Cicilline Buonanno Says Campaign Emails from Work "An Honest Mistake"

Narragansett Councilwoman Susan Cicilline Buonanno, also a candidate for the recently-vacated House District 33 seat, said the use of a work email account to send campaign emails was an “honest mistake.”

Buonanno responded to an ethics complaint filed by former Narragansett Town Councilwoman Glenna Hagopian alleging she used a computer at Gladstone Elementary School in Cranston where she is principal to send campaign emails and make phone calls.

According to the April 24 complaint, Hagopian provided copies of two emails sent from the school email account to the Narragansett Democratic Town Committee.

The complaint also alleged that Buonanno listed her school phone number on campaign finance reports.

Buonanno said that the complaint is politically motivated and she has created a new account for any campaign emails.

“I made an honest mistake by using my work email account. I have created a new email account for my campaign,” Buonanno told the Providence Journal. “Regarding the second issue, the form requested a daytime phone number, and I complied. But all my campaign material contains my home phone number.”

The complaint is due to be reviewed in the coming weeks and likely after the May 5 Democratic primary, where Buonanno is facing a race against Jason Colonies, a Narragansett resident and employee of the University of Rhode Island athletics department and Carol Hagan McEntee, a South Kingstown Town Council member.

The actual election is June 9.