Sepe Asks Fung to Suspend Campaigning

Cranston Democratic City Committee Chair Michael J. Sepe is calling for Cranston Mayor Allan W. Fung to suspend his gubernatorial campaign until the state police investigation into the Cranston Police Department is concluded.

"It is in the best interests of the city, for the Mayor to halt any and all campaign activity and focus his attention solely on the taxpayers of  Cranston who elected him," Sepe said in a release. "That is where his only responsibility should lie at this time.”

Here's the full text of Sepe's statement:

The Cranston City Democratic City Committee Chair Michael j. Sepe has formally requested that Cranston Mayor and Rhode Island Gubernatorial candidate, Allan Fung, suspend his campaign activity and fundraising efforts until the conclusion of the investigation by the Rhode Island State Police led by Col. Steven G. O’Donnell. “We find it wholly unacceptable that Mayor Fung has yet to have briefed the City Council of any information pertaining to the ticketing scandal and alleged wrongdoing on the part of the Cranston Police Department.” Stated City Democratic Committee Chair Michael Sepe.

Sepe suggests that Mayor Fung has eschewed his primary  responsibility to the taxpaying citizens of Cranston and should have appeared before the City Committee to address allegations of police misconduct and any possible involvement Fung and his staff may have had with recent events. A resolution passed 6 to 1 on Thursday, January 16th, calling on Fung to meet with the City Council to speak on the record about whether he or his staff had any involvement in the ticketing of 128 cars in Wards 1 and 3 on November 15-16.  Wards 1 and 3 are represented by Steven Stycos and Paul Archetto. Both Stycos and Archetto recently voted against a proposed police labor contract. The ticketing is alleged to be retaliation for the votes cast by Stycos and Archetto.

Mayoral spokesmanCarlos Lopez and Fung representatives have been quick to state that neither Mayor Fung, nor anyone in his circle had any prior knowledge of the parking ticket blitz. However, Mayor Fung has not made himself accessible to The Council to formally address their concerns. Adding to the concerns of the Council, remains the fact that Cranston Police Chief Marco Palombo Jr. has been placed on paid leave by the City and has also been unavailable. Sepe goes on to state “The residence of Cranston and the City Council have the utmost confidence that Col. Steven G. O’Donnell and the Rhode Island State Police will get to the bottom these allegations. However, until such time as the investigation is completed and Mayor Fung is cleared of any wrongdoing, it is in the best interests of the city, for the Mayor to halt any and all campaign activity and focus his attention solely on the taxpayers of  Cranston who elected him. That is where his only responsibility should lie at this time.”