Ex-Providence mayor considers post-prison comeback

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Buddy Cianci has served two stints as mayor of Rhode Island's capital city, and both ended in felony convictions. Now he may try for a third.

Cianci's charisma and shenanigans put him and Providence in the national spotlight - for good and ill - during his 21 years at the city's helm. He says he's leaning toward running again, 12 years after his conviction and prison sentence for overseeing widespread corruption in his administration.

The mere discussion of a Cianci candidacy has been met with dread in some quarters, as some residents and others worry it will hurt the city's reputation.

Cianci calls his 41/2-year prison term a "bump in the road" and says what's more important is the good he did in overseeing visionary changes, including moving rivers, building a huge shopping mall and investing in arts and preservation.

"If I were mayor again, I know that could happen. It could happen by sheer personality and experience," he said in a recent interview. "All the things that they celebrate in this city are the things that I did."

Cianci first won the office as a Republican in the heavily Democratic city in 1974 and later became an independent. He was forced out in 1984 after being convicted of assaulting a man he suspected of having an affair with his estranged wife.

He then launched a career as a radio talk-show host. In 1990, he ran again for mayor and won. By 2002, he was out again, resigning after being convicted of racketeering conspiracy and sent to prison for a single count of racketeering conspiracy.

He left prison in 2007 and relaunched his broadcasting career with a radio talk show and a TV gig as a political commentator.

Now 73, Cianci was diagnosed with cancer this year and underwent chemotherapy and radiation. He said his health is good now and won't be an obstacle to serving as mayor.