November 21, 2013 – RI Future

November 21, 2013November 21, 2013

Town Councilor Morrissey apologizes for outburst

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Earlier today I wrote about Exeter Town Councillor Ray Morrissey’s outburst at the RI Coalition Against Gun Violence on Monday night. Since then Morrissey has reached out with the following:

Please accept my humble apology for my outburst at the forum.

My intent was not to disrupt. I attended the forum because I am interested in any ideas and thoughts concerning gun violence that affects our citizens. I listened to a dynamic speaker [Teny Oded Gross] and witnessed a touching film [Living for 32]. I also wanted to hear our town council president [Arlene Hicks] on her ideas concerning gun violence, not about the Exeter recall. My outburst was out of line. This recall is not an easy thing to bear.

Thank you for your actions and concerns about gun violence.

Morrissey declined to comment on the Exeter recall election scheduled for December 14th.

November 21, 2013November 22, 2013

When the NRA says jump, Doreen Costa asks how high

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The recall election in Exeter, scheduled for December 14th, is being pushed through mostly by out-of-town gun rights zealots intent on punishing the Exeter Town Council for trying to enact a minor change in the law regarding the concealed weapon permit system. Rhode Island State Representative Doreen Costa has been involved in this issue from the beginning. Even though she is not a resident of Exeter, she does represent a small section of the town (the corner over by the Yawgoo Ski Area) in the Rhode Island General Assembly

What the Exeter Town Council attempted to do was change the law in Rhode Island so that the Exeter Town Clerk would no longer be responsible for issuing concealed weapon permits. In most cities and towns residents can go either to their police chiefs or to the state Attorney General, but Exeter has no police force. So by state law, the duty of issuing permits falls to the Town Clerk, a person with no law enforcement training.

On November 11, 2011, Costa agreed with the majority of the Exeter Town Council on the matter. According to the minutes of the regular meeting of the Exeter Town Council from November 11, 2011 Costa originally maintained that “she does not think the responsibility [for issuing concealed weapon permits] should be on the Town Clerk” and that she “is looking into possible help from the State Police on the matter.”

However, at a special Exeter Town Council meeting held on March 11, 2013, Doreen Costa changed her position for the benefit of the large crowd of gun enthusiasts in the audience. As can be seen in the video of the meeting posted on YouTube (starting at eight minutes 49 seconds) Costa used her time to read a letter from Darin Goens of the National Rifle Association, and addressed her comments primarily to the audience, not to the Town Council. The letter presented the NRA’s position that the Exeter Town Clerk should maintain responsibility for issuing concealed weapon’s permits, a position Costa now agrees with.

This begs the question, does Doreen Costa represent the citizens of Rhode Island or the interests of the NRA?

You can help fight this pernicious recall by going to saveexeter.org

November 21, 2013November 22, 2013

Alex and Ani: stop supporting ‘misogynistic’ John DePetro

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A new anonymous Change.org campaign is asking Alex and Ani, the “lifestyle brand” that markets jewelry to young women and girls, to stop advertising on WPRO until “as long as habitual misogynist John DePetro remains on the air,” according to the petition that you can sign here.

After teachers and other union members protested a Gina Raimondo fundraiser, the infamous shock jock called them “union hags” and spelled out the word “whore” on the air.

DePetro’s often derogatory rhetoric is clearly at odds with how Alex and Ani markets itself as a “lifestyle brand.”

“Companies that advertise with WPRO must understand they are empowering a misogynist to continue attacking women,” according to the video. Alex and Ani’s “self-proclaimed mission is to spread love and positive energy. So why are they supporting hate speech by advertising on WPRO’s John DePetro Show?”

Off air, DePetro has worked closely with Alex and Ani CEO Giovanni Feroce. In May, DePetro hosted a talk series at a local theater featuring Feroce (as well as former governor Don Carcieri and Catholic priest Father Bernard Healey).

DePetro has been plagued by his misogynistic conduct throughout his career. He was fired from a Boston radio station for calling a female candidate for governor a “fat lesbian.” After being fired for the comments, he was by WPRO. In 2012, he was accused of sexually assaulting a female co-worker at WPRO.

November 21, 2013November 21, 2013

Exeter Town Councilor Morrissey loses his cool

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On December 14th four members of the Exeter Town Council are facing a recall vote, ginned up by out of town gun rights advocates. Council President Arlene Hicks and Town Councillors Bob Johnson, Cal Ellis and Bill Monahan, all Democrats, face losing their seats to the runners up in the last election. (See Samuel G. Howard’s excellent analysis of the recall here and Will Collette’s here.) The one member of the Town Council not under threat of losing his job is Raymond A. Morrissey Jr., a right leaning independent.

As can be seen in the video below, towards the end of Monday night’s meeting of the newly formed Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence, Morrissey interrupted the Reverend Don Anderson during the question and answer period and launched into a tirade against the organizers of the meeting and those in attendance before being shown the exit.

One wonders why the one Town Council member whose job is not in jeopardy is feeling so grumpy…