West Warwick Democrats: Teaching Their Children Well
Monique Chartier
Dateline: the small town which generates a disproportionately large share of the political mischief and bad governmentalism in this state.
The trouble began when someone swiped a “Vote for Anybody But Alves” sign from Alan Palazzo’s lawn on Robin Lane.
About a week later, somebody egged his wife’s BMW, as well as another political sign on his property.
Three hours later, shortly before midnight on Aug. 11, according to the police report, Palazzo was working at his computer when he heard the bang of a door and looked outside to see someone steal a political sign from his yard and jump into a Toyota Camry.
Palazzo, a longtime political critic of eight-term Sen. Stephen D. Alves, gave chase in his car. The Camry got away, but not before Palazzo got the license plate.
The car turned out to be registered to Joan Brousseau, wife of recently retired Police Chief Peter T. Brousseau, according to the police report.
The West Warwick police investigated and, according to a spokesman for the state attorney general, identified two of the people in the Camry as the daughter of the ex-chief and Alves’ son, William.
Where oh where could these young 'uns have learned such disrespect for their neighbors' fundamental Constitutional rights?
For the record, in this ABC 6 report, Senator Alves decries the release of his seventeen year old son's name and offers an alibi on his behalf.
ADDENDUM
By the way, remember the night that Senator Stephen Alves turned up at a West Warwick Town Council meeting apparently inebriated and definitely combative? What had him riled was the non-unanimous vote by the Council to approve the appointment of J. Patrick O'Neil as the new district court prosecutor. From a December 20, 2006 Kent County Times article no longer available on line.
The arguments stemmed from a vote that took place earlier in the evening. The council voted 3-2 to appoint J. Patrick O'Neil as the new district court prosecutor, replacing Brenda Carcieri (see accompanying story).
Councilmen David Gosselin Jr. (D-Ward 2) and Angelo A. Padula Jr. (D-Ward 1) voted against O'Neil.
Toward the conclusion of last night's council meeting, Sen. Stephen D. Alves (D-Dist. 9) entered the council chambers and took a seat.
After the council adjourned, he pointed toward Gosselin and Padula. Apeaking loudly enough to be heard through the room, he told them they were each leaving the council after one term.
"You threatening me?" Padula said as he flew out of his seat. "You can't threaten me." A few more words were exchanged and Padula took off out of the back of the chambers in an effort to get to Alves.
And from the ProJo:
News of the possible replacement of District Court prosecutor Brenda E. Carcieri with state Rep. J. Patrick O’Neill brought protesters to the council meeting. Residents voiced concern about the appointment, suggesting it was a result of political favoritism. The council went on to vote 3 to 2 to appoint O’Neill. Council members Angelo A. Padula Jr. and David Gosselin Jr. voted against the appointment.
“If it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” Padula said yesterday. “It’s not anything against O’Neill, but we had a prosecutor everyone was satisfied with. I didn’t think we needed a change.”
The nerve of those two council members, not voting to replace a perfectly good prosecutor!
We should further note here that J. Patrick O'Neil, the subject of the contention of that 2006 meeting, is the West Warwick prosecutor currently declining to prosecute Senator Alves' son and the daughter of retired Police Chief Peter Brousseau for vandalism and theft in the recent sign incidents. (Signs, to reiterate, critical of Senator Alves.)
To paraphrase Mel Brooks, "it's good to be Steve Alves".
May this be the incident that finally takes this thug down.
It's honestly shameful what the voters of West Warwick let Sen. Alves get away with. Our state would be a much better place with him out of office.
There are lots of articles about Alves on this following website:
http://AlvesSucks.com
AlvesSucks.com is the largest resource for articles about Senator Alves.
Check it out!
Why is West Warwick still a separate town? Seems like a big waste, in more than a few ways. Would merging it back with Warwick make a big difference? I think so.
"Why is West Warwick still a separate town? Seems like a big waste, in more than a few ways. Would merging it back with Warwick make a big difference? I think so."
As a resident of Warwick I would have to say, "Thanks but NO THANKS, that my friend is not the type of CHANGE that we need". I say we should just rename WW "South Woonsocket" and be done with it..
Excellent suggestion, JD. Especially as West Warwick and Woonsocket have taken the same seriously irresponsible approach to their municipal finances, especially their pension funds.
Oh please. This kind of political shenanigans is the most common thing in the world. It happens in every town in America every election season. Get over it.
Pragmatist,
You're obviously not a Rhode Islander, because otherwise, you wouldn't make such a foolish and factually untrue statement.
Let’s see? The Town and especially the WWPD conducted a thorough and extremely professional investigation concerning the theft on personal property and violation of First Amendment rights on 11 August 2008.
By all accounts, the investigation did, in fact, determine the parties responsible for this breach of the peace and violation of property and civil rights.
What is particular disturbing are remarks cited in the 28 August 2008 edition of the Providence Journal where in J. Patrick O’Neill, the town’s prosecuting attorney, concluded that “there wasn’t enough there to prosecute anybody for anything.”
Let me get this straight? There were at least three eyewitnesses who identified the vehicle in question and the fact that it contained the stolen signs and at least one eyewitness who positively identified the parties in the vehicle? The owner of the vehicle admitted to returning the signs but there is not enough evidence to prosecute? What am I missing here?
It would seem to me that judging from Attorney O’Neill’s remarks that it is now the policy of the town’s prosecuting attorney to overlook a complete and detailed investigations for political expediency?
Are the residents of West Warwick to assume that if a crime is committed by politically connected individuals that they are to suffer in silence? What has happened to the rule of law?
One has to question the competency and the motivation of Mr. O’Neill’s assertion “there wasn’t enough there to prosecute anybody for anything.”
But if one looks at his appointment as a political payback for becoming one of “Murphy’s Marionettes” in the general Assembly then it all becomes quite clear.
The fact that Sen. Alves was a vocal and ardent supporter of this appointment may also explain O’Neill’s willingness to completely overlook the fact that one of the parties involved admitted to the WWPD that they were involved.
To then have Alves vehemently deny that any member of his family was involved borders on the absurd. The fact that he blatantly lied to the citizens of this state speaks volumes as to his integrity and ethics.
Perhaps it is time that the voters of Pawtucket and West Warwick show these people the door.
After all they can’t even abide by the tenets of Art II Sec 7 of the RI Constitution, to wit: “The people of the state of Rhode Island believe that public officials and employees must adhere to the highest standards of ethical conduct, respect the public trust and the rights of all persons, be open, accountable and responsive, avoid the appearance of impropriety and not use their position for private gain or advantage. Such persons shall hold their positions during good behavior.”
If this doesn’t smack of an “appearance of impropriety” then please explain what does?
As a non-native Rhode Islander I am so shocked to discover that one of your scumbag politicians has scumbag kids. I wonder if they hang with the Mollis boy.
{Irrelevant, repetitive comment of questionable taste deleted. You were doing so good, George!}
Nice pony, George.
Does it know any other tricks?
Greg,
Thanks. My pony appreciates the compliment.
Unfortunately, my Pony once worked for the Union.
So, like the Union that only knows how to do ONE thing well (screwing the taxpayers while doing as little as possible), my Pony too is a "one trick pony".
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May this be the incident that finally takes this thug down.
Posted by: rhody at August 30, 2008 10:48 PMIt's honestly shameful what the voters of West Warwick let Sen. Alves get away with. Our state would be a much better place with him out of office.
Posted by: Chris at August 30, 2008 11:58 PMThere are lots of articles about Alves on this following website:
http://AlvesSucks.com
AlvesSucks.com is the largest resource for articles about Senator Alves.
Check it out!
Posted by: Citizen Critic at August 31, 2008 12:02 AMWhy is West Warwick still a separate town? Seems like a big waste, in more than a few ways. Would merging it back with Warwick make a big difference? I think so.
Posted by: Will at August 31, 2008 2:45 AMfrightening.....
Posted by: johnpaycheck at August 31, 2008 9:27 AM"Why is West Warwick still a separate town? Seems like a big waste, in more than a few ways. Would merging it back with Warwick make a big difference? I think so."
As a resident of Warwick I would have to say, "Thanks but NO THANKS, that my friend is not the type of CHANGE that we need". I say we should just rename WW "South Woonsocket" and be done with it..
Posted by: jd at August 31, 2008 10:07 AMExcellent suggestion, JD. Especially as West Warwick and Woonsocket have taken the same seriously irresponsible approach to their municipal finances, especially their pension funds.
Posted by: Monique at August 31, 2008 12:37 PMOh please. This kind of political shenanigans is the most common thing in the world. It happens in every town in America every election season. Get over it.
Posted by: Pragmatist at August 31, 2008 11:58 PMPragmatist,
You're obviously not a Rhode Islander, because otherwise, you wouldn't make such a foolish and factually untrue statement.
Posted by: Will at September 1, 2008 12:59 AMLet’s see? The Town and especially the WWPD conducted a thorough and extremely professional investigation concerning the theft on personal property and violation of First Amendment rights on 11 August 2008.
By all accounts, the investigation did, in fact, determine the parties responsible for this breach of the peace and violation of property and civil rights.
What is particular disturbing are remarks cited in the 28 August 2008 edition of the Providence Journal where in J. Patrick O’Neill, the town’s prosecuting attorney, concluded that “there wasn’t enough there to prosecute anybody for anything.”
Let me get this straight? There were at least three eyewitnesses who identified the vehicle in question and the fact that it contained the stolen signs and at least one eyewitness who positively identified the parties in the vehicle? The owner of the vehicle admitted to returning the signs but there is not enough evidence to prosecute? What am I missing here?
It would seem to me that judging from Attorney O’Neill’s remarks that it is now the policy of the town’s prosecuting attorney to overlook a complete and detailed investigations for political expediency?
Are the residents of West Warwick to assume that if a crime is committed by politically connected individuals that they are to suffer in silence? What has happened to the rule of law?
One has to question the competency and the motivation of Mr. O’Neill’s assertion “there wasn’t enough there to prosecute anybody for anything.”
But if one looks at his appointment as a political payback for becoming one of “Murphy’s Marionettes” in the general Assembly then it all becomes quite clear.
The fact that Sen. Alves was a vocal and ardent supporter of this appointment may also explain O’Neill’s willingness to completely overlook the fact that one of the parties involved admitted to the WWPD that they were involved.
To then have Alves vehemently deny that any member of his family was involved borders on the absurd. The fact that he blatantly lied to the citizens of this state speaks volumes as to his integrity and ethics.
Perhaps it is time that the voters of Pawtucket and West Warwick show these people the door.
After all they can’t even abide by the tenets of Art II Sec 7 of the RI Constitution, to wit: “The people of the state of Rhode Island believe that public officials and employees must adhere to the highest standards of ethical conduct, respect the public trust and the rights of all persons, be open, accountable and responsive, avoid the appearance of impropriety and not use their position for private gain or advantage. Such persons shall hold their positions during good behavior.”
If this doesn’t smack of an “appearance of impropriety” then please explain what does?
Posted by: Outraged at September 1, 2008 11:53 AMAs a non-native Rhode Islander I am so shocked to discover that one of your scumbag politicians has scumbag kids. I wonder if they hang with the Mollis boy.
Posted by: Greg at September 1, 2008 12:33 PM{Irrelevant, repetitive comment of questionable taste deleted. You were doing so good, George!}
Posted by: George Elbow at September 1, 2008 9:21 PMNice pony, George.
Does it know any other tricks?
Posted by: Greg at September 1, 2008 9:42 PMGreg,
Thanks. My pony appreciates the compliment.
Unfortunately, my Pony once worked for the Union.
So, like the Union that only knows how to do ONE thing well (screwing the taxpayers while doing as little as possible), my Pony too is a "one trick pony".
Posted by: George Elbow at September 2, 2008 7:35 AM