For Immediate Release

Contact: communications@ri.gop

September 29, 2025

WASHINGTON BRIDGE REPORT EXPOSES DECADES OF NEGLECT AND POLITICAL BETRAYAL AND GOV MCKEE LIED ABOUT IT!

Warwick, RI — The newly revealed forensic analysis of the Washington Bridge collapse confirms what Rhode Islanders feared, this disaster was decades in the making. It was not sudden. It was not unforeseeable. It was the result of systemic neglect, ignored warnings, and political leaders who chose spin over responsibility.

“Rhode Islanders have been lied to, and the sad truth is that no one is surprised by what this report reveals.” said RI Republican Party Chairman Joe Powers. “This wasn’t an accident. It was negligence. Our state leaders knew the bridge was failing for years, yet they kept Rhode Islanders in the dark while thousands of lives were put at risk every single day. Why was this report hidden? Why weren’t Rhode Islanders told about the crumbling infrastructure we were driving on? And why did Democratic leadership gamble with public safety instead of telling us the truth? Gov. McKee actually said, ‘we should applaud the individuals that made the decision to close down the bridge, to save people’s lives.’ Applaud? They knew the risks for years and still did nothing, recklessly endangering the lives of up to 90,000 Rhode Island and Massachusetts residents who relied on that bridge every single day. That’s not leadership; that’s negligence dressed up as heroism. Where is the ‘Day of Reckoning’ the Governor promised? Why hasn’t a single person been fired, prosecuted, or held accountable for this dereliction of duty?”

Powers continued, “Isn’t it the Democrats who always ask, ‘Is THIS what you voted for?’ Well…is it Rhode Island? Take a good look,  this bridge disaster is exactly what their leadership delivered.”

Despite his outrage, Powers pointed to a way forward, “Rhode Islanders are angry, and they should be. But anger alone won’t fix what’s broken. While President Trump’s Administration has been making historic strides in rebuilding America, Rhode Island Democrats, led by an ineffective governor, have let our infrastructure collapse. This can and must change. Our state doesn’t have to accept failure as its destiny. We can rebuild trust, rebuild our roads, and rebuild Rhode Island, but only if we replace those who put politics above people.”

“Rhode Islanders deserve better,” Powers concluded. “I’m so tire of saying that, but we do! We deserve leaders who will confront hard truths, not bury them. We deserve accountability, not excuses. And above all, We deserve hope that this state can once again be a place where safety, competence, and honesty come first.”

Contact: communications@ri.gop

June 20, 2025

RI DEMOCRATS DECLARE WAR ON YOUR RIGHTS – AND THEY THINK YOU’LL JUST TAKE IT

Chairman Joe Powers Calls Out General Assembly’s Assault Weapons Ban for What It Is: Unconstitutional, Un-American, and Unforgivable

Warwick, RI – The Rhode Island Republican Party is sounding the alarm after the Democrat-controlled General Assembly rammed through an Assault Weapons Ban — a blatant, unconstitutional attack on the rights of law-abiding Rhode Islanders.

“This is a disgrace,” said RI GOP Chairman Joe Powers. “Democrats in this state have abandoned the Constitution, abandoned the people, and embraced a one-party dictatorship that no longer hides its contempt for freedom.”

The ban doesn’t protect citizens — it punishes them. It criminalizes responsible gun owners, burdens small businesses, threatens conservation funds, and opens the floodgates for costly lawsuits that Democrats know they’ll lose.

“They’re not even pretending anymore,” Powers continued. “They know this bill violates the Second Amendment. They know the courts will strike it down. And they still passed it — because their agenda is more important to them than your rights.”

Worse yet, the Democrats used deceitful tactics to drum up support, allowing national groups like Everytown to hijack Rhode Island’s legislative process with phony email campaigns and manipulated messaging.

“This wasn’t public input. This was political fraud,” Powers said. “They lied to the public, they lied to the press, and they lied to themselves if they think this will go unchallenged.”

The Chairman also condemned the General Assembly’s obsession with political grandstanding at the expense of public safety and fiscal sanity.

“While families are struggling, while our schools crumble, and while our bridges are literally falling apart — they spent their time chasing headlines and trampling the Constitution,” said Powers. “This is about ego. This is about career politicians jockeying for the next job — not about protecting Rhode Islanders.”

Powers didn’t hold back on what’s next:

“We now have a clear, targeted list of every legislator who voted to betray their oath — and their time is running out. But we need fighters. If you’re a Republican, an Independent, an Unaffiliated voter, or a Democrat who’s watched your party be hijacked, you’re not alone. JFK Democrats no longer exist — they’ve been replaced by radical leftist progressives who won’t rest until every one of your rights is stripped away. Now is the time to rise up, join our ranks, and take our state back.

The RI GOP is actively recruiting candidates to challenge these anti-Constitution, anti-liberty legislators.

“To every Rhode Islander who still believes in the Constitution — we’re not going to fix this by posting memes or yelling at the TV. We fix it by running for office, knocking doors, and taking back this state seat by seat,” Powers said.

“They’ve drawn the battle lines. Now it’s time to fight.”

Stand with us. Step up. Run. Donate. Get involved.