A Rhode Island city hall meeting was thrown into chaos after the president resigned, followed by the council’s attorney, amid rumors they are in a romantic relationship.
In a stunning shake-up inside Cranston City Hall three-term citywide councilor Jessica Marino announced her immediate resignation on Wednesday.
Speaking during a special meeting, Marino said she could no longer serve effectively amid ongoing criticism and speculation.
‘I no longer feel the joy that I felt in public service,’ Marino said, adding that she doesn’t ‘see how I can make a difference any longer.’
She was closely followed by Stephen Angell, who served as legal counsel to the council for more than five years, who submitted his resignation moments later.
The relationship between Marino and Angell has been a topic of intense discussion in city political circles in recent weeks, especially after a proposed modification to Angell’s contract drew backlash, WPRI reported.
At the meeting, Marino defended her alleged actions claiming she has ‘done nothing wrong.’
‘I have done nothing wrong, and any suggestion otherwise is simply malicious,’ she continued, adding that she ‘hesitated from resigning because the haters are so ignorant that they will take it as vindication of their malicious behavior.
A Rhode Island city hall was thrown into chaos as the city council president, Jessica Marino, abruptly resigned, followed closely by the council’s attorney, Stephen Angell, amid escalating controversy over their rumored romantic relationship
Both Marino and Angell were previously married and have children from those relationships, though it remains unclear whether they are still with their former spouses
‘This resignation, let me be clear, is not because of them, it is in spite of them,’ she said.
Leading up to the contentious meeting however, Council Minority Leader Richard Campopiano raised concerns about his colleagues’ potential violation of the Open Meetings Act, the outlet reported.
Mayor Ken Hopkins had also previously commented on the suspected relationship between the city officials, reportedly referring to the situation as a ‘questionable affair’ and ‘a distraction’.
Hopkins also requested an internal review from Cranston Police Chief Michael Winquist, who later confirmed no crime had been committed.
However, in announcing his resignation, Angell directly accused Hopkins’ administration of fueling the controversy.
‘This is now the full-blown circus that the Hopkins administration sought to achieve from the time he took office,’ Angell said. ‘They have crossed the line into deeply personal matters. Their conduct has been appalling and wrong.’
He added: ‘The rock throwing directed at me recently has never been about integrity of government, ethics or the law. This is about targeting me personally and professionally.’
But, Hopkins’ chief of staff, Anthony Moretti, denied that the administration played a role in the resignations.
‘Absolutely not. We had the council handle the council matters. The mayor did not have hands on this at all,’ Moretti told NBC10.
The relationship between Marino (right) and Angell (left) has been a topic of intense discussion in city political circles in recent weeks, especially after a proposed modification to Angell’s contract drew backlash
Mayor Ken Hopkins had also previously commented on the suspected relationship between the city officials, reportedly referring to the situation as a ‘questionable affair’ and ‘a distraction.’ Pictured: Cranston City Hall in Providence County, Rhode Island
While calling Marino’s resignation ‘disappointing,’ Moretti said Angell’s exit was in the city’s best interest.
‘Mr. Angell self-destructed with his conduct recently, and it’s the best thing for the city of Cranston that he is not in that seat,’ Moretti said. ‘It’s clearly a conflict of interest.’
He also confirmed that while rumors had circulated for some time, the administration only became aware of the relationship about six weeks ago.
In light of the shocking resignations, Vice President Dan Wall will temporary assume the role of council president until a replacement – with final approval from the council – is nominated, as per the city charter.
However, Wall said Thursday that there’s no formal timeline for filling the seat but indicated he hopes to move quickly.
Councilman Chris Buonanno has since extended his ‘best wishes’ to Marino and Angell following their resignations.
Buonanno noted how difficult it can be for families and spouses to endure personal challenges in the public eye.
‘As a child of divorced parents… I realize and appreciate how difficult it is for a family to go through difficult circumstances in private, let alone in the public eye,’ Buonanno said.
‘It is my fervent hope that they and their families can now resolve these deeply personal situations in private.’
Both Marino and Angell were previously married and have children from those relationships, though it remains unclear whether they are still with their former spouses.
Following the meeting, both Marino and Angell exited through a back door and did not take questions from the media, NBC10 reported.