Former Senator Represented Majority Leader in DUI Case

of Portsmouth, a Democrat, says he served as attorney for Senate Majority Leader Dominick Ruggerio after the majority leader was charged with drunk-driving. 

On Friday, WPRI.com reported Levesque visited the Barrington police station on the night of Ruggerio's arrest.  after leaving a fundraiser for Sen. Frank Ciccone, according to the article. 

When reached by phone Friday, Levesque confirmed he was at the police station that night, serving as an attorney for Ruggerio. 

"I was representing Sen. Ruggerio," Levesque said. "And, as you know, that is all I can say. The rest is attorney-client privilege." 

Levesque says he went to the police station and presented his identification to the officer. He also offered his "bar" identification card, he said. 

"It's an extraordinarily common practice," he said. "He (Ruggerio) asked me because he knows I'm familiar with different courts." 

Levesque said he is not the majority leader's regular attorney. "It's not a permanent (professional) relationship," Levesque said. "He's a friend of mine." 

Ruggerio, 63, of North Providence, who represents a North Providence-Providence district, was arrested on March 28 and charged with driving under the influence and refusal to submit to a chemical test.

Ruggerio later pleaded guilty to refusing the chemical test, Levesque said. The charge of DUI was dismissed.