After a fervent debate at Wednesday night’s Newport City Council meeting, as Mayor Xaykham Rexford Khamsyvoravong fought to secure the city’s $5,000-a-month lobbying contract for some of his largest campaign contributors, the City Council, in their wisdom, decided to slow the process and conduct more due diligence into the bidding process.
Despite Mayor Khamsyvoravong’s repeated efforts to argue for passage, four councilors—Ceglie, Napolitano, Carlin, and McCalla—prevailed in voting to continue the decision on the contract for an additional two weeks. The move reflects a commitment to transparency and a desire for a comprehensive understanding of the bid allocation process.
* It should be noted that, despite the obvious ethical concerns, Mayor Khamsyvoravong did not recuse himself from voting.
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