RI's Republican Party opens session calling, again, for a state inspector general

PROVIDENCE – In what has become a Rhode Island-version of 'Groundhog Day,' the state's outnumbered Republican legislators called Tuesday for the creation of an Office of the Inspector General to go where the state's existing auditor general and Bureau of Audits have not gone.

House Minority Leader Michael Chippendale and Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz joined state GOP Chairman Joe Powers to renew the call at a noon State House news conference on the opening day of the 2024 legislative session.

"This office would stand as a vigilant watchdog, meticulously scrutinizing every action taken by our government," said Powers, calling the creation of the office "a proactive investment in the prevention and detection of fraud, waste, and abuse of our precious public resources."

Asked why they believe the state's ruling Democrats have not recently embraced the legislation, which in some years has actually had Democratic co-sponsors, Chippendale said: "Because we are an 87% one-party state. And if you are a supermajority, why would you put an institute in place that will monitor you?"

(Translated: Republicans hold only 14 of Rhode Island's 113 legislative seats.)

"Go and ask the Democrats whether or not this is something that they want to stand behind. Go talk to them, ask them and see what it is that they're willing to do," said Powers.

What would the Office of the Inspector General do?

The three Republicans said what they want is an independent arm of government akin to what 36 other states have to one degree or another. The projected cost: $1.5 million.

Aiming their sights beyond the state budget, they cited the McKee Administration's now-infamous "ILO" education consulting contract as an example of an action that needed an investigation by an independent inspector general who doesn't owe their to the governor or the legislature.

As Chippendale recounted that disputed history: "Within the first couple of weeks of Governor [Dan] McKee inheriting his first two free years in office ... he employed some of his good friends and golf buddies who created a contracting firm and paid them millions of dollars, which they still have and have kept but never provided us the services."

McKee would not describe the history of that aborted contract quite that way. But Chippendale said: "There are plenty of things that we could reference. That's off the top of my head."

The Republicans also cited the more recent shutdown of the westbound span of a major highway after a young engineer reportedly discovered the failure – since the last inspection in July – of one or more of the critical steel pins beneath a bridge carrying 90,000 vehicles into and out of Providence daily.

"If there were a nonpartisan office that possessed the authority to conduct investigations, audits and evaluations of governmental agencies and programs, how much more confidence would the public have in the ability to resolve issues we currently face, including the sudden closure of the I-195 bridge?" asked de la Cruz.

Far from the first time the office has been floated

The perennial legislation last got a shot of publicity when Republican state Rep. Patricia Morgan promised, as a candidate for governor, to create an inspector general's office by executive order if elected.

"I will find $4 million to begin the office," pledged the West Warwick lawmaker, naming former state Attorney General Arlene Violet as her first choice for the job.

Violet, in turn, agreed that the creation of an office of inspector general is "long overdue" in Rhode Island. She described herself to The Journal as "potentially interested."

Morgan's argument: “We simply must do a better job of squeezing waste, fraud and abuse out of government spending ... There is no stronger ally for hardworking taxpayers than an inspector general. This professional, with the support of investigators and auditors, will make our government more accountable to the people of our state."

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI's Republican Party calls for state inspector general. What that means.