Another RIDOT blunder leads to a contractor and RIDOT being sued

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A Providence family suing the Rhode Island Department of Transportation returns to court tomorrow for mediation. What started as a targeted attack against an out-of-state contractor has turned into another blunder by RIDOT. Depositions on both their case and the adjacent 6/10 case have revealed that the issues the Carmona family raised were issues long before Barletta Heavy Division was involved. 

In 2019, one year before the events that led Barletta and the state into a 4 year legal battle over false statements, RIDOT began receiving calls from the Carmona’s about a foul smell coming from the 6/10 project. The Carmona’s claimed the same smell was making them sick. RIDOT project manager, David Walsh, had made multiple trips to the Carmona house on behalf of RIDOT’s legal department in an attempt to “buy them out”, multiple times in 2019. This deposition was withheld from the 6/10 Barletta case by investigators and it clearly shows that the state had enough concern about the contamination in 2019 to offer the Carmona family $15,000 to relocate.

During their depositions the Carmona’s claimed to have been befriended by Josh Fenton, the editor of a local news network, had urged them to start lawsuits against Barletta in 2020, but not against the state on 2019. Lawyers on both sides are attempting to finalize the ordeal tomorrow. While the state also fights 13 companies for $100 million over alleged RIDOT mistakes, it seems to an all too similar situation for the state.

Fenton has been one of the most vocal media figures on the issue with his outlet publishing frequent reports and even featuring a dedicated homepage button highlighting the 6/10 coverage, raising questions about objectivity and motivation. He claims Barletta is responsible despite the 2019 claims by the family. 

Anytime the state urges the public to let lawsuits be fought in court they create the opportunity for state prosecutors to manipulate relevance to sway jurors and protect corruption in state government. What happens when the Carmona’s attorney asks for Inverse Condemnation? Will the RI Foundation have to cough money up? Why was this ignored by AG Peter Neronha?

Published as received.