CORPORATE CRIME REPORTER
As
Power Brokers Focus on Foreign Bribery, Citizen Group Asks – Can We Stop
Corruption in the US?
21 Corporate Crime Reporter 17, April 16, 2007
As the power players in Washington and New York focus on bribery overseas, a
citizens group in Rhode Island wants to know – can we stop corruption
in the United States?
On May 5, 2007, the citizens group – Operation Clean Government – will host a breakfast forum titled “Rhode Island Corruption – Can It Be Stopped?”
The forum will feature former Attorney General Arlene Violet, the current top federal prosecutor in the state Robert Corrente, two investigative reporters – the Providence Journal’s Mike Stanton and WLNE ABC6 News’ Jim Hummel – and the current mayor of Providence David Cicilline.
The former Mayor of Providence, Vincent Cianci, is currently finishing up a five year prison term for corruption.
The state has seen a former governor go to jail.
Two state Supreme Court justices have resigned over corruption.
A former state senator is in prison.
And federal prosecutors are reportedly targeting seven more state legislators in their probe of corporate influence peddling.
The panel will look at “why Rhode Islanders tolerate this ongoing dishonesty and perversion that taints the reputation of the state – and ways the average citizen can actively expose and fight corruption.”
Chuck Barton, president of Operation Clean Government, says Rhode Island is one of the more corrupt states in the nation.
“We’re not just exploring how long this current agony will drag on,” Barton said. “But we’re trying to give people hope that they can control corruption. What’s beyond corruption? How do we displace it?”
He says the panel will explore the magnitude of corruption in Rhode Island, the damage it inflicts, and its causes.
Barton says his group has already sold over 100 tickets at $20 a piece for the event. Capacity at the Shriner’s Imperial
Room in Cranston, where the event is being held, is 200.
The panel will be moderated by Dave Layman, a former television anchor for WLNE, the ABC affiliate in Providence.
Layman was also television anchor for WBRZ, the ABC affiliate in Baton Rouge.
In Providence, he got to know the then mayor, Vincent Cianci.
In Baton Rouge, he got to know the then Governor of Louisiana, Edwin Edwards.
Both are now in prison.
Layman will be moderating the panel’s discussion – which will focus in part on the question – who’s next?
The group is running a radio spot featuring Layman promoting the event.
“It’s about ending corruption,” Layman says on the spot. “And it’s about time.”
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