| Vincent A. Cianci, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Cianci at the Bristol Fourth of July Parade in 2009 | |
| 32nd Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island | |
| In office January 7, 1975 – April 23, 1984 |
|
| Preceded by | Joseph A. Doorley |
| Succeeded by | Joseph R. Paolino, Jr. |
| 34th Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island | |
| In office January 7, 1991 – September 5, 2002 |
|
| Preceded by | Joseph R. Paolino, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | John J. Lombardi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 30, 1941 Cranston, Rhode Island |
| Political party | Republican (1974–Dec 1982) Independent (Jan 1983–) |
| Spouse(s) | Sheila Cianci (divorced) |
| Children | Nicole Cianci |
| Residence | Providence, Rhode Island |
| Alma mater | Fairfield, B.A. Villanova, M.A. Marquette, J.D. |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Website | http://www.buddycianci.com |
Vincent Albert "Buddy" Cianci, Jr. (born April 30, 1941) served as the mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, from 1975 to 1984 and again from 1991 to 2002. Cianci was the longest-serving mayor of Providence, and one of the longest-serving "big city" mayors in United States history, having held office for over 21 years.
Notably, he was forced to resign from office twice due to felony convictions. His first administration ended in 1984 when he pled guilty to assault. His second stint as mayor ended when he was forced to resign following his conviction for racketeering conspiracy (running a corrupt criminal enterprise), and he served four years in federal prison.[1]
Cianci was first elected mayor as the candidate of the Republican Party. While in office he declared himself an independent, and as of 2009 he said he had no party affiliation.[1]
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Cianci was born in Cranston, Rhode Island and grew up in the Laurel Hill section of that city, just over the Providence line. His grandparents Pietro, a carpenter, and Carmella Cianci, came to the United States from Roccamonfina, Italy, in the early 20th century. They had 13 children. Cianci's father Vincent was born in 1900 and was a doctor. In 1937 he married a woman named Esther Capobianco. Buddy has an older sister named Carol. He would go on to marry a woman named Sheila in 1973, whom he divorced in 1983. They had one daughter named Nicole and three grandchildren: Olivia, Joseph and Julius.
Educated at Moses Brown School, he earned a bachelor's degree in Government at Fairfield University, a master's degree in Political Science at Villanova University, and a law degree at Marquette University Law School.[2]
He served in the U.S. Army from 1966 through 1969, where served as a Lieutenant in the Military Police Corps, and in the Army Reserve, Civil Affairs Branch, through 1972.
Admitted to the Rhode Island bar in 1967, he was appointed a Special Assistant Attorney General in 1969 and, in 1973, became the prosecutor of the Rhode Island Attorney General Department's Anti-Corruption Strike Force, a position he held until his first election as Mayor in 1974.
In the fall of 1974, Cianci narrowly beat then-mayor Joseph Doorley on an anti-corruption campaign. Also helping Cianci win was a revolt by some Democrats who were upset with Doorley's administration. He was the city's first Italian-American mayor, ending a 150-year "power monopoly" held by Irish Democrats. Cianci was also the youngest man elected to the office at age 33, and the first Republican mayor of Providence since the Great Depression. Cianci was well known as an extremely charismatic and media-savvy politician. His propensity to attend parades, weddings, public events, and backyard neighborhood barbecues led to a common joke during his tenure as mayor that Cianci would jump to attend the opening of an envelope. Cianci was revered by many residents of Providence, and credited with the revitalizing of the city's economy and image.
During his first tenure in office, Cianci and his allies on the Providence City Council clashed with the anti-Cianci majority on almost every issue, the budget being the most heated one. In the mid to late 1970s, Cianci found himself as a rising star in the national Republican Party. After being introduced by Bob Dole, Cianci made an address at the 1976 Republican convention. There was talk of him being the first Italian-American vice president. Cianci was also seriously considered for a federal Cabinet seat in the prospective Gerald Ford administration, had Ford been elected in 1976. After Ford's loss to Jimmy Carter in the presidential election, Cianci tried to sell himself as a Senate candidate, pointing out that if the Republican Party was going to survive in the Northeast, it would have to get more ethnic voters. Cianci clashed behind the scenes with John Chafee, trying to talk him out of his Senate run so Cianci could get the Republican nomination instead. He even ran for governor in 1980, losing out to J. Joseph Garrahy. After this loss, Cianci drifted away from the Republican Party, and by 1982 he had become an Independent.
Cianci was forced by law to resign from office for the first time in 1984 after pleading guilty to assaulting a Bristol, Rhode Island contractor with a lit cigarette, an ashtray and a fireplace log. Cianci claimed that the man had been having an affair with his wife, though both the man and Cianci's then-wife said that no relationship existed. Providence municipal regulations prohibit a convicted felon from holding public office; ironically, Cianci himself promulgated said rule a few years earlier, with an eye to removing political opponents from the City Council.
Cianci spent the next few years as a radio talk show host on Providence AM station 920 WHJJ and as a television commentator. In 1990 he successfully mounted a re-election campaign with the slogan, "He never stopped caring about Providence."
It was during Cianci's second run as mayor, beginning in 1991, that the city of Providence entered its Renaissance phase. The city became cleaner and more tourist-friendly. Cianci brought the Providence Bruins hockey team to Rhode Island from Maine, and pushed to further several projects in the city, including a new train station near the State House, new hotels, the Providence Place Mall, and the Fleet Skating Center.[3] He also helped to orchestrate the establishment of Waterfire in downtown Providence, which brings up to 100,000 people to the downtown area alone on the summer nights it takes place.
In 1998 Cianci ran again for re-election as mayor, unopposed on the ballot. Cianci never lost a mayoral election in Providence.
Cianci was indicted in April 2001 on federal criminal charges of racketeering, conspiracy, extortion, witness tampering, and mail fraud. Several other Providence city officials were also indicted. Judge Ronald R. Lagueux said of the case: "Clearly, there is a feeling in city government in Providence that corruption is tolerated. In this mayor's two administrations, there has been more corruption in the City of Providence than in the history of this state."[4]
Much of the trial was focused around a video tape showing top Cianci aide Frank A. Corrente taking a bribe. Jim Taricani, a reporter who aired the tape on local television station WJAR, was sentenced to six months of house arrest for refusing to reveal his sources to the court. Rather than maintaining a low profile after the indictment, Cianci poked fun at the investigation, code-named "Operation Plunder Dome". Nine people (including Cianci) were convicted in the trials, which were presided over by Judge Ernest C. Torres. Cianci was acquitted of 26 of 27 charges, including bribery, extortion, and mail fraud. He was, however, found guilty of a single charge of racketeering conspiracy (running a corrupt criminal enterprise).
He had been planning on running for a seventh term in 2002, and at the time of his conviction was again unopposed.
In September 2002, Cianci was sentenced to serve five years in federal prison by Judge Torres, who opted for a higher sentence than the minimum required by the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Cianci was forced by law to resign as mayor immediately following the sentencing. Between his sentencing and the start of his jail term, Cianci resumed his radio career hosting a midday show with former Providence radio host (and former director of communications to Governor Don Carcieri) Steve Kass on AM talk station WPRO. After some legal wrangling, Cianci's lawyers managed to have him sent to prison closer to Rhode Island, and Cianci served his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution, Fort Dix, in Burlington County, New Jersey. Cianci's lawyers tried to appeal the conviction, but were unsuccessful. In August 2005, Cianci made a request for early release, but was denied.
Cianci was released from prison on May 30, 2007, to a halfway house near Northeastern University[5] in Boston. A noticeable difference in Cianci's appearance was that he had embraced his bald head, and no longer wore a hairpiece. His sentence formally ended on July 28, 2007, and he was moved to home confinement. Upon his initial release from federal prison, he had already secured a job in marketing and sales for the XV Beacon, a luxury hotel in Boston. However, he ultimately chose to return to Rhode Island and began work at the 903 Residences in Providence.[6]
In numerous interviews after his release, Cianci still maintains his innocence, continuously stating the one charge he was found guilty of was basically being the "captain of the ship."
On September 20, 2007, Cianci returned to the airwaves on local Providence AM station WPRO, hosting a weekday talk show. He said that he had no plans to run for political office again, although he had not entirely ruled it out when pressed on the issue.[7]
On October 24, 2007, Cianci appeared on WLNE-TV ABC6 to announce that in addition to his radio show, he was joining the television station as chief political analyst and contributing editor, which included moderating a weekly political segment called Your Attention Please, which was renamed Buddy TV and became a daily segment in July 2008, and is currently The World According to Buddy as of May 2011. His job with WLNE began on November 1, 2007. Cianci also hosts the station's weekend public affairs program On the Record with Buddy Cianci. He began in October 2008 as co-host of the program with WLNE weeknight anchor John DeLuca and became solo host in May 2011.
He would be eligible to run for mayor of Providence again in the year 2012, three years after his probation ends (due to the provisions of the 1986 Rhode Island constitutional amendment, aptly named "the Buddy amendment").[7] However, there is not a mayoral election scheduled in Providence that year; the next such election in which Cianci would be eligible to run is not expected to occur until November 2014.
In 2010, Cianci said that he was "taking a good look" at running for the U.S. House seat held by Democrat Patrick J. Kennedy.[1] He, however, did not declare his candidacy.
Cianci currently resides with his daughter Nicole in Providence at the 903 Residences, a luxury condominium complex adjacent to the Providence Place Mall. His lifestyle remains very posh, and he is often seen riding in a black Lincoln MKS with a private driver.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Joseph A. Doorley |
Mayor of Providence 1975–1984 |
Succeeded by Joseph R. Paolino, Jr. |
| Preceded by Joseph R. Paolino, Jr. |
Mayor of Providence 1991–2002 |
Succeeded by John J. Lombardi |