EXCLUSIVE: Confidential Memo Unveils Secret Fund to Beat Buddy Cianci
Friday, September 19, 2014
GoLocalProv has obtained a copy of a confidential memo outlining the strategy by a group of predominantly East Side residents to create a secret fund of $1 million to defeat Buddy Cianci for Mayor of Providence this November.
UPDATED 1:00 am
According to a confidential memo emailed by failed Providence Mayoral candidate Lorne Adrain on Tuesday to a group of 29 including a number of former top level staffers to David Cicilline, the group’s goal is to create a 501(c)(4) fund – a fund that would not have to disclose its members.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe individuals listed on the memo include: top Washington Trust Banker Ned Handy, former top David Cicilline aides Carol Grant and Deb Brayton, former Providence Journal Editor of the Editorial Page Bob Whitcomb, and three-time candidate for Governor Myrth York, to name a few
The only Latino member of the group, Dr. Pablo Rodriguez, disavowed membership of the group in a phone interview. "I was included in that list, to let me know what's going on," said Dr. Rodriguez. "I wasn't part of the prior conversation."
"I'm not really part of that group -- I really can't be in my role as a radio host. I think that they wanted to bring it to my attention. Lorne's been a good friend of mine for ages," added Rodriguez.
Fund Defended
In an interview with GoLocal on Thursday night, Adrain said, "The 501 (c) (4) effort should be formed by tomorrow afternoon (Friday). We know who we're going to call, we've got a great group of people helping about the messaging."
SuperPac and 501(c)(4)s are the popular structures to influence elections and protect the identity of their voters. SuperPacs and 501(c)(4) organizations both shield their donors and both are being used to influence issues and political campaigns.
Non-Profit Quarterly raises issues about the political use of 501(c)(4)s and their impact. "This isn’t good news for the nonprofit sector. The Center for Responsive Politics and the Center for Public Integrity report that the spending of super PACs in the 2010 election was big, but super PAC spending was less than that of 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations. The (c)(4)s outspent super PACs by three to two, $95 million to $65 million."
The leading organizer of the anti-Cianci 501 (c)(4) defends the effort, "As you might imagine, it's evolving quickly, what started as a conversation about what we think about the race in general, and making sure Buddy's not our Mayor again."
"It turned into things we might do in an independent effort -- it takes on a different approach and legal issues. We're serious about doing this right...and hope to be in several days in the position to have the chassis and infrastructure and mission and story and go to the market, and say come with us," said Adrain.
The Secret Memo Carves Out the Strategy
According to the Adrain memo to the group, the messaging outlined is that this group must raise issues about Cianci and make claims about Cianci being a rapist so Elorza can stay positive. The memo links Michael Solomon's former chief of staff and recent campaign manager Jake Bissaillon to the effort. Solomon was narrowly defeated by Jorge Elorza in the Democratic Primary. Solomon, who is the subject of an investigation by the Rhode Island Ethics Commission after a GoLocal investigation into improper reporting of assets in his disclosure reports, endorsed Elorza after the primary.
The Group
Adrain's email thanks members for participating in the effort to organize the group includes:
Myrth York - former Campaign Chair for Brett Smiley and three-time Democratic Nominee for Governor
Carol Grant - former top aide to then-Mayor David Cicilline, business executive for Verizon and Textron
Deb Brayton - former top aide to then-Senator Lincoln Chafee and then-Mayor David Cicilline
Jack Partridge - Providence Lawyer
David Preston - Political Consultant
Ned Handy - President and COO of Washington Trust Bank
Teny Gross - Executive Director of the Institute for Non-Violence
Both the Cianci and Elorza campaigns refused comment.
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