Ethics panel launches investigation into corrections department director

Wayne Salisbury, Jr. is congratulated as he leaves the Rhode Island Senate chamber after his confirmation vote to become the permanent director of the Department of Corrections on Thursday, June 13, 2024. (Will Steinfeld/Rhode Island Current)

Less than two weeks into the job, Rhode Island’s Department of Corrections director is under investigation by the state ethics panel.

The Rhode Island Ethics Commission voted unanimously on Tuesday to open a probe into Wayne Salisbury, Jr. over alleged ethics violations related to omitted out-of-state travel on his annual financial disclosure forms. The complaint against Salisbury was filed by the Rhode Island Brotherhood for Correctional Officers on June 7, days before a legislative hearing on his permanent appointment to the job. Tensions between the union and Salisbury have been growing since Salisbury was named interim director in January 2023, with disagreements centering on changes in prison policy enacted under Salisbury’s oversight.

Despite union protests, the Rhode Island Senate confirmed Salisbury to the cabinet seat anyway, with a decisive 32-4 vote on the final day of the 2024 legislative session.

The timing of the complaints suggests to John Marion, executive director of Common Cause Rhode Island, the attack was political in nature.

“This was an attempt by the brotherhood to give Salisbury a black eye before the advice and consent hearing,” Marion said. 

But, he added, “Just because it was politically motivated doesn’t mean they were wrong.”

Ethics Commission Vice Chair Lauren Jones emphasized the vote Tuesday is a preliminary determination that the evidence is enough to warrant an investigation, but does not signify a conclusion or opinion. 

The ethics panel’s decision, which came after a 30-minute closed-door meeting, starts the clock on what could be a nearly-10 month probe if the commission opts to use its full 180-day investigation period along with the two, 60-day extensions available under state law. At the conclusion of its probe, it could still ultimately find no wrongdoing on Salisbury’s part. Or, alternatively, a finding of ethical violations could warrant financial penalties.

Marion did not think Salisbury was in for a serious punishment based on the commission’s track record.

“The ethics commission tends to treat complaints about financial disclosure with more leniency because they’re largely looking for compliance,” he said. “It’s more of an administrative burden than a substantive one.”

Salisbury updated his annual financial statement to include the required information about compensated, out-of-state travel after a WPRI-12 investigation revealed his initial filing errors. 

Salisbury did not attend the ethics meeting.

A spokesperson for the Rhode Island Department of Corrections was not immediately available to comment on Tuesday.

Richard Ferruccio, president of the correctional officers union who filed the complaint, did not immediately respond to inquiries for comment. Ferruccio also said previously he lodged a second ethical complaint against Salisbury alleging nepotism in the hiring of Salisbury’s niece. However, only the complaint about financial disclosures was up for consideration Tuesday.

Jason Gramitt, the ethics commission’s executive director, said the panel can reject initial complaints if they don’t apply to the state ethics code or are missing information. He could not confirm whether this was the case with Ferruccio’s second complaint against Salisbury.

Gov. Dan McKee, who nominated Salisbury to the director seat, did not immediately respond to inquiries for comment.

Salisbury earns a $174,593 annual salary based on cabinet raises pitched by McKee, which took effect in May.

Commission Chair Marisa Quinn did not attend the meeting.

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