PROVIDENCE – Former Gov. Edward D. DiPrete, a Republican who served as governor between 1985 and 1991 in three terms that ended amid corruption investigations and an eventual prison term, has died at the age of 91.
DiPrete presided over the state at a time of strong job growth and a booming economy, only to become the first Rhode Island governor to be incarcerated when he left office after pleading guilty to charges of racketeering, extortion, bribery and perjury in 1998. He had also served as mayor of Cranston from 1978 to 1985.
Governor Daniel J. McKee Wednesday ordered state flags at all state facilities and buildings to be lowered to half-staff in honor of Governor DiPrete.
“We offer our condolences to the DiPrete family on the passing of their patriarch, former Governor Edward DiPrete. Ed will always be remembered as a down-to-earth, approachable leader who cared deeply for his home state.”
Some of DiPrete's alleged misdeeds have become part of Rhode Island lore, including an anecdote that emerged in court filings in which prosecutors alleged that DiPrete had once mistakenly tossed an envelope containing a $10,000 bribe into a dumpster outside of a restaurant. Then the governor allegedly had to rummage through the trash to retrieve it.
Despite his checkered past, DiPrete had maintained a certain amount of public exposure, including appearing in 2016 with five other current and former Rhode Island governors for a panel discussion as part of Providence Business News' 30th anniversary celebration.
He avoided the topic of corruption in his administration during the discussion and talked extensively about economic development.
DiPrete was born in Cranston in 1934 and served in the U.S. Navy after graduating from LaSalle Academy and the College of Holy Cross in Worcester. He joined his father’s real estate firm after leaving military service.
DiPrete entered politics in 1970, serving two terms on the Cranston School Committee, followed by two terms on the City Council. He was elected mayor of Cranston in 1978 and held that office for three terms.
DiPrete won his first gubernatorial term in 1984, defeating Democrat Bruce Sundlun in the first of four elections the pair faced off. DiPrete was the first Republican to win the office since John Chafee lost his bid in 1968.
However, the cloud of widespread corruption loomed over DiPrete’s administration right from the start. His transportation director resigned months into DiPrete’s term and a land deal in Cranston that benefited his son, as well as other various scandals, hurt his administration.
Sundlun finally defeated DiPrete in 1990 and closed hundreds of banks and credit unions less than an hour in office because of the insolvency of Rhode Island Share and Deposit Indemnity Corporation, an entity that had provided private deposit insurance.
In 1994, DiPrete and his son Dennis were indicted on charges of racketeering, extortion and bribery and perjury from his time as governor. DiPrete pleaded guilty in 1998 and was sentenced to a year in prison, becoming the first Rhode Island governor to be incarcerated.
His wife of 55 years, Patricia, died in 2011. They had seven children.
(UPDATE: McKee comment and ordering state flags to be flown half-staff added in 3rd and 4th paragraphs)
