[#item_full_content] [[{“value”:”Following up on last week’s story, The Marijuana Mafia: How McKee, Ahern, and the CCC protect the cannabis retailer oligopoly, this morning, I filed the following complaint with the Rhode Island Board of Elections:
Recent reporting by Steve Ahlquist (me; cited below) documents a history of backroom meetings between cannabis industry insiders and McKee Administration officials, including Governor Daniel McKee and Governor McKee’s Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) Chair Kimberly Ahern; massive political fundraising hauls for Governor McKee from these same cannabis industry insiders; and McKee Administration and CCC policies and actions that froze statutorily-mandated new cannabis retailer licensing.
Based on this reporting, these wrongful policies and actions enormously enriched many of the same existing cannabis industry insiders that had filled Governor McKee’s accounts with nearly a quarter of a million dollars of campaign cash (Ahern also raised campaign funds from cannabis-connected insiders in her run for Attorney General).
Based on available reporting and public disclosures (cited below), among those who benefited from the McKee Administration and CCC’s malfeasance are certain owners of Spain Restaurant in Cranston, Rhode Island, who are also co-owners of Mother Earth Wellness, Inc., a cannabis dispensary.
This complaint alleges violations of campaign finance laws related to cannabis industry political fundraisers held for Governor McKee at Spain Restaurant in 2021, 2023, and 2025 as the McKee Administration’s recreational cannabis scheme was being designed and implemented.
FIRST ALLEGED VIOLATION RELATED TO CANNABIS INDUSTRY POLITICAL FUNDRAISING AND SPAIN RESTAURANT— APRIL 2021
Spain Restaurant, Cannabis Fundraiser for McKee, in April 2021. Reporting by The Providence Journal establishes that, on April 6, 2021 — within weeks of Governor Daniel McKee assuming office — approximately thirty cannabis industry insiders attended a fundraising event for the Governor held at Spain Restaurant. Source: Tom Mooney, The Providence Journal (Apr. 16, 2021) (‘Marijuana cultivators, dispensaries contribute to McKee and lawmakers who support legalization’).
The Venue and Ownership. Spain Restaurant is located at 1073 Reservoir Avenue, Cranston, Rhode Island. Based on available reporting and public disclosures, Spain restaurant is owned by the Rodriguez family (Michael, Amanda, and Maria T. Rodriguez), who are themselves also co-owners of Mother Earth Wellness, Inc. (identified as Treasurer, Secretary, and Board Member of Mother Earth on the dispensary’s CCC Form 2 filed January 8, 2025). See also: Providence Business News (Nov. 16, 2022) (reporting that the Mother Earth Wellness principals “have partnered with Theresa, Michael and Amanda Rodriguez, owners of Spain restaurant in Cranston”) see also: Mother Earth Wellness, Inc., Form-2 Ownership Report filed with the CCC on January 8, 2025 (The Providence Business News identifies a “Theresa Rodriguez” among the Spain Restaurant owners; the CCC Form 2 filed January 8, 2025 identifies a “Maria T. Rodriguez” as a Mother Earth Wellness principal); see also: Spain III, Inc., dba Spain Restaurant, Annual Report filed with the Rhode Island Secretary of State on April 15, 2026 (identifying Maria T. Rodriguez as President, and Amanda and Michael Rodriguez as Vice Presidents).
Campaign Reports Record the Contributions. The Governor’s campaign committee, Friends of Dan McKee, recorded significant contributions from donors associated with the cannabis industry. Source: Friends of Dan McKee, Q1 2021 Report and Q2 2021 Report, Rhode Island Board of Elections.
Yet, The Cost of the Event Appears Nowhere in the McKee Committee’s Disclosures. The Governor’s campaign committee’s sworn quarterly report for the period covering the event (April 1 – June 30, 2021) discloses no expenditure to Spain Restaurant, its owners, the Rodriguez family, or any caterer for the cost of hosting the April 6 event. The fundraising expenditures listed for Q2 — Iron Works Tavern ($1,220.16), Kirkbrae Country Club ($3,244.32), Mare Rooftop ($3,413.34), Crown Plaza Hotel ($9,822.93), and postage — are all May or June entries bearing no relation to Spain. The immediately preceding quarterly report (January 1 – March 31, 2021), including all three amendments, reports “In-Kind Contributions: 0” and lists only postage ($146.00) and printing ($80.25) in February as fundraising costs, which are plainly not referable to the April event. Notably, the amended Q2 2021 filing discloses $1,523.20 in in-kind catering contributions for a separate June 17, 2021, event — confirming that the committee understood and complied with its reporting obligations during this same period. The absence of any comparable entry for April 6 cannot be attributed to inadvertence.
A fundraising event held at a restaurant logically generates a cost that must be accounted for either as an expenditure by the committee or as an in-kind contribution to it.
Complainant alleges, based on available public disclosures, that the cost of hosting a fundraising event of this type at a fine-dining restaurant logically would have generated a cost materially exceeding de minimis value, and that no public record in the Office of the Governor, in Friends of Dan McKee, or in any other publicly available source reflects that the committee paid for, or reimbursed any portion of, that cost.
SECOND ALLEGED VIOLATION RELATED TO CANNABIS INDUSTRY POLITICAL FUNDRAISING AND SPAIN RESTAURANT — LATE 2023
Spain Restaurant, Cannabis Fundraiser for McKee, in Late 2023: Reporting by the Rhode Island Current describes a cannabis-industry fundraising event for Governor Daniel J. McKee held at Spain Restaurant in late 2023. Source: Rhode Island Current (Feb. 19, 2024) (“Is cannabis industry cash building budding relationships on Smith Hill? Marijuana growers are making more campaign donations to legislative leaders and the governor in hopes of cutting through red tape.”).
The Venue and Ownership. Based on available disclosures and public reporting, Spain restaurant is owned by individuals who are themselves also co-owners of Mother Earth Wellness, Inc., a licensed cannabis retailer (cited above).
Campaign Reports Record the Contributions. The Governor’s campaign committee, Friends of Dan McKee, recorded significant contributions from donors associated with the cannabis industry in that quarter. Source: Friends of Dan McKee, Q4 2023 Report, Rhode Island Board of Elections.
The Cost of the Event Appears Nowhere in the Committee’s Disclosures.
The same report states “Report of In-Kind Contributions: 0,” and the Schedule of Contributions Received lists no in-kind contribution from Spain Restaurant, from any member of the Rodriguez family, or from any other host of the event. The Schedule of Expenditures discloses no payment to Spain Restaurant, to the Rodriguez family, or to any catering vendor referable to the event. The committee’s reports for the adjacent reporting periods — July 1 through September 30, 2023, and January 1 through March 31, 2024 — likewise each state “Report of In-Kind Contributions: 0,” and none discloses any payment to Spain Restaurant. The cost of the event, therefore, does not appear in the committee’s disclosures for the quarter of the event or for the quarters immediately before or after it.
A fundraising event held at a restaurant logically generates a cost that must be accounted for either as an expenditure by the committee or as an in-kind contribution to it.
Complainant alleges, based on available public disclosures, that the cost of hosting a fundraising event of this type at a fine-dining restaurant logically would have generated a cost materially exceeding de minimis value, and that no public record in the Office of the Governor, in Friends of Dan McKee, or in any other publicly available source reflects that the committee paid for, or reimbursed any portion of, that cost.
THIRD ALLEGED VIOLATION RELATED TO CANNABIS INDUSTRY POLITICAL FUNDRAISING AND SPAIN RESTAURANT — NOVEMBER 2025
Spain Restaurant, Cannabis Industry Lunch Event, on November 12, 2025: Reporting by Steve Ahlquist, based on public documents disclosed by the Governor’s Office in response to APRA requests, describes a cannabis-industry “private business lunch” event for Governor Daniel McKee held at Spain Restaurant on November 12, 2025. This meeting was attended by Governor McKee, and leaders from four of the state’s licensed cannabis retailers: Joe Pakuris of Mother Earth Wellness, Inc., Nick Hemond of Solar Cannabis Co., Ray White of Thomas Slater Compassion Center, Chris Vitale of RISE Warwick, and Ed Dow of Solar Cannabis Co. Source: Steve Ahlquist, Substack (June 22, 2026) (‘The Marijuana Mafia: How McKee, Ahern and the CCC Protect the Cannabis Retailer Oligopoly’).
The Venue and Ownership. Based on available disclosures and public reporting, Spain restaurant is owned by individuals who are themselves also co-owners of Mother Earth Wellness, Inc., a licensed cannabis retailer (cited above).
Campaign Reports Record the Contributions. The Governor’s campaign committee, Friends of Dan McKee, recorded significant contributions from donors associated with the cannabis industry in that quarter following the lunch event, including the lunch attendees, other affiliates of their dispensaries, and the lunch venue owners, e.g.; Joe Pakuris, $2,000 on December 8; Nick Hemond, $500 on December 29; Ray White, $500 on December 30; Amanda Rodriguez, $2,000 on December 25; and Maria Rodriguez, $2,000 on December 30, among others. Source: Friends of Dan McKee, Q4 2025 Report, Rhode Island Board of Elections.
The Cost of the Lunch Event Appears Nowhere in the Committee’s Disclosures. The Governor’s campaign committee’s sworn quarterly report for the period covering the event (October 1 – December 31, 2025) discloses no expenditure to Spain Restaurant, its owners, the Rodriguez family, or any other person for costs associated with the November 12 lunch. The same report states “Report of In-Kind Contributions: 0,” and the Schedule of Contributions Received lists no in-kind contribution from Spain Restaurant, from any member of the Rodriguez family, or from any other attendee of the event.
The available reporting and public disclosures of subsequent contributions in the Governor’s campaign committee’s reports suggest that the lunch event was part of the Governor’s fundraising efforts. Further, a lunch held at a restaurant logically generates a cost, even a per-person cost attributable to the Governor, and, if part of fundraising, must be accounted for either as an expenditure by the committee or as an in-kind contribution to it.
Complainant alleges, based on available public disclosures, that the cost of a lunch event of this type at a fine-dining restaurant logically would have generated a cost materially exceeding de minimis value, and that no public record in the Office of the Governor, in Friends of Dan McKee, or in any other publicly available source reflects that the Governor (or his security detail, his campaign committee, or the State) paid for, or reimbursed any portion of, that cost.
COMPLAINANTS’ DISCOVERY OF RELEVANT FACTS
Complainant learned of the facts recited above after the release of the June 22, 2026, report by Steve Ahlquist, which detailed extensive cannabis industry donations to Governor McKee, and previous meetings with Governor McKee, including some at Spain restaurant that were previously unreported until the Governor’s Office produced responses to certain APRA requests. This prompted Complainant to review the relevant record of Spain restaurant events for McKee, cannabis contributions, and the associated reporting in the Friends of Dan McKee campaign reports. Upon review, Complainant discovered the omissions cited above.
ALLEGED VIOLATIONS
(a) Unreported in-kind contribution. R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25-3(16) defines “In-Kind Contributions” as:
“the monetary value of other things of value or paid personal services donated to, or benefiting, any person required to file reports with the board of elections.”
The use of the private dining room, and the food, beverage, and staff services furnished for the events, are “other things of value” and “paid personal services” benefiting the committee within the meaning of § 17-25-3(16). If furnished to the committee without charge, or at less than fair market value, they constitute an in-kind contribution within the meaning of R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25-3(16) that the committee was required to itemize and disclose on its report pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25-11(a)(3)(i). The report’s “In-Kind: 0” entry, together with the omission of the venue, its owners, and any caterer from the in-kind schedule, renders the committee’s sworn report incomplete on its face.
(b) Prohibited business-entity contribution. R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25-10.1(h)(1) provides that it is:
“unlawful for any corporation, whether profit or non-profit … or other business entity to make any campaign contribution or expenditure … to or for any candidate … or for any candidate … to accept any campaign contribution or expenditure from a corporation or other business entity.”
“Business entity” is defined broadly in § 17-25-3(2) to include corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, and sole proprietorships. If Spain Restaurant, or the Rodriguez family’s restaurant business, provided the venue, food, or services to the committee at no charge or below fair market value, the resulting in-kind contribution was prohibited at its source under § 17-25-10.1(h)(1), and the committee’s acceptance of it was independently unlawful under the same provision.
(c) Alternative — unreported expenditure. If, contrary to subsections (a) and (b), the committee did pay Spain Restaurant or a caterer for the event, then the absence of any corresponding entry on the committee’s Schedule of Expenditures for the period — and for the adjacent periods — is itself a failure to report an expenditure as required by R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25-11.
REQUESTED INVESTIGATION
Complainant respectfully requests that the Board of Elections investigate: (i) whether a fundraising event for Friends of Dan McKee was held at Spain Restaurant on or about April 6, 2021, in late 2023, and on or about November 12, 2025; (ii) the fair market value and actual cost of the venue, food, beverage, and staff services provided; (iii) who bore that cost, and whether the committee paid or reimbursed any portion of it; (iv) whether the venue, food, and services constituted an in-kind contribution that should have been reported under §§ 17-25-3(16) and 17-25-11(a)(3)(i); (v) whether Spain Restaurant or any Rodriguez-family entity is a ‘business entity’ such that any such contribution was prohibited under § 17-25-10.1(h)(1); and (vi) such amendment of the committee’s reports, civil penalties, and further relief as the Board deems appropriate under R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25 et seq.
CITATIONS AND ATTACHMENTS
Rhode Island Board of Elections, Campaign Reports:
Friends of Dan McKee, Q1 2021 Quarterly Report (original and two amendments), Rhode Island Board of Elections
Original
Amendment 1
Amendment 2
Friends of Dan McKee, Q2 2021 Quarterly Report (original and amendment), Rhode Island Board of Elections
Original
Amendment
Friends of Dan McKee, Q3 2023 Quarterly Report, Rhode Island Board of Elections
Friends of Dan McKee, Q4 2023 Quarterly Report (original and amendment), Rhode Island Board of Elections
Original
Amendment
Friends of Dan McKee, Q1 2024 Quarterly Report (Jan 1 – Mar 31, 2024), Rhode Island Board of Elections
Friends of Dan McKee, Q4 2025 Quarterly Report (Oct 1 – Dec 31, 2025), Rhode Island Board of Elections
Media Reports:
Steve Ahlquist, “The Marijuana Mafia: How McKee, Ahern, and the CCC protect the cannabis retailer oligopoly,” SteveAhlquist.Substack.com (June 22, 2026)
Tom Mooney, “Marijuana cultivators, dispensaries contribute to McKee and lawmakers who support legalization,” The Providence Journal (Apr. 16, 2021)
Nancy Lavin, “Is cannabis industry cash building budding relationships on Smith Hill?” Rhode Island Current (Feb. 19, 2024)
Christopher Allen, “Mother Earth Wellness set to begin cannabis sales in Pawtucket,” Providence Business News (Nov. 16, 2022)
Ownership Documents:
Mother Earth Wellness, Inc., CCC Ownership Disclosure Form 2 (filed Jan. 8, 2025)
Spain III, Inc., dba Spain Restaurant, Annual Report (filed April 15, 2026), Rhode Island Secretary of State, Business Search
Rhode Island General Laws, Applicable Statutes:
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25-3 (Definitions, including “In-Kind Contribution” and “Business Entity”):
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25-10.1 (Prohibition on corporate/business-entity contributions):
R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-25-11 (Reporting and itemization requirements)
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