Press Release: Fierro calls for legislation to make public corruption a felony offense
Fierro calls for legislation to make public corruption a felony offense.
The time for rhetoric and fast-talk about public corruption has passed,
Fierro announces support of strict anti-public corruption bill.
WOONSOCKET – Chris Fierro, of 137 Ridge Street, feels that all too often our public officials merely talk about ending corruption. The time for talk has come and gone, what we need is action in order to restore the public trust.
Early in the last legislative session, the attorney general’s office proposed a bill that would allow the State to charge public officials accused of corruption with a felony offense rather than the current system which only allows for misdemeanor charges. The reality is that our public servants need to be held to a higher standard. As a candidate and potential legislator, I am eager to adhere to and push for higher standards. Strict penalties are in order, both as a deterrent to and punishment for acts that violate the public trust.
While the bill did not pass into law, Fierro is eager to take up the call and push for this legislation in the next session. “My legislative priorities, which include bringing high-paying manufacturing jobs back to Woonsocket and fixing our state’s education funding formula, cannot be achieved without public participation and a strong public trust in government. In order to restore that trust, we need to quickly usher in strong anti-corruption legislation, such as that offered by AG Lynch in the 2008 session” stated Fierro.
Fierro is proud to be raising his three children as the fourth generation of his family to live in his neighborhood—“Restoring the public trust is a fundamental step towards achieving my goals. Having deep Woonsocket roots and a young family, I want to ensure the prosperity of our future generations.”
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