LYNCH

Democratic Party Chairman William Lynch is hoping to join his brother, Patrick — the state’s attorney general — in the top prosecutorial ranks.

Lynch, the party chairman, confirmed yesterday having sent the state’s senior U.S. senator, Jack Reed, a letter expressing his interest in becoming U.S. Attorney for Rhode Island, and getting a letter of recommendation from — of all people — state Republican Chairman Giovanni Cicione.

Cicione would not make his letter public but acknowledged sending it to Reed to convey that despite his current partisan role, he believes “Lynch is more than capable of being fair.” And Lynch noted that former U.S. Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee’s one-time nominee, Bradford Gorham, who ultimately withdrew his name for health reasons, was a sitting Republican state chairman when he was nominated, so there is precedent.

Lynch, 51, spent two years working under former Attorney General Dennis Roberts, as a special assistant attorney general and head of Roberts’ consumer protection division. He now has what he describes as a general litigation practice.

Asked how Rhode Islanders should view the prospect of two brothers serving as the top state and federal prosecutors, he said, there would probably not be much of an overlap since confirmations take time, and his brother, Patrick Lynch, is in the last two years of his second and final term. Beyond that, “I’ve always felt the U.S. Attorney and the attorney general’s office should work very closely … [so] I don’t see where that should be an issue.”

Lynch said he was prompted to throw his name in after getting a call from “someone connected with the Obama soon-to-be administration,” whom he would not identify. The U.S. Attorney’s job is held by Robert Clark Corrente, a Bush-era nominee, who is expected to be replaced.

The brothers, from the storied Pawtucket Lynch family, actually split during the presidential primary sweepstakes, with Bill initially supporting U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton and Patrick supporting then-Sen. Barack Obama. Bill Lynch said he “talked to [President-elect] Obama personally about why I committed to Hillary early on, and I think they were fine with that.”

Asked how many other people applied to become U.S. Attorney, Reed spokesman Chip Unruh issued this statement: “Consistent with the traditions and practices established by [the late] Senator Pell and others, the senator does not plan to comment on the selection process for federal appointments out of respect for the confidentiality of the applicants and to ensure that as many qualified applicants as possible participate.”

Tradition holds that Corrente, a Republican appointee, will give way to a Democratic nominee.

kgregg@projo.com