Former Providence, Rhode Island mayor Vincent 'Buddy' Cianci dies

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Vincent "Buddy" Cianci, whose two stints as mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, each ended abruptly due to felony convictions, has died at age 74, according to a Rhode Island radio station where he hosted a political talk show.

Cianci ran Providence for a total of 22 years, from 1975 to 1984 and again from 1991 to 2002. He attempted another comeback in 2014, running as an independent for mayor of Rhode Island's capital city seven years after he completed a 4-1/2 prison term for racketeering. He lost that race to Democrat Jorge Elorza.

Despite his convictions, Cianci remained a popular figure among some residents of Rhode Island's biggest city. Supporters credited him with improving an economically depressed, once mob-dominated city during his tenure.

He hosted a talk show on radio station WPRO in Rhode Island, which reported his death on air on Thursday morning. Cianci was taken to a hospital on Wednesday night after falling ill while filming his local television show.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-rhode-island-cianci-idUSKCN0V625B

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World | Thu Jan 28, 2016 11:25am EST

[KamaAina]

1. He died with his rug on

[Marrah_G]

2. OMG- I just woke up to hear this

I live in Prov. The city is going to be in mourning. Despite the guy's corruption...repeated corruption, he is oddly an almost mythically loved entity here.

[friendly_iconoclast]

3. One of the role models for Diamond Joe Quimby

[restorefreedom]

4. a local source has this

as a recent photo of him

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[beltanefauve]

5. Lived in Providence

for 14 years, and Buddy spoke at my RISD graduation. He was the quintessential politician. No matter who the audience was, he knew what to say and how to deliver it.

As the article states though, he was convicted for racketeering, yet remained popular. Maybe the culture has changed, but when I lived there, too often the crooked politicians and mobsters ( both the wannabes and the real mobsters ) were treated like folk heroes. When Raymond Patriacca (New England crime boss) died, the Pro Jo has a 16-page Sunday supplement on "The Patriacca Legacy " that was far more complementary than not.

I moved to California the same year Joe Mollicone ripped off the state's credit union insurer. He absconded with 8 million dollars. They took money out of everyone's paychecks to make up for it. My best friend still lives there, but other than that I have no regrets about leaving.

[Doctor_J]

6. I think meg and Chris Griffin go to buddy cianci high

So he's already immortal