Buddy Cianci talks with reporters outside the state Supreme Court. Photo by Steve Klamkin WPRO News
WPRO News and the Associated Press
The city of Providence is defending former Mayor Buddy Cianci in a lawsuit brought by firefighters ordered to drive a fire truck in a 2001 gay pride parade.
The sides went before the Rhode Island Supreme Court on Tuesday to argue over whether Cianci and his then-fire chief are immune from being sued in the matter.
“In this day and age, doesn’t it seem ridiculous we’re arguing this, whether or not firefighters should have been on a fire truck in a gay parade 13 years later, when we now have gay marriage and the gay community has been accepted,” Cianci asked in an exchange with reporters outside the court.
“Here we are, wasting time with an issue like this,” he said.
Cianci was forced from office in 2002 after being convicted of corruption. He is running for mayor again.
Two firefighters have argued that their constitutional religion and free speech rights were violated when they were ordered to drive in the parade.
“They suffered adverse employment action as a result,” said Gina DiCenso, attorney for the firefighters.
“They were harassed and the city did not take any action to remediate that harassment.” She said that they were harassed by their coworkers.
The city argues that it sent trucks to parades as a matter of course, it was part of the firefighters’ regular duties, and no constitutional rights were violated.
The five-member Supreme Court did not indicate whether it would rule before the November 4 election, when Cianci, an independent candidate, is on the ballot along with Democrat Jorge Elorza and Republican Dr. Daniel Harrop.
“If anybody thinks that I had anything to do with scheduling this case with those, with the five justices of the Supreme Court, they think I have a lot more power than I do,” Cianci said.
