Common Cause Files Brief in Irons Case

On Tuesday March 17th, Common Cause Rhode Island filed an amicus curiae brief with the Rhode Island Supreme Court in support of the Rhode Island Ethics Commission. The Commission seeks to overturn a 2008 Superior Court decision that ruled the “Speech in Debate” clause of the Rhode Island Constitution prevents the Ethics Commission from investigating members of the General Assembly. Common Cause, along with the League of Women Voters of Rhode Island, argue that the Ethics Commission does indeed have jurisdiction over members of the General Assembly based on the changes enacted as part of the 1986 Constitutional Convention. The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in the appeal on May 13th.