Michael Traficante, a longtime Republican Party official, is ruled ineligible to be the state's national committeeman when he is found to be no longer a registered party member.

01:00 AM EDT on Friday, June 11, 2004

BY SCOTT MacKAY
Journal Staff Writer

CRANSTON -- In what some Republicans saw as his first foray into making a run for statewide office, Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey spearheaded a move at the Republican State Convention last night to depose Michael Traficante, the former Cranston mayor and longtime Republican stalwart, from a top party post.

Traficante was set to run for reelection as national committeeman, a position that carries an automatic seat to the Republican National Convention, when people close to Laffey at City Hall discovered that Traficante had disaffiliated from the Republican Party.

Traficante said he doesn't remember allowing his Republican registration to lapse; he said he probably did it inadvertently after voting in a primary. But the party rules are clear for serving at the national committee level.

"Out with the old, in with the new," said Laffey in a campaign speech supporting Robert Manning, a 51-year-old retired banker from Charlestown, who was installed in Traficante's place.

After the move, Traficante and Bernard Jackvony, of East Greenwich, the former lieutenant governor, were fuming at Laffey's tactics. Traficante deserved some advance warning that Laffey intended to "use a technicality to push him out," said Jackvony.

But Laffey was unapologetic. Traficante was part of an old guard in the GOP that was not effective in winning General Assembly seats or raising money for the state party.

The move was cheered by party conservatives but lamented by moderates, particularly those close to U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee, who believe that Laffey may be laying the foundation to run in a primary against Chafee when his seat is up in 2006.

"Change is coming to this party and Steve Laffey is leading the charge," said Bob Tingle, of South Kingstown, a conservative and the GOP's U.S. Senate candidate in 2002.

Jackvony disagreed, saying Laffey doesn't care about the GOP, but is "only out for himself."

Said Jackvony, "What he and his crew are doing is going to make a lot of elected Republicans think about becoming independents."

Laffey said in an interview that he didn't know until 4 p.m. yesterday that Traficante did not have the proper voter registration. Laffey said he was under no obligation to tip off Traficante.

"He's not a registered Republican. You can't be on the national committee if you are not a registered Republican; it's simple," said Laffey.

Traficante and Jackvony said they didn't believe Laffey had not known for several days. (Had Traficante been warned before 4 p.m. yesterday, he could have gone to City Hall in Cranston and declared his GOP voter affiliation, making him eligible to run for national committeeman.)

John Clarke, West Warwick GOP town chairman, said Laffey and his allies had been working the phones and the Internet for days to put together a challenge to Traficante.

After Traficante was ruled ineligible to run, Jackvony decided to run against Manning and was defeated 91 to 35.

"I like Rob Manning, he is a great guy and has raised a lot of money for the party," said Jackvony. "But to put the knife in Mike Traficante's back like this after all he has done for the Republican Party over the years is just wrong."

Patricia Morgan, state Republican chairwoman, agreed with Jackvony, saying it would have been better had Traficante been given an up-or-down vote.

"I wasn't happy with the way this happened," said Morgan. "Mike Traficante has done a great job as national committeeman for many years."

Cranston City Councilman Randy Jackvony, Bernard Jackvony's nephew, said Laffey told him he would be running for either governor or U.S. senator. "He'll deny this if you ask him, but he told me I better get on the Laffey train because he was going to run for either senator or governor."

Laffey said the "only office I am running for is mayor of Cranston."

House Minority Leader Robert A. Watson, R-Greenwich, was among those at the convention who viewed Laffey's shot at Traficante a shot at Chafee. "The only reason this is happening is because Mike Traficante is Linc Chafee's number-one cheerleader."

The convention was not well attended. Just 126 of the 235 eligible delagates showed up at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Park Avenue. About 75 child-care providers who are locked in a dispute with Governor Carcieri -- who flew to Washington for today's funeral for former President Ronald Reagan -- marched outside the convention, chanting, "Kids come first."

The convention unanimously endorsed David Rogers as the U.S. House candidate in the 1st District for the seat held by Democratic Rep. Patrick Kennedy, which sets up a rematch of the 2002 election won by Kennedy. In the 2nd District, the convention endorsed Chuck Barton, of East Greenwich, a banker long active in local politics. He will face Democratic Rep. James Langevin in the fall campaign. Also, Eileen Slocum was reelected national committeewoman.

The convention easily defeated a move by several party dissidents to overturn the slate of national convention delegates endorsed by Morgan and President Bush's national campaign.

Laffey had his name on both slates, but would not say which he voted for. "It's a secret ballot."