End of Political Dynasty in Rhode Island? Chafee Moves to Wyoming
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
One of the Rhode Island's most prominent families -- politically, financially, and historically -- is packing up and leaving the state.
Former Rhode Island Governor and United States Senator Lincoln Chafee -- and wife Stephanie, and son Caleb -- have relocated to Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
For centuries, a so-called "five families" have dominated Rhode Island. The Browns, the Goddards, the Sharpes and the Metcalfs (of which Stephanie is from) -- the Chafees are an original "founding" family in Rhode Island, in a list that has at times included the Lippitts and others, depending on the source.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe families dominated politics locally and nationally for centuries, most recently with former United States Senator (and Secretary of the U.S. Navy) John Chafee, to son Lincon's tenure in politics from Mayor of Warwick to Presidential aspirant.
John Chafee's great-grandfather, Henry Lippitt, was governor of Rhode Island (1875–1877) and among his great-uncles were a Rhode Island governor, Charles Warren Lippitt, and United States Senator Henry Frederick Lippitt. His cousin was Frederick Lippitt, former House Minority Leader for the Rhode Island House of Representatives.
When asked if the family's leaving had anything to do with Rhode Island's tax structure, Chafee said "no."
"It's a new adventure, that's the motivating factor," said Chafee of the move, which was originally reported by the Providence Journal. "We do have properties in Rhode Island, that's not going to change. We'll still contribute to Rhode Island."
John Chafee was House Minority Leader in 1958, elected Governor in 1962, Secretary of the Navy in 1969, U.S. Senator in 1976 and so on. There was a Chafee in office from the 1950s through to 2014 -- almost nearly uninterrupted.
RI GOP -- Keep Chafee
The Rhode Island Republican Party on Tuesday used the news of the Chafees leaving to make the case for policies to keep more wealth in Rhode Island.
"Lincoln and Stephanie Chafee have been active in Rhode Island politics and in philanthropic endeavors for many years. Wyoming is a state with no personal income tax and no state estate tax," said the RI GOP in a release.
“In 2006 Lincoln Chafee’s campaign slogan for reelection to the U.S. Senate was ‘Keep Chafee’, which was a slogan used by John Chafee in his reelection campaign for Governor in 1964. Today, Republicans should once again adopt this slogan. We need to keep Chafee and other wealthy charitable individuals in Rhode Island. But we can only do this by lowering our taxes. This begins by eliminating Rhode Island’s estate tax," said RI GOP Chair Brandon Bell.
"It is time for State House politicians, like House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello, to stop talking about reducing the estate tax, and actually get rid of it," said Bell. "Make this the year Rhode Island eliminates its death tax. Let’s Keep Chafee in Rhode Island.”
More on Move
"Well we bought property here a few years ago and have been spending more time here," said Chafee, of living in Teton Village at the base of the Jackson Hole ski resort. "Stephanie wanted to get involved in the community so she registered to vote here and Caleb got a job here -- he's successful and happy."
Chafee also spoke to national politics -- including former Starbucks' CEO Howard Schultz looking at running for President as an independent. Chafee, a former Republican turned Independent turned Democrat -- offered the following.
"It's America, anyone can do what they want, but you have to be smart. For many of us, the Ralph Nader candidacy in 2000 changed world history," said Chafee. "Bush and Cheney became the ones making the decisions that affected the world -- not Al Gore."
"You have to be smart and look at the big picture. I saw where Cicilline on GoLocal called into the question of a lifelong Democrat running as an independent," said Chafee. "We saw it in Rhode Island with [Joe] Trillo -- a Trump Republican running as an independent. Even Spencer Dickinson split the vote up in the Democratic primary. People will say, 'Oh, [Governor] Raimondo won with 50%...but [both Trillo and Dickinson] muddied the waters."
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