Letter To Editor: Portsmouth Democrats Oppose Speaker Mattiello

By The Portsmouth Democratic Town Committee

The Portsmouth Democratic Town Committee, at their monthly meeting on November 1, 2018, unanimously passed a resolution calling on all state representatives -- including the four who represent Portsmouth -- to oppose current House speaker Nicholas Mattiello's bid for re-election to the post of Speaker of the House.

“The Portsmouth Democratic Party takes very seriously the allegations of sexual harassment by a committee chair appointed by the Speaker," said Town Committee Chair Len Katzman, "And we are troubled by the lack of timely and effective action to resolve those complaints."

"We are particularly troubled by the scenario where an alleged target of harassment had to present their bill to a committee that was chaired by her alleged harasser," said Katzman. "The perception that legislation could not get a fair hearing, as well as the unjust burden on a lawmaker in that situation raises serious questions about the Speaker's judgement and sense of fairness."

The resolution notes that the current Speaker has consistently prevented legislation with broad public support from advancing to a floor vote. This includes bills explicitly supported by the Portsmouth Democratic Town Committee, such as the Reproductive Health Care Act and the Safe Schools Act.

The resolution also questions the Speaker's tolerance for diversity within the RI Democratic Party.

"The Speaker has labelled the RI National Organization for Women and the RI Coalition Against Gun Violence 'extreme progressive groups,'" said Katzman. "We agree with RI Democratic Party Chair Joe McNamara who has said that 'it take two wings to fly,' and that the state party should reflect a diversity of perspectives. We find such characterizations divisive and counterproductive."

“We recognize that this resolution may put our local representatives in a difficult position," said Katzman, ”Although it shouldn't be that way if Rhode Island had a Speaker of the House who focused on fairly and openly doing the right thing for both their local constituents and the state."

Portsmouth Democratic Town Committee

LEONARD B. KATZMAN, CHAIR
MARJORIE LEVESQUE , VICE CHAIR
JOHN MCDAID, TREASURER
VALERIE SEVENEY, SECRETARY

RESOLUTION OPPOSING ELECTION OF NICHOLAS MATTIELLO AS SPEAKER
The Portsmouth Democratic Town Committee finds the following facts and
circumstances:

1. The Rhode Island General Assembly provides an outsize role for Speaker of the
House which includes broad discretion to control legislation and committees. This expansive set of powers has effectively allowed 3,611 residents in the current speaker's home district to outweigh the wishes of almost one million Rhode Islanders. Such a system requires a speaker to act with humility and cognizance of their larger constituency.

2. The current speaker, Nicholas Mattiello, has used these powers to prevent floor
votes on legislation supported by a large majority of Rhode Islanders (and the RI Democratic Party platform), including the Reproductive Health Care Act.

3. The Speaker, according to multiple news reports, failed to take timely, effective
action on complaints of sexual harassment. In at least one reported case, an alleged harasser was allowed to chair a committee before which an alleged target had legislative business, raising serious questions about the impartiality of the process and the creation of a hostile workplace environment.

4. Despite the Chair of the Rhode Island Democratic Party explicitly welcoming
“both wings” to the state party's “big tent,” the Speaker has dismissed the RI National
Organization for Women and the RI Coalition Against Gun Violence, both of which are home to many self-identified Democrats, as “extreme progressive groups.” He has also ignored calls from the Democratic Women's Caucus and supported candidates who aimed to unseat incumbent Democratic women.

5. This pattern of facts raises significant questions about the current Speaker's
commitment to equal representation, protection of victims of harassment, fair and transparent government processes, and tolerance for differing positions which is a hallmark of Rhode Islanddating back to our founding.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Portsmouth Democratic Town Committee
hereby calls upon all members of the Rhode Island House of Representatives not to support Rep. Nicholas Mattiello for Speaker.
Adopted on the 1st day of November, 2018.

Portsmouth Democratic Town Committee, Portsmouth,