- Welcome back, Ted.

Let's start with the state's Ethics Commission taking action against two former state employees who went on what's been described as this notorious business trip to Philadelphia last year.

Let's keep in mind, they were there to visit a facility run by Scout, Ltd., a company that was looking to redevelop the Cranston Street Armory in Providence.

- Right, and to remind folks of the players in this little drama, State Properties Director David Patten, who you'll see here in the video, he's in the blue-gray suit leaving the Ethics Commission this week.

He was accused of behaving very unprofessionally and even demanding freebies from vendors at this facility, like famously vegan cheese was one of them.

While his travel companion, the Director of Administration at the time, Jim Thorsen, was accused of just kind of standing by and letting his behavior play out.

- And this all came to light after Scout executives sent state leaders an email accusing Patten of "bizarre, offensive behavior "that was blatantly sexist, racist, and unprofessional."

They also said that Patten demanded that a restaurant that was closed open early so he could have a free lunch there.

- Yeah, and that free lunch is what's really gotten Patten and potentially Thorsen in trouble here.

Under the state ethics code, it's very clear, officials can only accept gifts, something from someone doing business with the state, valued at $25 or less.

This lunch was worth a good bit more than that, including the fact that they had opened the restaurant when it was supposed to be closed.

Patten has agreed to pay a $5,000 ethics fine to end his case.

That's actually one of the higher ethics fines we've seen in Rhode Island in recent memory.

But Thorsen, again, the former administration director who was his companion on the trip, he's still fighting the ethics panel on this, arguing he reported it to HR, he didn't do anything wrong.

But if you read the investigative report, Michelle, looking at their behavior, the ethics panel seems to zero in on the fact that Thorsen didn't offer to pay Scout back for the free lunch until he learned Scout had sent that whistleblower email, which doesn't seem to have sat well with the Ethics Commission.

- And we should note that neither man works for the McKee administration anymore.

Switching gears, Ted.

Congressman Seth Magaziner recently invited the chairman of the House January 6th committee to Rhode Island.

This is Congressman Bennie Thompson of Mississippi.

And you had a chance to sit down with them, and you asked them how effective the January 6th committee was in light of the continued success that we see former President Donald Trump have.

Let's take a listen.

- I think once people get into the weeds of the report, and I encourage people to read it, it's 850 pages, but nonetheless, the facts speak for themselves.

- There are a lot of Republicans who I talk to out there who are conservative, but they are not comfortable with Donald Trump because they know that when you try to stop a peaceful transfer of power from happening, that is anti-American.

And when you try to overturn the will of the voters, that is anti-American.

- And, Ted, it's easy to forget that Magaziner is still a freshman representative, only elected in 2022, of course.

He was overshadowed last year by Gabe Amo's special election.

- Yes.

And it's striking too that Magaziner doesn't right now, Michelle, have a Republican opponent for this fall's November election.

I mean, people remember 2022, that was a national race.

Millions and millions of dollars poured into Rhode Island by both parties.

Republican Allan Fung almost won the seat, came a few within a few points of that.

But right now Magaziner's on a clear path to run potentially even unopposed, and at least he has no top-tier candidate.

So I think the Thompson visit is interesting 'cause I think it's giving us a glimpse into what Congressman Magaziner's priorities are, what he really cares about.

He's been very critical of the Trump and MAGA wing of the Republican Party during his time in office so far.

He of course has been critical of the efforts to overturn the 2020 election, but he also went viral for a combative exchange with Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene on the floor.

So I think he is really passionate about these topics.

- Do you think the average Rhode Islander shares that passion about not just democracy, but holding people accountable for January 6th?

- It's a good question.

It's one, frankly, political pros have been debating Michelle.

Obviously, while if you take a poll, most Americans will say, yes, they support the peaceful transfer of power.

Are they made impassioned by that?

I think, President Biden's top advisor, Mike Donilon, who's actually a Providence native, he said they think democracy is gonna be a pillar of President Biden's reelection campaign and these sorts of issues.

But I also think Magaziner just is sincerely passionate about these himself.

So I think it might not be only a political calculus, it might also just be what he cares about.

- Thanks so much, Ted, appreciate it.

- Good to be here.

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