Tina Spears of Charlestown declares her candidacy to take House District 36 seat held by Blake Filippi
By Will Collette
Flip's inherited wealth and hotel and restaurant money plus a flawless talent for lies and b.s. have held off opponents even though we still don't really know where he lives, or whether he even lives in the District.
Tina Spears, his new opponent, has lived for almost 30 years in Charlestown with her family. She holds a Masters Degree and is the Director of the Community Provider Network of Rhode Island, an association of 34 providers of services to families and children with disabilities.
Ms. Spears is running as a Democrat. She has deep ties to the community, a love of nature and a dedication to public service.
Filippi, on the other hand, claimed to be a full-time lawyer in Providence, full-time hotelier and restaurateur on Block Island, full-time beef cattle rancher in Lincoln and a full-time politician.
Filippi first ran as an independent despite strong ties to Republican leaders like Patricia Morgan. Then he identified himself more as a Libertarian with strong ties to the far-right armed militia group, the Oath Keepers. Then he began to identify as a Republican and has since become the leader of the small band of Rhode Island House Trumplicans.
He has virtually no legislative achievements but plenty of air time and column inches in the media, especially when he comes out with some of his crackpot ideas such as Rhode Island seceding from the union to join the Canadian Maritime provinces to avoid Daylight Savings Time.
He takes credit for other legislators' bills such as claiming credit for anti-dust quarry legislation that was sponsored by Rep. Brian Patrick Kennedy or reducing state income tax on Social Security and federal pensions, which was Rep. Bob Craven's bill.
Filippi enjoys the total support of the Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA Party) even though he has at times co-sponsored legislation they oppose and rarely delivers on legislation they want.
Filippi is anti-choice, anti-vax, has cut all non-profits in his district from much needed legislative grants, and is a strong proponent of the whole array of hard-right Trumplican causes. He defended fellow Trumplican Rep. Justin Price when Price joined in the January 6 insurrection.
His top priority is himself, mainly his business interests and getting media coverage. May this be the last term for this guy as Charlestown's state Rep.
To contact Tina, for questions or to volunteer on her campaign, e-mail her at tinaspearsforri@gmail.com or call 401-329-6644.