NEWS

Complaint clouds Carreiro’s candidacy in senate race

By ALEX MALM
Posted 8/3/22

Lt. Michael Carreiro, president of the Warwick Firefighters union, hit one rough patch in his quest to succeed Michael McCaffrey as the District 29 senator when it was revealed last month that he …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in
NEWS

Complaint clouds Carreiro’s candidacy in senate race

Posted

Lt. Michael Carreiro, president of the Warwick Firefighters union, hit one rough patch in his quest to succeed Michael McCaffrey as the District 29 senator when it was revealed last month that he wore “black face” in a photo on his Facebook page in 2009 and then on the day of his fundraiser at the Knights of Columbus, July 28, his wife Jennie filed for divorce alleging infidelity. In addition, Jennie says her husband isn’t living at home, but rather in North Providence at the home of his parents. 

Carreiro doesn’t see things that way.

On Saturday Carreiro disputed that he moved in the first place. 

“I did not move,” he said. “My family and I are currently dealing with a personal matter. Times like these are tough for our family and I respectfully ask for privacy during this difficult time.”

But the matter isn’t going away.

On Monday citizen activist Rob Cote filed a complaint with the Warwick Board of Canvassers arguing Carreiro shouldn’t be eligible to run. 

“After investigating this candidate certain facts have been obtained proving that the candidate in fact did not live at the address shown on the candidate’s declaration papers (30 Bunting Rd Warwick) at the time of declaration but was residing at 6 Robert Dr. North Providence at the time of declaration and thereafter. As evidence to this complaint I have attached a sworn affidavit from the Rhode Island Family Court which indicates by his spouse’s sworn statement that the individual resides in North Providence. The information provided by Mr. Carreiro is in fact false and in direct violation of RIGL 17-23-17(2) which constitutes a felony,” Cote writes in his complaint.

The Warwick Board of Canvassers has hearings scheduled for the complaints filed by Cote and Carreiro’s Democratic opponent Jennifer Rourke on Thursday.

In a statement Rourke said “wearing blackface alone should be disqualifying with the voters in our community, but not living in the district should be disqualifying for Carreiro to be on the ballot this fall.”

While Carreiro continues to say he lives at his address at 30 Bunting Drive, other sources have come forward with conflicting stories including one individual who spoke to the Beacon but asked for anonymity. The woman said that she was “casually seeing him” from around June 1 until last week. 

The woman also told the Beacon Carreiro told her he was going through a separation and then would finalize the divorce after the election. 

Neighbors told the Beacon it’s been about two months since seeing Carreiro’s truck parked outside the house. One said they had seen him at the house but he doesn’t appear to be living there.

Rob Rock, Director of Elections for the State when asked about residency requirements referred to state election laws which reads in part “a person's residence for voting purposes is his or her fixed and established domicile. The determinant of one's domicile is that person's factual physical presence in the voting district on a regular basis incorporating an intention to reside for an indefinite period. This domicile is the place to which, upon temporary absence, he or she has the intention of returning. Once acquired, this domicile continues until another domicile is established.”

The following shall be considered prima facie evidence of a person's residence for voting purposes:

(1) The address furnished to the division of motor vehicles for the voter's operator's license;

(2) The address from which the voter's motor vehicle is registered;

(3) The address from which the voter filed his last federal income tax return;

(4) The address from which the voter filed his last state income tax return;

(5) The address furnished to the companies from which the voter has obtained retail credit cards;

(6) The address furnished to the financial institutions where the voter maintains accounts;

(7) The address furnished to the tax collector and/or assessor in those communities where the voter owns taxable real or personal property for the purpose of notification to him or her;

(8) The address furnished to the insurance companies with which the voter maintains policies;

(9) The address furnished to the voter's employer;

(10) The address furnished by the voter to any business, professional, union, or fraternal organizations of which he or she is a member;

(11) The address furnished to governmental agencies with which the voter has contact;

(12) The address of a hospital, convalescent home, nursing home or rest home, or like facility at which the voter has been a patient or resident for the preceding thirty (30) days or longer;

(13) The address furnished to the United States postal service on a change of address form as verified by the United States postal service.

Rock also pointed to state law regarding candidate requirements which reads “no person shall be eligible to file a declaration of candidacy as an independent candidate nor shall a person be eligible to be a candidate or be eligible to be voted for unless the person shall, at the time of filing the declaration, be qualified to vote in the election within the district for the office which that person seeks.

Carreiro, complaint

Comments

1 comment on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here

  • RELangseth

    The arrogance .....

    Saturday, August 6, 2022 Report this