By Associated Press - Tuesday, February 27, 2018

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - The Rhode Island Ethics Commission has dismissed a state Republican Party complaint against Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo.

Rhode Island Republican Party chairman Brandon Bell argued that Raimondo violated a rule barring financial transactions with subordinate employees when she struck a fundraising deal with a local Democratic group headed by a state employee.

The ethics commission said Tuesday the employee was not a subordinate because he worked in the Department of Human Services, not the governor’s office. Bell called the distinction a technicality.

The commission cited a decision involving former Gov. Donald Carcieri, a Republican who was cleared in a similar case after asking state employees for donations.

The agreement was between Raimondo’s campaign and the Providence Democratic City Committee, which was headed by Human Services employee Patrick Ward.

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