‘A big deal’: Ed Fitzpatrick breaks down Joe Shekarchi’s big decision

Ed Fitzpatrick, who covers government and politics, has been closely watching the General Assembly as House Speaker Joe Shekarchi faces a Thursday deadline to decide whether to apply for a seat on the R.I. Supreme Court. If Shekarchi takes the plunge and steps down as the most powerful Democrat in the House, the move could trigger a cascade of changes to leadership. “This is a big deal because the speaker of the House, especially in Rhode Island, is the most powerful politician in the state,” Fitzpatrick said. “They have arguably more power than the governor. And you rarely ever see that gavel change hands in the middle of a session.” Fitzpatrick also discussed his recent reporting on the U.S. attorney’s office in Rhode Island, where the Trump administration is keeping Charles “Chas” Calenda in charge after his 120-day term as interim U.S. attorney expired. Because Calenda can no longer serve in that role under federal advise-and-consent rules, the administration has taken the unusual step of naming him “special attorney” and first assistant U.S. attorney. Meanwhile, it has left the state’s top federal prosecutor position vacant, meaning Calenda remains in the top position without needing Senate confirmation. The courts have likewise declined to try appointing a name from a list of applicants. “It became clear pretty quickly that [the court] chose not to because they knew that, as in other states, the Trump administration probably would have fired that person,” Fitzpatrick said. “Colenda, in the first U.S. attorney’s position, is effectively in charge of the District of Rhode Island without being named U.S. attorney.” Later in the show, Tim White — who filled in as cohost — and Eli discussed the “stories we wish we wrote,” including: Tim’s pick At Brown, Olivia Pichardo took the mound — and made history, by Dan McGowan, Boston Globe Satirist Rhody Blunt takes no prisoners. Not even the president by Sadie Brandt, The Good 5-Cent Cigar Eli’s pick Can GLP-1s quiet drug cravings? How a RI program is finding out by Katie Mulvaney, The Providence Journal Celebrating Mom by Will Richmond, Newport Daily News