In The News

Date	Article
11/23/2002	Sound and fury: Is it static, or does talk radio persuade?
Talk radio has fueled two media storms this year, and some say that shows the format's growing power in Rhode Island. PROVIDENCE -- Talk radio became the center of another sensational Rhode Island political drama this week. In August, House Speaker John B. Harwood became embroiled in controversy that stretched for months after a radio show aired an interview with former legislative researcher Wendy Collins, who accused Harwood of sexual harassment. In September, U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy called a talk radio program to suggest that his opponent's campaign manager had concocted a story about lug nuts being loosened on the candidate's car. This week, television cameras rolled and newspaper reporters took note as two high-profile talk show hosts engaged in a bitter on-air battle. Behind one microphone was convicted felon and former Providence Mayor Vincent A. Cianci Jr., who is cohosting a WPRO-AM morning show while awaiting the scheduled Dec. 6 start of his federal prison sentence. Behind the other microphone was Arlene Violet, a former nun and Rhode Island attorney general who cohosts an afternoon show on WHJJ-AM. So what's going on here? Some experts say this week's high-voltage events highlight how much politicians are turning to the unfiltered format of talk radio and how much television and newspaper reporters are paying attention, lending increased credibility and reach to the radio programs. Others say all the talk amounts to a lot of sound and fury that signifies little at the ballot box. By themselves, talk radio audiences aren't that big, those experts note, and interest can quickly wane when outsized personalities fade from the scene. Mary Breslauer -- the Boston-based communications consultant that Harwood hired to advise him on the Collins controversy -- said it is not unusual for former politicians to end up on the airwaves. She noted New York has had former Mayor Ed Koch and Massachusetts has had House Speaker Tom Finneran on the air. What does stand out, Breslauer said, is the number of Rhode Island radio programs that focus on politics. "It is unusual, for a city of your size, to have so many shows," Breslauer said. "Obviously, they have done the ratings and concluded political content has a market, as opposed to shows on garden advice or sex advice or science shows. The people of Rhode Island love to listen to and gab about politics and politicians." Bud Paras, vice president of ClearChannel Radio, the parent company of WHJJ, noted that Rhode Island has no major-league professional sports teams. "Politics is the state's sport -- a blood sport," he said. Paras said he keeps waiting for the political scene to quiet down, but it doesn't. "Rhode Island has been blessed -- or cursed -- with a lot of high-profile, entertaining, unique political stories and politicians," he said. "You couldn't ask for a better place to have a talk radio station. It's such a fertile place." Rhode Island's small scale adds to that environment, WHJJ talk show host John DePetro said. "Rhode Islanders love gossip. They love scandal," DePetro said. "The state is so small that if you have someone on, there is a chance the listeners know the person . . . that he lives next door to my cousin Vinny in Pawtucket." Often in the talk-show world, there are no shades of gray and few moments of vagueness. Politicians are heroes or villains, and personality is valued over perspective. "It is not The New York Times, it is not NPR [National Public Radio]," DePetro said. "The minute you try to make it something it isn't, you are doomed." Still, DePetro said he has standards similar to journalists -- he checks out stories. But he acknowledges that callers are free to float rumors or invective. "It is similar to letters to the editor at The Journal," DePetro said. "You guys [The Journal] don't publish all the letters. I'd like to see the ones you don't print. But we take all the calls." Even Violet, a former attorney general, was not always pleased at her portrayal on talk shows. In her 1988 autobiography, Violet complained that her decision to leave a Roman Catholic religious order to run for office was misinterpreted. She wrote, "The talk show hosts for the most part added to the bedlam. In some instances, they were as misinformed as the callers and contributed to the overall misinformation that prevented me from saying my piece." DePetro said he patterns himself after such cable television hosts as Bill O'Reilly and the nationally syndicated talk radio host Rush Limbaugh. Thomas E. Patterson, a professor of government and the press at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, said talk radio boomed from the late 1980s through the mid-1990s with the likes of Limbaugh and Don Imus. In the late 1990s, that popularity dropped off as listeners became more focused on Wall Street gains and investor advice, he said. Now, with the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the possibility of war with Iraq, political talk radio may be on an upswing, he said. But oftentimes, the popularity of such programs results from local circumstances, Patterson said. For instance, Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura has been popular on talk radio, and "you obviously have a character there with your ex-mayor," he said, referring to Cianci. "Minnesota will go back to more normal times when Ventura leaves," Patterson said. "And when the ex-mayor fades from memory, the same may happen in Rhode Island." Ron St. Pierre, operations manager for Citadel Providence, which owns WPRO-AM, said he considers the stir over Cianci an isolated circumstance. The current interest in Cianci is heightened by his pending prison sentence. "The sword of Damocles is hanging over his head," he said. Also, St. Pierre said, Cianci is one of the few personalities that could be promoted on a billboard with just his first name: "Cher is bigger than life. Buddy is bigger than life. Arlene is almost there." But these days, too many talk show hosts try to make themselves part of the story, St. Pierre said. "Rush's shows have always been about Rush," he said, "but you have to be an overwhelming personality to do that." Patterson said U.S. Sen. John McCain used talk radio effectively when he ran for president, often mixing it up with Imus. "And if I was a Republican running for president in 2008, I'd do a lot of talk radio in 2005 and 2006," he said. But usually, Patterson said, talk radio doesn't have too big of an impact on election results. Often, talk show hosts are making arguments with which their listeners already agree, he said. And the audience is not huge. For instance, about 14,300 people in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts listened to WHJJ for at least five minutes during DePetro's time slot, while about 10,500 listened to WPRO during Steve Kass's time slot, according to spring 2002 figures compiled before Cianci's reemergence on WPRO. The listening area contains about 1.3 million people. Patterson said talk radio audiences tend to be conservative. "People on the left listen to NPR," he said. Rhode Island Democratic Party Chairman William J. Lynch said talk radio doesn't sway voters. But because the mainstream media are influenced by talk shows, political candidates take the medium more seriously. "Fifteen years ago, the newspaper played a much bigger role," Lynch said. "Now, when the talk shows are on page one of The Journal, and cameras from [Channels] 6, 10 and 12 are in the [talk show] studio, it is something you have to deal with." Breslauer said talk radio provides politicians with a way to talk directly to voters. "It's unfiltered, it's unedited," she said. "You're not sitting down for 20 minutes [with a reporter] and having them use three sentences from you. I really think if you can talk directly to people, that's a plus. You can be judged more fairly." excerpt from projo.com
11/23/2002	Cianci, Violet exchange new salvos over prison request
PROVIDENCE -- Vitriol filled the radio airwaves yesterday as former Mayor Vincent A. Cianci Jr. defended himself against allegations that he is using his drug-dependent daughter and her two children as pawns to get transferred to a federal prison closer to Rhode Island. The dispute pitted two of the most prominent public figures in Rhode Island against each other. Cianci, the convicted felon who is scheduled to report to a federal prison in less than two weeks, against Arlene Violet, a former nun and one-time attorney general who hosts an afternoon talk show on WHJJ-AM radio. Cianci, who cohosts a morning show on WPRO-AM radio, accused Violet of broadcasting falsehoods to cast him and his family in a negative light. He denied that he orchestrated a campaign to have his daughter, Nicole B. Cianci, and others write letters supporting his efforts for a transfer. "She's a liar," Cianci said on the air. "She knows she's a liar, and I think it's despicable." The pitched battle dominated local radio throughout the day. As Cianci and his cohost, Steve Kass, responded to Violet's allegations, John DePetro, the WHJJ-AM mid-morning host, spent four hours calling Cianci a "deadbeat felon" and "an animal." He also accused Cianci and Kass of being "two old idiots sitting on a park bench." The war of words caught fire on Thursday afternoon when an emotional Violet went on the air and lambasted Cianci, saying he was using Nicole, a single parent, and her two young children as props to get himself transferred to a federal prison closer to home. She was particularly outraged that Cianci disclosed that his daughter is a resident at Phoenix House, a substance-abuse rehabilitation center in Exeter. Last summer, Cianci was convicted of racketeering conspiracy for running a criminal enterprise from City Hall. He was sentenced to 5 years and 4 months in prison and ordered to serve his sentence in a federal prison in eastern Ohio. Cianci has appealed the conviction and is hoping that an appeals court will allow him to remain free until he exhausts his appeals. That process could take up to two years. If Cianci is denied the appeal to remain free, he must report to prison on Dec. 6. This week, The Journal obtained copies of letters that Cianci, his daughter and others sent to Representatives Patrick J. Kennedy and James R. Langevin, seeking a transfer to a prison closer to Rhode Island. Kennedy and Langevin sent a joint letter to the director of the federal Bureau of Prisons supporting Cianci's request. Violet, in her broadcast, said that Cianci lied when he wrote in his letter to Kennedy and Langevin that he has "adopted prime financial responsibility for Nicole and her children." She also accused Cianci of sending an aide to tell Nicole that she and her children should "go on welfare." Cianci denied the charge. Violet is friends with Cianci's ex-wife, Sheila, who is caring for the grandchildren while Nicole spends the next year recovering from substance abuse. She underwent treatment in September after the Providence police found her disoriented and wandering on Branch Avenue in Providence. She was discovered the weekend after Cianci was sentenced. Yesterday, Violet went one step further and said that "her sources" have informed her that Nicole "is on welfare," at Cianci's insistence. In a brief phone conversation yesterday, Cianci denied that his daughter is on public assistance. Asked whether she had ever been on public assistance, Cianci said, "Not to my knowledge, you know, but she's 28 years old. Arlene Violet has a problem, and that's not good for anybody. I just want this to end." Cianci said that his daughter is angry with Violet for dragging her into the controversy. Violet said that Cianci -- not her -- brought Nicole into the fray. The dueling talk-show hosts played a sort of limbo with semantics. Each side accused the other of stooping lower. Callers to the WPRO and WHJJ shows vowed that they would never listen to the rival hosts again. For two hours, callers flooded the phone lines of the Cianci/Kass show and expressed their support for the former mayor. Kass propped up Cianci, railing against the hosts of WHJJ, The Journal and the public for taking shots at his partner. Kass insisted that Cianci's request for a prison transfer is not even newsworthy. He also criticized Violet, who has never married, for meddling in Cianci's private life. "What the hell does she know about raising children?" Kass said. "What would she know about tough love?" Cianci said that he loves his daughter and grandchildren and he will continue to support them whether he's sent to "California, Alaska or Alcatraz." A man who identified himself as Nicole's former landlord was among the callers. He said that Cianci prepaid his daughter's rent for a year before she entered the rehabilitation program. He also said that Cianci bought her a car and paid for all her utilities. "Thank you very much, Bob," Cianci said. "I appreciate that. You have a wonderful house." Another caller, who identified herself as Cianci's accountant, said that Cianci paid Nicole's rent, car insurance, daycare and medical expenses. Down the dial at WHJJ radio, DePetro, the talk-show host, supported Violet and launched a venomous attack on Cianci. About 8 of 10 callers supported DePetro and lauded Violet for speaking out. DePetro repeatedly asked the callers who had more credibility: a former attorney general who helps people or a convicted felon. "[Cianci] is a criminal and he is a liar. Just pathetic," DePetro said. "A pathetic, selfish, irresponsible, pathological liar." DePetro also attacked WPRO radio for hiring Cianci just days after he was sentenced. He said that it was a shameless ploy designed to boost ratings. He referred to Cianci as "this month's chimp," hired to "juice things up," at the radio station. DePetro also provided the address of the Bureau of Prisons in Washington so callers could express their dissatisfaction with Cianci's use of his daughter and grandchildren in an attempt to get a prison transfer. Antonio R. Freitas, the businessman who worked undercover with the FBI to build the corruption case against Cianci, wrote to the Bureau of Prisons on Thursday, urging officials to stick with their plan to send Cianci to a prison in eastern Ohio. "Mr. Cianci was never there for his daughter when she needed him the most," Freitas wrote. "I feel that he is using her unfortunate situation for his own personal gain." But at WPRO, the callers had nothing but kind words for Cianci. Some had unusual ways of expressing their support. One caller, Anthony, predicted that the future for Cianci remains bright, despite the possible prison sentence. Once Cianci returns, Anthony said that the former mayor is "going to be bigger than John Gotti," a reference to the powerful mob boss who died in federal prison last summer. excerpt from projo.com
10/18/2002	Harwood preaches to choir
PAWTUCKET -- What many thought might be John Harwood's night in the lion's den turned into a cheering, hand-clapping lovefest as the beleaguered Speaker of the House got a supportive response from a friendly hometown crowd at his first-ever City Hall Town Meeting. Wendy Collins' name was mentioned only a handful of times during an hour-long question-and-answer session. The heavily Pawtucket crowd seemed to want to talk about other things. "It's a damn shame if we let John DePetro and the show-business people destroy what this man has done," an animated John Burgess, aide to former Mayor Henry Kinch, half-shouted from the back of the room. Sen. John F. McBurney III, who lives in Harwood's district, got a big hand from the crowd when he told Harwood, "I'm proud to have you as my representative," then proceeded to list several of what he described as "$130,000 worth of (legislative) grants" that went to organizations in the city. Calling the media coverage in newspapers and on radio and TV "outrageous" and "disgusting," a woman said the problem is too many people believe it. "They exaggerate the negatives and really don't defend you as you deserve," she said. She called on the public to "band together and come to the defense of the Speaker. Call the talk shows and tell them what they are doing is disgusting. Write to the newspaper."  From PawtucketTimes.com
10/18/2002	Speaker's aide, former education chief testify
Patricia McMahon, an aide in the speaker's office, spent about two hours talking to grand jurors, who are expected to call their last witnesses soon. "They asked her about the Wendy Collins incident," said Robert E. Craven, a lawyer who accompanied McMahon as she left the Licht Judicial Complex. "She'd prefer not to discuss the details of the grand jury testimony. Actually, that's their preference." On Aug. 14, McMahon and Harwood's legal counsel, Richard P. Kearns, went to Collins's house in Cranston -- shortly after Collins spoke to WHJJ-AM talk radio host John DePetro about the sexual harassment allegation. Collins has said McMahon and Kearns came bearing gifts for her three children: a baseball cap with a state police insignia, a commemorative New England Patriots 2002-03 season ticket and three bags of Lay's potato chips. Also, Collins has said that Kearns offered to pay her expenses to visit her ailing grandmother in California. McMahon has said she and Kearns went to Collins's house because Collins, upset by DePetro's description of how Kearns had described her, had called the speaker's office repeatedly, demanding to speak to Kearns. McMahon has said they went to Collins's houses to say "Wendy, calm down," but she said no promises were made and that they never offered to send Collins to California. Collins, 30, of Cranston, is a former General Assembly employee who went to Workers' Compensation Court in February, seeking up to $750,000 for "stress at work/sexual harassment and retaliation." After the reference to sexual harassment was blacked out of the filing, Collins received a $75,000 settlement and a newly created $28,009-a-year state job at Rhode Island College. excerpt from projo.com
10/18/2002	Harwood faces the public
The House speaker takes his public relations campaign to his home turf, fielding questions and defending himself at an open meeting in Pawtucket City Hall. One man, John Burgess, declared, "It'll be a damn shame if we let the John DePetros and the show business people destroy what John Harwood has done for this community." (John DePetro is the WHJJ radio talk-show host who broke the Wendy Collins story.) Another man, Ted Lewicki, 85, of Darlington, asked Harwood, "Can you answer tonight with a plain yes or no these allegations of Wendy Collins -- [are they] true or false?" "False," Harwood said. excerpt from projo.com
10/13/2002	HARWOOD V. COLLINS
What began with a chance meeting between House Speaker John B. Harwood and a young woman named Wendy L. Collins has evolved into a tangle of accusations and denials ensnaring politicians from both parties. The Wendy Collins story became public when radio talk-show host John DePetro aired excerpts of an interview with her. After receiving a tip that Harwood may have sexually harassed Collins, DePetro stopped by Rhode Island College on Aug. 13 to see Collins about a possible radio interview. She wasn't there, so he left his business card. The next night, DePetro said, Collins called and agreed to talk to him in her apartment on Parkside Circle off Broad Street in Cranston. At the house, DePetro said, he pulled out a tape recorder and placed it on a coffee table to record the interview, which lasted about 90 minutes. He said that she agreed to be recorded. Collins has denied that she called DePetro, or that she knew she was being taped. She said that she met with him thinking that he was trying to convince her to appear on his radio show the next morning. DePetro has produced an Aug. 13 voice mail that was recorded at 6:04 p.m. On the tape, a woman who identifies herself as Wendy Collins invites DePetro to her home. DePetro also produced a second tape on which he is interviewing the woman he said is Collins about sexual harassment and Harwood. At one point, the woman tells DePetro to turn off the tape. "I don't remember saying that at all," she said later. Collins said she was rattled by the DePetro interview. Angered by how much he knew, she said she called Harwood's office and asked for Dick Kearns, Harwood's legal counsel. A few minutes later, Patricia McMahon, an aide to Harwood, called back. "This is really bothering me," Collins said she told McMahon. "I started a new job and I was trying to put this all behind me. Somebody opened their mouth because (DePetro) knows an awful lot." excerpt from projo.com
10/01/2002	Kennedy, Rogers trade charges over vandalism
The race in the 1st Congressional District turned nasty yesterday, when Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy called a radio talk show to suggest that his opponent's campaign worker had concocted a story about the lug nuts being loosened on the candidate's car. Kennedy, a four-term incumbent, called the John DePetro Show on WHJJ, while his Republican opponent David W. Rogers was being interviewed on the air. Rogers reported to the police last week that the lug nuts on his car had been loosened, as part of a rash of vandalism that allegedly hit his campaign staff. Kennedy went on the air yesterday, suggesting that the entire episode was made up by Rogers's political director, Christian Winthrop. Kennedy said he spoke to three of Winthrop's friends who told the congressman that Winthrop had told a similar story during the 2000 election, while working for Democrat Richard Licht's U.S. Senate campaign. "The implication is that he has done it as a publicity stunt. I hope that's not the case for any of our sake," Kennedy said. ". . . I've talked to three separate friends of Christian Winthrop who all said to me he made this up." In the first public encounter between the incumbent and challenger, Rogers tore into Kennedy. "By bringing this charge up you are trying to mitigate the seriousness of what could potentially have happened to my family. I know that as a candidate it might not be politically correct to show my anger about this. "But you have got to be kidding me. You cannot be serious. Is this what you want to put out right now? Is this the tact you are going to take? Is this what your strategists came up with?"    from projo.com
09/26/2002	Dial AM for acting mayor
PROVIDENCE -- It was the kind of splash Buddy might have made. Acting Mayor John J. Lombardi allowed radio talkmeister John DePetro to do his show from the mayor's office yesterday -- and sat in himself. For four hours the "Independent Man," as DePetro is known, held forth on various controversies and took calls from listeners. Lombardi and Paul V. Jabour, the mayor's chief of staff, participated for part of the time. Lombardi became Providence's acting chief executive when the flamboyant former Mayor Vincent A. "Buddy" Cianci Jr. was convicted of government corruption in the Operation Plunder Dome investigation and forced out. "The idea is that the office belongs to the people of the city," Jabour said of Lombardi's willingness to have the WHJJ radio show take over his work space. "We open the doors for everyone," Lombardi declared.    from projo.com
09/14/2002	Once again, Buddy has R.I.'s ear
WPRO-AM radio announced yesterday that starting Monday, Cianci will appear alongside Steve Kass on the weekday morning talk show from 9 to 11 a.m. And as always, controversy -- tinged with humor -- swirls around the twice-convicted, twice-ousted mayor. "Is Brian Sarault doing the sports? Ed DiPrete the weather? Are they going to change the call letters to WRICO?" asked John DePetro, whose rival talk show airs at 10 a.m. on WHJJ. DePetro was referring to the former Pawtucket mayor, jailed on federal corruption charges; the former governor, jailed on state corruption charges; and the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act, the federal statute under which Cianci was convicted. Cianci said last night, "If you don't like it, then don't listen." (continued...) Scott, of WPRO, said that she knew the decision to hire Cianci would be controversial. "I respect people's view," she said. "I just hope people will give him a shot and see how he sounds." But WHJJ's DePetro had strong words. "Let's face it. This is glamorizing someone's criminal wrongdoing," he said. "He is a criminal. They can try to spin it off as a political expert, but he's first and foremost a criminal." DePetro insisted that he wasn't worried that Cianci would steal listeners from his top-rated show, saying there might be some initial interest, but it would quickly wane. "They're going to need him plus a whole chain gang to beat me," he declared. DePetro's boss, WHJJ regional program manager Bill Hess, said his station did not try to woo Cianci. "I believe that after paying his debt to society he should have an opportunity, but he hasn't done that yet," Hess said. "To my mind," Hess added, "this compromises the host that he's working with and there's no way I would have put one of my hosts in that kind of position. How does Steve Kass rail against corruption, as he's done in the past, after sharing the microphone two hours a day with Buddy?" Asked to comment, Kass said: "I've been instructed by management to not discuss the matter with anyone until I appear on the air Monday morning." from projo.com
09/10/2002	Radio stations tweak formats for 9/11
WHJJ-AM (920) will be sending morning talk-show host John DePetro to Ground Zero in New York; afternoon host Arlene Violet will be broadcasting her show from Washington, D.C. Bill Hess, program director for WHJJ, said DePetro and Violet will work their regular shifts -- DePetro from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Violet from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and the two will be on the air together from noon to 4 p.m. Hess said DePetro and Violet will be taking local calls during their shows, but they'll also be featuring still-undetermined guests and trying to convey "a sense of the mood and feeling in those two cities." from projo.com
08/31/2002	M. Charles Bakst: After Cianci, Collins-Harwood is new spectacle
Buddy Cianci's corruption trial was a circus. But now we have the Wendy Collins-John Harwood saga, and it's a zoo. I met Collins yesterday. I feel sorry for her, but more do I feel sorry that all of Rhode Island is subjected to this tawdry drama. Cianci's crime -- racketeering conspiracy -- has a majestic nobility to it compared with the idea of House Speaker Harwood having an "improper relationship" with a legislative researcher -- he denies it -- and taxpayers picking up a $75,000 tab to settle her claims. This bottom-feeding stuff has gripped the public's imagination. Gee, her neighbor's been on TV. There was Collins coming out of court yesterday, no-commenting Channel 12's persistent Sean Daly; it looked like a miniature sketch from Monica Lewinsky's playbook. WHJJ radio's John DePetro broadcast live from the State House as two candidates for governor, a congressional hopeful, and several Rhode Island House members and aspirants rallied to call on Harwood to resign... from projo.com
08/31/2002	Pires initiates drive to push aside Harwood
PROVIDENCE -- Rep. Antonio J. Pires, a Democratic candidate for governor, yesterday called on John B. Harwood to resign as House speaker and asked other political candidates to join his fight to topple the state's most powerful lawmaker. The call went out to both Democrats and Republicans, incumbents and challengers, to sign a petition demanding Harwood's resignation amid questions about a $75,000 settlement paid to Wendy Collins, a former legislative employee. Pires said his campaign volunteers telephoned all 146 House candidates, inviting them to the State House news conference. Yesterday, only eleven candidates -- including three of Harwood's Democratic colleagues in the House -- joined Pires in seeking to oust the speaker. "It takes a spark to ignite an explosion," said Pires, his voice echoing through the State House rotunda, where about 75 people had gathered to listen and applaud. "I refer to John Adams when I say this needs to be a government of laws, not men." State House workers leaned over the balustrade, taking note of the crowd. Among them was Harwood's chief of staff Frank J. Anzeveno Jr., who watched from the second floor. Governor Almond's spokeswoman Lisa Pelosi stood on the first floor, writing in a notebook. Prominent Republicans who supported Democrat Pires at the event included gubernatorial candidate Donald L. Carcieri; John A. Pagliarini Jr., a candidate for lieutenant governor; Christine C. Ferguson, a 1st Congressional District hopeful. The Democratic House incumbents included Rep. Elizabeth M. Dennigan, of East Providence; Rep. David A. Caprio, of Narragansett and an outspoken critic of Harwood; and Rep. Donald O. Reilly, of Cumberland. House candidates included George F. Lenihan Jr., a Democrat challenging Caprio in Narragansett; Richard W. Singleton, a Republican candidate running against Reilly in District 52; Thomas K. Jones, a Democrat running in West Warwick; Paul Cannistra, a Warwick Republican candidate; and James S. Sulanowski, an Independent candidate from Cranston. When asked whether the low turnout of lawmakers indicated that support for Harwood remains strong, Pires said: "There are people who are fearful of the power he holds," Pires said. "The speaker has the ability to alter your ability to serve your district. I'm an example of what happens to someone who speak outs." This was not the first time Pires said he has asked Harwood, a fellow Pawtucket Democrat, to step down. Once a staunch ally, Pires said he asked Harwood privately to resign a year ago because he thought trust in the speaker had eroded. As a result, Pires said Harwood ousted him as chair of the powerful House Finance Committee. "There are those who suggest there are other motives," said Pires, who was the first political candidate to publicly address the Collins case. He called on Atty. Gen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a rival candidate for governor, to investigate the matter. "I have great concern about the integrity of this building," Pires said. "No one can lead if there is a question of integrity." Collins, a legislative researcher in Harwood's office, was paid $75,000 in workers' compensation and wrongful-termination claims and given a newly created $28,009 job at Rhode Island College, as a property coordinator. Collins has raised and then dropped allegations of sexual harassment. Harwood denies those allegations and attacked Collins's credibility. The candidates at yesterday's event said their criticism of Harwood goes beyond the Collins situation. In speeches, only Dennigan, the East Providence Democrat, mentioned Collins by name. They blasted the speaker for not cutting legislative spending at a time of dwindling state revenues. They said the budget is loaded with patronage and not open to real debate -- or any ideas that might go against the speaker's wishes. Dennigan said she felt belittled by the leadership when she raised questions about increases in legislative spending. "I get a pat on the back and they tell me, 'Don't worry Betsy, we are doing good things with that money,' " she said. Caprio renewed the call for all candidates for state office to call for Harwood's resignation, saying the voters deserve it. Caprio said he was punished for speaking out against the speaker. He charges that his opponent in the Democratic primary, Lenihan, was recruited by Harwood to run against him. But in a curious twist, Lenihan joined Caprio and the other lawmakers in calling for Harwood's resignation yesterday. He denied being one of his recruits. "The state has a $300-million deficit; this is a distraction we don't need," he said. "It's time for the speaker to step down." Anzeveno, Harwood's chief of staff, said the speaker could not comment because he had not been presented with the petition and was not in the State House during the news conference. "It's hard to comment on something we have not seen," Anzeveno said. Nineteen members of the public signed the petition, while talk-show host John DePetro broadcast from the lobby. Langdon Clough, of West Warwick, was among those signing the petition. Clough, who teaches at Northeastern University, in Boston, and the Community College of Rhode Island, said he was surprised so few lawmakers showed up. "The people who are not here are being noted," he said. "They are conspicuous by their absence." from projo.com
08/28/2002	Statement of Speaker John B. Harwood
First and foremost I once again deny any and all allegations of any improper relationship or sexual harassment of Ms. Collins. 1 am both outraged and fighting mad. Consider the facts. The most recently disclosed allegations of improper conduct were contained in a medical report dated November 30, 2001, from Dr. James Gallo. The interview with Dr. Gallo occurred almost one year after Ms. Collins left state employment and was prepared specifically for the purpose of bringing a worker's compensation claim. It was not prepared for the treatment of Ms. Collins but rather at the request of her attorney for use in litigation. Doesn't that create a lot of doubt? It is also noteworthy that Ms. Collins treated with two other physicians during the same time period and yet she presumably made no complaints or allegations of sexual misconduct to those physicians. Again, more doubt, Ms. Collins' statement to Dr. Gallo also refers to a "private hideaway" of the Speaker. The alleged private hideaway is referred to Room 135 of the Rhode Island State House. Room 135 is on the first floor of the state house and is the closest hearing room to the main entrance of the building. That room at the time housed both the House Committee on Labor and the House Committee on Health Education and Welfare. The Chairman of those Committees also maintained their offices within that room. How credible is that allegation. Ms. Collins has given at least five different statements concerning her allegations of sexual harassment. 1. The statement given to Dr. Gallo for the purpose of in court use at the request of her attorney. This statement was used to support her then demand of $750,000 to settle her claim. 2. The statements to her treating physicians which presumably did not make any mention of sexual misconduct. 3. The statement given to John DePetro. 4. Two diametrically opposed statements given to reporter Gene Valicenti. 5. The statements given to Providence Journal Reporters. 6. Lastly statements under oath given on the record, to a judge of the Worker's Compensation Court. Consider what Ms. Collins' own neighbor had to say last night on Channel 12: Ms. Collins is "a lying, conniving, money hungry person." Under oath in Worker's Compensation Court, Ms. Collins swore that her stress was caused by co-workers and a supervisor, no mention what so ever was made of sexual harassment. Ms. Collins also acknowledged under oath that she understood that she may have lost her case if it had gone to trial. Her attorney also stated in open court that it was in his client's best interest to settle her claims. What is wrong with this picture? Additionally during the last two weeks, Ms. Collins has made repeated demands and threats, for additional compensation from the state. Ms. Collins' threats included, going to Kathryn [sic] Gregg, if she did not receive additional money from the state. What motivated her to make these threats? I want you to know that these threats were taken very seriously and were turned over to the Rhode Island State Police on Friday, August 23, 2002. I have requested a complete investigation of this matter by the State Police. Based on the foregoing, I now call for Ms. Collins to release her complete medical records and Workers' Compensation file to the public and the proper authorities. Lets get all the facts on the record. from projo.com
08/24/2002	Harwood: 'I did nothing wrong'
PROVIDENCE -- Saying that he had "no role" in the settlement of Workers Compensation and wrongful termination claims made by former Statehouse employee Wendy Collins, or in finding her a newly-created position at Rhode Island College, House Speaker John Harwood faced the state media Thursday in an often-confrontational 45-minute news conference. Harwood says he feels "personally wronged" by media reports that hinted at a sexual harassment connection to the case, something he dismissed as "innuendo." He said he had "no relationship at all" with Collins. "That woman did nothing wrong and I did nothing wrong." Collins, who worked as a legislative researcher, received $50,000 to settle two Workers Compensation claims and $25,000 to settle an assertion that she was fired unjustly. She was moved to a position at Rhode Island College that RIC President John Nazarian was quoted as saying was the first new position the college had been offered in 25 years. Collins told WHJJ talk show host John DePetro last week that she was "tortured and tormented" at her Statehouse job and would have been "very successful" if she had filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Harwood. But on Wednesday night, she told Channel 10 reporter Gene Valicenti that she was never sexually harassed.      from PawtucketTimes.com
8/23/2002	Harwood: 'Rather angry'
...The 6:30 p.m. news conference, in the House lounge at the State House, was extraordinary for many reasons, not the least of which was Harwood's vehement denial of an allegation that had been batted about on talk radio, but had not been raised in The Providence Journal and other mainstream media. The allegation was that the $75,000 settlement with Collins for "occupational stress," a bruised knee and "wrongful termination" -- and the creation of new $28,009 job for her at RIC -- was all aimed at averting a sexual harassment claim against the speaker. Collins herself raised that possibility in an interview with WHJJ-radio talk-show host John DePetro, aired last week, in which she said she believed she would have been "very successful" had she filed a sexual harassment claim. Collins, 29, of Cranston, then appeared on Channel 10 (WJAR) news on Wednesday night denying that she had ever been the victim of sexual harassment. By then, Rep. Antonio Pires, a Democratic candidate for governor and one-time linchpin on Harwood's House leadership team, was airing a new campaign ad suggesting the public had not yet heard the whole story... from projo.com
08/22/2002	Harwood won't comment on settlement given employee
PROVIDENCE -- Out of reach on a reported vacation when the controversy erupted last week, House Speaker John B. Harwood yesterday refused to answer questions about the $75,000 "settlement" that one of his top aides agreed to pay former legislative researcher Wendy Collins for "occupational stress," a bruised knee and "wrongful termination." The settlement promised Collins and her lawyer lump sum payments worth almost three times what she could have made, in a year -- as a $15.39 an hour legislative employee between August 1999 and August 2001 -- when she was dropped from the legislative payroll under disputed circumstances. Collins has said she was fired while on medical leave; official state records indicate she left her job voluntarily "for personal reasons." Reached at home yesterday, Collins said she has been on "medical leave" since last Friday from the new job she was given at Rhode Island College in early May. "My headaches came back," said Collins, who appeared later on the Channel 10 (WJAR) news, denying that she had ever been the victim of sexual harassment, as she herself had suggested. Collins told WHJJ-radio personality John DePetro, in an interview aired last Thursday, that she believed she would have been "very successful" if she had filed a sexual harassment suit. Asked by Channel 10 reporter Gene Valicenti, "Were you ever sexually harassed at the State House?" she said, "No, I was not."... from projo.com
08/16/2002	Allegations target Harwood
PROVIDENCE -- A former Statehouse employee was quoted on a local radio talk show Thursday as saying she would have been "very successful" had she filed a sexual harassment suit against House Speaker John Harwood. After saying she was "tortured and tormented" on a daily basis at work, Wendy Collins reportedly told WHJJ's John DePetro she accepted a settlement of $75,000 and a new job at Rhode Island College. A press release from WHJJ stated that Collins received that amount of money and her new job "in exchange for signing a confidentiality agreement." Harwood, a Pawtucket Democrat, could not be reached to respond to the allegations Thursday. But a statement issued by the Legislative Press Bureau declared that Collins had been paid $75,000 in a claim involving "stress/occupational disease, left knee as well as a claim for reinstatement or other suitable employment." The same statement declared that "there were no other claims of wrongdoing," and denied that any confidentiality agreement not involving employee medical records "has been either signed or proposed." The statement made no mention of any claims of sexual harassment against Harwood or anyone else. The Legislative Press Bureau is the public-relations arm of the General Assembly. Along with Senate Majority Leader William Irons, Harwood is the highest-ranking member of the General Assembly. Collins made her harassment claim during a pre-recorded interview played on DePetro's talk show, broadcast on AM 920 WHJJ Thursday morning. Her remarks were summarized in a press release issued by the radio station. Asked about Harwood during the interview, Collins said she would have "kicked his (backside)" with a "sexual harassment lawsuit," according to the station's press release. According to Debra Jodion, administrative officer in the state's Human Resources Department, Collins worked in a legislative clerical position from August 10, 1999, to August 31, 2001, earning $15.39 an hour. On May 6, Jodion said Collins was hired as a property coordinator at Rhode Island College.She is currently employed at the college earning an annual salary of $28,009 in a non-union position, Jodion said. According to the Legislative Press statement, Collins filed a Worker's Compensation claim against the state earlier this year. Collins also made a "separate demand" against the state under the Americans with Disabilities Act and filed a claim for wrongful termination, according to the same statement.      From PawtucketTimes.com
08/16/2002	Pires questions settlement payment
PROVIDENCE -- In the Democratic campaign for governor yesterday, Rep. Antonio J. Pires called for one of his opponents, Atty. Gen. Sheldon Whitehouse, to investigate $75,000 in payments the state made to settle claims by a former State House worker. During a news conference on the State House steps, Pires said he was making the request in reaction to statements that former legislative researcher Wendy Collins made during a taped interview played on talk radio yesterday. State records show that a top aide to House Speaker John B. Harwood approved three payments totaling $75,000 to Collins and her lawyer. "The attorney general must immediately move to investigate this case and secure any records relative to payments to Wendy Collins," Pires said. "It is the only way the people of Rhode Island can be assured that every effort will be made to determine whether state funds were misappropriated." Harwood was out of state on vacation yesterday and could not be reached for comment. But his aides provided a one-page statement detailing how the Collins claims were handled, saying the information shows that no state money was misappropriated. Whitehouse issued a written statement, saying, "While today's allegations related to events at the State House raise potentially disturbing questions, it has been the consistent policy of the Department of the Attorney General during my administration not to comment on investigations, and I do not intend to violate this policy in order to respond to political demands of candidates for office." Collins, a 29-year-old single mother of three from Cranston, was a legislative researcher from August 1999 until August 2001. When she left, she was making $503 a week, according to state records. In May, she was hired to a newly created job as a property manager at Rhode Island College at $539 a week. Pires said, "At the very least, one has to question how someone who received a $75,000 workers' comp claim at the end of their service at one state job could then be rehired by Rhode Island College. I think it is certainly worth examining who was involved in that decision-making process." State records show that Richard P. Kearns, the legal counsel for the speaker's office, approved agreements to pay Collins and her attorney, Stephen J. Dennis, a total of $75,000 in state money to settle two workers' compensation cases and a "wrongful termination" case that never fully materialized. She and her lawyer were to be paid $25,000 to settle the potential "wrongful termination" claim, $5,000 for an alleged knee injury and $45,000 for the "stress" she has alleged she suffered as a legislative employee. The statement from Harwood's office said, "All claims were settled for a total amount of $75,000, and Ms. Collins has been reinstated to other suitable employment. No admissions or findings of any wrongdoing by any party have ever been made." Pires, D-Pawtucket, said he had no independent information about the Collins situation beyond what he heard during yesterday's John DePetro show on radio station 920 WHJJ. He defended his decision to ask for an investigation by Whitehouse's office, saying, "I have a right as a state representative, as a citizen and as a candidate for governor to ask for an investigation." Pires said he would not have received a "quick, straightforward answer" if he had asked the speaker's office for information about the Collins settlement.       from projo.com
08/12/2002	Andy Smith: Lite 105 at top of radio heap
...But radio executives prefer to use a different number, the share, which is the percentage of people who have their radios on. In the news/talk world, rivals WHJJ-AM and WPRO-AM were tied among all listeners over 12, each with .6 ratings and four shares. But a tie is considered a victory at WHJJ, which had trailed long-time powerhouse WPRO-AM (3.4 share to 5 share) during last winter's rating period. WHJJ executives are also elated at having scored some victories in key time slots, as John DePetro and Arlene Violet won the ratings game over their WPRO rivals. Among all stations, Top 40 station WPRO-FM was second in the spring ratings, with a 1.1 rating, 7.1 share; oldies station WWBB-FM (B101) was third, with a 1 rating and a 6.9 share. WPRO-FM's share was down from an 8.8 last winter, while B101 moved up from a six share. Total listeners may create the largest numbers, but advertisers crave the coveted 25-to-54 age group, where Lite 105 had a 10.2 audience share, followed by WHJY-FM at 8.4, WPRO-FM at 8.3 and B101 at 5.5. Here's an area where WPRO-AM still had an edge, with a 2.4 share to WHJJ's 2.2. In the key morning drive time, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., Lite 105's Gary DeGraide held a narrow lead among all listeners 12 and over (1.9 rating, 8.7 share) over Giovanni & Kim on WPRO-FM (1.8 rating, 8.5 share), followed by Paul & Al on WHJY (1.3 rating, 5.8 share). Translated to people, Arbitron estimates an average 25,300 people listened to at least five minutes of Lite 105 during morning drive, compared to 24,800 tuned in to Giovanni & Kim and 16,800 to Paul & Al. Lite 105 program director Tom Holt said the station hadn't made any major changes in its format. "It's hard to say what made the numbers jump so much," Holt said. "Lite's always been a great radio station. I felt we had an unfairly down book over the winter, and now we're back up." In the talk arena, WHJJ's Don Imus is essentially tied with WPRO's Morning News with Ron St. Pierre, and the first half of Steve Kass's show. Each station has a 1 rating, although Imus edges WPRO in the share, 4.7 to 4.6. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., when WHJJ's John DePetro and the first hour of Arlene Violet's show contends with WPRO's Steve Kass and syndicated conservative Rush Limbaugh, WHJJ leads with a 1.1 rating, 4.9 share over WPRO's .8 rating and 3.6 share. Arbitron estimates 14,300 people listened to WHJJ for at least five mninutes in this time period while 10,500 tuned in to WPRO. DePetro was delighted. "I take a lot of criticism. I get a lot of arrows. But it's very gratifying that people are listening," he said. "No matter what people say, in the spring of 2002 I had the highest rated show in the market . . . it's one of those things they can't take away from you." From 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., when Violet squares off against WPRO's Dan Yorke -- at least until 6 p.m. -- WHJJ led with a .8 rating, 4.5 share to WPRO's .6 rating, 3.4 share. Bud Paras, general manager of WHJJ, said his station's highly aggressive coverage of Plunder Dome paid off. "We like to think the team here made the right decision in how to cover things," he said. "Plunder Dome was such a big, big story, not just about Buddy, but about the way the city was run . . . Plunder Dome was like one of those reality TV shows. People say they don't want to watch them, but they do." Ron St. Pierre, operations manager for WPRO, said he was not about to panic over "one speed bump in eight years." There have been persistent reports among local media-watchers that WPRO wants to hire Providence Mayor Vincent A. Cianci Jr., a successful talk-show host on WHJJ when he was out of office in the '80s. St. Pierre pointed out that Cianci, convicted in federal court of racketeering conspiracy, faces sentencing Sept. 6, so any discussion of his radio future would have to wait. He scoffed at a rumor he had offered Cianci $200,000 to host a show on WPRO. That doesn't mean, though, that Rhode Island's talk radio fans won't hear Cianci on the airwaves -- someday. "Anybody who knows what Buddy Cianci accomplished in talk radio knows he's a valuable commodity," St. Pierre said.       from projo.com
06/15/2002	Media contend with the press of tension, boredom
A block or so from the courthouse, just across from the downtown post office, a lot was full of news vehicles -- including satellite trucks from Boston Channels 4, 5, and 7 and a pair of RVs from local news/talk stations WHJJ-AM and WPRO-AM. Inside the RVs, talk-show hosts broadcast within shouting distance of the courthouse. WHJJ's vehicle has been in the lot since jury selection started; WPRO's has been there about two weeks. (WHJJ program director Bill Hess sent his rivals flowers when they arrived, with a note that said "Welcome to the neighborhood.") WPRO morning host Steve Kass, who refers to his locale on the air as "a weed-infested lot," said his station has had plenty of reporters covering Plunder Dome from the very beginning, and his location is not all that important. Kass said that while Plunder Dome is a big story, he's also wary of overkill. WHJJ's John DePetro, on the other hand, can't seem to get enough. "I think there should be more coverage," he said. "Where was the mayor last night? What kind of sandwiches did the jury eat? It does fascinate me. I love trials; I was like this with O.J. [Simpson]," DePetro said. "It's real life; it's real drama. There's so much BS in life, and this is the real thing. I wake up in the middle of the night and I'll think I'm in the courtroom."   from projo.com
05/23/2002	WILL SING FOR FOOD
Radio talk-show host John DePetro, known as The Independent Man on WHJJ (920-AM) -- is sponsoring another contest to capitalize on the popularity of Operation Plunder Dome. Listeners who offer up the best songs or poems spun from the City Hall corruption trial will accompany DePetro to court and then lunch at the Capital Grille, where, if they're lucky, they will run into some trial participants. DePetro said a competition of artistic expression seemed in keeping with the city's promotion as a "Renaissance" mecca. Two years ago, during the related trial of Rosemary Glancy, the city's deputy tax assessor, DePetro offered a similar contest with the winner having lunch at Andino's, a Federal Hill restaurant that figured prominently in the trial.   from projo.com
05/20/2002	For media, Cianci trial about as good as it gets
PROVIDENCE - An ink-stained wretch once called Rhode Island a theme park for journalists. The corruption trial of Mayor Vincent A. Cianci Jr. has provided the latest thrill ride for the professional scribbling set. The mayor called Buddy is a colossal figure in this nook of the Northeast, and the news media has crowded aboard for the roller-coaster ride in US District Court. Outside the courthouse, buses roll by every few minutes, flashing a local television station's mobile billboards that scream: ''Operation Plunder Dome: Cianci on Trial.'' Plunder Dome, the FBI code name for the investigation of Cianci's administration, is a huge story about an outsized personality in a small media market. Coverage of the trial, which enters its fifth week tomorrow, has been massive. ''It's one of the biggest trials we've covered in the 30 years I've been here,'' said Joel P. Rawson, executive editor of the Providence Journal. ''The reason is Mayor Cianci. He's been a fixture in the city for more than 25 years, the most recognizable politician in the state of Rhode Island.'' ''He is the face of Providence,'' said Rawson. The Journal, itself a force in Rhode Island, has four reporters and a staff artist covering the trial each day. The newspaper devotes a big chunk of the front page, with a standing overline, ''The Plunder Dome Trial,'' above each day's headline. The three commercial TV stations all have at least two staffers in court. They all do updates through the day. One station even added a half-hour ''Plunder Dome'' newscast at 4:30 on trial days. Perhaps nowhere else but in tiny Rhode Island, where everything seems intertwined, could the news media become so much a part of the story they are covering. Stories by Channel 10 investigative reporter Jim Taricani have been mentioned several times in court. His interview with one witness was introduced as evidence and a second one may be played later. A 1996 comedy routine by Charlie Hall, courtroom sketch artist for all three TV stations, came up several times in testimony. For a while, talk-radio host John DePetro was barred from the courtroom because he may be a witness at some point. A courtroom appearance by filmmaker Michael Corrente became news because he plans to direct a movie about Cianci based in part on a book now being written by Journal reporter Mike Stanton, who is covering the trial. It all adds to the drama of an unfolding story that will decide the mayor's fate. ''This is a big story locally,'' said Brown University professor and political pollster Darrell West. ''It's like the pope coming to town ... People are very interested. They want to know whether Buddy is going to beat the rap or go down for the count.''   from boston.com
05/15/2002	Prignano's testimony a 'shocker'
PROVIDENCE -- The public safety commissioner turned up the radio in his third-floor office as a talk-show host dissected Monday's testimony by retired Police Chief Urbano Prignano Jr. The ex-chief had opened the fourth week of the Plunder Dome trial with reluctant testimony about giving some officers the answers to promotional exams. The fallout at the police station, and beyond, was expected: outrage and demands for redress. Commissioner John J. Partington listened to WHJJ radio host John DePetro and shook his head. Partington had a hand in appointing Prignano as chief in 1995. Sitting across from him yesterday, also listening to the radio, was one of three men Partington is considering for chief -- interim Chief Richard T. Sullivan. Sullivan and New Haven Asst. Police Chief Douglas MacDonald were interviewed by Partington and Mayor Vincent A. Cianci Jr. last week. The third finalist, Leonard J. Supenski, was due in later yesterday afternoon. Talking about selecting a chief, Partington's words trailed off as he listened to the radio. Each step ahead for the Police Department -- a new chief, a new building, new recruits -- is clouded by old allegations of deal-making and corruption. "Sullivan and I have all the faith in our police officers," Partington said. "The allegations are under an old administration."   from projo.com
04/30/2002	DePetro is back on a limited basis
WHJJ-radio talk-show host John DePetro got a seat back in court yesterday afternoon -- as a result of negotiations between his lawyer, Joseph V. Cavanagh, and lawyers for Mayor Vincent A. Cianci Jr. and his codefendants. DePetro, who had planned to cover the trial, was barred from attending all of last week because he had been identified as a potential defense witness. DePetro said he had no idea why he was subpoenaed by the defense. He is one of Cianci's most vociferous critics. Judge Ernest C. Torres has issued an order banning any potential witness from the trial until after he or she testifies. He said the ban would also apply to DePetro unless he could work out something with the defense. The deal worked out by Cavanagh allows him to watch the trial "on a witness-to-witness basis."    from projo.com
04/24/2002	DePetro a witness, banned from trial
John DePetro, the midday talk-show host on WHJJ radio, learned yesterday that he would be barred from attending the trial of Vincent A. Cianci Jr. because he may be called to testify as a defense witness. The development is ironic because DePetro, one of Cianci's most vociferous critics, could be summoned to offer testimony favorable to Cianci and his three codefendants. The announcement came from Chief U.S. District Judge Ernest C. Torres at 10:15 a.m. as he began to address the jury on Day One of the much-awaited trial. Torres said that none of the approximately 200 potential witnesses would be allowed to watch the proceedings until after they had testified. "This should also apply to Mr. DePetro, who also has been identified as a potential witness," Torres said. In the courtroom, Cianci turned toward the area where reporters are seated as if he were looking to see whether DePetro was in attendance.   from projo.com
04/18/2002	M. Charles Bakst: Circus comes to town early
DePetro and WHJJ's Arlene Violet were to take turns observing the trial and doing their shows from a mobile studio. DePetro marveled, "This is the biggest story ever because it's the most popular person ever in Rhode Island, in a high courtroom drama," he told me. "People are fascinated with Cianci." from projo.com
04/16/2002	Filmmaker throws hat into mayoral ring
He dispensed with the usual ceremonial announcement of candidacy, saying that he has already made his intention known by calling the John DePetro radio talk show. From projo.com
04/03/2002	Mayor says journalists can reclaim Web names
OK, says Buddy Cianci, "the real journalists" can have their domain names back -- the ones the mayor bought for $35 apiece last week just to prove how easy it is to do. That includes Providence Journal publisher Howard G. Sutton (www.HowardSutton.com), Journal political columnist M. Charles Bakst (www.MCharlesBakst.com), and Channel 10 reporter Jim Taricani (www.JimTaricani.com), Cianci said last night. But it does not include WHJJ radio talk-show host John DePetro -- who frequently criticizes the mayor on his morning show. "The jury is still out. I'm still trying to decide whether John DePetro is a true journalist," Cianci said.  From projo.com
03/28/2002	Cianci grabs a few domains
You take his name in domain, says Providence Mayor Vincent A. Cianci Jr., and he'll take the names of the media, including that of Providence Journal publisher Howard Sutton. Welcome to " HowardSutton.com ," "CharlesBakst.com," " MCharlesBakst.com ," "JimTaricani.com," and "JohnDepetro.com."  From projo.com
01/10/02	DePetro denies giving tape to TV newsman
WHJJ radio talk host John DePetro, the self-styled Independent Man, says he told Operation Plunder Dome special prosecutor Marc DeSisto that "I am not the source that provided (Channel 10 reporter) Jim Taricani with that tape. That was a question we were glad to answer." But with regards to other questions, DePetro sought, and was granted to a limited extent, journalist's privilege not to answer questions regarding sources and the gathering of information for journalistic purposes by a federal judge late last month. "People get so wrapped up in the medium," DePetro told The Times after his deposition. "It's all about gathering information and presenting it. "If it's printed, it's protected, but if I say it on the radio it isn't? That doesn't make any sense," the talker protested. The tape purports to show Frank Corrente, then chief of staff to Providence Mayor Vincent A. "Buddy" Cianci, accepting a cash bribe in an envelope and placing it in his desk drawer at City Hall. Special prosecutor DeSisto was commissioned to find out how the tape, expected to be evidence in a federal trial, found its way to the television airwaves.  From PawtucketTimes.com
04/19/01	Colorful Mayor of Providence Mines Indictment for Comedy
Mayor Vincent A. Cianci Jr. of Providence, R.I., has reacted to the federal investigation of corruption centering on him with sarcasm and jokes. The recent indictment charging Mayor Vincent A. Cianci Jr. with running this city's government as a criminal enterprise has prompted the predictable responses: somber calls for Mayor Cianci's resignation, general fretting about the image of Providence, talk-show reflections on scandals past. But there has also been another reaction, one that seems odd given the seriousness of the charges. Laughter. Since his indictment two weeks ago, Mayor Cianci, 59, has gone out of his way to ridicule Operation Plunder Dome, the code name for the federal investigation into municipal corruption here. Last week he did a comedic riff on the case for the national audience of the "Imus in the Morning" radio show, portraying federal law enforcement officials here as bunglers of ill intent.   From NYTimes.com

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