By Ted Nesi

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) – Republican Brendan Doherty said Wednesday he’ll return $1,000 donated to his campaign by state Sen. Frank Ciccone, criticizing the lawmaker for showing “very poor judgment” when he allegedly tried to threaten police officers as they arrested Senate Majority Leader Dominick Ruggerio.

The announcement comes two days after WPRI.com reported Doherty would keep Ciccone’s money despite last week’s incident in Barrington, a decision that drew criticism from some of his allies.

“With the benefit of additional information released today by the Barrington Police and upon careful reflection on the matter, I am extremely disappointed in the actions of Senator Ciccone and I have directed my campaign to return his contributions,” Doherty said in a statement.

Ciccone, a Providence Democrat, crossed party lines twice last year to contribute campaign cash to Doherty, who stepped down as head of the Rhode Island State Police to challenge first-term Democrat David Cicilline. Ciccone gave Doherty $500 in June and another $500 in October, according to Federal Election Commission records.

“I am confident that the Barrington Police acted with respect and courtesy in this situation, but it has become evidence that Senator Ciccone showed very poor judgment and failed to treat the police officers in the same manner,” Doherty said Wednesday.

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By Ted Nesi

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) – Former State Police Col. Brendan Doherty says he’s keeping $1,000 donated to his congressional campaign by state Sen. Frank Ciccone, despite an allegation by police in Barrington that the lawmaker threatened them while they were arresting Senate Majority Leader Dominick Ruggerio.

“It is our understanding that Senator Ciccone has apologized for any comments that may have been viewed as improper,” Giovanni Cicione, Doherty’s campaign manager, told WPRI.com in an email. “For now we see no reason to take any action.”

Ciccone, a Providence Democrat, crossed party lines twice last year to contribute campaign cash to Doherty, who retired as head of the Rhode Island State Police to challenge first-term Democrat David Cicilline. Ciccone gave Doherty $500 in June and another $500 in October, according to Federal Election Commission records.

Ciccone said Friday he disputes some of the police report’s details but added, “I certainly regret anything I may have said Tuesday evening that was inappropriate.” Both Ciccone and Ruggerio, D-Providence, work for arms of the Laborers International Union of North America. That connection is part of why Doherty – whose campaign slogan is “Common Sense, Uncommon Integrity” – will keep the money, according to his campaign manager.

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Taveras and Iannazzi

By Ted Nesi

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) – The biggest municipal union in Providence wants out of the city pension system.

Donald Iannazzi, business manager for Local 1033 of the Laborers’ International Union, is pushing Mayor Angel Taveras to let his members out of the city’s severely underfunded pension system, saying they shouldn’t get the same treatment as police and fire retirees in light of sacrifices they’ve made already.

In a Feb. 29 letter to Local 1033′s retirees, Iannazzi suggested “separating the [Providence] Retirement System so that the money, invested by our members and the city for our members, can only be used to pay benefits for our members.” The city’s pension system currently pays benefits for all City Hall, police and fire retirees out of one commingled pool of funds.

Iannazzi confirmed the letter’s authenticity on Monday. ”Providence is incapable of managing its own pension system,” he told WPRI.com. “I think that has been proven over time.”

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State Sen. Frank Ciccone is making his presence felt far from his Providence district.

Ciccone, a powerful State House Democrat who works as a field representative for the Rhode Island Laborers’ District Council union, has asked all unionized school employees in Westerly to attend a School Committee meeting Wednesday night at Town Hall.

“Passiveness by public sector members to engage in fighting for their rights has been a problem,” Ciccone wrote in a letter obtained by WPRI.com. “You too are residents, taxpayers and voters in Westerly – LET’S SHOW THEM THAT WE ARE A UNITED FORCE.”

“Them,” in this case, are apparently allies of Mario Celico and Jay Goodman, two school committee members who resigned this month from the subcommittee negotiating a new contract with Local 808. They said they were protesting School Committee Chairman David Patten’s successful creation of a separate negotiation team to deal with the teachers union.

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