𝕂𝕖𝕟 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜

I have decided to run for RI governor because, like so many of you, I can no longer tolerate the dysfunction, waste, and warped priorities of our state gov't

[𝕂𝕖𝕟 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜 @KenBlockRI]

I have decided to run for Rhode Island governor because, like so many of you, I can no longer tolerate the dysfunction, waste, and warped priorities of our state government. https://t.co/klQ5N7bGGk

[𝕂𝕖𝕟 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜 @KenBlockRI]

Thank you, Gov. Christine Todd Whitman @GovCTW and @Fwd_Party, for your very generous support.

[𝕂𝕖𝕟 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜 @KenBlockRI]

@GenePearso92544 My first executive order will be to freeze all procurements above $3,000,000 so that we can stop writing contracts that lose us billions of dollars.

[𝕂𝕖𝕟 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜 @KenBlockRI]

I am running for governor to solve problems in a fact-based way, using common-sense solutions. Imagine four years of thoughtful leadership… moving RI forward, not backward. That is what I am about, and what I am about to show you very soon. Stand by for a crazy problem that impacts our health and bank accounts. The common-sense solution should be a no-brainer, and implementable well before the election.

[𝕂𝕖𝕟 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜 @KenBlockRI]

@SamuelWBell Line 10 doesn't prevent mass reduction in benefits?

[𝕂𝕖𝕟 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜 @KenBlockRI]

The Charter Review Commission, of which I was a member, spent months researching and discussing how to best replace the town’s Financial Town Meeting. The version of the Financial Town Referendum (FTR) we designed was not what the Town Council ultimately presented to voters on the ballot.

Today’s FTR was a success in that participation was tremendous and participating did not require sitting in a high school auditorium for many hours. However, having only the option to approve the budget in the FTR is idiotic.

The town should consider implementing the version of the FTR that the Charter Review Commission designed. With one important change: limit amendments to two per resident. One resident proposed over 30 amendments this year, each of which went on the ballot.

[𝕂𝕖𝕟 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜 @KenBlockRI]

Today, we honor and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.

[𝕂𝕖𝕟 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜 @KenBlockRI]

Both parades I was planning on walking in tomorrow have been canceled. For one of them, I had to get the ACLU to remind the town that they could not constitutionally exclude my participation because I was not in a political party. For the other, I found out too late to react that I was not allowed to walk in a municipally-sponsored parade because I did not hold elected office, which also probably does not pass constitutional muster. I have the ACLU on speed dial.

These are examples of party politicians doing ugly things to keep their grip on consolidated power. I am not going to let that happen!!

[𝕂𝕖𝕟 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜 @KenBlockRI]

There are plenty of reasons to want to be in Rhode Island.

[𝕂𝕖𝕟 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜 @KenBlockRI]

Here to testify on the Inspector General bills in both chambers.

[𝕂𝕖𝕟 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜 @KenBlockRI]

Block for Governor Campaign Statement on Handing the Providence Schools Back to Local Control

State control hasn't worked yet, but control of the school system should remain where it is

PROVIDENCE, R.I. —
The RI State Department of Education has announced that state control of the Providence public school system will end, handing control back to the city school committee.

In response to this news, RI gubernatorial candidate Ken Block said, "While the state has had control of the school system for six years, not nearly enough change and improvement has been made. Less than 20% of Providence public school system students are at grade level."

"All of the adults involved in educating our urban core public school students share the blame for this failure. No one in charge of the Providence schools - neither the city nor the state - has brought the changes that our most disadvantaged students desperately need."

"I disagree with handing control of the Providence schools back to local officials. Six years of state control should have led to far more substantial and impactful changes. The Providence public school system is failing its students and making the adult lives of its 'graduates' substantially harder than they should be."

"Political courage is needed. A strong governor needs to drive efforts to improve this failed school system. As governor, I would bring together problem-solving adults involved in every aspect of Providence's students' education and push hard for consensus and solutions to this problem, which has ruined the education of generations of Providence public school students. Everyone needs to commit to the idea that the highest priority of the Providence school system must be far better outcomes than we are achieving today."

"Providence's public school students deserve far better educational outcomes than they are receiving."

[𝕂𝕖𝕟 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜 @KenBlockRI]

We looked as hard as humanly possible at every single thing the campaign asked us to review. There was (and to this day, there still is zero proof that enough voter fraud occurred to change the result of any swing state. The campaign's top lawyers not only accepted my results but also reported them up the chain, and they were accepted as the truth by Mark Meadows. To this day, no one anywhere has presented legally admissible evidence that voter fraud tipped the 2020 election. I deal in legally admissible facts, and none supported the voter fraud narrative. None.

[𝕂𝕖𝕟 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜 @KenBlockRI]

This, for sure, is one of my proudest moments, although all I did was speak the truth.

[𝕂𝕖𝕟 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜 @KenBlockRI]

Thank you @AndrewYang and @Fwd_Party. Today's event was impressive, as is your roster of endorsed independent candidates! So exciting to be part of a growing movement to do politics differently (and better)! Forward!!

[𝕂𝕖𝕟 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜 @KenBlockRI]

@FoxPointSteve I'll probably get better results than any IG will get as my administration reviews each agency's operations, compliance with regulations, etc.

[𝕂𝕖𝕟 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜 @KenBlockRI]

RI’s Attorney General states Rhode Island’s open records laws have made possible a situation where a government body that does not want to disclose public records via our APRA laws can frustrate the efforts of anyone who asks for records by tying the request up in the court system for years.

[Peter Neronha @PFNeronha]

This post shows an serious lack of understanding of how the APRA works. Presumably the LG/IG would find himself in Superior Court appealing denials by public agencies (not the AG) of his APRA requests. That takes lawyers. And it costs money. Has nothing to do with the AG.

[𝕂𝕖𝕟 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜 @KenBlockRI]

I am in good government heaven today! Both the Inspector General and line-item veto are long overdue, excellent for Rhode Island, and are supported by a large majority of voters. Are you also on board, @HelenaBFoulkes and @GuckianRI

[Ian Donnis @IanDonnis]

.@govdanmckee pairs his support for Speaker @CBlazejewski’s inspector general proposal with a renewed call for line-item veto

[𝕂𝕖𝕟 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜 @KenBlockRI]

I’m fully aware of how the law works. The only way the LG/IG finds their way to court is if the AG’s office denies the LG/IG’s complaint. If the AG’s office confirms that the LG/IG’s complaint is valid, I would hope that the AG’s office would discourage a frivolous court case filed by the agency.

[𝕂𝕖𝕟 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜 @KenBlockRI]

@thekmich I haven't yet had time to look into the details

[𝕂𝕖𝕟 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜 @KenBlockRI]

This statement concerns me as an avid fan of open records and the transparency they provide to the public about our government's operations. Is the AG suggesting that access to records that clearly qualify as open under the APRA should only be available to requestors whom the AG deems acceptable? This sort of subjective access is not built into our open records laws, nor should it be. Open records that are only provided to requestors deemed "acceptable" by politicians are not open at all.

[Peter Neronha @PFNeronha]

He’d better hire some good lawyers with the 1.4 million. Because he’s going to be spending lot of time in superior court appealing denials of his APRA requests by state agencies.

And at pace civil cases go in superior court, he’ll get through about two APRA appeals in 8 years.