His father defended mobsters
Cicilline, born to an Italian father and Jewish mother, grew up in Providence, where his father was a prominent attorney. Jack Ciciline was an aide to Mayor Joseph Doorley Jr., but also helped defend members of the local mafia.
“We have a system of justice predicated on certain constitutional rights, which make this country different from every country in the world,” the younger Cicilline told the alumni magazine of his alma mater, Brown University, in 2002.
He then defeated a mobster
After becoming a lawyer and spending time working for the public defender’s office in Washington, DC, and as a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives, Cicilline challenged the notorious figure Vincent “Buddy” Cianci in the 2002 Providence mayor’s race. Cianci was known for his two mayoral stints, which each ended in scandal: In 1984, he pleaded “no contest” to being involved in the assault of a man he believed was having an affair with his wi
David Cicilline: What to know about the Jewish lawmaker leading the Trump impeachment charge January 13, 2021 3:36 pm Rep. David Cicilline speaks during a House Judiciary Committee s antitrust subcommittee hearing in Washington, July 29, 2020. (Graeme Jennings/Pool/Getty Images)
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(JTA) The House of Representatives began its impeachment debate on Wednesday the second of Donald Trump’s presidency. Rep. David Cicilline, a Jewish Democrat from Rhode Island, helped lead the charge and formally submitted the impeachment resolution to Congress.
Cicilline also co-sponsored the document with Reps. Ted Lieu of California and Jamie Raskin of Maryland, a fellow Jewish representative. In a New York Times op-ed, Cicilline outlined the Democrats’ reasons for pursuing impeachment. Additionally, along with his co-sponsors, the New Englander will be one of nine managers of the impeachment process named by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.