An epiphany on Smith Hill to report! Embattled State Houe staffer and top aide to Nicholas Mattiello, Frank Montanaro says he'll repay about $50,000 in free tuition he got by remaining on "leave" from his old job while working at the State House. TARGET 12's TIM WHITE uncovered the controversial arrangement just two weeks ago. Montanaro spent THREE YEARS on unpaid leave from his old posiition at RIC where he made $83K as associate director of facilities and operations. He was appointed by House Speaker Mattiello as a top aide pulling down $156,000. Mattiello and the vast majority of lawmakers were crickets over Montanaro's actions deciding instead to throw RIC under the bus, but the public outcry was loud and clear. Suddenly, Montanaro had a revelation issuing a statement saying "after consulting with my family and Speaker Mattiello, I believe the best thing to do is return the monetary equivilant of the tuition benefit my children received after I transitioned to my new role in the General Assembly." TRANSITIONED? This guy is a former state lawmaker and he's been in his new position for THREE YEARS. Do you think for a ticking second Montenaro would have had this epiphany had TARGET 12had not exposed all this? If it wasn't for TIM WHITE'S fine work, this pig would still be at the trough!