Rhode Island’s reputation has taken a hit amid reports of a state official’s “bizarre, offensive and unprofessional actions” during a March visit to Philadelphia, but now observers are wondering about the possibility of longer-term damage.
David Patten, director of the state’s property management division, has resigned after accusations that he made inappropriate comments and demanded gifts and favors from a developer looking for subsidies to rehab the Cranston Street Armory.
Some worry that Patten’s reported behavior has revived a reputation for corruption that Rhode Island thought it had long put behind it.
“The incident recalls the days of [former Providence Mayor Vincent A. “Buddy”] Cianci [Jr.] and former [Gov. Edward D.] DiPrete,” said Wendy Schiller, professor of political science at Brown University. “It not only resurrects the state’s history of corruption but revives memories of misogyny, racist and sexist behavior. That’s not what Rhode Island is now. We’re trying to sell our state, not extort people.”
The episode garnered stories in the national news media. The Philadelphia Inquirer comically described Patten as an “entitled jabroni” and Rhode Island as “a state of lies.”
Rhode Island is entering a sensitive period. Under Gov. Daniel J. McKee’s administration, the state is mustering its resources and goodwill to drive development. Some projects are in limbo, such as the rehabilitation of the “Superman” building in Providence and the Pawtucket soccer stadium that’s under construction but in need of millions of dollars of private investment.
With economic development initiatives involving out-of-state parties, perceptions can be crucial, some observers say.
“The last thing we need is yet another oversized tale of Rhode Island public officials misbehaving,” said John Marion, executive director of Common Cause Rhode Island. “Someone does something like this and it wipes out all the goodwill we’ve built.”
Gary S. Sasse, who was former Gov. Donald L. Carcieri’s director of administration, says the episode has caused some damage, but only time will tell how much.
“Anytime there are stories in the national media that make state leadership look bad, it causes reputational harm,” Sasse said. “I don’t know how quickly this will pass. It can only be overcome if the state adopts policies that encourage investment and growth in the state.”
The situation could have been worse on national late-night TV if not for a labor dispute involving joke writers, according to Christopher Morse, a communications professor at Bryant who teaches crisis communications.
“We’re lucky that there’s a screenwriters strike going on,” Morse said. “This would have been a ‘Saturday Night Live’ skit.”
Still, observers say the McKee administration may have compounded the damage by withholding the details for months. McKee said he was waiting for an investigation to be completed before taking action, and he only released an email revealing the accusations after a ruling by Attorney General Peter F. Neronha.
“The problem with waiting is that it allows people to draw their own conclusions, with their own biases and thoughts,” said Mike Raia, who served as communications director for former Gov. Gina M. Raimondo.
Raia, who runs Half Street Strategic Consulting LLC, said he tells clients facing a crisis “to tell your story first, tell the whole story … and don’t allow a void to emerge that anyone else can fill.”
“Because the bottom line is that your reputation is your most important asset,” he said.
