U.S. Rep. David Cicilline will resign his seat in Congress this year to assume a new role as president and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation, his office announced on Tuesday.
The move sets up a special election for one of Rhode Island’s two congressional seats. Most in Rhode Island politics expected Cicilline to hold the state’s First Congressional District for years to come.
Cicilline first won election in CD1 in 2010, succeeding former Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy.
In an interview with The Public’s Radio, Cicilline said he was initially inclined to stay in Congress when he was contacted as part of a search process for the next head of the RI Foundation, but was won over by what he calls an opportunity to make a bigger impact.
“A community foundation has tremendous power to make real change, and I think in a place like Rhode Island where the president and CEO is at the center of every important issue in some way or another, this will give me an opportunity to have an even greater impact in our great state,” he said.
Cicilline said obstacles he’s faced while trying to move higher in the Democratic hierarchy in the U.S. House did not influence his decision.
The announcement set off a scramble by potential candidates, including former gubernatorial candidate Helena Foulkes, Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos, Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera, Newport Mayor Xay Khamsyvoravong, RI Democratic Party National Committeewoman Liz Beretta Perik, former Providence mayoral candidate Nirva LaFortune and state Sens. Meghan Kallman of Pawtucket, Sandra Cano of Pawtucket, and Dawn Euer of Newport, all Democrats. Dana Traversie, a Republican who opposed House Speaker Joe Shekarchi last year, said he is considering a run.
Since the special election will take place is what is normally not an election year, incumbents officeholders can run without the possible loss of their current jobs.
Open congressional seats are prized political plums, and it’s unusual for both of Rhode Island’s House districts to turn over in less than a year. Democrat Seth Magaziner last year won election to succeed U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin, who opted not to seek re-election after 22 years in office.
Over his decades-long political career, Cicilline, who is 61, has served as Rhode Island state representative, mayor of Providence, and a member of Congress. He plans to remain in office until he begins his new role on June 1, his office said.
The Rhode Island Foundation is the state’s largest philanthropic organization. Cicilline was selected by the Foundation’s board of directors after a national search, and his salary will more than triple, to $650,000 a year.
“We are confident in Congressman Cicilline’s abilities, intellect, and accomplishments and are excited to begin working with him as our next president and CEO,” Dr. G. Alan Kurose, chair of the Foundation’s board of directors, said in a press release. “David’s skills and values fit perfectly with those of the Rhode Island Foundation—he is committed to meeting the needs of all Rhode Islanders and has been throughout his public-service career.”
Plans to retire by the current president/CEO of the RI Foundation, Neil Steinberg, were announced last year.
Cicilline emerged on Rhode Island’s political scene while working as a criminal defense lawyer. His father, John “Jack” Cicilline, was known for representing organized crime figures.
The younger Cicilline lost his first legislative race, but later won election to the Rhode Island House.
In February 2002, he was initially considered a long shot when Cicilline announced a challenge to Providence Mayor Buddy Cianci. But Cianci was convicted later that year of a count of racketeering conspiracy and sentenced to federal prison. Cicilline benefited from having been the first challenger to announce, and he outpaced former mayor Joseph R. Paolino Jr. in the decisive September 2002 primary.
After first winning election to Congress, Cicilline faced criticism for downplaying worsening financial conditions in Providence. He apologized and easily defeated GOP challenger Brendan Doherty, a former state police colonel, in 2012. Cicilline hasn’t faced a serious challenge since then.
Full Transcript of interview:
Ian Donnis
Congressman David Cicilline, why are you stepping down from your post representing the first district in Rhode Island to take a job as the president and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation?
Rep. Cicilline
The Rhode Island Foundation is one of the largest and oldest Community Foundations in the country. The opportunity to lead the Rhode Island Foundation as its next president and CEO, is an opportunity to really build upon the work that I have done for the last 30 years. And to help take the Rhode Island Foundation to the next level where it will have an even greater impact on Rhode Islanders. This is not a job that I applied for, looked for. I was contacted by this search firm, and asked whether I would consider this. My initial response was No, but — asked if I would meet with them, then it became clear to me that in this role, I could have an even greater impact than the work that I could get done in the House in the next few years.
Ian Donnis
Greater impact how so?
Rep. Cicilline
Well, the Rhode Island Foundation is an organization which plays a role as both a convener and honest broker to bring people together on some of the most difficult issues facing Rhode Island. And and to bring resources to address those issues. And so they have three strategic priorities, which are, you know, ensuring that every Rhode Islander has access to high quality, health care, making sure there are real economic opportunities for everyone in our state, and making certain that we’re doing all that we can to improve the quality of public education. So young people have an opportunity to realize their full potential. They do that work by making investments in organizations that are doing really critical work in all these areas. And you know, it’s an opportunity to not only increase the impact of that work, but be able to see kind of firsthand what those investments are doing, in a lot of ways more like the mayor’s job where you kind of see up close, what the impact of your work is. A Community Foundation has tremendous power to make real change. And I think in a place like Rhode Island, where the President and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation is at the center of every important issue in some way or another, this will give me an opportunity to have an even greater impact in our great state,
Ian Donnis
You were blocked in some of your attempts to move higher up in the house hierarchy. To what extent was that a factor in your decision?
Rep. Cicilline
You know, I mean, I’m lucky enough to serve in the Democratic House leadership right now. And I have always sought those leadership positions for one reason not for my own use, but because I wanted to be sure that I use that position to advantage Rhode Island in any way that I can. But what really played a role for me was less about the politics of the Democratic conference or Democratic caucus, but more about the role that the Rhode Island Foundation plays and will continue to play in Rhode Island.
Ian Donnis
You’ve served in Congress during a time of worsening hyper partisanship, you’ve been there for more than 12 years. The Democrats have been in the minority in the house for a significant part of that time by going to the Rhode Island Foundation, which is a very important institution in Rhode Island, as you say, you will more than triple your salary to earn $650,000 a year is this kind of the shorthand rationale for your decision?
Rep. Cicilline
No, look, my you know, salary has always been public. I’ve been a public official. So that’s there’s no news to that. I had a very lucrative law practice. And I stopped doing that to engage in public service and have done that for 30 years. I’ve been in elective office for 30 years. My motivation to be the president, CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation, and my willingness to accept this offer was was based upon my absolute confidence that I could get more done and more directly impact the lives of the people of Rhode Island in this role than staying in the house, for the next several years.
Ian Donnis
You first won election to Congress in 2010, filling the seat formerly held by Patrick Kennedy, what do you consider your top accomplishment and your biggest shortcoming in Congress?
Rep. Cicilline
So I would say, you know, the last Congress that we were in session, I think, had the most important legislative accomplishments of my time in Congress. We were responding to the COVID pandemic and the economic catastrophes that followed, and making sure Rhode Island was able to navigate that and protect small businesses and schools and families from the consequences of the pandemic. And during that Congress, we passed the American Rescue Plan. We passed the CHIPS act, we passed the biggest infrastructure investment in a generation. We made some progress on gun safety. So there are a lot of things that that were part of that effort that I think Rhode Island will feel for many, many years. My own personal kind of efforts: we passed the Equality Act and the assault weapons ban in the house. They didn’t pass the Senate. Those remain important priorities for me. We banned provisions that forced people to go into arbitration, who are victims of sexual assault. I’m particularly pleased about that. My tech investigation was something I’m very proud of. We passed some legislation to rein in big tech, we have more to do. Also, the veterans suicide line was something I took on early on, to be sure that that was properly funded. And that was done. But the thing that I’m most proud of is, my office has I think, is well known for being an office where people who call their office looking for help with getting their social security check or getting into the veterans home or dealing with some problem with the IRS. I’m most proud that 1000s and 1000s of Rhode Islanders reached out to my office and to me to help solve what might not seem a big problem to you or to someone who might hear this radio show, but is a big problem in their lives. And having solved that problem for 1000 and 1000s of Rhode Islanders is the thing that I’m most proud of. My biggest shortcoming is that we didn’t get the Equality Act to the President’s desk and the assault weapons ban to the President’s desk. Those I think remain really important pieces of legislation. And I hope they will eventually get to the President’s desk.
Ian Donnis
You talked about the importance of the Rhode Island Foundation as a community based agency that can help to make a change. Sometimes in Rhode Island, we see some of the state’s most serious problems go on unaddressed for years, you’re innately familiar with some of these as the former mayor of Providence, for example, the city’s underperforming schools, the city’s pension crisis. We see how Rhode Island has been unable for decades to address its housing crisis. And now, there’s more attention on that. How will you be different than the outgoing director of the Rhode Island Foundation, Neil Steinberg in trying to make progress on some of these tough issues?
Rep. Cicilline
The outgoing president, CEO has done a magnificent job leading the foundation and I think, has used the role of the foundation as a honest broker and convener to bring the best thinking and the development of really serious plans, whether it’s economic development opportunities, or housing, I think the foundation will continue to play that role. I think what I bring that’s different is, you know, 30 years of experience working on these issues with people at the local state and federal level and relationships both inside Rhode Island and outside of Rhode Island, with people in a variety of different places and organizations. I hope one of the roles the Rhode Island Foundation will continue to play is being a convener to address some of the most vexing issues facing our state. But what’s valuable about the Rhode Island Foundation is not only their convening authority, but the resources they bring to solve the problem. This is all happening while in a moment where there’s historic amounts of federal money that we worked hard to bring to Rhode Island here. And so this is a particularly important moment to say how do we take all of these resources and and the philanthropic community and local state and federal elected officials, community leaders, grantees who are doing the work, and how do we make the best use of these resources and align them in a way that’s going to actually solve the problems? And so I think it’s a particular moment where leading the Rhode Island Foundation is particularly attracted to me because it’s, it’s this moment where the resources are there from the government. And we’re going to be able to grow the foundation and continue to make that investment on the philanthropic side. And I think what I hope to bring to it is an ability to kind of bring people together in that convening authority with the resources to actually solve some of these big problems.
Ian Donnis
Congressman, David Cicilline, he thank you for sitting down with us and congratulations on your new opportunity.
Rep. Cicilline
Thank you so much. Thanks for having me.
Disclosure: The Rhode Island Foundation is a funder of The Public’s Radio.
