R.I. attorney general: Governor McKee declined offer to help with Washington Bridge legal case
Attorney General Peter Neronha said he made the offer to help with the case one day after McKee promised a “day of reckoning” would come for those responsible for the bridge. RhRhRhY Governor Dan McKee has declined an offer from Attorney General Peter Neronha to assist in a potential legal case against those responsible for the failure of the Washington Bridge on Interstate 195 in December. The announcement will be made on Friday morning from a team of lawyers the governor’s office has hired to investigate potential legal action related to the bridge failure. The bridge was shut down in December and is now expected to reopen in 2026 at the earliest. It is unclear who might be sued over the bridge's failure, or whether there will be any accountability outside of legal action for any Department of Transportation employees responsible for maintaining the bridge. The state's goal is to seek financial recovery from any responsible parties.
Pubblicato : un mese fa di Steph Machado in Politics
McKee is slated to announce on Friday morning a team of lawyers the governor’s office has hired “to pursue potential legal action related to the bridge failure.”
“On March 15, the Attorney General communicated directly with the Governor to offer the help of this office in this matter,” said Brian Hodge, Neronha’s spokesperson. “The Governor, to date, has declined to take the Attorney General up on that offer.”
PROVIDENCE — Attorney General Peter Neronha says Governor Dan McKee declined his offer to help with the potential legal case against those responsible for the failure of the Washington Bridge on Interstate 195, which was shut down by the state in December.
The governor promised on March 14 that there would be a “day of reckoning” for those responsible for the failure of the highway bridge, which was abruptly shut down on Dec. 11. While the state initially said it would reopen within three months, additional problems were discovered that require it to be demolished and replaced, McKee said. It’s now expected to reopen in 2026 at the earliest.
It was not immediately clear why McKee did not seek the help of the attorney general, the state’s top lawyer who represents Rhode Island government agencies in litigation.
It’s not without precedent: Former Governor Lincoln Chafee hired outside lawyer Max Wistow to sue a series of defendants in 2012 over the 38 Studios scandal involving Curt Schilling’s defunct video game company. (Then-Attorney General Peter Kilmartin led the separate criminal investigation, which found no charges were warranted.)
But McKee and Neronha have had a particularly contentious relationship in recent years, with the two often trading barbs over policy decisions. Neronha, who has said he is mulling a run against McKee in 2026, had previously declined to represent McKee in the state’s attempt to evict an encampment of homeless people on State House grounds.
“The men and women of this office, like all Rhode Islanders, have been significantly impacted by this epic failure of state government to deliver on one of its most basic promises: provide safe and adequate infrastructure,” Hodge said. “This situation now presents tests of leadership: how quickly can the bridge be rebuilt, and, to the extent any blame for this fiasco can placed anywhere beyond the state itself, holding those entities accountable.”
McKee is making the announcement regarding his legal team for the Washington Bridge case in a news conference at 10 a.m. Friday, alongside top aide Joseph Almond who has been dispatched to the Department of Transportation to oversee the bridge response.
It’s not immediately clear who might be sued over the bridge failure, or whether accountability outside of legal action might come for any Department of Transportation employees who were responsible for maintaining the bridge.
A forensic analysis was initially expected to be released this week, but was delayed as the firm conducting the review determined additional documents dating back 50 years have to be retrieved, the governor’s office said.
“While we are eager to identify the root causes, we also understand that a methodical and detailed approach is needed to prepare the State for any potential legal action that would allow us to hold responsible parties accountable,” press secretary Olivia DaRocha said.
A new timeline for the completion of the review has not yet been released.
“Ultimately, the state’s goal is to seek financial recovery from any responsible parties,” DaRocha said.
See more coverage of the Washington Bridge closure.
Steph Machado can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her @StephMachado.