Showdown Over the High Court: Shekarchi’s Vow to Fight Ethics Investigation in Court

The high-stakes legal battle over Rhode Island’s open Supreme Court seat has reached a fever pitch. Following a grueling three-hour hearing, the Rhode Island Ethics Commission voted 6–1 to reject former House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi’s motion to dismiss the ethics complaint against him. The complaint, filed by Roger Williams University Law Professor and former Dean Michael Yelnosky, alleges that Shekarchi’s rapid jump from the Speaker’s rostrum to a lifetime appointment on the state’s highest court is a flagrant violation of Rhode Island’s "revolving door" law. With the Commission pushing forward with its formal investigation, Shekarchi’s legal team is now signaling a move to the court system to halt the process. In this episode, we sit down with the man who launched the complaint, Michael Yelnosky, to unpack the Commission's landmark vote, the executive director's blistering 27-page objection, and what happens next now that Shekarchi is taking the battle to court.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.