Scandal-laden history led to law supposed to stop RI lawmakers from leaping into plum state jobs.
The year: 1992. The credit-union crisis had consumed the state. Corruption made regular headlines. Thousands had descended on the State House to demand reforms. From The Providence Journal's archives: "On January 5, 5,000 people gathered at their churches and proceeded to the State House to express support for a package of legislation ... to bring ethics back to Rhode Island government." "On April 27, over 650 people ... convened at McVinney Auditorium in Providence to reiterate the call for ethical reform in Rhode Island state government." "A poll ... conducted by Alpha Research A...