PROVIDENCE — On the Rhode Island Report podcast, US Representative Seth Magaziner weighed in on Marjorie Taylor Greene, the investigation of Sabina Matos’ nomination papers, and the loss of Providence Journal sports columnist Bill Reynolds.
Magaziner, who took office after beating Republican Allan W. Fung in last year’s high-profile race for the Second Congressional District seat, also explained why he voted against a major defense bill.
Magaziner criticized US Representative Greene, a Georgia Republican, for showing nude photos of Hunter Biden during a House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing.
“Everybody knows that Marjorie Taylor Greene is unhinged and not a serious legislator, promoting QAnon conspiracy theories, saying that there are Jewish space lasers, and now basically showing revenge porn in the middle of a House committee hearing,” he said.
Advertisement
But Magaziner said it’s even more concerning that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has elevated Greene to a position of leadership and placed her on the Homeland Security Committee with Magaziner. He said the committee is investigating violent extremist domestic terror groups that she has praised, and he said, “She has gone to the jail in Washington, D.C., to show support for the people who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6.”
Magaziner was asked for his reaction to the criminal investigation into nomination papers submitted on behalf of Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos in the First Congressional District race.
“It’s very important that all elected officials and all campaigns be held to high ethical standards,” he said. “Clearly, someone broke the law in this situation and there needs to be accountability.”
But Magaziner said he has known Matos, a Providence Democrat, for a long time. “I’ve always known her to be an ethical and honest elected official,” he said. “So when she says that she was not aware of what these volunteers in her campaign were doing, I give her the benefit of the doubt, and I believe her.”
Advertisement
Magaziner explained why he voted against the National Defense Authorization Act in July.
“The defense bill has historically been a bipartisan bill,” he said. “Securing our nation, supporting men and women in uniform, supporting veterans, this should be bipartisan stuff, and it has been for the last 60 years,” he said. “Unfortunately, this year, for the first time in decades, the Republicans running the House of Representatives decided to make it a partisan bill by injecting some really extreme partisan language into the bill — in particular, language to make it nearly impossible for many women in military service to get access to abortion.”
So, he said, he voted against that bill.
But he said he was glad the legislation includes three amendments he authored, including a provision requiring the Department of Defense to update a government website every month to make sure that insurance information is accurate. Another provision expands access to affordable housing for workers in the shipbuilding industry, he said.
“We build nuclear submarines for the Navy at the Electric Boat facility in Quonset,” Magaziner said. “And if you talk to the people at Electric Boat, they will tell you one of their biggest challenges, not just here in Rhode Island, but nationally, is they’re recruiting workers, tradesmen and women to go build submarines for the Navy, and they’re having a hard time helping their employees find affordable housing.”
Advertisement
To get the latest episode each week, follow Rhode Island Report podcast on Apple Podcasts and other podcasting platforms, or listen in the player above.
Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at edward.fitzpatrick@globe.com. Follow him @FitzProv.