PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Some people brag about their home states.
But Rhode Island’s delegation to the Republican National Convention is taking some heat back home for using its spotlight to trash the state’s reputation on national TV.
State GOP Chairman Brandon Bell delivered Rhode Island’s votes in the state-by-state roll call that led to Donald Trump’s nomination Tuesday night.
It’s a time when delegates use their few minutes with the microphone to share trivia or tout amenities. Several of Rhode Island’s delegates wore sailor hats. One appeared to be smoking a cigar.
Bell praised Rhode Island’s beauty but said it constantly ranks at the bottom, calling attention to one ranking saying it’s the worst for business.
He blamed a corrupt Democratic machine he says has run the state for 80 years.
In an interview with WPRO’s Steve Klamkin Democratic Governor Gina Raimondo said Bell’s comments were “ironic” because Rhode Island has “had Republican Governors for the past 24 years.”
Slate Magazine, however, listed Bell’s speech as the third best that night in their ranking of best roll call speeches.
Here are Bell’s comments:
“Founded in 1631 based upon principles of complete religious toleration, separation of church and state, and political democracy, values that the United States would later be founded upon. The Ocean State. Unfortunately, government is not working in Rhode Island for the people, as the state is run by a corrupt Democrat political machine for the last 80 years. In our state, we are constantly ranked near the bottom, recently ranked 50th worst in terms of our business-friendly climate. Democratic leadership in our state has been rampant corruption, lack of transparency, and unethical conduct. Which makes it no surprise that the democratic presidential nominee is supported by each and every one of Rhode Island’s state Democratic leadership. It should therefore come as no surprise that Rhode Island delivered, sorry Jersey, the largest margin of victory in a three-way race with the most amount of votes cast in the history of a Republican primary with over 64 percent for Donald J. Trump.”
