By Sam Wroblewski, reporting by Andrew Augustus WPRO
Allan Fung in his second campaign ad of the general election takes aim at his opponent Gina Raimondo’s support of repaying the 38 Studios bond.
The ad says the Democratic nominee is only looking out for Wall Street investors and not the taxpayers when she says she is in favor of repaying the moral obligation bond.
Fung was against repaying the $75 million loan given to 38 Studios by the EDC in 2010.
“This is taxpayer dollars that we’re talking about, millions, multi-millions of taxpayer dollars that could be invested more wisely in other services,” Fung told WPRO News, “Based on what we know I would stand with the taxpayers rather than the sophisticated Wall Street investors.”
The ad then targets both Raimondo and Governor Lincoln Chafee for re-hiring a financial advisor who is currently being sued by the state over the 38 Studios deal.
“The fact that, you’re suing as a state, the fiscal advisor and then re-hire the same fiscal advisor that led to that debacle with 38 Studios certainly leads to question the judgment of the Treasurer.
In a statement, spokeswoman for the Raimondo campaign, Nicole Kayner, said Fung should know that the Treasurer was a vocal oppenent of the 38 Studios deal.
“Allan Fung wants the people of Rhode Island to believe that the first step to rebuilding our economy is to default on our debts. […] That’s a recipe that only hurts education, public safety and the middle class in the long run, and condemns our state to years of digging out of the same hole, again and again. If that’s step one in his plan, then we don’t want to know what step two is.”
Watch the ad here