R.I. Ethics Commission wrestles with lawmaker’s bid to rejoin list of attorneys hired by state

R.I. Ethics Commission wrestles with lawmaker’s bid to rejoin list of attorneys hired by state

Rep. Jason Knight, a Barrington Democrat, sits before the Rhode Island Ethics Commission on Aug. 19, 2025. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current)Does a state lawmaker qualify as an independent contractor when hired by Rhode Island’s court system to represent clients who can’t otherwise rely on a public defender?  That was the question that kept the Rhode Island Ethics Commission debating for more than 40 minutes as its members weighed …