March 19, 2024
Commentary by Bob Rodericks is his opinion and not necessarily the opinion of this news magazine or its sponsors.

Open Letter to Councilman Brian Faria: Please Resign

Bob Rodericks Asks for Faria's Resignation

Posted

Commentary by Bob Rodericks is his opinion and not necessarily the opinion of this news magazine or its sponsors.

Dear Councilman Brian Faria:

I respectfully think that after the damaging disclosures at the special City Council meeting of June 20th, that you should consider resigning from your Ward 4 council seat immediately. This has been a long-playing soap opera of negative publicity for our great city. If you love East Providence as you say you do, it would be in everyone's interest for this chapter of our history to not fester any longer. There are too many important issues ahead that we need to focus on. You suing the city does not help us to move forward in any way. The East Providence Police and the Human Resources Department, among other things, disclosed the following:

* On Saturday, April 27th at 7:30 pm you convinced a City Hall custodian to let you into City Hall after hours. You convinced another custodian to let you into the locked office of the Law Department. The police chief reports allege that you copied and/or removed up to 300 documents from that office. While in the Law office you had access to financial, banking, social security numbers, etc., of city residents. You copied so many documents that you asked nervous custodians for more paper because the copier ran out. You left City Hall some ten hours later at 5:30 Saturday morning with a large file full of papers that you did not have upon entering the building the night before. The Attorney General called your actions "alarming," to be kind.

* At least two residents feared that their personal information has been compromised. One resident said that his credit report took a 75 point hit and had undisclosed inquiries. This person may very likely sue the city.

* More than 20 city employees told police and investigators that you harassed and frightened them. Two union leaders representing city workers told Acting Human Resources director, Police Captain Michael David, that you were creating a hostile work environment at City Hall. The police said that employees reported that you interfered with their jobs and were demeaning and vulgar to them. Most, if not all of the harassed workers were women.

* Employees in the City Clerk's office reported that you made the City Clerk's job difficult and would monopolize her time. Workers feared you and wouldn't say anything. After the City Clerk went home on one occasion you sat at her private desk in her private office. The police report states that you entered three worker's offices without permission. Workers asked you to leave and you refused.

* Information technology employees told police that you intimidated them and demanded that pro-Faria stories be placed on the city web site and Facebook pages. You often demanded they do this on late weekend hours, disrupting their home lifes. You previously denied having the city social media password but the police report disclosed that you did have it. Some IT employees quit their job.

* Police officers report that when pulling you over for questioning, you flashed a city council badge, saying "don't you know who I am?"

* East Providence may face several lawsuits for work place harassment, especially from women. It could cost this city millions. It has before.

* There were several other disturbing disclosures made by the police investigative command staff.

For these and other reasons, I ask you to do the honorable thing. Spare this great city of any more embarrassment. Spare this city of more lawsuits. Spare this city of continuous negative publicity. Your frivolous lawsuit against the city and City Council will cost more money that should go to fixing our city streets, schools, etc. If you really care about East Providence, you will cut your losses and resign from office. It is the best way you can show some remorse and help EP move forward. As far as your supporters claiming that yes, you did these bad things but you also did a lot of good? Well, I'll leave that judgment up to the great people of EP if they approve of your kind of elected leadership. Give this some thought Mr. Faria and resign right away. It is truly the right thing to do. You and the city will benefit.

 

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