Only City Flags Will Fly at Half-Staff for Cianci, Raimondo Refuses to Lower Flags

Only City Flags Will Fly at Half-Staff for Cianci, Raimondo Refuses to Lower Flags

The American flag was flying proudly over Providence City Hall at full-staff at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday - quitting time for city workers.

The reason why?  Only the Governor can order the American flag to be flown at half-staff, which Raimondo has said she will not do. 

At 11 a.m., Mayor Elorza issued a statement that said, “I have ordered flags at City Hall to be flown at half-staff as we make arrangements to recognize his (Former Mayor Vincent Cianci’s) memory.”

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When the question was asked why the American flag was still at full-staff Thursday evening, the Mayor's office provided the following:

"The American flag and State flag [to be flown at half-staff] requires an order from the Governor," said spokesperson Evan England on Thursday afternoon. "The Mayor has ordered City flags to be flown at half-staff.  It's the blue one. And it will remain at half-staff though the memorial."

Cianci's Passing

This morning GoLocal was the first to report that Cianci — Providence’s longest serving Mayor and two-time convicted felon — had passed away.

Elorza and Cianci faced each other in a bitter general election battle in 2014. The two had not developed a relationship as Elorza refused to go on Cianci’s radio show and did not attend the unveiling of Cianci’s Mayoral portrait.