September 23, 2005

Rhode Island Politics

Where has Patrick Lynch been in response to Rhode Island’s Drunk Driving Problem?

Carroll Andrew Morse

When Patrick Lynch ran for attorney general in 2002, he told the people of Rhode Island (via the Providence Phoenix), that his background as a lobbyist – which included lobbying for clients in the alcohol business -- would be to the people’s advantage…

His experience at the General Assembly, Lynch says, will help him work for better laws.
Fast-forward to the present. Rhode Island has a drunk-driving problem. According to Sunday’s Projo, federal statistics show that Rhode Island has both “the highest percentage of alcohol-related fatal accidents in the nation for five years” AND “the second-fewest drunken-driving arrests in the nation (after Delaware) on a per capita basis” in 2003.

Some local law enforcement blame the discrepancy on loopholes in Rhode Island law. Yet despite the high number of deaths, the lax enforcement, and the loopholes in Rhode Island law...

The legislature has been largely inactive on the issue, to the frustration of police, other law enforcement officials and advocates against driving drunk.
On the issue of drunk-driving, Patrick Lynch has not delivered on his promise to use his lobbying experience to repair laws that poorly protect the public interest.

8:10 AM
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You mean LNG Lynch? We need to start calling Pat Lynch Johnnie One Note because that's all he seems interested in at this point, LNG.
Bizarre!
Or maybe it's not so bizarre for an AG who's as professionally compromised as Pat Lynch.
The man is a disgrace to that office.
So Lynch used to be a lobbyist for alcohol related companies and has done nothing to toughen drunk driving laws?
Well Lynch was also a lobbyist for CVS while Irons and Celona were doing their thing up at the state house. In fact I believe Lynch lobbied up at the state house on behalf of CVS.
Patrick Lynch, usually a media hound who can't get enough air and face time, has been completely missing in action with the Celona investigation.
He's let the feds take over.
Can't imagine why!

Posted by: Tim at September 24, 2005 10:59 AM

So true. But let's not fault law enforcement. Remember, it's the weak LAWS not weak police force that's the root of this problem. And what has AG Lynch done? Only lobby for those weak laws and then sit back and refuse to enforce the ones on the books!

Our police WANT to protect us. The law, sadly, has failed them

Posted by: jim at September 26, 2005 11:21 PM