Supreme Court Hears Irons Case

On May 13th, 2009, the Rhode Island Supreme Court heard arguments in William V. Irons vs. Rhode Island Ethics Commission. Common Cause weighed in with briefs in support of the Ethics Commission’s position that legislators are subject to the code of ethics, despite the “speech in debate” clause of the Rhode Island Constitution. Likewise Common Cause supported the position that Irons does not have a right to a jury trial. Read about the oral arguments here.