PROVIDENCE -- The state Board of Elections this morning took a 4-1 no confidence against its chairman, former Democratic Lt. Gov. Roger N. Begin.
The issue was put on the board's agenda today at the request of Vice Chairman Thomas Iannitti.
Iannitti said today he hoped Begin would resign for the overall benefit of the board and the public's perception of it.
Begin, who was at the meeting, did not comment. Begin has previously said he has no intention of resigning before his term ends in 2007.
Iannitti was also behind a movement to oust Begin last year. That effort resulted in a November 2004 no-confidence vote, but Begin refused to resign.
In an e-mail that Begin made public recently, Iannitti chided Begin for his public explanation of why he had removed himself from any further involvement in the board's handling of a case sparked by state Democratic Party chief William Lynch's allegation that Governor Carcieri and the state Republican Party had violated campaign-spending laws in 2002.
Iannitti said today he wanted to send a message that "when Roger Begin speaks, he only speaks as an individual."
The only person to side with Begin was board member John A. Daluz. Daluz said the blame for the board's problems goes all around.
"I think the vice chairman wants the chairman's job," he said.
In response, Iannitti said he has recently purchased a home in Florida, and he plans to move there sometime in 2007.
"I have no desire to become the chairman of the Rhode Island Board of Elections," he said.
In seeking the earlier vote, Iannitti alleged "foot-dragging" on the issues that forced the board's former director, Robert Fontaine, to resign and ultimately plead guilty to obtaining money under false pretenses.
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