Edward D. DiPrete
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Short description|American politician (1934–2025)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Ed DiPrete
|image = RI Governor Edward D. DiPrete 1985-1991.jpg
|order = 70th Governor of Rhode Island
|lieutenant = Richard A. Licht
Roger N. Begin
|term_start = January 1, 1985
|term_end = January 1, 1991
|predecessor = John Garrahy
|successor = Bruce Sundlun
|office1 = Mayor of Cranston
|term_start1 = 1978
|term_end1 = 1985
|predecessor1 = James L. Taft Jr.
|successor1 = Michael Traficante
|birth_name = Edward Daniel DiPrete
|birth_date = {{birth date|1934|7|8}}
|birth_place = Cranston, Rhode Island, U.S.
|death_date = {{death date and age|2025|7|8|1934|7|8}}
|death_place = Cranston, Rhode Island, U.S.
|party = Republican
|spouse = {{marriage|Patricia DiPrete||2011|end=died}}
|children = 7
|education = College of the Holy Cross (BA)
|branch = United States Navy
United States Navy Reserve
|serviceyears = 1955–1959 (Navy)
1959–1967 (Reserve)
|rank = Lieutenant Commander
}}
Edward Daniel DiPrete (July 8, 1934 – July 8, 2025) was an American politician. He served as the 70th Governor of Rhode Island for three two-year terms, serving from 1985 to 1991. Convicted of numerous corruption charges, he was the only Rhode Island governor to have gone to prison.{{Cite news|url=http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20160215/NEWS/160219660|title=Ed Fitzpatrick talks with R.I.'s only governor to go to prison about what he's proud of and what he regrets + video|last=Fitzpatrick|first=Edward|work=providencejournal.com|access-date=September 15, 2018|language=en}}
Early life
DiPrete was born in Cranston, Rhode Island, on July 8, 1934, the son of Maria Grossi and Frank A. DiPrete.[https://www.google.ca/books/edition/The_Italian_American_Experience/JUyAAAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Edward+D.+DiPrete+1934&pg=PA274&printsec=frontcover] He graduated from the College of the Holy Cross, and received honorary degrees from Holy Cross, Providence College, Bryant College, and the University of Rhode Island. He also served in the United States Navy. From 1970 to 1974, he served on the Cranston School Committee. From 1974 to 1978, he served as an at-large member of the Cranston City Council. He served as mayor of the city from 1978 to 1985.
Governor of Rhode Island
DiPrete was elected in the 1984 gubernatorial election and served as the 70th Governor of Rhode Island from 1985 to 1991, and was defeated for reelection in a landslide by former U.S. government attorney and millionaire businessman Bruce Sundlun in the 1990 election, who had previously lost twice (1986 and 1988) to DiPrete.
In 1994, DiPrete was indicted on criminal charges relating to the awarding of state contracts during his service as governor.[http://www.nga.org/cms/home/governors/past-governors-bios/page_rhode_island/col2-content/main-content-list/title_diprete_edward.html Rhode Island Governor Edward D. DiPrete-National Governors Association] All charges were dismissed in March 1997 by a Rhode Island Superior Court Judge who also found the State Attorney General's office guilty of 10 findings of "egregious prosecutorial misconduct."
He was subsequently charged again, and in December 1998, he pleaded guilty to state charges of bribery, extortion, and racketeering, and was sentenced to a year in prison.
In a plea bargain, he also admitted accepting $250,000 in exchange for state contracts during his term as governor. DiPrete agreed to this plea bargain only after receiving assurance that pending charges against one of his sons would be dismissed. Those charges against his son were dismissed in their entirety prior to DiPrete agreeing to the plea bargain.{{cite web|url=http://www.projo.com/specials/diprete/9a.htm |title=DiPrete charged with bribery & racketeering |publisher=Providence Journal |access-date=August 28, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080523214522/http://www.projo.com/specials/diprete/9a.htm |archive-date=May 23, 2008}} In addition, his state retirement pension was revoked, despite attempts to have it reinstated.[https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/27/us/national-briefing-new-england-rhode-island-court-denies-ex-governor-pension.html?ref=edwardddiprete National Briefing | New England: Rhode Island: Court Denies Ex-Governor Pension (New York Times article)]{{cite web|url=http://www.courts.ri.gov/supreme/pdf-files/00-429revised.pdf |title=RI Retirement Board v. Edward DiPrete (2004) |access-date=August 28, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060516221156/http://www.courts.ri.gov/supreme/pdf-files/00-429revised.pdf |archive-date=May 16, 2006}} DiPrete served eleven months in Adult Correctional Institutions.
Subsequently, the state Supreme Court overturned the denial of DiPrete's pension benefits to his wife and remanded the case back to Superior Court for a new hearing. Because of a degenerative neurological disease, Mrs. DiPrete, notified the court through her attorney, she wished to terminate the request, and the new hearing ordered by the Supreme Court did not proceed.{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}
Personal life and death
DiPrete was known for his "everyman" persona, serving supermarket fried chicken to guests in his Winnebago motor home. He parked the motor home outside the Rhode Island State House during a snowstorm in February 1987 so that he would be able to come to work despite heavy snowfall. DiPrete kept an arcade Pac-Man game in his house, which he demonstrated to President George H. W. Bush in 1989.
DiPrete and his wife Patricia had seven children; Patricia died in 2011. DiPrete lived in his home in Cranston until October 2016, when he moved to an apartment in the Garden City section of that city.
DiPrete died on July 8, 2025 at his home in Cranston his 91st birthday.{{cite news |last1=Couture |first1=Matt |title=Former Rhode Island Gov. Edward DiPrete dies at 91 |url=https://www.abc6.com/former-rhode-island-gov-edward-diprete-dies-at-91/ |access-date=9 July 2025 |publisher=ABC6 |date=9 July 2025}}{{cite web|url= https://www.providencejournal.com/obituaries/ppvp1226558|title=Edward D. DiPrete|publisher=Providence Journal|accessdate=July 12, 2025}}
Electoral history
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Rhode Island Gubernatorial Election 1984{{cite web|title=General Election November 2, 1984|publisher=State of Rhode Island Board of Elections|url=http://www.elections.ri.gov/elections/results/1984/|access-date=January 13, 2017}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Edward D. DiPrete
| party = Republican Party (US)
| votes = 245,059
| percentage = 60.0%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Anthony J. Solomon
| party = Democratic Party (US)
| votes = 163,311
| percentage = 40.0%
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Rhode Island Gubernatorial Election 1986{{cite web|title=General Election November 4, 1986|publisher=State of Rhode Island Board of Elections|url=http://www.elections.ri.gov/elections/results/1986/|access-date=January 13, 2017}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Edward D. DiPrete (incumbent)
| party = Republican Party (US)
| votes = 208,822
| percentage = 64.7%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Bruce Sundlun
| party = Democratic Party (US)
| votes = 104,504
| percentage = 32.4%
}}
{{Election box candidate no change
|party = Cool Moose
|candidate = Robert J. Healey
|votes = 5,964
|percentage = 1.8%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate no change
|party = Citizens Party
|candidate = Anthony D. Affigne
|votes = 3,481
|percentage = 1.1%
|change =
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Rhode Island Gubernatorial Election 1988{{cite web|title=RI.gov: Election Results|publisher=State of Rhode Island Board of Elections|url=http://www.elections.ri.gov/elections/results/1988/governor.php|access-date=January 13, 2017}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Edward D. DiPrete (incumbent)
| party = Republican Party (US)
| votes = 203,550
| percentage = 50.8%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Bruce Sundlun
| party = Democratic Party (US)
| votes = 196,925
| percentage = 49.2%
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Rhode Island Gubernatorial Election 1990{{cite web|title=RI.gov: Election Results|publisher=State of Rhode Island Board of Elections|url=http://www.elections.ri.gov/elections/results/1990/governor.php|access-date=July 4, 2017}}
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|candidate=Edward D. DiPrete (incumbent)
|party=Republican Party (US)
|votes=92,177
|percentage=25.8%
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|candidate=Bruce Sundlun
|party=Democratic Party (US)
|votes=264,411
|percentage=74.2%
}}
{{election box end}}
See also
References
External links
- {{C-SPAN|3382}}
{{S-start}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=Vincent Marzullo}}
{{s-ttl|title=Republican nominee for Governor of Rhode Island|years=1984, 1986, 1988, 1990}}
{{s-aft|after=Elizabeth Leonard}}
|-
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=John Garrahy}}
{{s-ttl|title=Governor of Rhode Island|years=1985–1991}}
{{s-aft|after=Bruce Sundlun}}
{{s-end}}
{{Governors of Rhode Island}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Diprete, Edward D.}}
Category:20th-century mayors of places in Rhode Island
Category:American politicians convicted of bribery
Category:College of the Holy Cross alumni
Category:Mayors of Cranston, Rhode Island
Category:Politicians convicted of racketeering
Category:Republican Party governors of Rhode Island
Category:Rhode Island city council members