McKee expects nothing criminal to come of Silva investigation

GOV. DANIEL J. MCKEE said he did not expect anything of a criminal nature to come out of the investigation into his former top aide's real estate application filed with the R.I. Department of Environmental Management during his press briefing on Tuesday at the R.I. Department of Administration. / PBN FILE PHOTO/CASSIUS SHUMAN

PROVIDENCE Gov. Daniel J. McKee said he doesn’t believe anything of a criminal nature will come out of the R.I. Attorney General’s investigation into his former chief of staff Tony Silva’s real estate application with the R.I. Department of Environmental Management.

“I don’t think that anything that happened at DEM is going to really prove to be something that is of the criminal nature,” said McKee, who spent the bulk of a press briefing answering questions about the controversy. “And I would hope not because I don’t want anybody at DEM that is involved in the process to be in the middle of the crosshairs either. Because if something happened it takes two to tango, right?”

Silva’s family property, a parcel located at 45 Canning St. in Cumberland, was issued a wetlands alteration permit by DEM in July, after the agency previously denied the approval. Cumberland officials filed a legal complaint in R.I. Superior Court on July 29, seeking an injunction to block DEM’s approval of an alteration permit that would allow the Silva family to develop the 5,600-square-foot wetlands property.

In mid-August, amid local opposition to the project and public scrutiny, Silva’s son, who had purchased the property, said he would be withdrawing the proposal and donating the property to the town.

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McKee said he does not have legal representation regarding the situation, but if the need arises he will seek legal counsel. “There is no need for that, but if I need to I will,” he said.

McKee said that he was mainly concerned about the disruption in his office, noting that his office has made the transition by replacing Silva with Senior Deputy Chief of Staff Antonio Afonso Jr.

On Monday, McKee announced Silva was stepping down, replaced by Afonso, due to an investigation by the R.I. Attorney General’s office into his family’s real estate development project in Cumberland. McKee said he and Silva had agreed that the controversy was becoming a distraction for the governor’s administration.

Like McKee and Silva, Afonso is a longtime Cumberland resident, who has worked as an attorney for the town, and known for his role in the 38 Studios debacle, involving a loan guaranty to former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling’s video-game company.

When asked if he was concerned with Afonso’s ties to 38 Studios, McKee said to review the public record on the subject. “You’re not going to find that he did anything wrong,” he said.

In other news, McKee said that he spoke with the Biden Administration a few weeks ago about providing rent relief for Rhode Islanders out of the $200 million available through federal funding via the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. The governor said the state is working to help facilitate the processing for rental assistance applications.

“We need that money in our communities,” he said, noting that the state was working in tandem with Rent Relief R.I. to assist renters. “No one should be evicted based on the ability the state has to provide federal dollars to those who need it.”

The program helps cover rent and utilities owed back to last April as well as up to three months of upcoming rent. Applicants can receive up to 18 months of assistance.

The governor said that people seeking information on the rental assistance program can call: (855) 608-8756 or by going to www.RentReliefRI.com.

Cassius Shuman is a PBN staff writer. Contact him at Shuman@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter @CassiusShuman.

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