PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The state’s top prosecutor revealed Thursday night that Gov. Dan McKee has so far ignored his offer to help provide legal support in responding to the Washington Bridge crisis, as the governor is poised to announce an outside legal team.
R.I. Attorney General Peter Neronha said through a spokesperson he reached out to McKee directly on March 15 to offer to help the governor, who has promised a “day of reckoning” for those responsible for the doomed bridge.
“The governor, to date, has declined to take the attorney general up on that offer,” spokesperson Brian Hodge said.
The statement didn’t stop there.
“The men and women of this office, like all Rhode Islanders, have been significantly impacted by this epic failure of state government to deliver on one of its most basic promises: provide safe and adequate infrastructure,” Hodge continued.
“This situation now presents tests of leadership: how quickly can the bridge be rebuilt, and, to the extent any blame for this fiasco can placed anywhere beyond the state itself, holding those entities accountable,” he said. “Like all Rhode Islanders, the attorney general will be watching carefully and with great interest as Governor McKee attempts to meet the moment in both respects.”
Neronha’s office released the statement just hours after the governor’s announcement that he would hold a news conference Friday to name the attorneys he has “engaged to pursue potential legal action related to the bridge failure.”
On Friday morning, McKee’s office released a text message that both sides confirmed was the communication in question.
“Governor – I know this has been a difficult 24 hours – but hang in there. It will work out,” Neronha wrote. “If we can help let us know but I know you have this well in hand. Best, Peter.”
“General,” McKee replied, “Thanks for the text. Enjoy your day.” He signed it, “Dan.”
McKee described the text exchange at a news conference Friday, shortly before his office released the screenshot of it.
“As I mentioned in my comments, we’ve certainly relayed that text to our legal team in our office and we’ve also now relayed that text to this team as well, and I expect they will be reaching out to the attorney general if they feel as though he could be helpful in the objectives that we’ve set,” McKee said.
Neronha and McKee have had a contentious relationship for years, regularly butting heads over matters ranging from a controversial consulting contract to climate policy. Neronha has acknowledged voting for McKee’s Democratic rival, Helena Foulkes, in the 2022 gubernatorial primary, and has suggested he could challenge McKee in the 2026 primary.
They have also exchanged fire over the role of the attorney general’s office in providing legal representation for the governor’s administration, including when Neronha declined to defend McKee in a suit over the removal of a homeless encampment.
The westbound Washington Bridge was abruptly closed due to structural issues in December, and additional inspections confirmed it will need to be torn down and replaced. In recent weeks, McKee has signaled that he is focused on litigation against either individuals or businesses that may have contributed to the crisis.
Earlier this week the governor announced he would not be releasing a forensic analysis of the bridge this week as planned, partly because his office wanted to coordinate with the new legal team about what is made public. The goal, McKee told reporters Thursday, is to “position ourselves to maximize any recovery for the taxpayers that we can possibly have.”
There is precedent for hiring outside legal counsel when the state is pursuing unusual legal action.
After the collapse of 38 Studios in 2012, then-Gov. Lincoln Chafee hired private attorney Max Wistow to successfully extract tens of millions of dollars from the law firms and other businesses that were involved in bringing the failed video game company to Rhode Island.
Wistow declined to comment Thursday when asked whether he’d have any involvement in the Washington Bridge litigation.
Eli Sherman (esherman@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter for 12 News. Connect with him on Twitter and on Facebook.
Tim White(twhite@wpri.com) is Target 12 managing editor and chief investigative reporter and host ofNewsmakersfor 12 News. Connect with him onTwitterandFacebook.
Ted Nesi and Alexandra Leslie contributed to this report.
This story has been updated with a response from Governor McKee.
