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TONIGHT A TARGET 12
INVESTIGATORS'
EXCLUSIVE: "TAXPAYER
TAXI"
WE'VE DISCOVERED THE
STATE'S TOP LEGISLATORS
ARE BEING TAKEN FOR A
RIDE...
AND YOU'RE FOOTING THE
BILL.
OUR INVESTIGATION
REVEALS THE SENATE
PRESIDENT AND HOUSE
SPEAKER EACH HAVE A
CAR AND DRIVER AT THEIR
DISPOSAL.
PAID FOR, WITH YOUR TAX
DOLLARS.
( SR )
BUT TONIGHT, WE'RE
RAISING QUESTIONS
ABOUT HOW THIS PRICY
PERK IS BEING USED BY
ONE OF THEM.
LET'S GET RIGHT TO
TARGET 12 INVESTIGATOR
TIM WHITE FOR THE
EXCLUSIVE DETAILS.
THESE CARS ARE FUELED BY
TAXPAYER DOLLARS, SO THEY
SHOULD BE USED FOR STATE
BUSINESS.
BUT WE FIND, THAT ISN'T
ALWAYS THE CASE.
IT'S THE BIGGEST POLITICAL
FUNDRAISER OF THE YEAR IN
THE HEART OF CAMPAIGN
SEASON.
THE RHODE ISLAND
DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S ANNUAL
"UNITY DINNER."
ANYONE WHO IS ANYONE IN THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS THERE...
INCLUDING ONE OF THE MOST
POWERFUL ELECTED OFFICIALS
IN THE STATE:
SENATE PRESIDENT TERESA
PAIVA WEED.
AND MAKE NO MISTAKE, THIS
IS A PARTISAN FUNDRAISER:
DONATIONS ARE 35 DOLLARS A
SEAT, OR 15-HUNDRED A TABLE.
(SHOW INVITATION)
CAMMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS
SHOW THE SENATE PRESIDENT
WENT BIG:
THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF 15-
HUNDRED DOLLARS. (SHOW
CAMPAIGN DOCS)
THAT NIGHT, WE WATCH AS THIS
S-U-V COMES TO PICK HER UP.
BUT THIS ISN'T THE SENATE
PRESIDENT'S PERSONAL CAR,
IT'S YOURS.
A TAXPAYER BOUGHT AND
MAINTAINED FORD EXPLORER
WITH A PUBLICLY FUNDED
STATE EMPLOYEE AT THE
WHEEL.
THE DRIVER WAITS FOR AN
HOUR AND A HALF.
FINALLY, SHE EMERGES, A
GOODBYE FROM STAFFERS AND
THE SENATE PRESIDENT
DEPARTS.
THE TAXPAYER TAXI DRIVES HER
ALL THE WAY FROM THE
POLITICAL FUNDRAISER IN
BURRILLVILLE...
48 MILES TO HER HOME IN
NEWPORT.
A TRIP THAT TOOK ONE HOUR.
THE DRIVER THEN LEAVES
NEWPORT AND HIKES IT ALL THE
WAY BACK TO THE STATE
HOUSE.
HE DROPS THE SENATE CAR
OFF AT 10:30 AT NIGHT 62
Sen. President M. Teresa Paiva
Weed
(D) Newport
(3245) White: Do you think that
is an
appropriate use of the vehicle?
"The night of the Unity Dinner I
think
we actually had another event.
(3252) 7
SENATE PRESIDENT TERESA
PAIVA WEED SAYS SHE THINKS
IT'S "O-K" BECAUSE SHE WAS
DRIVEN THERE IN A PRIVATE
CAR AFTER A SPEAKING
ENGAGMENT, ELSEWHERE. 7
Sen. President M. Teresa Paiva
Weed
(D) Newport
(3924) "The policy that I have
had in
office has been to go in private
vehicle if there is a political
event and
be picked at the political event
to be
brought home. (3935) 11 [BUTT
TO]
(3651) on those rare occasions
when
I am dropped off or picked up it
would be a very rare occasion.
(3658) 7 (18)
RECORDS REVEAL BOTH THE
SENATE VEHICLE AND ONE
ASSIGNED TO THE SPEAKER OF
THE HOUSE WERE PURCHASED
FOR A TOTAL OF $59,000.
THEY COST 75 HUNDRED
DOLLARS A YEAR TO MAINTAIN.
THAT'S NOT INCLUDING FUEL OR
THE PAYROLL FOR STAFFERS
WHO DRIVE IT. 12
Beyond the ethical question of
how
this car was used..
There's the question of whether
a
state in dire financial straits
can even
afford it.
WE CHECKED WITH OUR
NEIGHBORS IN
MASSACHUSETTS WHERE THEY
HAVE A FULL-TIME
LEGISLATURE...
AS WELL AS CONNECTICUT
WITH A PART-TIME ASSEMBLY
LIKE OURS.
NEITHER STATE SUPPLIES
THEIR TOP LEGISLATORS WITH A
TAXPAYER-FUNDED CAR OR
DRIVER.
BUT IN RI, THE TAXPAYER TAXI IS
GETTING A LOT OF USE.
WE SPOTTED THE SENATE
PRESIDENT MEETING WITH A
FELLOW SENATOR AT A
PROVIDENCE RESTAURANT.
FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR, A
STAFFER WAITS IN THE CAR.
ON ANOTHER OCCASION,
THE CAR PICKS HER UP AT A
MEETING WITH CITY AND TOWN
LEADERS IN WARWICK.
AND AGAIN, TAKES HER OVER
THE NEWPORT BRIDGE TO
DROP HER HOME.
THE DRIVER THEN HAS TO
DRIVE ALL THE WAY BACK TO
THE STATE HOUSE. 19
Sen. President M. Teresa Paiva
Weed
(D) Newport
(2923) Certainly I inherited the
state
vehicle it was a tradition the
vehicle
was acquired in 2007 prior to me
becoming the senate president.
(2931) 8
HOUSE SPEAKER GORDON FOX
ALSO HAS A CAR ASSIGNED TO
HIM WITH A PAID AID BEHIND
THE WHEEL.
RECORDS SHOW:
THE HOUSE VEHICLE USED BY
FOX HAS 29 THOUSAND MILES
ON IT.
THE SENATE CAR USED BY
PAIVA WEED HAS 80 THOUSAND
MILES.
REMEMBER: THEY WERE
BOUGHT AT THE SAME TIME.
WE'VE SEEN FOX USE THE CAR
FOR DAYTIME MEETINGS;
AND LUNCH WITH A
COLLEAGUE.
WE DID NOT WITNESS THE
HOUSE SPEAKER USE IT AT ANY
PARTISAN EVENTS. 23
House Speaker Gordon Fox
(D) Providence
White: (4107) Do you ever use it
to
be picked up at political events
or
fundraisers?
Fox: I try not to. I know there
are
sometimes during session where I
may stop into a place but
clearly
during the campaign season I
never
use it and I am very sensitive
to that.
(4126) 19
WE WANTED TO KNOW HOW
ELSE THE CAR HAS BEEN USED
OVER THE YEARS- BUT ARE
TOLD THEY DON'T TRACK THAT.
WE'VE LEARNED OTHER
SENATORS CAN USE IT, WITH
PERMISSION.
ALREADY, OUR REPORT IS
PROMPTING A POSSIBLE
CHANGE AT THE STATE HOUSE.
AND I'LL HAVE THAT
DEVELOPMENT COMING UP
TOMORROW ON EYEWITNESS
NEWS AT SIX.
WITH THE TARGET 12
INVESTIGATORS TIM WHITE
EYEWITNESS NEWS.
( SR )
THIS INVESTIGATION
CONITNUES ONLINE...
INCLUDING DETAILS ON
HOW MUCH THE DRIVERS
MAKE...
(MM)
PLUS, A LOOK AT OTHER
TOP POLITICIANS WHO
HAVE DRIVERS- AND WHY
THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE
DIFFERENT.
IT'S ALL ON WPRI-DOT-
COM.
(SR)