Edward D. DiPrete

Who is Edward D. DiPrete?

Edward Daniel DiPrete is an American Republican Party politician from Rhode Island.

DiPrete served as the 70th Governor of Rhode Island from 1985 to 1991, and was defeated for reelection in a landslide by former federal attorney and millionaire businessman Bruce Sundlun in 1990, who had twice lost to DiPrete who was one of the few Rhode Island Governors in recent history to be elected for 3 terms, all the more noteworthy because he was a Republican in a state where Democrats consistently control both houses of the Legislature with a hold of 85-90% majority.

DiPrete was born in Cranston, Rhode Island. He graduated from the College of the Holy Cross, and received honorary degrees from Holy Cross, Providence College, Bryant College and the University of Rhode Island. From 1970 to 1974, he served on the Cranston School Committee. From 1974 to 1978, he served as an at-large member of the Cranston City Council. He served as mayor of the city from 1978 to 1985.

In 1994, DiPrete was indicted criminal charges relating to the awarding of state contracts during his service as Governor. Although all charges were previously dismissed in March, 1997 by a Rhode Island Superior Court Judge who also found the Attorney General's office guilty of 10 findings of "egregious prosecutorial misconduct", in December 1998, he pleaded guilty to state charges of bribery, extortion and racketeering, and was sentenced to a year in prison after he admitted accepting $250,000 in exchange for state contracts during his term as Governor. DiPrete agreed to this plea bargain only after assurance that pending charges against a family member would be dismissed. Those charges, in their entirety against his son were dismissed prior to the Governor telling the court he agreed with the plea bargain. In addition, his state retirement pension was revoked, despite attempts to have it reinstated.