Nicholas Mattiello

Mattiello has been described as an "old-guard conservative."{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/26/us/politics/rhode-island-house-elects-a-speaker-after-an-abrupt-resignation.html|title=Rhode Island House Elects a Speaker After an Abrupt Resignation|access-date=2018-07-03|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140326074534/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/26/us/politics/rhode-island-house-elects-a-speaker-after-an-abrupt-resignation.html|archive-date=March 26, 2014|url-status=live}}{{Subscription required|date=August 2023}}{{cite news|last1=Bell|first1=Sam|title=Progressives are the real challenge to the machine|url=http://www.providencejournal.com/opinion/20160811/sam-bell-progressives-are-real-challenge-to-machine|access-date=20 February 2017|publisher=Providence Journal|date=August 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160812171744/http://www.providencejournal.com/opinion/20160811/sam-bell-progressives-are-real-challenge-to-machine|archive-date=August 12, 2016|url-status=dead}} In 2011, he voted for Rhode Island's voter ID law. Despite his generally conservative profile, he voted for marriage equality in 2013.{{cite web|title=Votesmart: Nicholas Mattiello's Political Summary |url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/68479/nicholas-mattiello}} Mattiello has also expressed the fact that he does not support the bill relating to the Pawtucket Red Sox that was passed in the Senate in January 2018 and states that it was dead. He has expressed his disinterest in the idea of the taxpayer's money funding the new stadium, leading to the team to look outside of Rhode Island.{{cite web|last=Towne |first=Shaun |url=http://wpri.com/2018/01/22/mattiello-current-pawsox-bill-dead-in-the-state-of-ri/ |title=Mattiello: Current PawSox bill 'dead in the state of RI' |publisher=Wpri.com |date=2018-01-22 |access-date=2018-04-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180124161053/http://wpri.com/2018/01/22/mattiello-current-pawsox-bill-dead-in-the-state-of-ri/|archive-date=2018-01-24|url-status=dead}} He has been endorsed by Right to Life and the NRA Political Victory Fund.{{cite web |title=Nicholas Mattiello "A" Rated and NRA Endorsed |url=https://www.nrapvf.org/emails/2020/rhode-island/general-endorsement-emails/please-vote-nicholas-mattiello-on-november-3/ |website=nrapvf.org |publisher=NRA-PVF |access-date=23 August 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230823091049/https://www.nrapvf.org/emails/2020/rhode-island/general-endorsement-emails/please-vote-nicholas-mattiello-on-november-3/ |archive-date=23 August 2023 |language=en-US |url-status=live}}

In 2018, Mattiello sponsored legislation commonly known as "Kristen's Law" that allows life sentencing for anyone who sells, delivers or distributes an illegal drug that leads to a fatal overdose.{{Cite news|url=http://www.providencejournal.com/news/20180625/opponents-of-ri-drug-sentencing-bill-plead-for-veto-by-raimondo--video|title=Opponents of R.I. drug-sentencing bill plead for veto by Raimondo {{!}} Video|last=Andrade|first=Kevin G.|work=providencejournal.com|access-date=2018-07-03|language=en}}

In July 2018, the Rhode Island Democratic Party, controlled by Mattiello, endorsed a pro-Trump candidate's primary challenge against incumbent Rep. Moira Walsh, who had voiced her disapproval with Mattiello on previous occasions.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wpri.com/politics/progressive-ri-dems-assail-old-guard-over-assembly-endorsements/1279666565|title=Progressive RI Dems assail old guard over Assembly endorsements|last=Nesi|first=Ted|date=2018-07-02|work=WPRI|access-date=2018-07-03|language=en-US}}

In June 2019, Mattiello attempted to include $1 million in the R.I. budget to be allocated to a single chiropractor, Victor Pedro, despite R.I.'s Medicaid Medical Care Advisory Committee stating that "there wasn’t evidence that the treatment worked."{{Cite web|date=2019-06-19|title=Mattiello again tucks $1M into budget for Cranston chiropractor|url=https://www.wpri.com/news/politics/mattiello-again-tucks-1m-into-budget-for-cranston-chiropractor/|access-date=2019-06-20|website=WPRI.com|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Anderson|first=Patrick|title=R.I. budget contains $1 million for alternative therapy provided by Mattiello donor|url=https://www.providencejournal.com/news/20190619/ri-budget-contains-1-million-for-alternative-therapy-provided-by-mattiello-donor|access-date=2019-06-20|website=providencejournal.com|language=en}} Eventually, Mattiello pulled support for the bill due to public and political pressure.{{Cite web|date=2019-06-20|title=Mattiello says he'll remove $1M for Cranston chiropractor|url=https://www.wpri.com/target-12/mattiello-says-hell-remove-1m-for-cranston-chiropractor/|access-date=2019-06-21|website=WPRI.com|language=en-US}}

In June 2020, during the campaign to remove "Plantations" from the official state name of Rhode Island, Mattiello received criticism for not knowing what the holiday Juneteenth commemorated, and making the statement that he "did not think we had actual slavery in Rhode Island."{{Cite web |date=2020-06-19 |title=Mattiello admits he's 'unsure' if slavery happened in RI, didn't know what Juneteenth was |url=https://www.wpri.com/news/politics/mattiello-admits-hes-unsure-if-slavery-happened-in-ri-didnt-know-what-juneteenth-was/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=WPRI.com |language=en-US}} Rhode Island ships were the center of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, importing more enslaved Africans than any other North American British colony.{{Cite book |last=Coughtry |first=Jay |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xLEYAQAAMAAJ |title=The Notorious Triangle: Rhode Island and the African Slave Trade, 1700-1807 |date=1981 |publisher=Temple University Press |isbn=978-0-87722-218-7 |language=en}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/representatives/Mattiello/Pages/Biography.aspx Rhode Island House - Representative Nicholas A. Mattiello], official R.I. House website

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{{s-ttl|title=Speaker of the Rhode Island House of Representatives|years=2014–2021}}

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Category:1963 births

Category:Politicians from Cranston, Rhode Island

Category:Living people

Category:Rhode Island lawyers

Category:Speakers of the Rhode Island House of Representatives

Category:Democratic Party members of the Rhode Island House of Representatives

Category:21st-century members of the Rhode Island General Assembly

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