PROVIDENCE – Common Cause Rhode Island on Thursday has formally filed a complaint with the R.I. Department of State asking the department’s public information office to investigate and seek sanctions against Michael Magee Jr., who was a significant player in the state awarding a now-canceled education contract to ILO Group LLC.
The nonprofit government watchdog group and its executive director, John Marion, claim that Magee, CEO of Washington, D.C.-based Chiefs for Change, failed to register as a lobbyist in Rhode Island back in 2021 within seven calendar days of doing any lobbying engagement, as required by state law. Common Cause’s allegations are based in its review of documents released by R.I. Attorney General Peter F. Neronha after Neronha
cleared Gov. Daniel J. McKee on Oct. 31 of any charges in the four-year investigation into the controversy.
Two days after he took office in 2021, McKee’s administration awarded the $5.2 million contract to ILO despite it being $4 million higher than a competing bid from WestEnd. McKee held a call with ILO a day after the company was incorporated and three days after he became governor.
Marion
wrote in a Dec. 17 letter to R.I. Secretary of State Gregg Amore’s office that Magee “clearly and repeatedly engaged in lobbying” during the time when contract discussions involving ILO Group were being had.
Marion claims in his letter that Magee “introduced the idea of hiring ILO as a consulting firm.” He also notes the R.I. State Police report that after the meeting, Magee sent an email to state Purchasing Agent Nancy McIntyre and then-R.I. Department of Administration Director James Thorsen which Magee attempted to “narrow the field” of those third seeking the contract by “including terms favorable to ILO.”
“The State Police conclusion that, “When read in the context of Magee’s prior communications to the governor’s office, his advocating for one vendor to DOA officials suggests Magee’s continued intent to have [ILO Group CEO, Julia] Rafal-Baer receive the contract,” Marion wrote.
Additionally, Marion wrote
a letter Wednesday to the R.I. Ethics Commission asking the board to place stricter limits on gifts to public officials from lobbyists, require additional disclosure of gifts given to public officials and to review the state’s ethics laws as they apply to procurement.
“When registered lobbyists, who by definition are paid to influence public officials, are giving gifts to those same public officials, it undermines ‘the public trust,’ gives the ‘appearance of impropriety, and suggests that public officials are using their official positions for “private gain,’ ” Marion wrote. “Including registered lobbyists in the definition of an ‘interested person’ creates a bright-line rule that those subject to the Code can easily understand, and that the commission can easily enforce.”
In a statement, Marion says the investigation into how ILO Group was awarded the contract “exposed politics at its worst” by including a procurement process “full of back-scratching.”
“We are disappointed that the state’s public integrity laws did not protect against the unethical behavior revealed in the ILO Group investigations,” Marion said. “While ultimately few may be held accountable, Rhode Islanders deserve to know this behavior won’t be repeated. That is why we are seeking these changes to our ethics and campaign finance laws.”
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on X at @James_Bessette.
