Ethics Complaint Against Hopkins Dismissed - He Calls for Fenton-Fung to "Apologize"

Ethics Complaint Against Hopkins Dismissed - He Calls for Fenton-Fung to "Apologize"

The Rhode Island Ethics Commission has voted to dismiss the recent ethics complaint against Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins. 

Now, in a statement issued on Tuesday, Hopkins is calling on his Republican primary opponent, State Representative Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung to "apologize to his family" as well as the Cranston Fire Department for her role in the matter. 

She refused. 

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As GoLocal reported when the complaint was taken up in April:

The hiring and promotion of Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins’s son-in-law at a city job will now be the subject of a Rhode Island Ethics Commission investigation.

The Commission voted to look into the complaint filed by John Psilopoulos, a former aide to former Cranston Mayor Allan Fung, regarding the hiring and promotion of Hopkins’ son-in-law Jacob Shackleford at the Cranston Fire Department. 

Fung’s wife, Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung, is running against Hopkins in the GOP primary for Mayor.

 

Hopkins on Record

On Tuesday, Hopkins issued the following statement, following the Commission's decision. 

"The Rhode Island Ethics Commission today accepted the findings of their lawyers and investigative staff and dismissed the ethics complaint filed against me by a political opponent regarding the hiring and later promotion of my son-in-law to the Cranston Fire Department. 

As I said in April when this regretfully started, I had no role in his hiring or promotion.  The end of this investigation today supports that statement in its prompt review and dismissal. 

Multiple interviews were conducted with former and current municipal officials and employees, many documents and records were reviewed by the Ethics Commission as part of a thorough, careful, and independent review of the facts and applicable laws and regulations.

No evidence was found that I exercised any influence or authority over the hiring or promotion of my son-in-law. 

The investigators determined that I did not participate in administering, proctoring, or scoring the written examinations that were electronically scanned and graded.  They confirmed that I was not involved in overseeing or directing the physical agility examinations or the oral board interviews, nor did I review the results or have input into the Fire Chief’s selections.  Lastly, they said I was not involved in my son-in law’s probationary period evaluations. 

I am not and have never been involved in the hiring/selection process for firefighters.  I leave those functions to the city’s personnel department and our fire department leadership in accordance with the City Charter.

I am grateful that the Ethics Commission found that there was no probable cause basis to pursue this matter further.
While I am pleased that this matter has been favorably resolved before the Ethics Commission, I am troubled by the undeserved attack on my family, our good name, and my reputation.

The filing of this ethics complaint by John Psilopolous was an unwarranted attempt to besmirch me and my family.  Shame on him as he clearly was acting as a political tool for my primary opponent and her husband, for whom Psilopolous worked for when he was mayor. 

I chose not to retain him when I took office, so I have no doubt he engaged in this failed and reckless political strike for my opponent.  His allegiance to her was further revealed last week on her submitted nomination papers showing his signature in support. 

Mrs. Fenton-Fung has been spouting about ethics since her announcement last year and she continues to try and prop up her lagging campaign with lies and falsehoods and attacks on my family.

Beyond my son-in-law, she tried to malign my other children and family members who have dedicated themselves to the teaching profession.

They earned their teaching positions and dedicated careers in education on their own merit. They could have sought positions in any other municipality, but they sought positions in Cranston, because the Hopkins family is dedicated to this community and has been long before, I was fortunate to become Mayor.  I am not and have never been involved in school department hirings.

Her groundless charges against me have backfired on her and anyone who knows me and my children, knows that I would never use my public position to benefit a family member.  

My opponent owes my family an apology.  More importantly she owes our dedicated fire department members and its leadership an apology for undeservedly placing a cloud over the well-established and professional hiring and promotion procedures utilized to hire the best candidates to protect our citizens and properties. 

I am pleased this matter has been concluded and I look forward to continuing to focus on my job as mayor, my re-election campaign and addressing the important issues facing the City of Cranston."

 

Fenton Fung Refuses Apology

On Tuesday, Fenton-Fung issued the following statement. 

“Rhode Island's reputation for insider politicians acting badly and getting away with it just got served another punch in the gut with this erroneous decision that ignores that the Mayor is the appointing authority.  This decision issued behind closed doors opens the floodgates for mayors and other government officials around the state to start hiring their children and family members with not a concern in the world or even getting an ethics opinion at the forefront. 

While this decision will not spur reform in the state today, Cranstonians still have the opportunity to reject such insider deals at the polls this September. Between the hiring of his son-in-law at Cranston Fire, his son through suspicious circumstances at the school department, and now his nephew's significant other at the Cranston Police department, Cranstonians can see through the smoke filled back room deals.  We cannot continue with the old school way of doing business - as Ken Hopkins so infamously does."