Thursday,
August 31, 2006
Italian Slur turns Snoozer
to Slugfest in Rhode Island Secretary of State Race
The
ANNOTICO Report
North
Providence Mayor Ralph Mollis, the endorsed candidate
who has been groomed by the Democratic Party for several years as an
up-and-comer in statewide politics, are going toe-to-toe and blow-for-blow,
after his opponent Guillaume de Ramel made an issue
of Mollis attended the FUNERAL of an ALLEGED (not
ever convicted) FORMER Mobster, and then made a reference to Tony
Soprano!!!!!
John
Cianci, R.I. department commander of the Italian
American War Veterans of the
SECRETARY
OF STATE RACE GOES FROM SNOOZER TO SLUGFEST
Pawtuckett Times,
By:
Jim Baron
August
28, 2006
Throw
enough stuff at the wall and, despite whether or not any of it sticks, you will
at least get some people
And so it is that the Democratic candidates for secretary of state have staged
a donneybrook that has managed to cut through the
clutter of a U.S. Senate race that is being watched nationwide, a competitive
campaign for governor that is just now coming to life and a proposed
constitutional amendment for a casino that for months has been threatening to
use up all the political oxygen in the room. They are making folks sit up and
take notice of a primary for secretary of state and that, ladies and gentlemen,
is not an easy thing to do.
In a heavily contested campaign year, the secretary of state
This, however, is not a usual year.
Political newcomer Guillaume de Ramel, who brings a
fresh face and a big bankroll to the race, and North Providence Mayor Ralph Mollis, the endorsed candidate who has been groomed by the
Democratic Party for several years as an up-and-comer in statewide politics,
are going toe-to-toe and blow-for-blow, and there is nothing the crowd likes
better than two guys bashing each other
After all, how much more negative can a campaign get than one candidate trying
to tie his opponent to the mob, the Mafia, organized crime?
This one is ugly, folks and each man points a finger at the other for dragging
the campaign into the mud.
Of course, de Ramel vehemently denies any link
between his campaign and a WJAR-10 news report about Mollis
attending the funeral of alleged former mobster Robert Barbato.
But he doesn
When asked about Mollis
That is when it all hit the fan. What had been a simmering campaign dispute was
spattering and scalding everyone who came within range when the heat was turned
WAY UP.
Mollis took great umbrage, declaring that de Ramel had made a "very ethnic comment" and said
he should apologize....
Mollis provided a copy of a letter from John Cianci, R.I. department commander of the Italian American
War Veterans of the
Then de Ramel took offense at Mollis
He stamped his feet and said he was canceling scheduled debates with Mollis because he no longer wanted to be in the same room
with someone who would accuse him of making ethnic comments. "When you
pull out that card, you
Tony Marcella, de Ramel campaign manager, told a
reporter they would conduct the campaign as though Mollis
weren
But they managed to put that part of the silliness behind them and have debated
on cable TV and will do so again on the radio.
Although he apologized to anyone who was offended at the Tony Soprano comment,
de Ramel is not backing off...
Mollis says the negative tone of the campaign, "has been a real disappointment. The office
is very policy-driven. I had a vision of a race that was issue-oriented. My
opponent has brought this campaign to a low level and unfortunately, my
campaign has joined them."
De Ramel agrees that "it
It
Mollis, by the way, pledges that if elected he will
seek to serve two full terms - eight years - as secretary of state. He left
himself no wiggle room. No running for governor in four years if the seat opens
up, no running for any other office. If elected he will serve a full term and
seek a second, which he would also serve fully.
NASCAR fans get all upset at the notion that the only reason to watch a car
race is for the smash-ups, but, hey, that is the reason many people watch. If
you are one of those folks who watch political races for the smash-ups, the Mollis-de Ramel Democratic
primary for secretary of state is for you.
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