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State of Rhode Island Ethics Commission

Minutes 10-21-25

MINUTES OF THE OPEN SESSION

OF THE RHODE ISLAND ETHICS COMMISSION

October 21, 2025

The Rhode Island Ethics Commission held its 15th meeting of 2025 at 9:00 a.m. at the Rhode Island Ethics Commission conference room, located at 40 Fountain Street, 8th Floor, Providence, Rhode Island, on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, pursuant to the notice published at the Commission offices, the State House Library, and electronically with the Rhode Island Secretary of State. 

The following Commissioners were present:

Holly J. Susi, Acting Chair                     Scott P. Rabideau

Matthew D. Strauss, Secretary                Hugo L. Ricci, Jr.

Dr. Michael Browner, Jr.                        

          The following Commissioners were not present: Lauren E. Jones, Chair; Christopher P. Callahan; Frank J. Cenerini; and Emma L. Peterson.

          Also present were Herbert F. DeSimone, Jr., Commission Legal Counsel; Jason Gramitt, Commission Executive Director; Katherine D’Arezzo, Senior Staff Attorney; Lynne M. Radiches, Staff Attorney/Education Coordinator; Staff Attorneys Teresa Giusti and Teodora Popova Papa; and Commission Investigators Peter J. Mancini, Gary V. Petrarca, and Kevin Santurri.

At 9:00 a.m., the Acting Chair opened the meeting. 

The first order of business was:

Approval of minutes of the Open Session held on September 30, 2025.

Upon motion made by Commissioner Rabideau and duly seconded by Commissioner Browner, it was  

VOTED:                 To approve the minutes of the Open Session held on September 30, 2025.

AYES:                    Holly J. Susi; Michael Browner, Jr.; Scott P. Rabideau; and Hugo L. Ricci, Jr.

ABSTENTIONS:     Matthew D. Strauss.

The next order of business was:    

Director’s Report: Status report and updates.

          

a.) Complaints and investigations pending

There are six complaints pending. Executive Director Gramitt informed as follows:

  1. In the Thorsen matter, a status conference with the chair and respective legal counsel will be arranged to assist in reaching an agreement as to an adjudication date in 2026.

  2. In the Heidi Weston Rogers matter, a tentative adjudication date of December 16, 2025, has been agreed upon. 

  3. In re: Jonathan Pascua is under investigation.

  4. In re: James Durkin is under investigation. 

  5. In re: Jeffrey McCormick is under investigation. 

  6. In re: John M. Hoyle, Jr., has been noticed for a hearing today in executive session. 

    b.) Advisory opinions pending 

    There are five advisory opinions pending, two of which have been noticed for today’s meeting. 

    Legal Counsel DeSimone noted that five affirmative votes will be needed today for an advisory opinion to issue. Executive Director Gramitt added that a majority vote of the commission members present will be required for the complaint matter in executive session.

    c.) Access to Public Records Act requests since last meeting

    There were seven APRA requests received since the last meeting, six of which were granted within one business day. Executive Director Gramitt informed that the other request had been tolled while the staff awaited clarification from the requester, which has since been provided. 

    Executive Director Gramitt informed that he filed with the Secretary of State’s office all the required paperwork relating to the amended regulations that the Commission adopted at its last meeting. He stated that the regulations will be become effective January 1, 2026. Executive Director Gramitt explained that between now and January 1, 2026, the staff will be notifying people of the changes, particularly the lobbyists that will be subject to the amendments.

    d.) Financial disclosure 

None. 

e.) General office administration

The next meeting is scheduled for November 18, 2025, at which the annual election of the Commission’s officers will be held.

The next order of business was:

Advisory Opinions.

The advisory opinions were based on draft advisory opinions prepared by Commission Staff for review by the Commission and were scheduled as items on the Open Session Agenda for this date. 

The first advisory opinion was that of:

Jim Palmisciano, a member of the Richmond Town Council, who in his public capacity is also a member of the Richmond town administrator search committee, requests an advisory opinion regarding whether he may, consistent with the Code of Ethics, participate in the committee’s and the town council’s interviews of a particular candidate for the position of town administrator, given that the candidate is a customer of the Petitioner’s spouse’s online soap business and that the business participated in a one-day, farm festival market organized by a local farm by which the candidate is employed. 

Staff Attorney Popova Papa presented the Commission Staff recommendation. The Petitioner was present. In response to Commissioner Ricci, the Petitioner stated that 95 resumes were received, half of which came from the Indeed website. He added that many of the candidates worked in managing healthcare grants. Upon motion made by Commissioner Ricci and duly seconded by Commissioner Browner, it was unanimously 

VOTED:       To issue an advisory opinion to Jim Palmisciano, a member of the Richmond Town Council, who in his public capacity is also a member of the Richmond town administrator search committee.

The next and final advisory opinion was that of:

Casandra West, a member of the Fort Getty Ad Hoc Committee, a committee created by the Jamestown Town Council to advise the town council on proposed future uses and layout of the Fort Getty Park, requests an advisory opinion regarding whether her children’s past and future attendance at a summer camp that operates within a portion of the park creates a conflict of interest under the Code of Ethics with her duties as a member of the ad hoc Committee. 

Staff Attorney Popova Papa presented the Commission Staff recommendation. The Petitioner was present. Staff Attorney Popova Papa informed of a correction to the sentence on page one of the draft opinion which currently reads, “. . . three of whom are ex officio” but which should read, “. . . four of whom are ex officio.” Upon motion made by Commissioner Rabideau and duly seconded by Commissioner Browner, it was unanimously 

VOTED:       To issue an advisory opinion, as amended, to Casandra West, a member of the Fort Getty Ad Hoc Committee, a committee created by the Jamestown Town Council to advise the town council on proposed future uses and layout of the Fort Getty Park.

At 9:22 a.m., upon motion made by Commissioner Browner and duly seconded by Commissioner Strauss, it was unanimously:

          VOTED:       To go into Executive Session, to wit:

a.) Motion to approve minutes of Executive Session held on September 30, 2025, pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-46-5(a)(2) & (4). 

b.) In re: John M. Hoyle, Jr., Complaint No. NF2025-1, pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-46-5(a)(2) & (4).

c.) Motion to return to Open Session.

At 9:49 a.m., the Commission reconvened in Open Session. The livestream of the meeting resumed.

The next order of business was:

Motion to seal minutes of October 21, 2025, Executive Session.

          Upon motion made by Commissioner Rabideau and duly seconded by Commissioner Browner, it was unanimously 

          VOTED:       To seal the minutes of Executive Session held on October 21, 2025.

          The next order of business was:

Report on actions taken in Executive Session.

Acting Chair Susi reported that the Commission took the following actions in Executive Session:

  1. Voted (4-0) to approve the minutes of the Executive Session held on September 30, 2025.

    [Reporter’s Note: The vote was as follows:

AYES:                  Holly J. Susi; Michael Browner, Jr.; Scott P. Rabideau; and Hugo L. Ricci, Jr. 

ABSTENTIONS:  Matthew D. Strauss.]

  1. Voted (4-1) to approve a proposed Informal Resolution and Settlement in the matter of In re: John M. Hoyle, Jr., Complaint No. NF2025-1. 

[Reporter’s Note: The vote was as follows:

AYES:       Holly J. Susi; Michael Browner, Jr.; Scott P. Rabideau; and Matthew D. Strauss.

NOES:       Hugo L. Ricci, Jr.]

The Informal Resolution and Settlement is a public document, and copies may be obtained from the Ethics Commission upon request.

  1. Unanimously voted (5-0) to return to Open Session.

The next order of business was:

New Business proposed for future Commission agendas and 

general comments from the Commission.

          Commissioner Ricci inquired what would happen if the Commission did not agree to the fine in the proposed informal resolution and settlement matter considered in executive session. Legal Counsel DeSimone stated that the settlement would not have been approved, and the case would have proceeded to an adjudication at a later date.

At 9:53 a.m., upon motion made by Commissioner Browner and duly seconded by Commissioner Rabideau, it was unanimously

VOTED:       To adjourn the meeting.

Respectfully submitted,

 

___________________________

Matthew D. Strauss

Secretary