Gardiner: The Wrath of Khen

Mike Gardiner



“At the end of the Universe lies the beginning of vengeance.” 

Star Trek II; The Wrath of Khan. No, vengeance is closer my friends, much, much closer.

At the end of a primary lies the beginning of vengeance.

Moosetrek V: The Wrath of Khen .

For the fifth time Robert Healey is suddenly running for State wide office again. Incredibly, the famously independent Robert Healey is suddenly running as a Moderate for Governor even though he didn’t file timely, gather signatures, or do anything everyone else had to do. He is getting over while Ken Block giggles.

If you are registered as a Republican or a Democrat or a Moderate, you can’t file candidacy in a different party. That seems logical and serves integrity. But there’s a loophole. If you are registered as “independent” that is, unaffiliated ,you can file candidacy into any party. Cool Moose branded Robert Healey, according to a “Vote RI” website of unknown vintage is registered as an independent.  So he gets to take advantage of a loophole and now present himself to run as the Moderate candidate for Governor.

Trafficking in loopholes

Did Healey file a candidacy back in June like everyone else and go gather 1000 signatures to get himself on the ballot? No. He’s taking advantage of another loophole:

RI General Laws§ 17-15-38  Vacancies among nominees. – (a) Whenever the nominee of a party for a particular office dies after the primary, or removes him or herself from the jurisdiction of or as a candidate for the office for which the nominee seeks election, or becomes physically or mentally disabled, the state committee of that party or a duly authorized subcommittee of the state committee in the case of state officers  *  *  *  * may file with the appropriate authority the name of its nominee for the office; provided, that except in the case of death, the appropriate committee shall file the name with the appropriate authority no later than four o'clock (4:00) p.m. of the third (3rd) day following the last day for the holding of the party primaries.

Nobody died, but when Ken Block escaped his exile in the Moderate Party, the Ceti Aplha V of Rhode Island politics and turned up as a Republican, the hulk of his Botany Bay still sheltered a few more Moderate hopefuls for office in 2014. James Spooner, listed on Project Vote Smart website, as a former Democrat chair and frequent but unsuccessful candidate came forward to be the Moderate Party’s candidate for Governor. But, was he a sincere candidate or just a place holder for Robert Healey, and is Robert Healey really just the genesis wave, a weapon capable of destroying a solar system and the integrity of the Rhode Island electoral process packaged as a transformative marvel? Is Robert Healey, once the cool moose, now just a tool of vengeance that allows Block to strike at the Republican primary winner, Allan Fung by complicating the general election in November? Is Healey the hairy Wrath of Khen?

It is said that James Spooner’s withdrawal fits the conditions for one who “becomes physically or mentally disabled” So he can be replaced with Healey by the Moderate Party. Really? Is that in the public record? Has there been a chance in condition, or is it based upon the same Blockhead condition Spooner had when he filed for office?  I smell a scam. I’m a humble blogger. I hope the warrior press can dig a little.

As reported in the Warwick Beacon, Political junkie finds he’s candidate for governor, 7-17-2014, Spooner never intended to run for Governor.  It was all arranged by agents of Block:

How Spooner ended up running for governor continues to amuse him.

“On Tuesday I had no idea of running, and by Friday I’m the endorsed candidate,” he recounts with a wide grin.

With a longer beard and a red cap, Spooner would make a perfect Santa, although he might need some padding around the waist.

Using his State House connections, Spooner said he learned no one had declared as a Moderate candidate for governor. With time running out – the deadline for declarations was the following afternoon – Spooner took out the necessary papers. That night he received a call from William Gilbert.

Spooner had never met Gilbert, who told him he chaired the Moderate Party, and the party wanted to endorse him as their candidate. Gilbert is also on the Moderate ticket. He’s running for lieutenant governor. Spooner was flabbergasted. In a matter of hours he had gone from political observer to being a party-endorsed candidate for governor.

Now, if Mr. Spooner is so physically or mentally disabled that he truly had to drop out, let us drink to his health and wish him well. Hell, we’ll start a prayer chain. But if James Spooner was hand-picked for this contrived candidacy there should be a total rejection of Block and Healey and the Moderate Party for the next 100,000 light years.

Was he a straw-man intended to be replaced by something more substantial should the need arise? Was he known to be at risk and picked for that very reason? Was he known to possess a plausible claim to opt out for health or mental reasons if asked to do so, such as, if Fung won the primary?

Blocked out

Well, if you hadn’t noticed, Ken Block , who pledged on television to support Allan Fung if Fung defeated him in the Republican Gubernatorial primary, has been noticeably silent since Fung won. I heard no concession speech. There have been no words to the Block-hearted blessing them on their way as they help the Republican Party and the People’s choice toward the final. One might read into the silence and see malevolence. And now, this; suddenly the straw-man is” physically or mentally unable” and Robert Healey, the more substantial, hard to miss, hard to forget Robert Healey with several runs for Governor and lieutenant Governor is suddenly going to run on an austerity platform. It’s not a Moderate party platform mind you. Remember the “Economy, Education, Environment, Ethics” Platform? Instead the austerity platform an extreme platform that might come hard up against a reality: a big, big portion of the state budget is Federal money with conditions and requirements you must follow or lose it. One can just see the amused superior glint in Block’s eyes as he ponders his Moderate party stealing the far right. “Let’s see who the true conservative is now, Mayor Fung... Just see if you can beat my Wookie.. He’s no mere wookie, he’s a lawyer and has name recognition and he’s an outsider!”

Block tried to run as a Republican, for Governor right off the bat no less, and with a strategy of unrestrained attack on a solid Republican Mayor, Allan Fung. Fung deserved at least a challenger who ran a mostly positive campaign. At least, the party would have appreciated that and Block could have really built some future political capital, but he wanted it all right now. He was entitled, superior, like Khan. Well, the Fung Campaign took the fire and came back.

“Here it comes” they said like Kirk to the Khan in the classic Star Trek film.  You voted for Obama twice, you supported Obamacare, 3-2-1=0! And it came, Tuesday night.  Fung won and more than that won big 75% to 25% in Cranston, the battleground of Block’s attacks. But we see now, like Khan facing Kirk, Block will not accept defeat. As Khan was willing to annihilate a planet and solar system, Block is willing to blow up the whole election process by unleashing his Genesis wave in the form of a Moose.

It’s too bad to see Healey become a tool for Block’s vengeance.  But I think that this play may be his last breath. Block promised us that much, but he promised to support Fung too and that is more than a little tardy.

One can just hear Block shouting at Fung from his crippled burning ship; “"From hell's heart, I stab at thee. For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee." "To the last, I will grapple with thee. " Never mind that Ethics platform from 2010.



Mike Gardiner is an attorney based in Providence, former Republican candidate for U.S. Congress, and host of the Mic Gardiner Show, Tuesdays at 6 PM.

---

More WBOB Reads

• Rhode Island Gov. General Election 2014: A Consideration
  
• Providence Man Found Guilty of Killing Chihuahua Puppy and Domestic Violence
  
• Kevin Willette: Cianci Won A Game He Wasn't Playing
  
• RI Real Estate Attorney Sentenced for Embezzling More Than $900K From Clients