‘I messed up and I need to own that:’ Ascencao steps aside

Photo via Laufton Ascencao social media

By Tessa Roy, WPRO News

Soon after he admitted faking an campaign invoice for a mailer he never sent, Representative Elect Laufton Ascencao announced Wednesday he will not take his seat at the State House.

The 25-year-old Ascencao confessed after the Warren Town Democratic Committee filed a complaint. He apologized in a lengthy statement, saying he wants to make amends with Warren and Bristol voters even though he won’t be representing them in the state legislature.

“In the last few days, as I have taken time to really reflect on the actions that I deeply regret, I have realized that my personal priorities are no longer what they should be. Viewing the inability to get a political mailer sent in time as a personal failing is a pretty silly way to see the world. Trying to cover it up was a mistake so unnecessary that it’s clear to me that my judgement has become skewed,” he said. “Values to me are not just catch phrases used on a campaign; they are the only good reason to get involved in politics. When an elected official doesn’t live up to those standards, it’s important that the community be able to hold them accountable. I messed up and I need to own that.”

Ascencao faced growing pressure to step down, including from the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence, which took back its support for him and called his actions a betrayal of trust. In addition, Ascencao was part of the “Reform Caucus,” a group of 21 House Democrats calling for rules changes and more transparency in state government, which stated moments before his announcement that it would no longer consider him a member.