Friday, February 22, 2008

We knew that Giovanni Cicione, RI GOP chairman, is no fan of the union movement, but he's really steamed about plans to use a Teamsters Hall in East Prov as a voting place in our March 4 primary.

From Republican central:

WARWICK, RI - Rhode Island Republican Party Chairman Giovanni Cicione today offered his heartfelt congratulations to Barack Obama for securing recently announced endorsement of the Teamsters. 

“I guess that explains the recent push to certify a Teamsters Hall as one of only four primary day polling places in the City of East Providence”, said Cicione. Clearly the Rhode Island Board of Elections is standing firm with the Kennedy’s and the many other early adopters who have know for months (or years even) that Barack was the best choice for the Democrats.

Despite a long history of political support from the Clintons, democratic leaders in Rhode Island are showing a level of buyer’s remorse not seen since the second time we paid for the new Jamestown Bridge. 

“The rental of a polling place which for the other 364 days of the year serves as a union hall and hive of political activity shows a new respect for efficiency in government,” continued Cicione. “Only in Rhode Island would our hard working elections officials have the creativity to devise a strategy that allows union leaders to Xerox their message for change one day and cast their vote for change the next day without ever leaving the building.”

The Teamsters Hall was removed from the approved list of polling places for the 2006 election after reports of illegal campaigning, intimidation of candidates, and general purpose union thuggery. “I’m sure we are all confident that those tactics will not be repeated this year given that this is a time of change and audacious hope. Given the clarification by Board of Elections Director Bob Kando that a primary is not in fact an ‘election’ under his interpretation of the law, I guess the rules don’t apply anyway, concluded Cicione, who called East Providence a “model” of fair elections for the state.

“I’m sure the Clinton camp is comfortable that their candidate will be given the same fair shot in East Providence that a Republican would receive despite the fact that their own political machine is being used to rig the system against them.”