Gubernatorial Rivals on October 23 Accuse Foulkes of Using Costco First Rhode Island Store News to Aid Her Campaign
On October 23, independent gubernatorial candidate Ken Block and Republican candidate Aaron Guckian spoke out in turn, accusing Democratic candidate Helena Foulkes of using news of Rhode Island's first Costco location to aid her own campaign. Foulkes is a member of Costco's board of directors, and on October 22 she was the first to publicly confirm that Costco planned to open its first store in the state in Smithfield, with an expected opening in 2028. In an email to The Providence Journal, Block said he, like many Rhode Islanders, was glad Costco was coming, but that the way the announcement was made was highly inappropriate: a Costco director running for governor should not enjoy the sole advantage of announcing such popular news on the eve of an election, and doing so was an abuse of her board position that politicized Costco's arrival. Guckian expressed similar concerns and said that if the Smithfield store did open, he could not wait to shop there. As of October 23, Costco's public relations department had not responded to a request for comment and had not confirmed the Smithfield store plan, and Foulkes had not explained why the company had not announced it itself.
Source: GSM News
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 罗德岛学院班尼斯特楼。图片经 Wikimedia Commons。Bannister Hall at Rhode Island College. Via Wikimedia Commons.
