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August 22, 2006

State ethics board to investigate Mollis

PROVIDENCE -- The state Ethics Commission will pursue an investigation into North Providence Mayor A. Ralph Mollis.

Commissioners decided in closed session today that there is sufficient evidence to warrant a full-scale investigation into allegations that Mollis, a Democratic candidate for secretary of state, solicited campaign donations from North Providence town employees.

The commission's next step is to schedule a probable cause hearing.

Earlier in the month, Mollis said he doesn't see anything wrong with taking money from municipal employees, aside from a fundraising letter that went out from Mollis' chief of staff -- who is also his campaign manager -- to a donor list that included many town employees.

Mollis returned some contributions he got as a result of that letter, and said he won't solicit money from town employees anymore. But he intends to keep accepting their contributions, he said in an interview earlier this month.

-- With reports from Journal staff writer Bruce Landis

Posted by Steve Peoples  at 1:25 PM | Permalink

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