Staff Reports
In the often puzzling world of modern politics, it seems we’ve hit a new low for public behavior standards. Recently, a scene straight out of a comedy skit unfolded in Rhode Island involving Special Assistant Attorney General Devon Flanagan. It seems that while out at a restaurant, she and her friend Veronica Hannan got themselves entangled in a situation that would have been more fitting in a sitcom than in real life. The duo’s antics add yet another chapter to the saga of questionable conduct among some individuals in public service.
When police officers responded to a call about the women refusing to leave a restaurant, the scene quickly turned chaotic. What followed was a masterclass in entitled behavior. Flanagan demanded officers turn off their body cameras, citing some illusionary protocol she seemingly conjured up on the spot. It is quite a sight to witness someone in such a position insist they deserve special treatment, especially when they’re supposedly well-versed in the law.
Ironically, it’s the left that championed the push for body cameras to keep police accountable. Yet when the footage begins to betray their misdeeds, suddenly, they want them turned off. It’s almost as if accountability is only for the other side. Flanagan’s insistence that her status exempted her from the rules was at once laughable and concerning, particularly for someone in her legal position.
The culmination of this saga was nothing short of theatrical. As Flanagan was handcuffed and continually asserted she was an “AG,” it seems she wished saying it would somehow make it true. Her insistence with repeating the title was an amusing yet pitiful attempt to wield authority. Yet, as it turns out, she was not even the attorney general—just an assistant attorney general. Perhaps she learned her lesson: titles don’t create merit, nor do they allow one to skirt the law.
In the end, we saw an outright display of arrogance and detachment from reality. While her actions were something right out of a farce, they serve as a glaring reminder of accountability lacking in some upper echelons of government operation. It’s a display that reinforces the urgency for real change—a call for individuals who uphold the law to remember they are not above it.
Let’s hope this embarrassing episode tugs at the conscience of those prone to similar behavior and prompts a return to integrity and responsibility. If nothing else, it should serve as a warning. Real leadership stems from respecting the rules and understanding that clumsy attempts at superiority will ultimately be exposed. Perhaps it’s time for a return to the actual values that once defined public service, instead of these theatrics better suited for prime-time entertainment.
