Tim White

NEW: Cranston’s budget fight is escalating. Mayor Ken Hopkins now wants to eliminate senior services and cut new school funding to bring a proposed tax hike down to 4%. Opponents say the city’s seniors are being used as leverage wpri.com/target-12/cran…

NEW: Tight budget? What tight budget? Today's revenue conference upped forecast for state receipts by $233M, giving lawmakers a lot more breathing room Gov McKee already seeking faster Social Security tax phaseout, bigger child tax credit, energy savings wpri.com/news/politics-…

An Ethics Complaint has been filed in former-Speaker Joe Shekarchi's bid to become a state Supreme Court justice. @RWULaw Prof. @MichaelYelnosky argues it would violate the state's revolving-door law. wpri.com/target-12/law-…

NEW: RWU Law Professor Michael Yelnosky says he’s filed a complaint with the RI Ethics Commission over Joe Shekarchi’s application to the Supreme Court. Yelnosky argues the revolving door law requires lawmakers to wait a year before getting on the bench.

Speaker Shekarchi tells me he won't seek an advisory opinion from the Ethics Commission about whether he's allowed to seek the SCORI seat under the revolving-door law. Will defend himself against any complaint More from our 1-on-1 at 4pm on @wpri12 wpri.com/target-12/shek…

.@RIHouseofReps Democrats will caucus at 3:30pm to back Blazejewski/Kazarian as new speaker/leader team Shekarchi will deliver farewell address to House session, then formally resign - vote for new speaker expected to follow wpri.com/target-12/shek…

House Majority Leader Blazejewski released a statement saying he has the votes: “I’m honored and deeply grateful to have secured the overwhelming commitments of my House colleagues to succeed him as Speaker, and for Rep. Katherine Kazarian to serve as Majority Leader.”

BREAKING: House Speaker Joe Shekarchi is stepping down in the middle of the legislative session to pursue a seat on the R.I. Supreme Court, in a move that will reshape both the State House and the state’s legal landscape, Target 12 has learned wpri.com/target-12/shek…

COMING TOMORROW: New @EmersonPolling, @NXSTMediaGroup poll looking at the Markey/Moulton Senate race in Massachusetts, how voters feel about rent control in the Commonwealth, and more. Survey results drop at 6 a.m. @SpencerPolling has a sneak peek:

NEW: RI woman convicted in fraud case of falsely claiming to be U.S. Marine with cancer, is denied early release from prison. Sarah Cavanaugh failed to convince Judge John McConnell that she had "extraordinary and compelling" reasons for release. wpri.com/target-12/stol…

NEW: Remember when that Cranston businessman accused Mayor Ken Hopkins of stealing his sports car? City taxpayers have paid about $47,000 in legal fees tied to the personal dispute. The case is now in settlement talks. w/@TimWhiteRI wpri.com/target-12/cran…

Cranston's projected deficit grew by a half million dollars in just a month, per the latest spending report. Now totals ~$10.5 million. No plan currently in place to fix it --> wpri.com/news/local-new…

Quite the story out of Rhode Island U.S. District Court. @USAO_RI apologizing after @DHSgov slammed federal judge for releasing suspect wanted for murder in the DR. Feds, now facing contempt of court, admit they never told the judge about the warrant wpri.com/news/local-new…

BREAKING: In court filing the US Attorney General's office is apologizing to Judge Melissa DuBose for not disclosing suspect's criminal history in DR: "I sincerely apologize to Judge DuBose, personally, and to the entire Court for the consequences of this lack of disclosure."

NEW: Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins says he's going back to the drawing board after the City Council rejected his proposed budget last night. The mayor spoke with @Kate_mwilkinson from Texas where he's attending a conference wpri.com/news/cranston-…

R.I. House Speaker Joe Shekarchi has until May 7 to decide whether he’ll apply for a lifetime appointment to the state's Supreme Court. Meanwhile, experts say his decision could raise serious ethical questions. Story by @Eli_Sherman and @TimWhiteRI: wpri.com/target-12/powe…

NEW: As House Speaker Joe Shekarchi weighs a bid for the R.I. Supreme Court, multiple ethical questions loom including what happens to the largest campaign war chest in state politics. w/ @TimWhiteRI wpri.com/target-12/powe…

UPDATE: @SenWhitehouse slams Trump DOJ move to keep Calenda effectively serving as RI's US attorney, saying other options with bipartisan Senate support were ignored. Administration "is plainly attempting an end run around the law," Whitehouse argues. wpri.com/target-12/fede…

BREAKING: Former Providence Mayor Joe Paolino, a prominent downtown developer, is part of an investment group selected to buy the struggling Providence Place mall wpri.com/target-12/joe-…

NEW: U.S. District Court declines to tap a new interim top federal prosecutor in RI, which means there is no U.S. Attorney here right now. Charles "Chas" Calenda says he's still in charge. wpri.com/target-12/fede…