So let me get this straight. 200k plus in illicit billing in exchange for a 12k fine? Where do I sign up? Oh thats right, this is only good for political hacks.

In case there was anyone still out there wondering why the general public laughs at the so-called "Ethics Committee", here would be yet another example. With these incompetents and the Brother of the head of the Democrat Party as the Attorney General the only time ANYBODY in this state gets punished for a crime is when the Feds get involved.

When.. When.. When.. will Rhode Islanders stop voting these pompous crooks into office and WHEN will Rhode Islanders stop condoning and ignoring their blatant rotten deals? Guess these guys have to come right up to you and shove their hands into your pockets before people realize that it's YOUR money these guys are stealing and then using to feather their retirement nests in Florida. After all, how can we expect them to retire here - since it's one of the most expensive states to live in... and why? Perhaps because that's just the cost of doing business in Little Rhody. If you're as disgusted as I am, please show it at the polls.

Legal work for West Warwick, the home of Senator Steve Alves.

When asked what action the Senate would take against Alves after he was castigated by the RI Supreme Court for bringing an illegal SLAPP suit in an attempt to deny rights guaranteed by the Constitution, Montalbano replied "You're talking to a friend of Stephen Alves”! (Projo 19 Oct 2004)

Shortly after this Montalbano started doing legal work for West Warwick. I guess we are to believe this wasn’t a pay back….

With over 4,000 attorneys in RI, one wonders how Montalbano came to get the legal work in WW? Yeah right, I just hope the FBI includes these two on their short list.....

Inadvertant? You have got to be kidding?. This is the way he and his cronies conduct business on a daily basis.

Not only did he do wrong... But he's not man enough to stand up and admit it.

Score: 1 for Gordon Fox, 0 for Montalbano

And we wonder why the state is being flushed down the toilet.

This is so typical of Rhode Island.

Disgusting...Montalbano is a disgrace...should start investigating his involvement @ Lincoln park/Twin River...he's been bought by the dog men...promised full fledged casino within 5 years...no wonder this state is in the toilet

This was the expected outcome...

I work in Massachusetts and listen to almost everyday to the progress that our neighbor to the north makes with regard to strengthening their state economy. There is a direct correlation with the marred perception that RI government has with most companies and their ineffectiveness with attracting new investments to the state. Mr Montalbano has certainly enriched himself at the expense of not only our reputation, but to the long-term viability of our state economy. The hard economic development work needed to lure good paying jobs is not the same as the shortcut to add more gambling (virtual blackjack, other).

Even though Senate President Joseph Montalbano will pay a small fine, we will all pay in terms of loss revenue potential which funds our education, infrastructure and quality of life in RI.

Are their any legislators that will take the risk to change the status quo to introduce and pass meaningful conflict of interest legislation?

Ultimately this is a tax on us all – he get’s the free ride! It is a wonder why other states look down upon our state government system.

Typical R.I Politics slap on the wrist and pretend it never happened.

If Montalbano's work for the Town of West Warwick while voting to back the casino is not a conflict of interest, then the Ethic's commision definition of conflict of interest is meaningless. Montalbano's legal asssertion that he cannot be held responsible or questioned on any vote on the senate floor defies common sense. His sixteen percent approval rating tells what the public thinks of him.