Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The state branch of the American Civil Liberties Union has backed former Senate President William V. Irons in a lawsuit challenging the ability of the state Ethics Commission to prosecute him.

The Rhode Island affiliate filed a motion yesterday in the state Supreme Court asking for permission to file a brief supporting Irons' position that the state constitution prevents Irons from being prosecuted based on his votes.

"The ACLU intends to advocate the position taken by Respondent William V. Irons solely on the issue of legislative immunity," the motion states.

Irons, an insurance salesman from East Providence, abruptly resigned Dec. 31, 2003, after two decades in the Senate. He had opposed pharmacy-choice legislation that pharmacy giant CVS, a company to which Irons had sold insurance, also opposed.

The Journal later disclosed that Irons, while chairman of the Senate committee that handled health care, had collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in commissions since 1997 on a Blue Cross policy covering CVS workers in Rhode Island.

The Ethics Commission found probable cause to believe that Irons broke the code of ethics by using his public office to financially benefit his business associate, CVS. The next step would ordinarily have been a trial-like hearing before the commission. Irons, however, went to court in a successful attempt to block the commission prosecution.

In October, a lower-court judge ruled the state constitution bans the commission from prosecuting legislators for their votes. The Ethics Commission is challenging that ruling.

-- The Associated Press with Journal archival reports

The original version of this blog was filed at 6:32 p.m.

 Tags  East Providence Ethics Commission Supreme Court

Comments

David said:

This is why you are a complete fool if you give the ACLU a penny. This is the ACLU saying to our legislators that it is ok to vote on bills when you are receiving money from one of the bills interested parties. Nice job ACLU...maybe you should be sued to remove the American from your name. I don't hear anything American in what you do.

Link | March 12, 2009 8:57 PM
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shadylady said:

Why the surprise? Darigan'e the judge...ACLU? Wake up Rhode Island. The bad guys are winning. Remember this in 2010.

Link | March 12, 2009 10:45 PM
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dan said:

What? The ACLU supporting a potential felon? Someone who lined their own pockets while being a public servant? Why does that not surprise me in the least?

Link | March 13, 2009 6:15 AM
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marvin said:

David

Funny how you don't acknowledge the Union members of the legislature who vote on laws that affect their Union, or is that OK in you eyes?

Glad the ACLU exists even though I don't agree with many of their stances...

Link | March 13, 2009 10:32 AM
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