PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Gov. Dan McKee has called a 3 p.m. news conference Thursday at the State House to discuss the outcome of the ILO Group investigation, calling the results “a good day for Rhode Island.”
The news conference comes two days after R.I. Attorney General Peter Neronha and R.I. State Police Col. Darnell Weaver released the results of a three-year criminal investigation into McKee’s 2021 decision to award a lucrative state contract to ILO, a brand new consulting firm at the time.
The report cleared the governor of any criminal charges, but the state’s top law enforcement officials outlined how the governor personally intervened to steer the contract to ILO over another firm, WestEd, during what was supposed to be a competitive bidding process.
The findings contradict public statements McKee has made over the years that he wasn’t involved in the bidding process. ILO was founded two days after he became governor by subordinates of his political adviser, Mike Magee, who helped orchestrate the work, according to police.
“It’s a good day for Rhode Island when not only did the AG file that there would be no charges and also the U.S. attorney,” McKee said Wednesday morning following a meeting at the R.I. Commerce Corp.
“It’s really important for the people in the state of Rhode Island because there was a cloud there, and we’ve eliminated the cloud, and now we can continue to do what we’re doing for the people of the state Rhode Island,” he added.
McKee declined to answer additional questions, saying he would address them at the news conference. After the report came out Tuesday, McKee canceled a previously scheduled interview on 12 News at 4, and he stayed out of sight throughout Wednesday when Neronha and Weaver held their own news conference.
The governor made a radio appearance Thursday morning on WPRO, defending his decisions and blaming Neronha for politicizing the ILO investigation, saying it’s taken a toll on him and his family. McKee said he refused to be interviewed by law enforcement as part of the criminal investigation, “because you couldn’t trust that you were going to get a fair shake.”
“I knew they were coming up empty and I know he’s working against me to take me out of office in ’26,” McKee said. Neronha has said he doesn’t plan on running for governor in 2026, although he has expressed support for McKee’s political rival Helena Foulkes.
Eli Sherman (esherman@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter for 12 News. Connect with him on Twitter and on Facebook.