Washington Bridge audit leak prompts calls for a second oversight hearing

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island leaders are in agreement the recently leaked Washington Bridge audit calls for a second oversight hearing, but differ on how to proceed.

Governor Dan McKee sent a letter Wednesday supporting the hearing, two days after legislative leaders announced plans to examine the audit’s findings.

We first broke the story of the long hidden report that concluded state officials are ultimately responsible for the bridge, which abruptly closed in December 2023 and remains shut down.

McKee, who once promised the report would mark a “day of reckoning,” later withheld it on what he described as legal advice, citing risks to the state’s lawsuit against 13 companies over the failure. In his letter, he said his administration will not answer questions tied to the litigation.

The governor reaffirmed his confidence in Alviti and other RIDOT employees, saying he has “no intentions of moving anywhere in the DOT leadership team.”

Speaker Joe Shekarchi and Senate President Valarie Lawson said they’ll meet Thursday to set hearing details, possibly requiring state officials to testify under oath.

Attorney General Peter Neronha has already posted the leaked draft audit online, despite McKee’s efforts to keep it sealed.

McKee’s Democratic opponent in the 2026 gubernatorial race, Helena Foulkes, along with Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz, criticized the governor’s handling of the leaked forensic audit.

Washington Bridge audit leak