In the latest Rhode Island Senate poll done by Flemming & Associates for RI's Channel 12:

Lincoln Chafee Sheldon Whitehouse Undecided

42% 46% 12%

Here's a report on last night's first live Senate debate, aired on WPRI 12, with a link to the video of the entire thing. Basically, it was a debate between one boring liberal and another more boring liberal (guess which one is which). No real issues were discussed - Whitehouse's main point was that Rhode Islander's should stop voting for a Bush enabler, and Chafee correctly points out that not once during Whitehouse's term as Attorney General did he investigate thoroughly (with subpoenas, etc) allegations of rampant public corruption, let alone prosecute it.

Chafee's correct - Whitehouse never did go after public corruption in Rhode Island. The main public corruption prosecutions that have taken place in Rhode Island have been done by the Feds, not the State (for example Buddy Cianci). Democrats will not investigate other Democrats in Rhode Island thoroughly unless such investigations hold political benefit for them.

I'll give you an example. Patrick Lynch is running for re-election as Attorney General this year. He holds the office because of one reason - his brother is the State Democrat Chairman. The Lynches in Rhode Island are the equivalent of the Kennedys in Massachusetts, only with less money and accomplishments. Just this month there was a mixed verdict in a corruption trial involving a one-time powerful Rhode Island State Democrat Senator, John Celona and Roger Williams Medical Center. Previously, Celona has pled guilty to federal corruption charges and paid a record ethics fine for work he had done as a lobbyist and consultant for companies that included CVS. And, as Chafee pointed out last night, all of this corruption was taking place during the time that Whitehouse was Attorney General - Whitehouse was even told of it, but failed (intentionally?) to start a serious investigation into the charges.

Was Lynch as Rhode Island's Attorney General involved in investigating or prosecuting any of those cases? Just as a witness before a Federal Grand Jury! Because, you see, everyone involved was a Democrat. And Lynch used to be a lobbyist for CVS. He wouldn't investigate a fellow Democrat unless it meant a personal political benefit for he or his allies.

By looking the other way at public corruption in Rhode Island, Sheldon Whitehouse was just doing his party's bidding. And Lynch has continued that proud tradition. That's Rhode Island still, unfortunately. It's telling that Lynch is expected to be reelected handily. And that Whitehouse is seen as a credible candidate for Senate, praised by even former President Bill Clinton.