ARLENE VIOLET - Slow on the uptake

The shenanigans at the Rhode Island Resource and Recovery Corporation continue unabated. First of all, let me clarify that I think Lincoln's own Michael OConnell is doing a yeoman's job at the helm of this quasi-public entity. He isn't getting much help from a chorus of others who appear to be political hacks.

Take the most recent saga involving Nathan Hannon, the erstwhile education coordinator. His job was to visit schools and other places in order to convince the kids to recycle. He should have been making daily rosaries thanking the Almighty for securing such a job because of his patronage connections. Apparently, he thinks his political "godfather" and partner, David Cruise, whose own ascent to the bench was due to politics, not competence, could bulletproof him from being fired. He is accused of billing for travel to faraway places to "educate" children, but he was a no-show. The Providence Sunday Journal of Oct. 25 clocked at least six places where he purportedly traveled and received money for his road trips, but the administrators of these places said his shadow never fell on them. Another 17 appointments he allegedly had at schools and the YMCA couldn't be confirmed as to his attendance. OConnell correctly canned him.

Enter Judge David Cruise, who hasn't apparently learned that judges aren't supposed to play politics anymore. He rounded up his former Democrat cohorts, Senate majority leader, Daniel P. Connors and Tom Coderre, chief of staff to Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed, to strong arm the Department of Administration's legal counsel, Brian Stern. At the time, Stern was in the running for a judgeship and needed Senate confirmation. Just like he rolled over and played dead to the Gilbane Construction Company who ran amok during the construction of the URI Sciences Building, Stern intervened to make sure that Hannon would receive unemployment compensation. Unlike Joe Schmoe who gets fired, Hannon wasn't denied benefits. His activity, if proven, is also a crime. Stern then gets promoted to a judgeship. Rover wins again.

Whether the purported crime of Mr. Hannon is ever prosecuted remains to be seen. Attorney General Patrick Lynch has a history of missing the statute of limitations on purported crimes committed by the rich and infamous in the state. Much to the credit of Frank Caprio, the state treasurer correctly argued for action against the directors' liability insurance for the sorry lot of directors previously at the helm of the dump. Lynch looked like a deer caught in the headlights and ended up mumbling something about politics. The fact is he was lying down on the job. Fortunately, the treasurer wasn't. Time will tell if the snoozing Lynch gets with the program or compounds his laissez-faire attitude through inaction on the insurance claim.

Further, from a prior column you know that Mr. Lynch also let the time run out to bring action against the sorry lot heading the landfill at RIRRC. Perhaps, the Providence Journal, in another scoop, has discovered the reason for Attorney General Lynch's molasses-like response to the antics.

The Providence Journal's Mike Stanton revealed that Mr. Lynch, shortly before his election as attorney general, lobbied for the development of a controversial industrial park which ultimately cost taxpayers $16 million because of this improvident deal. In effect, the wrongdoers heading the agency were his clients. A state audit revealed that corruption abounded in this deal for which he lobbied. In fact, according to Stanton, Lynch had represented some of the worst malefactors in Rhode Island, including Beacon Mutual Insurance Co.; CVS (remember the sweetheart deal it made with then-Senate president Bill Irons in exchange for voting against prescription choice?) and the Greyhound association. When asked about all his activities on behalf of the miscreants at RIRRC, Mr. Lynch had a sudden case of amnesia and couldn't remember anything he did for the agency.

Let's hope he doesn't have a further episode of amnesia wherein he forgets to file charges before the statute of limitations runs out on Mr. Hannon. Don't count on it, since another "oops" might be in the making as he tries to gather the support of Connors and Paiva Weed.

- Violet is an attorney and

former state attorney general.