are All Very Concerning and Require Needed Action. (Updated)

Let me just first note that I am still adjusting to the new structure of Substack posting-including the tedious-and difficult-subscribing and unsubscribing process I have still not gotten a full hold of yet. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or comments whether through the mechanisms this site provides, or on my LinkedIn profile. Also, if the piece is too long to read online, feel free to download as a file or print it out. As to the piece itself…

As a Rhode Islander, one would think it would be the norm to celebrate a fellow Rhode Islander making his or her way up to the Cabinet advising the President of the United States. And there are some notable Rhode Islanders who have made it to Washington and should be proud of their pathway to serving the entire country. Hugh Clements, who was the head of the Providence Police Department, is now the head of the DOJ’s COPS Program under Attorney General Merrick Garland. A prominent East Side RI State Senator works for the Labor Department, which was once run by former Boston mayor Marty Walsh-and plenty of states and towns all across the country can also take pride in their local talent that has made it up to Washington in the Biden Administration-including former state lawmakers, candidates, policy leaders, civil servants, and more. Unfortunately, it is not something that can be said in the State of Rhode Island regarding the actions and conduct of former RI governor and current US Commerce Secretary, Gina Raimondo, and the implications they have on building confidence in our national government.

It is a rather somber statement to make of someone who represented the state and who indeed could have had immense potential. Instead, the long, tainted track record in Rhode Island along with the recent patterns emerging in the US Commerce Department are ones that undermine the core values of American governance, incapacitate administrative efficiency and trust, and even cross ethical and perhaps legal boundaries. This is not just some political statement either from an opponent worthy or not. I am a proud Biden 2024 supporter all the way through. So are many Rhode Island progressives and RI Democrats generally who are greatly concerned about Commerce Secretary Raimondo. State Republicans are universally outraged and angered by what has happened too. National Democrats and Republicans have their own concerns about the way the Commerce Department is being run. Advocates across the ideological spectrum all over the country are blowing the whistle on Raimondo’s past conduct, behavior, credentials, and connections. And that might only be the start of it in bringing awareness to who Gina Raimondo really is. On behalf of many people I have communicated with over the past two years, we hope to bring this track record and the present concerns ahead in time for any potential Treasury Secretary promotion given by President Joe Biden to Raimondo if-or more likely, when-Yellen leaves office in the near future.

Some examples to point out. First, in recent years, I have done my small part in bringing to the public’s attention some of the biggest issues that have plagued Rhode Island over the years in columns and petitions. Progressives and Democrats have critiqued Raimondo’s tenure in Rhode Island for the outcomes that came out of big legislative policy initiatives and their impact on the most vulnerable and marginalized communities, while also catering to the special interests and posing major conflicts of interests that lapse basic government ethics and state openness & transparency. Adriel Hampton provides just one small example of this, but many progressive policy-based organizations and government watchdogs have raised similar concerns on a colossal scale-including the Revolving Door Project, Data for Progress, Demand Progress, Public Citizen, People’s Parity Project, ACRE Campaigns, and more. State Republicans and National Republicans have also raised concerns about Raimondo on similar fronts, including her economic results, government and administrative competence, and respect for state government norms and procedures. Non-partisan organizations and nonprofits have raised many alarms over Raimondo’s conduct on a whole array of issues in Rhode Island and now in the Commerce Department with monumental life-or-death consequences for the communities and people they serve, assist, and sworn to protect. State lawmakers over the years have pilfered the Raimondo Administration for the dishonesty and insincerity brought to basic oversight by the General Assembly in the aftermath of several major administrative and policy failures & disasters. Congress is also dealing with this on a similar front around the Commerce Department’s constantly revolving doors-especially in Raimondo’s tenure with Big Tech companies and the bitcoin industry with deep connections to her over the years.

And while all of this may seem normal, the rest is not. Beginning with the most recent scandal in Rhode Island, the state-run Eleanor Slater Hospital campus was in severe need of assistance by the time Raimondo left Smith Hill and the RI State House for Washington DC. Eleanor Slater Hospital is an institution administered by the state’s BHDDH; an agency responsible for the care of the most vulnerable Rhode Islanders. The patients that go to Eleanor Slater Hospital-most often those with severe medical, developmental, or psychiatric needs-do so as their last resort with the unequivocal love and support of their own family. Yet the finances of the hospital were so out of whack and so neglected in the six years of the Raimondo Administration that efforts were taken at the end of Raimondo’s governorship by the BHDDH to forcibly discharge patients to balance the proportion of medical/physical condition patients vs. patients with mental health disorders to retain its Medicaid funding from the federal government. The quality of care and the appropriate staffing of nurses needed to take care of patients at Eleanor Slater Hospital declined rapidly without the immediate action that was demanded in the moment. The Eleanor Slater Hospital campus in Burrillville was so dilapidated and abandoned that the infrastructure was becoming a health obstacle and a threat to the safety of patients on campus. Furthermore, as future investigations and reports unveiled, money from 2018 that could have been placed into Eleanor Slater Hospital facilities was left in the bank and untouched until its uncovering in late 2021 or early 2022. A patient has died, and the state has since been working to rebuild the entire system from scratch with a new governor and new membership and leadership in the General Assembly. While there are many cases of state government agency dysfunction and chaos under Raimondo, this is perhaps the most tragic, egregious, and despicable of them all, and it should say something about whether there needs to be intense supervision and oversight of the Commerce Department now based on the record.

It is not the first time that Rhode Island-or even just Governor Raimondo’s Administration-dealt with massive administrative incompetence, egregious staffing shortages, and fiscal mismanagement in state agencies. If anything, state agency incompetence, financial mismanagement, and administrative neglect were classic hallmarks of Gina Raimondo’s tenure as the Governor of Rhode Island over the years-from the Cooler & Warmer tourism campaign embarrassment that gave RI national headlines, to the infamous abandonment and neglect of basic administrative duties at the Department of Children, Youth, and Families, the United Health Infrastructure Project rollout, RI Housing, EMS services, DMV, the Bristol Veterans Home, and all across other large state agencies like the Department of Environmental Management, the Department of Education, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Labor & Training, and even the RI Commerce Corporation. All of which should worry Congress and the White House on whether Raimondo should be in any position to head the biggest policy initiatives revolving around larger scale appropriations and staffing in Commerce or any other Cabinet department, such as the broadband rollout across the country, or the taxpayer funds appropriated in the CHIPS Act for semiconductor facilities and microchip companies receiving those dollars. But the Eleanor Slater Hospital saga-which is currently under investigation by Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha-unveils an almost unprecedented disturbance and carelessness that raises even more questions. Notably, what were Raimondo’s plans around Eleanor Slater Hospital? Was it to close it down, or reconvert it for other uses and purposes as was reported? Because if there were state plans not fully disclosed to the public, it raises the prospects over whether Gina Raimondo was trying to run ESH down to the ground and dismantle the campus care system from within using the state government agencies-a concern that also applies to the failed Providence Public Schools state takeover and the expansion of Achievement First and Excel Academy charter schools citywide. Don’t take it from me. Take it from the well-documented reporting of the local press, and of state lawmakers themselves, whether they are Democrats or Republicans.

And also, why were these issues concealed for such a long time? Was Raimondo concerned it would harm her national image and future political ambitions as President Biden was vetting her for a Cabinet spot-likewise with the 2021 minority-owned small business contracting report which was concealed for months beyond its usual release? Why was the money for Eleanor Slater Hospital buildings withheld for three years when Raimondo was the governor? Why was the administration forcibly discharging patients without their consent or will and usually without the involvement or consultation of family members and friends? Maybe these are some of the kinds of concerns and questions that impact all the state government agencies that were under the jurisdiction of Gina Raimondo and her administration for more than six years. What’s for certain is a notorious presence of neglect and abuse that should not be ignored nor taken lightly in Rhode Island or in Washington DC. It is a notorious example of other potential instances of ethically disingenuous or even criminal conduct by Governor Gina Raimondo herself or higher-up subordinates in the Raimondo Administration that is of relevance and concern to the American public at large. And it showcases the price of leadership that does not know what to do. To this end, disability rights organizations have been notified of these recent events at Eleanor Slater Hospital and are encouraged to follow up on other findings and further action in some form. It is also noted that since the Providence Schools state takeover began, there have also been blatant disability education rights violations that they are aware of too. Likewise, the consistent and discouraging pattern of mismanagement, incompetence, and potential neglect and dereliction of multiple state government agencies that is known so far has been raised of grave importance to the US Department of Justice, US Attorney Zachary Cunha of the District of Rhode Island, the Department of Health & Human Services, and the Department of Education; all of whom could uncover more findings.

Additionally, there are major concerns over the policy motives and mechanisms of the Raimondo Administration in Rhode Island, and the US Commerce Department. For instance, the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation is an agency that was devised for generating more economic growth and activity in the state. And while the agency has to deal with businesses to some extent, it is clear that the dealings with multinational corporations and companies fall on major conflicts and have the potential to cross vital boundaries. For one, in these deals commenced by the state Commerce Corporation-and often at the cost of working Rhode Islanders, the poorest communities, and essential government social services, programs, and agencies in a variety of state budget cuts-many of the companies that sought state taxpayer-based subsidies were some of the most prolific donors and campaign contributors for Gina Raimondo as she ran for State Treasurer in 2010 and for Governor in 2014 and 2018. Perhaps it is no coincidence since Raimondo is also very well-liked by Corporate America and Wall Street who knew her as a corporate technocrat running the State of Rhode Island, and as a venture capitalist with deep ties to the venture capital business, hedge fund, and private equity world. On a side note, it is also well known that the Commerce Corporation did not properly audit how taxpayer subsidies and business incentives were spent and the clients there were investing in with the hopes of job creation and revenue boosts for the state budget and other finances-such as the 2016 LA slumlord deal heavily scrutinized by the city of Pawtucket, or the many large companies and businesses that were given money only to leave behind the state and the jobs they were supposed to create. Conflicts are even more present in campaign contributions from oil executives and gas industry donors-such as the Invenergy executives in the hopes of a new power plant in Burrillville, or the LNG beneficiaries for facilities in majority Hispanic or Black South Providence. Even more striking-her husband’s past work with the charter school network and massive rings of donations over the years from 50CAN, the Waltons, Jonathan Sackler, and Rahm Emanuel in the push to expand charter school networks in RI. It also fits with the positions Raimondo has on Commerce behind vaccine waivers (Big Pharma donations), and policies around regulating Big Tech companies for public safety and wellbeing, as well as more rules for the cryptocurrency industry.

And finally, there are major conflicts and abuses of power in the 2011 pension reform efforts that propelled her career in the first place. Beyond the impact of the pension cuts and its financial strain since for workers and retirees alike, there is the even greater problem of whether Raimondo sought to profit off of state employees and their state pensions, and give some of the proceeds to the hedge fund managers, venture capitalists, and private equity firms that entered the system thereafter. This also includes Point Judith Capital, where Raimondo was once the head and whose company entered the pension system with the state only a couple of years before the 2011 bill became law. Records to see the investments, most of the pension system’s performances, and Raimondo’s financial impact off of them have largely been ignored over the years, as Ted Siedle has documented and which he, Terry Mutchler, and other attorneys and lawyers are fighting to finally obtain after 12 years. Perhaps there is a greater purpose to this attempted cover up of the state’s pension data, from pension performance specifics to Raimondo’s close ties with PJC. Also in the mix: the Engage Rhode Island political action committee supposedly founded by Rhode Islanders, but also takes in a heap of money and a huge chunk of change from outside the state. Their donors have never been fully disclosed-though it has been reported in the past that former Enron executive John Arnold, a big national pension reform supporter and power player, contributed a large proportion of the donations that came into the political action committee. Who else donated to Engage RI? We may never know. As such, these potential conflicts of interest and the extraordinary lapses in government transparency have since been referred to the Securities & Exchange Commission, the Federal Elections Commission, and the Internal Revenue Service for further review and analysis.

It may seem that we know a lot about Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and the long pay-to-play track record that exists. But in truth, many questions remain, and more may come out over time. And while many heroic figures and leaders in Rhode Island and all across the country are making valiant efforts to fill in the details and give some clarity to the best extent possible, the truth is much more needs to be done and done with the professionals who have the resources and commitment to ensuring there is true justice and accountability. Foremost, the many people in Rhode Island impacted by Gina Raimondo’s various policy decisions and initiatives need to have their voices heard by anyone. Their issues must be brought to the attention of the American people because of the tragic details and context of these events and the implications it has both on them, but also on Raimondo’s capacity for leadership and governing that has been and is now very well in question. But it also means that the appropriate stakeholders and authorities have to take action with what they have. Many stakeholders in Rhode Island and in Washington DC have been aware of the issues and have fought for years to bring them to the attention of the entire country and will continue to do so. But it cannot be just them. The United States Congress has to act. The appropriate Biden Administration executive agencies can take similar steps towards action. We need them to.

With the resources they have already enclosed in multiple emails and letters, they can consider the options available. Among them proposed here:

1. Urging for the establishment of a Joint Congressional Committee or Commission based in the State of Rhode Island for publicizing, recording, overseeing, and reviewing state matters and concerns around Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo-perhaps even matters beyond her tenure that are resulting in the violation of federal or state laws (administrative incompetence, fiscal mismanagement, state public records violations, transparency lapses, conflicts of interests, pension reform fiduciary responsibilities and investments, state agency dysfunction, state finances and budget health, state crisis response, etc.).

2. For the appropriate House and Senate Committees in Congress to conduct a full audit of the US Commerce Department under Raimondo's leadership and tenure-specifically in the responsibilities and duties Gina Raimondo has directly as the US Commerce Secretary and especially on matters around fund appropriations, staffing, and policy development. Will also emphasize the need for Congress to be granted subpoena and other legislative oversight powers if needed based on the materials gathered for them and any other findings and discoveries.

3. Calling on Biden Administration executive agencies (mainly those with oversight and legal authority) to review all enclosed relevant materials and resources sent to them recently on the most pressing RI-potentially even Commerce Department-matters depending on the evidence and other future findings. Also note the possibility of using legal or criminal action on Raimondo or subordinates if those concerns or paths arise in any potential federal inquiry or investigation by the Biden Administration.

4. Asking US Attorney Zachary Cunha to likewise review the enclosed materials and documents provided to him this past Thursday or Friday on the potential inquiries relevant to his jurisdiction.

5. Through the press and other forms of communication and activity, request the White House and Congress alike to immediately pause any consideration of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo for any further Cabinet promotions until the full findings and reporting are conducted and fully disclosed to the public; without forms of stonewalling, interference, or obstruction of any kind whatsoever.

We were all duped from top-to-bottom. And that is why we all need to press for greater morals and integrity in our government right now, and propel these issues that have been ignored for far too long. And it will take all of us to ensure the matters at stake get the attention they deserve for the people most impacted by all of this. And that is my introductory Substack post.

P.S Gotta work on my editing and writing here. To be continued.