Minutes 7-14-26
MINUTES OF THE OPEN SESSION
OF THE RHODE ISLAND ETHICS COMMISSION
July 14, 2026
The Rhode Island Ethics Commission held its 10th meeting of 2026 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, July 14, 2026, 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:
Lauren E. Jones, Chair Dr. Michael N. Browner, Jr.
Holly J. Susi, Vice Chair Christopher P. Callahan
Emma L. Peterson, Secretary Frank J. Cenerini
The following Commissioner was not present: Hugo L. Ricci, Jr.
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 Attorney Teresa Giusti; and Commission Investigators Peter J. Mancini, Gary V. Petrarca, and Kevin Santurri.
Chair Jones informed that Matthew D. Strauss resigned from serving on the Ethics Commission effective immediately due to family and business obligations.
The first order of business was:
Approval of minutes of the Open Session held on June 23, 2026.
Upon motion made by Commissioner Callahan and duly seconded by Commissioner Browner, it was unanimously
VOTED: To approve the minutes of the Open Session held on June 23, 2026.
The next order of business was:
Director’s Report: Status report and updates.
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Complaints and investigations pending
There is one complaint pending, the Shekarchi matter, for which a litigation update will be provided today in executive session. Executive Director Gramitt informed that the Respondent filed a petition in Superior Court for a stay of the Commission’s proceedings and an appeal of the Commission’s denial of the Respondent’s motion to dismiss.
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Advisory opinions pending
There are four advisory opinions pending, two of which have been noticed for today’s meeting.
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Access to Public Records Act requests since last meeting
There were five APRA requests received since the last meeting, all of which were granted within one business day and all of which related to complaint materials.
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Financial disclosure
Executive Director Gramitt informed that 4,185 financial disclosure statements have been filed as of today. The staff has received notice of 850 candidates for office since the declaration of candidacy period ended. Financial Disclosure Officer Michelle Berg filtered through the candidates searching for incumbents and anyone who already filed their 2025 statements for other positions, which left 321 candidates who are required to file within 30 days and to whom statements and instructions have been mailed. Executive Director Gramitt stated that, aside from candidates, there are 12 non-filers remaining. He credited Commission Investigators Gary Petrarca and Kevin Santurri for their hard work every day contacting people to file.
Executive Director Gramitt informed that pursuant to the Fines Schedule that the Commission adopted a few years ago, after the staff initiates non-filing complaints and before a probable cause hearing is held in each, Executive Director Gramitt is authorized to resolve informally any such complaints for a civil penalty in the amount of $100 without the need to appear before the Commission for its approval. Executive Director Gramitt further informed that he will advise the Commission of any complaints that are informally resolved. In response to Chair Jones, Executive Director Gramitt explained that if a candidate chooses not to run for office during the 30-day period after declaring their candidacy, they will not be required to file a financial disclosure statement.
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General office administration
The Commission’s next meeting is scheduled for August 4, 2026.
Executive Director Gramitt stated that the Governor’s office has been notified of the two current vacancies on the Commission. He further stated that the two positions are not direct gubernatorial appointments but are appointed from a list submitted to the Governor by legislative leadership. Executive Director Gramitt informed that the Senate Minority Leader and House Minority Leader are aware of the vacancies.
Executive Director Gramitt informed that Speaker Blazejewski included a budget bill in the last legislative session to create an office of the inspector general, which would include an independent advisory commission to help select candidates for the position and submit names to the Governor for consideration. The commission would consist of three general officers, specifically, the secretary of state, the attorney general, and the general treasurer, as well as the executive director of the Ethics Commission and the President of the International Association of Inspectors General.
Executive Director Gramitt announced that Commission Deputy Chief Investigator Kevin Santurri will be leaving his position at the end of the month. Investigator Santurri joined the Commission in 2022 after serving as a compliance regulator with the Rhode Island Lottery and previously as a detective with the Pawtucket Police Department.
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.
Chair Jones requested that Legal Counsel DeSimone explain the process for approving advisory opinions based on the present composition of the Commission. Legal Counsel DeSimone stated that the statute and regulations require an affirmative vote by the majority of the members comprising the Commission, not of those who are present at a given meeting. He informed that given the present number of seven members, four affirmative votes would be necessary to approve and issue an advisory opinion today and going forward.
The first advisory opinion was that of:
Jessica Lance, a former director of special projects with the Providence Department of Planning and Development, requests an advisory opinion regarding whether she is prohibited by the Code of Ethics from now working in her private capacity on a new phase of a project which she oversaw as part of her former municipal duties and, if not so prohibited, what implications the Code of Ethics’ revolving door provisions would have on her private work on the project during the one-year period following her severance from municipal employment.
Staff Attorney Radiches presented the Commission Staff recommendation on behalf of Staff Attorney Popova Papa who was not present. The Petitioner was present. Chair Jones inquired regarding a possible inconsistency between the opinion that the Petitioner was not prohibited from working on the new phase of the project and a particular phrase on page four of the draft with respect to the Petitioner’s “personal involvement in matters related to the Greenway project.” Legal Counsel DeSimone proposed deleting that phrase and leaving the remaining part of the sentence as drafted. In response to Chair Jones, Executive Director Gramitt stated that such an amendment would be consistent with the intent of the draft. Upon motion made by Commissioner Peterson and duly seconded by Commissioner Browner, it was unanimously
VOTED: To issue an advisory opinion, as amended, to Jessica Lance, a former director of special projects with the Providence Department of Planning and Development.
The final advisory opinion was that of:
Michael Peno Jr., a social caseworker employed by the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families, requests an advisory opinion regarding whether he is prohibited by the Code of Ethics from simultaneously engaging in advocacy work in his private capacity under the circumstances described herein and, if not so prohibited, what limitations, if any, the Code of Ethics would place upon him.
Staff Attorney Radiches presented the Commission Staff recommendation on behalf of Staff Attorney Popova Papa. The Petitioner was not present. This matter was continued to today from the Commission’s prior meeting. Staff Attorney Radiches informed that the Petitioner had represented to Staff Attorney Popova Papa via email that he planned to attend today’s hearing but, if he could not, he consented to the Commission proceeding in his absence.
In response to Commissioner Susi, Staff Attorney Radiches stated that the Petitioner had been advised by his supervisor to seek this advisory opinion. Commissioner Browner noted that the Petitioner’s advocacy for children is evident, but he will be recusing frequently from matters in his public capacity. In response to Commissioner Susi, Commissioner Peterson stated that the Commission’s duty is to opine on how the Petitioner’s proposed advocacy work implicates the Code of Ethics and not to conjecture on how this might impact his employment or employer. Staff Attorney Radiches informed that the Petitioner, and others like him, are advised that if an advisory opinion states that the proposed conduct is permissive under the Code of Ethics, but the petitioner’s employer does not allow the proposed conduct, then the advisory opinion will not override the employer’s view. Staff Attorney Radiches also stated that, based upon her past experience with DCYF, if a social worker has a conflict, the office will bring in someone else from the unit to replace that social worker. Upon motion made by Commissioner Cenerini and duly seconded by Commissioner Susi, it was unanimously
VOTED: To issue an advisory opinion to Michael Peno Jr., a social caseworker employed by the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families.
The next order of business was:
Education Update.
Education Coordinator Radiches presented an education update on ethics trainings
conducted during FY2026 which included a handout summarizing information about the trainings. She informed that a total of 2,151 people received training, 66% (1,422) of whom received live training either in person or via Zoom or TEAMS format, and 34% (729) of whom participated in training in prerecorded form. Education Coordinator Radiches stated that there were 40 live trainings, which consisted of 10 municipal trainings attended by 299 people, and 18 state trainings attended by 769 people. She explained that these trainings were separate and apart from the monthly trainings provided to new state employees as part of their orientation, 341 of whom received ethics training during FY2026.
Education Coordinator Radiches stated that live trainings of note included most of those in the municipal category. She explained that, except for Smithfield and the Warwick Housing Authority, the remaining six municipalities were part of her list of 10 from the previous year that had not engaged in ethics training for at least five years and were targeted for training this past fiscal year. Education Coordinator Radiches noted that several people from a seventh municipality, West Greenwich, requested and received links to the prerecorded training. She informed that the remaining three of the 10 municipalities, New Shoreham, North Providence, and South Kingstown, will likely be among those seeking to schedule trainings this fall after the elections.
As to state agencies that received live training, Education Coordinator Radiches advised that the Board of Elections scheduled three trainings attended by a total of 130 people. She informed that the Department of Transportation, which requires training for its employees every two years, scheduled five trainings this past year which were attended by 250 people, and the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation, which now schedules regular trainings, held one in May and one in June, which were attended by approximately 80 people in total. Education Coordinator Radiches stated that Executive Director Gramitt delivered his annual in-person training to members of the House and Senate.
Education Coordinator Radiches stated that there were 729 people who completed prerecorded trainings, which was an increase of 90 over the previous year. She explained that beginning in quarter three, reports that she received from the state continued to reflect the number of state employees who completed the prerecorded trainings through the Rhode Island Learning Center application. Education Coordinator Radiches noted that reports now reflect the number of links to the prerecorded training that she sends to municipal employees. She qualified this by stating that while she does not have a way to determine whether someone who requested and received a link completed the training, the presumption is that those requesting a link will complete the 30-minute training.
Education Coordinator Radiches informed that during FY2025, she identified municipal employees as a group that was largely undertrained, and she focused on this group during this past fiscal year. She explained that as part of that focus she circulated an email, which appears in the handout, to the mayors, managers, and/or administrators for all 39 cities and towns in which she urged the distribution to all municipal employees of an enclosed link for a 30-minute ethics training to be taken at their computers as their public duties allow. She concluded that the email made the prerecorded ethics training available to more than 16,000 municipal employees. In response to Chair Jones, Education Coordinator Radiches explained that when an employee takes ethics training through the state’s system, the RI Learning Center, she receives a quarterly report of those people who took it. She added that when she sends a link to someone, there is no way yet to track whether that person completed the training.
Chair Jones commended Education Coordinator Radiches for her efforts and expressed that the education program is doing extraordinarily well.
At 9:53 a.m., upon motion made by Commissioner Browner and duly seconded by Commissioner Callahan, it was unanimously
VOTED: To go into Executive Session, to wit:
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Motion to approve minutes of Executive Session held on June 23, 2026, pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-46-5(a)(2) & (4).
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Annual Discussion and review re: Legal Counsel’s contract pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-46-5(a)(1).
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K. Joseph Shekarchi vs. Rhode Island Ethics Commission, Superior Court C.A. No. PC-2026-03423, pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-46-5(a)(2).
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Motion to return to Open Session.
At 10:42 a.m., the Commission reconvened in Open Session. Chair Jones, who had recused from the Commission’s consideration of the Shekarchi matter, returned to the hearing room and the meeting.
The next order of business was:
Motion to seal minutes of July 14, 2026, Executive Session.
Upon motion made by Commissioner Callahan and duly seconded by Commissioner Browner, it was unanimously
VOTED: To seal the minutes of Executive Session held on July 14, 2026.
The next order of business was:
Report on actions taken in Executive Session.
Chair Jones recused from the Report Out. Vice Chair Susi, as Acting Chair, reported that the Commission took the following actions in Executive Session:
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Unanimously voted (6-0) to approve the minutes of the Executive Session held on June 23, 2026.
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Received an update regarding and discussed K. Joseph Shekarchi vs. Rhode Island Ethics Commission, Superior Court C.A. No. PC-2026-03423.
[Reporter’s Note: Chair Jones recused and was not present for this update and discussion. No actions were taken in this matter.]
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Unanimously voted (5-0) to return to Open Session.
[Reporter’s Note: Chair Jones was not present for this vote.]
Annual Discussion and potential vote re: Legal Counsel’s contract.
Chair Jones resumed his position as Chair.
Upon motion made by Commissioner Callahan and duly seconded by Commissioner Peterson, it was unanimously
VOTED: To renew Legal Counsel’s contract at the current rate.
Commissioner Cenerini expressed his gratitude on behalf of all the Commissioners for Legal Counsel DeSimone’s diligent work. Legal Counsel DeSimone expressed his gratitude to the Commission.
The next order of business was:
New Business proposed for future Commission agendas and general comments from the Commission.
Commissioner Cenerini expressed his appreciation for Investigator Santurri’s work on behalf of the Ethics Commission and wished him well in his future endeavors.
Chair Jones acknowledged Matthew D. Strauss’s service on the Ethics Commission for the past five years. He noted that, while he was not a frequent speaker, Mr. Strauss’s contributions were important and well received. Chair Jones expressed appreciation on behalf of all the Commissioners for Mr. Strauss’s presence and service on the Commission.
At 10:47 a.m., upon motion made by Commissioner Browner and duly seconded by Commissioner Callahan, it was unanimously
VOTED: To adjourn the meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
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Emma L. Peterson
Secretary