Lawsuit Filed Against Cranston Mayor Hopkins Over Car Moves to Federal Court

Lawsuit Filed Against Cranston Mayor Hopkins Over Car Moves to Federal Court

A lawsuit filed in Superior Court in Rhode Island this past August against Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins over a classic car has moved to federal court.

In August, Davide Broccoli sued Hopkins for allegedly “wrongfully taking a motor vehicle owned by [Broccoli] without his authorization and without any agreement with him to pay for it.” 

The vehicle is a white 1975 Morris Garage MGB Anniversary Edition coupe that Brocolli said he owned before the Mayor took possession of it; Hopkins maintains he tried to pay Brocolli and obtain a bill of sale. 

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“He has refused because I would not show him special treatment on the payment of delinquent taxes.  It is a public record that his various properties have been sold at several Cranston tax sales,” said Hopkins in August. 

Broccoli said that he suffered “harassment, retaliation, intimidation, and abuse” from several city officials who we said targeted him over the car dispute. The lawsuit names the city, the mayor, city treasurer David Capuano, city solicitor Chris Millea and others as defendants. 

A notice of removal (from Rhode Island Superior Court) was filed in U.S. District Court on October 18 along with a case opening notice. 

Broccoli is suing on a dozen counts - negligence, violation of due process under the U.S. Constitution Amendment IV and XIV, and violation of due process under article 1, section 2 of the Rhode Island Constitution, slander of title, procedural due process (under U.S. Code),  substantive due process (under U.S Code), equal access to justice, unjust enrichment against Hopkins, conversion against Hopkins, fraud against Hopkins, and punitive damages against Hopkins, and replevin against Hopkins. 

 

Election Year Politics

In August, Hopkins said the lawsuit was a “last-minute ambush attempt in a political season that has been filled with many false claims and misrepresentations.”

Hopkins, who fended off a GOP primary challenge from Rhode Island State Representative Barbara Ann Fenton Fung, now faces Democrat Robert Ferri in the general election. 

Following the September primary, Ferri pressed the issue and said that Hopkins “needs to answer questions” about the lawsuit that he claims he has heard from voters.