Neronha to swear in McKee at convention center Tuesday

Patrick Anderson, The Providence Journal
·2 min read

Gov. Dan McKee is to be sworn in for his first full term in office by Attorney General Peter Neronha at the Rhode Island Convention Center on Tuesday.

Normally the secretary of state administers the oath of office to new statewide office-holders, but term-limited outgoing Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea expects to be out of state during the inauguration. The state Constitution calls for the attorney general to administer the oath if the secretary of state is not available.

To avoid the January cold, McKee decided to move the noon inauguration indoors from the south steps of the State House to the convention center for the first time since 1999, when Lincoln Almond was sworn in for his second term.

The elected officials being sworn in have reserved spots for their friends and supporters, but beyond that the ceremony is open to the general public on a first-come, first-served basis. (Anyone looking to attend is asked to RSVP by email to debra.rota@governor.ri.gov.)

The public is also invited to a free inaugural celebration at 6 p.m. at the convention center, where there will be "light refreshments and family-friendly entertainment."

McKee will be not holding a formal, invitation-only inaugural ball as did his most recent predecessor, Gov. Gina Raimondo.

Before the public evening celebration at the convention center, McKee is hosting a private reception in the lobby of the Providence Performing Arts Center, campaign spokesman Mike Trainor said.

A nonprofit McKee inaugural committee is raising money for all of the Jan. 3 inaugural events, Trainor said and has collected $240,000 so far. The events are not expected to cost that much, and any funds left over will be donated to charity, he said.

A list of donors or corporate sponsors of the inaugural was not immediately available.

After Neronha swears in McKee and Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos, McKee will swear in Neronha, Treasurer James Diossa and Secretary of State Gregg Amore.

The ceremony will be streamed on McKee's Facebook page.

Other parts of the program include:

  • Children from the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Rhode Island, which McKee's father started, will lead the Pledge of Allegiance.

  • State Trooper Kim Pitts-Wiley will sing The Star-Spangled Banner.

  • McKee's daughter and "The Voice" contestant Kara McKee will sing America the Beautiful.

  • The Governor’s 88th Army Band of the Rhode Island National Guard will play Stars and Stripes Forever.

  • Gabriella Bautista Bolvito, the vice chair for the Statewide Student Advisory Council, will read an inaugural poem.

  • Major General Christopher P. Callahan will present the governor with the ceremonial gorget, a metal throat covering.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Neronha to swear in McKee indoors Tuesday