Vincent Cianci
Encyclopedia
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.
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.
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.
, 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
.
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.
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
.
ing 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.
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. 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.
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."
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.
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.
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"). 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
. 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.
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, 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.
Cianci was first elected mayor as the candidate of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. While in office he declared himself an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
, and as of 2009 he said he had no party affiliation.
Family life
Cianci was born in Cranston, Rhode IslandCranston, Rhode Island
Cranston, once known as Pawtuxet, is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. With a population of 80,387 at the 2010 census, it is the third largest city in the state. The center of population of Rhode Island is located in Cranston...
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
Roccamonfina (CE)
Roccamonfina is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located about 60 km northwest of Naples and about 40 km northwest of Caserta....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, in the early 20th century. They had 13 children. Cianci's father Vincent was born in 1900 and was a doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
. 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.
Education and military service
Educated at Moses Brown SchoolMoses Brown School
Moses Brown School is a Quaker school located in Providence, Rhode Island, founded by Moses Brown, a Quaker abolitionist, in 1784. It is one of the oldest preparatory schools in the country.-Founder:...
, he earned a bachelor's degree in Government at Fairfield University
Fairfield University
Fairfield University is a private, co-educational undergraduate and master's level teaching-oriented university located in Fairfield, Connecticut, in the New England region of the United States. It was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942, and today is one of 28 member institutions of the...
, a master's degree in Political Science at Villanova University
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
, and a law degree
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
at Marquette University Law School
Marquette University Law School
Marquette University Law School is the professional school for the study of law at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and one of only two law schools in Wisconsin. With 45 full-time professors and approximately 760 J.D. students, the law school is ranked in the top tier among American...
.
He served in the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
from 1966 through 1969, where served as a Lieutenant in the Military Police Corps, and in the Army Reserve
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
, Civil Affairs
Civil Affairs
Civil Affairs is a term used by both the United Nations and by military institutions , but for different purposes in each case.-United Nations Civil Affairs:...
Branch, through 1972.
Early legal career
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.Early political career
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 DemocratsDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
who were upset with Doorley's administration. He was the city's first Italian-American
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
mayor, ending a 150-year "power monopoly" held by Irish
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
Democrats. Cianci was also the youngest man elected to the office at age 33, and the first Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
mayor of Providence since the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. Cianci was well known as an extremely charismatic and media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
-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
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. After being introduced by Bob Dole
Bob Dole
Robert Joseph "Bob" Dole is an American attorney and politician. Dole represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996, was Gerald Ford's Vice Presidential running mate in the 1976 presidential election, and was Senate Majority Leader from 1985 to 1987 and in 1995 and 1996...
, Cianci made an address at the 1976 Republican convention. There was talk of him being the first Italian-American vice president
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
. Cianci was also seriously considered for a federal Cabinet
United States Cabinet
The Cabinet of the United States is composed of the most senior appointed officers of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States, which are generally the heads of the federal executive departments...
seat in the prospective Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
administration, had Ford been elected in 1976. After Ford's loss to Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
in the presidential election, Cianci tried to sell himself as a Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
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
John Chafee
John Lester Hubbard Chafee was an American politician. He served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps, as the 66th Governor of Rhode Island, as the Secretary of the Navy, and as a United States Senator.-Early life and family:...
, 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
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
.
First resignation
Cianci was forced by law to resign from office for the first time in 1984 after pleading guilty to assaultAssault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
ing a Bristol, Rhode Island
Bristol, Rhode Island
Bristol is a town in and the historic county seat of Bristol County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 22,954 at the 2010 census. Bristol, a deepwater seaport, is named after Bristol, England....
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.
Comeback
Cianci spent the next few years as a radio talk showTalk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
host on Providence AM station 920 WHJJ
WHJJ
WHJJ is a radio station in Providence, Rhode Island. The station was previously assigned the call letters WJAR, adopting its current call letters in 1980 when previous owner Outlet Communications sold the station.-History:...
and as a television commentator. In 1990 he successfully mounted a re-election campaign
Political campaign
A political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making process within a specific group. In democracies, political campaigns often refer to electoral campaigns, wherein representatives are chosen or referendums are decided...
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
Providence Bruins
The Providence Bruins are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and are the primary development team for the NHL's Boston Bruins. They play in Providence, Rhode Island at the Dunkin' Donuts Center.-History:...
hockey team to Rhode Island from Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, 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. He also helped to orchestrate the establishment of Waterfire
WaterFire
WaterFire is the award-winning sculpture by Barnaby Evans presented on the rivers of downtown Providence, RI.First created by Evans in 1994 to celebrate the tenth anniversary of First Night Providence, WaterFire has grown to become an annual public art phenomenon.WaterFire is simultaneously a free...
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.
Operation Plunder Dome
Cianci was indictedIndictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
in April 2001 on federal criminal charges of racketeering, conspiracy
Conspiracy (crime)
In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to break the law at some time in the future, and, in some cases, with at least one overt act in furtherance of that agreement...
, extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
, witness tampering
Witness tampering
Witness tampering is harming or otherwise threatening a witness, hoping to influence his or her testimony.-Witness tampering in the USA:In the United States, the crime of witness tampering in federal cases is defined by statute at , "Tampering with a witness, victim, or an informant"...
, 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."
Much of the trial was focused around a video tape showing top Cianci aide Frank A. Corrente taking a bribe. Jim Taricani
Jim Taricani
Jim Taricani is a US-based reporter, who served a sentence of six months of home confinement for refusing a court order to divulge a source.Taricani, an investigative reporter for WJAR television, an NBC affiliate in Cranston, Rhode Island, refused to reveal who leaked a surveillance tape to him...
, 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
Operation Plunder Dome
Operation Plunder Dome was the codename of an undercover investigation by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation into corruption within the government of the City of Providence, Rhode Island....
". 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
Conspiracy (crime)
In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to break the law at some time in the future, and, in some cases, with at least one overt act in furtherance of that agreement...
(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
Donald Carcieri
Donald L. "Don" Carcieri was the 73rd Governor of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Carcieri has had a varied vocational background, having worked as a manufacturing company executive, aid relief worker, bank executive and teacher.-Personal background:...
) Steve Kass on AM talk station WPRO
WPRO (AM)
WPRO is a radio station located in Providence, Rhode Island. The station is owned by Cumulus Media, and airs a talk format. WPRO's studio and transmitter are located in East Providence, at the Salty Brine Broadcast Center, named after WPRO's longtime morning host...
. 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
Burlington County, New Jersey
There were 154,371 households out of which 34.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.70% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.50% had...
. Cianci's lawyers tried to appeal the conviction, but were unsuccessful. In August 2005, Cianci made a request for early release, but was denied.
Present
Cianci was released from prison on May 30, 2007, to a halfway house near Northeastern University 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.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.
On October 24, 2007, Cianci appeared on WLNE-TV ABC6
WLNE-TV
WLNE-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for Rhode Island and the South Coast of Massachusetts. It is licensed to New Bedford, Massachusetts, but is headquartered in and operates from studios at 10 Orms Street in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It is one of two major Rhode Island...
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"). 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
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
seat held by Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Patrick J. Kennedy
Patrick J. Kennedy
Patrick Joseph Kennedy II is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1995 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes all of Bristol County and Newport County, and parts of Providence County. Kennedy did not seek re-election in 2010.A member of the Kennedy...
. 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
Lincoln MKS
The Lincoln MKS is a full-size luxury sedan from the Lincoln division of the Ford Motor Company. The MKS first appeared in concept form at the North American International Auto Show in January 2006 with the production version, a 2009 model, appearing later at the Los Angeles International Auto...
with a private driver.
In popular culture
- BUDDY—The Rise and Fall of America's Most Notorious Mayor, http://buddyciancithemovie.com an EMMY award-winning documentary directed by Cherry Arnold and narrated by James WoodsJames WoodsJames Howard Woods is an American film, stage and television actor. Woods is known for starring in critically acclaimed films such as Once Upon a Time in America, Salvador, Nixon, Ghosts of Mississippi, Casino, and in the television legal drama Shark. He has won three Emmy Awards, and has gained...
, is about the life and times of Buddy Cianci. - The Prince of Providence, a book by Mike Stanton (ISBN 0-375-50780-9) details Cianci's life, from childhood, to mobMafiaThe Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
-busting prosecutor, to mayor, to conviction. - Politics and Pasta: How I Prosecuted Mobsters, Rebuilt a Dying City, Advised a President, Dined with Sinatra, Spent Five Years in a Federally Funded Gated Community, and Lived to Tell the Tale, a book by Vincent "Buddy" Cianci with David Fisher (ISBN 978-0312592806), is Cianci's memoir.
- "Buddy" Cianci: The Musical, an off-Broadway musical created by Jonathan Van Gieson and Mike Tarantino. The musical incorporates much of the material from The Prince of Providence.
- On the animated sitcom Family GuyFamily GuyFamily Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
(set in Rhode Island), Chris attended Buddy Cianci Junior High School; one episode was even named "Fast Times at Buddy Cianci Jr. High". - He has made guest appearances as himself on the television show Providence.
- He has a brand of tomato sauce, "Mayor's Own MarinaraMarinara SauceMarinara sauce is a southern Italian tomato sauce usually made with tomatoes, garlic, herbs , and onion. However, there are many variations. Some of these include the addition of capers, olives, anchovies, and/or spices....
Sauce," the proceeds of which benefit Providence school children.
External links
- WJAR's index of Plunder Dome–related articles
- FBI Press Release Relating to fall-out from Plunder Dome
- "Charges in 30-Count Indictment against Cianci and other Defendants"
- Vice and Virtue—2002 special by Rhode Island's The Providence JournalThe Providence JournalThe Providence Journal, nicknamed the ProJo, is a daily newspaper serving the metropolitan area of Providence, Rhode Island and is the largest newspaper in Rhode Island. The newspaper, first published in 1829 and the oldest continuously-published daily newspaper in the United States, was purchased...
. - "ABC6 News names Buddy chief political analyst"
- The Buddy Cianci Show on 630 WPRO-AM