Edward D. DiPrete
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Page Module:Infobox/styles.css has no content.Page Module:Infobox/styles.css has no content.Page Module:Infobox/styles.css has no content.Ed DiPrete | |
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| 70th Governor of Rhode Island | |
| In office Template:En dash range | |
| Lieutenant | Richard A. Licht Roger N. Begin |
| Preceded by | John Garrahy |
| Succeeded by | Bruce Sundlun |
| Mayor of Cranston | |
| In office Template:En dash range | |
| Preceded by | James L. Taft Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Michael Traficante |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Edward Daniel DiPrete Script error: No such module "person date". Cranston, Rhode Island, U.S. |
| Died | Script error: No such module "person date". Cranston, Rhode Island, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
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Patricia DiPrete
(died 2011) |
| Children | 7 |
| Education | College of the Holy Cross (BA) |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Navy United States Navy Reserve |
Years of service | 1955–1959 (Navy) 1959–1967 (Reserve) |
| Rank | Lieutenant Commander |
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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.[1]
Early life
DiPrete was born in Cranston, Rhode Island, on July 8, 1934, the son of Maria Grossi and Frank A. DiPrete.[2] 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.[3] 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.[4] In addition, his state retirement pension was revoked, despite attempts to have it reinstated.[5][6] DiPrete served eleven months in Adult Correctional Institutions.[7]
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]
Personal life and death
DiPrete was known for his "everyman" persona, serving supermarket fried chicken to guests in his Winnebago motor home.[7] 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.[7] DiPrete kept an arcade Pac-Man game in his house, which he demonstrated to President George H. W. Bush in 1989.[7]
DiPrete and his wife Patricia had seven children; Patricia died in 2011.[7] DiPrete lived in his home in Cranston until October 2016, when he moved to an apartment in the Garden City section of that city.[7]
DiPrete died at his home in Cranston on July 8, 2025, his 91st birthday.[8][9]
Electoral history
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | Edward D. DiPrete | 245,059 | 60.0% | |
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | Anthony J. Solomon | 163,311 | 40.0% | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | Edward D. DiPrete (incumbent) | 208,822 | 64.7% | |
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | Bruce Sundlun | 104,504 | 32.4% | |
| Cool Moose | Robert J. Healey | 5,964 | 1.8% | |
| Citizens Party | Anthony D. Affigne | 3,481 | 1.1% | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | Edward D. DiPrete (incumbent) | 203,550 | 50.8% | |
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | Bruce Sundlun | 196,925 | 49.2% | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | Edward D. DiPrete (incumbent) | 92,177 | 25.8% | |
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | Bruce Sundlun | 264,411 | 74.2% | |
See also
References
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- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Fitzpatrick, Edward. "Ed Fitzpatrick talks with R.I.'s only governor to go to prison about what he's proud of and what he regrets + video". providencejournal.com. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
- ^ [1]
- ^ Rhode Island Governor Edward D. DiPrete-National Governors Association
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."DiPrete charged with bribery & racketeering". Providence Journal. Archived from the original on May 23, 2008. Retrieved August 28, 2009.
- ^ National Briefing | New England: Rhode Island: Court Denies Ex-Governor Pension (New York Times article)
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."RI Retirement Board v. Edward DiPrete (2004)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 16, 2006. Retrieved August 28, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Mooney, Tom (April 24, 2017). "Former R.I. Gov. Ed DiPrete puts Cranston home on the market". The Providence Journal. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Couture, Matt (July 9, 2025). "Former Rhode Island Gov. Edward DiPrete dies at 91". ABC6. Archived from the original on July 9, 2025. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Edward D. DiPrete". Providence Journal. Retrieved July 12, 2025.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."General Election November 2, 1984". State of Rhode Island Board of Elections. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."General Election November 4, 1986". State of Rhode Island Board of Elections. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."RI.gov: Election Results". State of Rhode Island Board of Elections. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."RI.gov: Election Results". State of Rhode Island Board of Elections. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
External links
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