R.I. Still Awaiting Decision on Alleged 38 Studios Lobbying Violations
There’s still no decision on whether former Red Sox ace Curt Schilling’s failed 38 Studios was involved in a violation of Ocean State lobbying laws, the Rhode Island Secretary of State’s office says.
A spokesperson for Secretary Ralph Mollis told Boston.com Friday that the office is still awaiting a decision from the officer who heard the hearings about the allegation. According to Providence station WPRI, a decision was expected by Sept. 10. The Mollis spokesperson said if a decision was not delivered from the hearing officer by the end of the day Friday, Mollis’s office would call.
Michael Corso, a politically-connected Rhode Island attorney, has been investigated over the course of the summer for failing to register as a lobbyist on 38 Studios’ behalf.
In May, WPRI reported Corso signed a contract with 38 Studios a few years back that would pay him $300,000 in consulting fees. The contract called for him to work with government agencies and public officials on the gaming company’s behalf, a responsibility that most people would probably refer to as lobbying. But WPRI found that no lobbyists ever registered with the state on behalf for 38 Studios—which received $75 million in financing through the state, went bankrupt, left taxpayers on the hook, and remains a major political issue in Rhode Island.
Mollis’s office has said it is seeking a maximum penalty on Corso, who did not appear at hearings and contests the allegations. For the money Corso was supposed to haul in, the prospect of punishment isn’t all that stiff. Rhode Island laws call for a $2,000 fine for legislative lobbying and $1,000 at the executive branch, according to WPRI. (Seinfeld buffs may recall when Newman caught Jerry on mail fraud.)
Schilling skipped hearings about the issue in July due to health issues related to his recovery from cancer. Schilling returned to his baseball analyst role with ESPN this week.
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