The Rhode Island State Police is investigating Frank Montanaro Jr, a top State House staffer and Mattiello appointee. Montanaro ahs allegedly filed false documents with the University of Rhode Island indicating he was working at Rhode Island College in order to obtain free tuition. Speaker Nicholas Mattiello originally claimed that Montanaro’s free tuition came at no cost to taxpayers, but eventually Montanaro was compelled to pay back the free tuition because “when you work in the speaker’s office, you’ve got to have the confidence of the public.”
RI GOP Chair responds
Rhode Island Republican Party Chairman Brandon S. Bell commented “When public officials are under state police investigation they do not have the confidence of the public. Mr. Speaker, it’s time for Montanaro to go. For weeks we have asked the State Police to investigate Montanaro and for Mattiello to terminate him. If Mattiello does not terminate Montanaro from his State House job now, Mattiello will send a clear message to the public that the Speaker believes it is acceptable to have someone working for you who is investigated by the State Police.”
“The Montanaro scandal is a becoming a repeat of the John Carnevale scandal," Bell continued. "When Carnevale was exposed, Mattiello defended him. Only after more information come out about and after Carnevale began being investigated by the State Police did Mattiello finally request that Carnevale not seek reelection and returned a campaign contribution from him. We all know Montanaro helped Mattiello in his re-election campaign. Perhaps Montanaro knows too many campaign secrets or knows what goes on in the Speaker’s office, but that is no excuse for Mattiello to keep Montanaro now that he is under investigation by the State Police.”
Rhode Island Republican Party Chairman Brandon S. Bell commented “When public officials are under state police investigation they do not have the confidence of the public. Mr. Speaker, it’s time for Montanaro to go. For weeks we have asked the State Police to investigate Montanaro and for Mattiello to terminate him. If Mattiello does not terminate Montanaro from his State House job now, Mattiello will send a clear message to the public that the Speaker believes it is acceptable to have someone working for you who is investigated by the State Police.”
“The Montanaro scandal is a becoming a repeat of the John Carnevale scandal," Bell continued. "When Carnevale was exposed, Mattiello defended him. Only after more information come out about and after Carnevale began being investigated by the State Police did Mattiello finally request that Carnevale not seek reelection and returned a campaign contribution from him. We all know Montanaro helped Mattiello in his re-election campaign. Perhaps Montanaro knows too many campaign secrets or knows what goes on in the Speaker’s office, but that is no excuse for Mattiello to keep Montanaro now that he is under investigation by the State Police.”
