Police: Senator Ciccone threatened cop during Ruggerio arrest
March 30th, 2012 at 5:14 pm by Ted Nesi under Nesi's Notes, On the Main Site
By Ted Nesi
BARRINGTON, R.I. (WPRI) – State Sen. Frank Ciccone III allegedly threatened a Barrington police officer early Wednesday morning as he prepared to arrest Senate Majority Leader Dominick Ruggerio for drunk driving, according to a police report released Friday afternoon.
“You think you got pension problems now?” Ciccone, 64, reportedly told Police Officer Michael Gregorzek as his fellow officer Walter Larson administered sobriety tests to Ruggerio, 63, according to the police report. ”Wait ’til this [expletive] is all done. This guy voted against you the last time, it ain’t gonna get any better now.”
Ciccone, D-Providence, was one of two senators who voted against the landmark pension overhaul Rhode Island enacted in November. Ruggerio, D-North Providence, was a co-sponsor of the legislation, which included changes to police and fire retirees’ benefits for those enrolled in the state-run system. Both men work for the powerful Laborers International Union of North America.
In a statement, Ciccone declined to get into the details of the report. ”While the Barrington Police were at all times courteous and professional, I do not agree with the accuracy of some of the details in the report,” he said. “However, I certainly regret anything I may have said Tuesday evening that was inappropriate.”
(photo: General Assembly)
Tags: frank ciccone
Nesi's Notes covers politics and the economy in and around Rhode Island for WPRI.com. (Twitter: 
Ciccone’s upbringing is showing, he represents the ghetto district of Silver Lake. That is where the two year old wanted to be an airborne ranger and live the life of danger. Next, WJAR ask Ciccone why he has a convict working for him? The individual was convicted of killing someone. Time for the people his district to realize this guy is a buffoon and they elected him to represent him, that makes them buffons.
Politics R.I. style. Bully, cajole, talk trash, everything but deal with the issues that are bringing this state down. One senator that threatens a cop. Another who, last year, flips another citizen off. We continue to elect these kinds of people and we wonder why we’re in the condition we’re in?????
Ciccone = old-school gangster unionista.
Ruggerio = crony employer, best known for his hiring of Stephen Iannazzi (the college-drop-out son of a labor buddy) to a $90K “legislative aide” job.
Rhode Island needs to do better than being dragged through the gutter by these types of individuals.
Nothing more hypocritical than lawmakers’ believing that they are above the law. Hoping it’s not too far-fetched that some individuals with integrety will actually run against some of these finally vulnerable clowns. With the help of some actual financial support from throughout the state,(which seems will be there) most any challenger should be able to run these cronnies off of Smith Hill.
And, kudo’s to the officers of the BPD for their display of integrety and professionalism. A job well done.
I remember how Governor JOHN Chafee used to say a silent “Thank You” everytime he passed bye the statehouse memorial devoted to those Rhode Islanders who died fighting for our country. What a great man.
How far we’ve fallen. NOW we have THUGS running our state.
STOP VOTING democRAT!!!
Look at the districts that these two dirtbags represent, they are just like the people that elect them. I after this situtation both of these dirtbags will win by more votes because they stood up for themselves against the man. Silver Lake is nothing but a bunch or useless feces.
Of course, Mr. Ciccone regrets anything he might have said was “inappropriate”…because he got caught. Otherwise, he never would have apologized.
It’s about time RI cleans house in the Senate. The Senate President is so passive it seems like she parrots anything these two guys tells her to say.
Not one word about strengthening the laws on DUI cases. Because he declined a breathalyzer Mr. Ruggerio will probably get it knocked down to reckless driving and skate with a tap on the wrist.
Its time to cut the crap, we need to take our State out of their hands. We need term limits and a true law of behavior. The type we have seen here should be an immediate suspension from the office based on the offense. In my opinion they should not receive a pension with just two terms, they should receive a pension based on a percentage of time in office. Further it should fall under the same rules as we follow under Social Security.
These are good guys.. this is all a misunderstandings. The truths will come out… Ciccone 2012!