Fecteau: For Cicilline, What Goes Around….
Sunday, February 12, 2017
I trust Congressman and former mayor of Providence David Cicilline will be written about in history as one of Rhode Island’s paramount electoral blunders of all time. Cicilline would face criminal charges for his malfeasance in any other state, but this is Rhode Island; a state that appears to elect the crooked, and the neurotic – Cicilline falls in both camps. Cicilline might face retribution.
The name Cicilline was always synonymous with criminality, and thuggery. The Cicilline crime family used and abused the city of Providence while Cicilline was mayor (brother, John “Jack” Cicilline, hurt matters extorting drug dealers). Cicilline, Providence’s prima donna, has a reputation of stabbing his friends in the back and lying to the people who trusted him most, a real charmer.
In 2011, after the extent of Providence’s fiscal difficulties were discovered, the Cicilline name became synonymous with liar as well. Then mayor of Providence Angel Taveras said he inherited a category five storm from his predecessor, elected Congressman Cicilline. Cicilline obscured this problem, and ransacked the cash reserves, placing Providence on a path to potential bankruptcy. That same year, Cicilline’s polling numbers were the lowest in Brown University’s chronicled polling history.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTCicilline manipulated his way to victory again for another term. Cicilline turned to then Rhode Island Speaker of the House, Gordon Fox (now, imprisoned). Fox used his influence to gerrymander the federal districts, making them even bluer than before, and near impossible for any Republican to win Rhode Island’s federal district one – including honest, but bland GOP congressional nominee Brandon Doherty.
This came out the political detriment of Cicilline’s “good friend” (as Cicilline loves to say) and fellow Rhode Island Democratic federal House Rep. Jim Langevin (with friends like this, who needs enemies?). Cicilline won re-election as Congressman in a fantastical upset.
Alas, Cicilline’s chickens have come home to roost. Gerrymandering will not save Cicilline this time; the latest census shows Rhode Island will lose a United States House seat, forcing Cicilline in a Democratic primary against Langevin. Langevin is the heavy favorite.
I blame Cicilline for the severe contraction in our population; he was captain of the ship in Providence and hid the fiscal mess that haunts Providence to this day. He did nothing to reform the out of control pension spending and cited his fiscal record in Providence to run for Congress – lies, and manipulation galore. Providence is the capital of Rhode Island, and our economic engine, when it suffers, we all suffer – Cicilline didn’t give a damn, though, it was just a stepping stone.
The fiscal ghosts of Providence may come back to haunt Cicilline if he challenges Mr. Langevin in a Democratic primary. Cicilline deserves recognition for the financial chaos current Providence mayor Jorge Elorza inherited. Elorza says bankruptcy is not an option; well, I hope not, but it is the most probable option. If the Providence reaches a fiscal boiling point, voters will be reminiscent of Cicilline’s lies, and failures.
As for Langevin, a lot of progressive Democrats have levied misdirected criticism at him. Once the federal districts were gerrymandered, Langevin had to rebalance political priorities. His constituents became more conservative; he had to lean right on several issues, to pacify many of the conservatives, and conservative-leaning Democrats in his district – thanks, Cicilline.
If Langevin was our solitary federal representative, he would have to moderate his views to appeal to all voters including conservatives and liberals. This is something that is missed on progressive Democrat critics of Langevin. In fact, if you don’t like Langevin's record, blame Cicilline for gerrymandering the districts making his respective district more liberal, and Langevin's more conservative.
In future, once Cicilline’s approval plummets yet again, my only request is that Cicilline campaigns with my political opponent, if it isn’t Cicilline. Cicilline’s unsavory reputation is a serious liability I could exploit. After Cicilline is finally defeated, he needs to commit to some serious introspection, and seek help for his pathological issues.
What goes around, comes around Mr. Congressman. Enjoy your political perks for the time being.
Matt Fecteau ([email protected]) of Pawtucket, Rhode Island was a Democratic candidate for office in 2014 and 2016. He is a former White House national security intern and Iraq war veteran.
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