Gallison Investigation

House Democrats “shocked, dismayed and bewildered” by Gallison allegations

Democratic Committee Chairman and former Bristol Councilman Rep. Kenneth A. Marshall says he knows nothing about Gallison investigation

By Victor Paul Alvarez
Posted 5/5/16

A powerful colleague of former Representative Ray Gallison Jr. said Wednesday that he was shocked to hear of the investigations into the former House Finance Chairman. Democratic Committee …

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Gallison Investigation

House Democrats “shocked, dismayed and bewildered” by Gallison allegations

Democratic Committee Chairman and former Bristol Councilman Rep. Kenneth A. Marshall says he knows nothing about Gallison investigation

Posted

A powerful colleague of former Representative Ray Gallison Jr. said Wednesday he was shocked to hear of the investigations into the former House Finance Chairman. Democratic Committee Chairman and former Bristol Town Councilman Kenneth A. Marshall, who represents Warren and Bristol in District 68, said he knows nothing about the Gallison investigation.
“I’ve known him for 20-plus years. From the days of serving with him in a zoning board capacity to severing with him in a council capacity to currently having served with him from a state capacity," Mr. Marshall said.
"Needless to say myself, and I believe I speak for everyone, that we are shocked, dismayed and bewildered by the allegations. We truly don’t know the specifics and, basically, our thoughts and prayers are with him and his entire family as they go through this situation that has occurred."
Mr. Gallison, the former House Finance Chairman and Bristol Democrat, resigned from his state representative seat Tuesday, April 3, after news of law enforcement, state and federal investigations broke Monday evening. Rhode Island State Police and the FBI are said to be investigating Mr. Gallison’s link to prostitution, and news broke this week of a raid at Mr. Gallison’s home at 50 King Philip Ave. in March.
Rep. Gallison, a longtime fixture in Rhode Island politics and last year’s Bristol Fourth of July Parade Chief Marshal, was a member of House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello’s leadership team. He has not returned multiple calls and texts requesting comment. Mr. Gallison and his wife, Diane, have two sons. Timothy Gallison is a member of the Bristol Police Department Honor Guard. Nathan Gallison is a volunteer member of the Bristol Fire Department and a Pawtucket Police Officer.

“From a representative standpoint, being that I am the only local person representing Bristol for the next six months until the next election, I wage to get the outreach to the public from District 69. If Representative Gallison was working on any issues in their district I am available and working on their behalf. Feel free to reach out and notify me of any issues that are out there lingering now.”

Rep. Gallison, a 64-year-old lawyer and member of Alternative Educational Programming, Inc., has held his seat since 2000. He is not licensed to practice law in Rhode Island but lists an office in Fall River. He assumed the role of House Finance Chairman after the March 2014 resignation of former Speaker Gordon Fox, currently serving a three-year prison sentence in Pennsylvania for public corruption. Mr. Fox pleaded guilty to bribery, wire fraud and filing false tax returns.

Rep. Marshall said Wednesday he has already heard from local people who are interested in filling Mr. Gallison’s seat in November.
“There have been several people, both within the democratic party as well as outside the democratic party, that have expressed some interest in that seat. At the end of the day my committee, which is the democratic committee, has the responsibility to interview and vett the people that are interested and expressed interest up to this point to make an educated decision as to who we feel would best represent the residents of District 69 in the next election."

One interested party is Democrat Douglas W. Gablinske, who formerly held Mr. Marshall's District 68 seat and served as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Education. Mr. Gablinske was defeated in the 2010 Democratic Primary.
“Doug certainly has represented the sate of Rhode Island from the District 68 seat, which I currently hold. He currently lives in District 69, which is Representative Gallison’s old district. Doug brings an understanding, not only to issues and policy but he also has past experience.”

On the Republican side, Brandon Bell, chairman of the Rhode Island Republican Party, told NBC 10 he is surprised Mr. Gallison wasn’t ousted sooner. He was responding to House Speaker Nick Mattiello's claim that he first heard rumors about Mr. Gallison a couple weeks ago.
"Why wouldn't he have called him in sooner? What did he know? When did he know it?" Bell told NBC 10.
Speaker Mattiello said he reacted as quickly as “I possibly could.”

Ray Gallison, Bristol, Doug Gablinske, Rhode Island, FBI, Victor Paul Alvarez

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