McKee Denies Wrongdoing in Award
of ILO Group Contract

The governor says Attorney General Peter Neronha should have recused himself

File photo. Rhode Island Gov. Daniel McKee said he has done nothing wrong.
File photo. Rhode Island Gov. Daniel McKee said he has done nothing wrong.
Ian Donnis/The Public’s Radio
Share
File photo. Rhode Island Gov. Daniel McKee said he has done nothing wrong.
File photo. Rhode Island Gov. Daniel McKee said he has done nothing wrong.
Ian Donnis/The Public’s Radio
McKee Denies Wrongdoing in Award
of ILO Group Contract
Copy

Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee on Oct. 31 denied any wrongdoing in connection with the award of a lucrative contract to a politically connected firm, and he said Attorney General Peter Neronha should have recused himself from the case because of his support for McKee rival Helena Foulkes.

McKee spoke with reporters a day after Neronha released a host of documents about his investigation into the $5.2 million contract awarded to a new firm, the ILO Group, to help Rhode Island schools reopen amid the pandemic.

Neronha said he found that McKee directed the contract to the ILO Group in a manipulated process, although he said the evidence was too cloudy and contradictory to justify a criminal charge.

Speaking with reporters during a Statehouse news conference, McKee said the absence of charges — from federal investigators as well as Neronha — underscores that he did nothing wrong.

The governor said the attorney general “made unfounded and incorrect allegations that I violated procurement laws, even though he fully admits that it is outside the scope of his office. Let me set the record straight. My office followed procurement law at that time.”

This story was reported by The Public’s Radio. You can read the entire story here.

State leaders say the deal keeps the Rhode Island hospitals open while the Atlanta-based Centurion Foundation attempts a financial turnaround
New England Aquarium observers documented the rare sightings during an aerial survey over waters south of Rhode Island
URI hoops, Providence hockey and JWU basketball headline a surge of winter titles across the Ocean State
February’s historic blizzard disrupted more than 1,500 blood donations, leaving the center with far less than the seven-day supply required to support local hospitals
Backing underscores long-running tensions with Gov. Dan McKee ahead of the September Democratic primary; McKee’s campaign responds by raising opioid concerns
Student organizers say the event aims to bring Providence and Brown University together through music and raise money for local causes