August 18, 2020

Report on actions taken by the Rhode Island Ethics Commission

in Executive Session held on August 18, 2020:

1.      Voted (7-0) to approve the minutes of the Executive Session held on July 14, 2020.

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

AYES:                      Marisa A. Quinn, Chairperson; Arianne Corrente, Vice Chairperson; M. Therese Antone; J. Douglas Bennett; Timothy Murphy; Robert A. Salk; and Emili B. Vaziri.

ABSTENTION:       Kyle P. Palumbo, Secretary.]

2.      Voted (7-0) to approve the minutes of the Executive Session held on July 29, 2020, as amended.

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

AYES:                      Marisa A. Quinn, Chairperson; Arianne Corrente, Vice Chairperson; Kyle P. Palumbo, Secretary; M. Therese Antone; J. Douglas Bennett; Robert A. Salk; and Emili B. Vaziri.

ABSTENTION:       Timothy Murphy.]

3.      Unanimously voted (8-0) in the matter of In re: Leonidas Raptakis, Complaint No. 2020-2, to approve an Informal Resolution & Settlement by which the Respondent, who amended his financial statements, agreed to continue to make the subject disclosures in future statements as applicable.  The Commission found that the Respondent’s omissions were not knowing and willful and dismissed the Complaint with prejudice. 

4.      Voted (6-1) in the matter of In re: James Kuipers, Complaint No. 2020-4, to initially determine that the Complaint states facts that, if true, are sufficient to constitute a violation of the financial disclosure mandate and authorized an investigation.

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

AYES:                      Marisa A. Quinn, Chairperson; Arianne Corrente, Vice Chairperson; Kyle P. Palumbo, Secretary; J. Douglas Bennett; Timothy Murphy; and Robert A. Salk.

NOES:                     Emili B. Vaziri.]

An Initial Determination is a preliminary vote that should not be construed as an opinion regarding the truth of the facts alleged in the complaint but is merely a vote to conduct an investigation into the allegations raised.

5.      Received a litigation update in Francis X. Flaherty v. Rhode Island Ethics Commission et al., Superior Court C.A. No. PC-2019-5088.

6.      Unanimously voted (7-0) to return to Open Session.