PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee responded Monday, after it was revealed last week that his administration withheld a forensic audit report on the Washington Bridge for more than a year.

“I commissioned the report, I was willing to release the report,” McKee said. “I was instructed by our attorneys and the attorneys in the [attorney general’s] office not to release the report.”

The report was quietly released online Friday, but had wrapped up long ago.

The governor said the decision to keep it private was made in the best interest of Rhode Islanders, as his team chose to sue several companies it said failed to properly maintain the bridge.

In his two years as governor prior to the closure, McKee said he was aware that the Washington Bridge needed to be repaired

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