Follow the Money: Campaign Surprises
Stephen Beale, GoLocalProv News Editor
Follow the Money: Campaign Surprises
Which Democratic mayoral candidate donated to Carcieri? What Congressional candidate once earned the support of a strip club owner? Who is supporting Victor Cipriano for Johnston mayor? Which candidate for state office donated to his opponent's campaign? GoLocalProv uncovers the most surprising – and perplexing – donations of election 2010.
Providence mayoral candidate Angel Taveras is perceived as a liberal Democrat—making his donations to stalwart conservative Gov. Carcieri a real head-scratcher. Taveras gave $75 to the Republican stalwart in 2004 and again in 2006, according to state campaign finance reports. And he has given to another Republican to boot—a total of $650 to Cranston Mayor Allan Fung between 2005 and 2008. That makes Fung’s $1,000 contribution to Taveras this past June less of a shocker.
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Owner of Cadillac Lounge Supported Cicilline
Richard Shappy, the owner on record of the less-than-reputable Cadillac Lounge, backed David Cicilline in his run for Providence mayor, sinking $900 into his 2002 campaign and chipping in another $750 in 2005. Click here to see the state records of his donations. The strip club is currently under investigation by the FBI after it was able to obtain a liquor license after the city passed an ordinance banning such licenses for adult-entertainment establishments.
“Roughly there are 6,000 individuals who have contributed to David Cicilline over the last eight years,” said Congressional campaign manager Eric Hyers. “This guy was one of these 6,000. Many of these 6,000 people have not known the mayor and have not had any personal relationship and this person is one of those people.”
Strip Club Owner Backs Cipriano
Shappy isn’t on on board for Cicilline’s Congressional run, but he isn’t sitting out the election either. State records show he gave $250 to Johnston mayoral candidate Victor Cipriano—who has been the subject of several GoLocalProv investigative reports that revealed he received an illegal disability pension when he retired as fire chief and has still maintained his residency in Florida.
Ray Rickman is on Anthony Gemma’s campaign team as a political consultant, but state records show that he is a past supporter for two of Gemma’s current opponents in the Democratic primary. Rickman not only gave $700 to David Cicilline for his 2002 mayoral run, but he also donated $50 to David Segal in 2005. This year, however, he is backing Gemma with a $2,000 donation.
Gemma and Carcieri
Gemma himself has had his bona fides as a Democrat questioned after it was revealed that he gave $1,000 to Carcieri in 2006. Gemma has said he made the donation because he agreed with Carcieri’s stance on the separation of powers.
Raptakis and Mollis
Lou Raptakis has given Secretary of State Ralph Mollis a lot of grief for accepting money from the three North Providence councilmen who have been indicted on charges of bribery. It turns out that Raptakis himself has been a past supporter of Mollis too, donating $150 in 2006. Raptakis has said he initially supported Mollis—but then decided to run against him when he didn’t deliver on his promises.
Back to Taveras, the Providence mayoral candidate gave $100 to Central Falls Mayor Charles Moreau in 2007—that was before state police and the FBI launched an investigation into accusations he’d steered city work to another one of his campaign contributors. “Angel made a small $100 donation to Charles Moreau in 2007 when everyone still believed that Mayor Moreau was performing his job competently,” Nocera said.