Buddy Cianci

Who is Buddy Cianci?

Vincent Albert "Buddy" Cianci, Jr. served as the mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, USA, from 1975 to 1984 and again from 1991 to 2002. Cianci was the longest-serving mayor of Providence, and one of the longest-serving "big city" mayors in United States history, having held office for over 21 years.

Notably, he was forced to resign from office twice due to felony convictions. His first administration ended in 1984 when he pleaded guilty to assault. His second stint as mayor ended when he was forced to resign following his conviction for racketeering conspiracy, and he served four years in federal prison.

Cianci was first elected mayor as the candidate of the Republican Party. While in office he declared himself an independent, and as of 2009 he said he had no party affiliation.