16 September 2022
Honorable Mayor Frank Picozzi
Office of the Mayor of Warwick
Warwick City Hall
3275 Post Road
Warwick, RI 02886
Honorable Mayor Picozzi:
I hope this message finds you well. I know your team does not like “political affairs” worked out “in the building” so I figured this would be the best way to start this conversation. By the way, having observed you for a little while now, I fully get it if this is also the end to this conversation.
Before I begin, thank you for the way you have run our community so far. Even when I find myself having a minor disagreement with a policy view you have taken, at least I know it’s coming from an honest place. Even the vibe inside City Hall is much better now than before you got there.
I know you’re not exactly big on endorsements. That’s why today I will be asking you to stick with your non-endorsement rule. If the Governor’s race goes in a rather specific race, we have a chance to correct intrinsic failures of the Rhode Island political system that have been with us for decades.
Strangely enough, I’m torn regarding the Governor’s race. Usually, I vote straight Democratic Party all the time. Well, in New York things got a little weird thanks to ballot fusion but you get the idea. This year, I cannot do that. At the same time, I cannot vote for the Republican candidate out of principle.
As you know, I believe in the “hometown exemption.” I never want to take acts politically that will harm my neighbors. In some cases, that means avoiding fights in your home community over political issues.
I think I have discussed this with you before, but just in case, let me go over it again. When I lived in Tiverton, local fights happened now and again. That was the situation in Fall River too. When I moved to Newport, to protect tourism, all local squabbling was outlawed. You actually packed a bag and went to the upper East side of Manhattan to work things out. That drove me crazy. I hated it. That all changed when I got to Utica.
When I moved to Utica, folks would show up at your house at all hours. Common Councilors had physical interactions in the local grocery store. There were literally no rules for anything even if you were hanging out in a “refugee dominated neighborhood.” The one upside was a local Mosque played the call to prayer every Friday. Outside of that hitting every Friday, it was pretty clear the folks in Newport had it right.
Here, I’ve applied it in a number of different ways. The easiest to point at example is I have a history of messing with politicians who do not support a woman’s right to body autonomy. Every forced birth advocate in our community knows that they are “at the very bottom of the list” meaning I will never interact with them that way unless a larger state issue is at play. Until Mike Carreiro got suckered into running for State Senate, it was never even a consideration.
What I plan to do this election cycle is encourage everyone in my Democratic Party to skip the Governor’s race or write in someone meaningful to them. I will be engaging in the meaningful option when I write in my birth mom’s name Sheila O’Brien. Should I ever have to do this again, I will write in Arlene Oliveira and then just alternate between the two. The meaningful option is important because asking a woman or person of color not to vote at all based on the history of our nation is also a step too far. However, no rule says you have to vote for anyone who won’t benefit you just because the race was there. Using the race is an opportunity to honor someone, because imperfect candidates are on the ballot, could be a great step towards closure or continuing admiration.
As a Democrat who hates Trump and DeSantis, I just cannot vote for Ms. Kalus. Yes, playing the long game I want her to win but sacrificing all my principes and actually “filling out the circle” is not something I can do. It should be noted that this is entirely about policy and not a personal judgment. I’ve met folks on both sides and the Kalus people are way nicer even though they believe in some things I find horrible.
At the same time, under no circumstances can I vote for Mckee. Have you ever escorted a woman into an abortion clinic?? Have you ever been threatened with a firearm while doing so?? Do you get daily death threats or wishes that you relapse and die due to your stance on abortion?? I’ve experienced, and continue to experience, all three of these.
When Joe Polisena was a Senator he brought a fake fetus to the Senate Floor in order to deny a woman’s right to choose. Mayor Lombardi feels much the same way. So does Senator Ruggerio which is why the EACA did not receive a vote this year. Not surprisingly, the all have Trump fan connections. Without Mayor Polisena’s and Mayor Lombardi’s phone banks saving him, 68% of Democrats chose somebody else, Governor McKee would not be our candidate right now. We judge someone’s actions, not their words. Governor Mckee’s continual relationships, even with who he picks for his staff, tells us he is a forced birth pig in the closet.
If that weren’t bad enough, he stole from us on the ILO deal and the Pawtucket Tidal Stadium. Not saying I am the reason the ILO investigation happened, but I did try to bring attention to it. I’m in daily talks now about getting some of the subpoenas released. If you wanna hear some old school mob stuff go down, kinda like New York, check in on one of these conversations. Meanwhile, I’m about to ask the FBI to take a look at what’s up in Pawtucket.
ILO and Pawtucket only happen for one reason. The forced birth wing of the Democratic Party is married to the Providence Diocese. The Diocese gets away with transporting pedophiles to other places, notice that the Diocese surrendered a “fake list” of pedophilia cases and the Attorney General did nothing, and in return for covering up the cases, that wing of the Democratic Party uses local parishes to get elected via the pulpit and certain events. If McKee loses, that wing becomes incredibly exposed overnight. Every Rhode Islander would benefit if the wing disappeared and the Providence Diocese were held responsible for their disgusting acts. I am one of those Catholics who has a Jesuit friend come in from Massachusetts now and again when I need Communion. No way in Hell I am taking a wafer from a priest who may have been holding an altar boy’s penis hours before.
This is where the hometown exemption kicks in. I know you do not plan to endorse anyone. However, if it looks like one candidate’s election will benefit our community much more than another candidate, it would be in everybody’s interests if you spoke up.
Because Lombardi and Polisena are not planning to move here, I doubt it will be McKee. He owes them his political life as it stands. Very few in Warwick, outside of Mike Carreiro being allowed in the lobby and future Senator LaMountain being laughed at by them when he walks out of a room, are in their grifting circle. That is something we should be proud of. We should all recognize at the same time it is a rather expensive arrangement to be living under. The antidote is fracturing the system by making sure McKee doesn’t win.
Thanks for being a person I can trust. There are a number of Mayors around the country I could never write this letter to. I have been blessed in my travels by the universe in its choice for political leadership wherever I happen to be at a particular moment.
There will come a day even here in Rhode Island when politics will not have to be so silly. DeSantis and Trump will have their Civil War. The forced birth pigs will get what’s coming to them. We will be able to concentrate on fiscal policy without the need for “payoff accounting” once again. Sadly that day is not today. If McKee wins, yeah the Democrats are still in power, but the folks with ultimate access hate women and worship a freak like Trump. If Kalus wins, we still have super majorities in the House and Senate and outside of giving away jobs, she really can’t do all that much.
Thank you for your time and consideration. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
In Hoc Signo,
Robert T. Oliveira
Warwick, RI
401-391-6402
Quahogs United 