Moore: Fung’s Fiasco Shows Us To Distrust Party Affiliation

Monday, August 10, 2015

Russell J. Moore, GoLocalProv MINDSETTER™

The scandal revolving around the Cranston Police Department and Mayor Alan Fung's leadership of it, or more to the point, lack thereof, shines a light onto a truth that should be self-evident in Rhode Island politics: party affiliation means very little.

There's this myth surrounding Rhode Island politics that somehow posits that Democrats pander to special interest groups, particularly public sector unions, moreso than Republicans. That may be true in total numbers, but only because there are overwhelmingly more Democrats holding public office than Republicans in The Ocean State.

But on a percentage basis, I'd venture a guess that there are just as many Republicans politicians who would happily ally themselves with special interest groups in a symbiotic relationship where one had washes another, with taxpayers getting hosed, if it meant said politician coasted to electoral victory.

Pandering

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When some of my conservative friends have asked me in the past why I don't' reflexively consider the Republican Party in RI the party of fiscal responsibility, it's because I have been paying close attention to Rhode Island politics for over a decade. To just blindly assume that one politician comports himself a certain way strictly based on party label is to reside in mental prison, and go through politics wearing blinders.
Superficial political observers would be surprised to learn that Fung, to quote the state police report, made repeated moves to protect former Cranston Police Union President Stephen Antonucci, who allegedly ordered the ticket blitz in Cranston--orchestrated to punish city council members who voted against a police union contract that would have given the union a sweetheart deal--which brought down the whole house of cards.

Undermined Investigation

The report continues to say that Fung actually worked to undermine the state police investigation by agreeing to deals with Antonucci behind the scenes and failing to tell the state police until after the gubernatorial election last year, of which he had a big shot to win.

If nothing else, the report issued by the Rhode Island State Police about the issues surrounding the Cranston Police Department is nothing short of jaw dropping. But Fung's party affiliation, being a Republican, really shouldn't be all that surprising.

A long history

When Fung prevailed in the mayoral election of 2007, shortly before taking office in 2008, he did so largely based on the support of the Cranston Police Union. Half of the room at his fundraisers would be filled with loyal Republicans, the other half would be the members of the police union. In 2009, then Cranston Police Colonel Stephen McGrath stepped down after the police union voted "no-confidence" in him. Fung then appointed a new chief, which was, at the time, more favorable to the union.
So to anyone who was paying attention, and I realize this may have included very few people, knew that Fung was tied closely to the police union--despite being a Republican.

Fung isn't alone

But Fung isn't the only Republican Rhode Island politician with union ties. Former Republican Cranston Mayor Michael Traficante, when he left his job as mayor, took a job with the Laborer's union. I'm guessing that the negotiations between he, as the steward of the taxpayers, and the unions in his city weren't very tough considering his ability to get a union job upon leaving office.
Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian has close ties to the municipal unions in his city, particularly the firefighters, who routinely support his re-election bids by holding signs and doing other related campaign activities for the mayor (when they're off duty, obviously). On countless occasions in the past, the unions have packed into the city council meetings to support his proposals.

Look Beyond Party Label

Meanwhile, some of the state's Democrats have taken tough stances with the unions in their city on behalf of the taxpayers. Look no further than in Providence this year to see Mayor Jorge Elorza take a tough stance with the firefighters union in an effort to win concessions on behalf of the taxpayers by way of platoon restructuring. One can disagree with the move, but no one can argue that the move doesn't take a good deal of courage.

There are other examples, but the point is that in Rhode Island, party affiliation alone will tell a voter very little about the candidate in question. Instead, it's up to the citizens to pay just as close of attention to what's going on in state and local government as they do to the latest developments in "deflategate". Until that happens, we're going to get the government we deserve.

Don't be surprised when the next "Policegate" occurs in your own hometown.

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Russell Moore has worked on both sides of the desk in Rhode Island politics, both on political campaigns and for newspapers. Send him email at [email protected]. Follow him on twitter @russmoore713