The Rhode Island Attorney General's Office is concluding that a former staff member of Governor Dan McKee did not break the law when he lobbied for a construction project on wetlands property in Cumberland. Questions arose after Tony Silva allegedly tried to use influence to get around environmental restrictions by seeking approval from the Department of Environmental Management for a new home on Canning Street. The report--although not suggesting criminal wrongdoing was clear that people were put in difficult positions.
"Everything we have said so far describes what Rhode Island criminal law does and does not require, and we could simply stop there.
Yet, having completed an in-depth investigation and legal analysis over many months, we believe that Rhode Islanders are entitled to the full weight of this Office’s opinion about what transpired here.
And so we add that from our vantage point, Mr. Silva exercised very poor judgment in involving himself in a personal matter before a state regulatory agency while serving as a high-ranking state official, whether he had official authority over that state agency or not.
Indeed, this matter illustrates why public officials should take great care when entangling their public positions with their personal business."
The report says that any potential conflicts should have been avoided.
(Photo Credit: Rhode Island Attorney General's Office)