Today's Providence Journal has an article about the bad check Mayor David Cicilline's brother, John Cicilline wrote as collateral for a client's taxes.  The Mayor claims that he had no knowledge of the situation.  He didn't know that Nelson Garcia, a long-time campaign donor owed $132,000 in taxes, and he didn't know that his brother wrote a $75,000 check as collateral to have a lien released that turned out to be bad.  He claims he didn't find out until September 15th.

     When the Mayor did find out, he decided to waste the City's money by hiring a company to perorm a forensic audit, even though James Lombardi, the city auditor who works independently of the Mayor's office, was already conducting one.  On top of that, it seems that Attorney General Patrick Lynch is the one who suggested bringing in the State Police to investigate the bad check.  It looks like Patrick Lynch has the sense to realize that having your brother pass a bad check for $75,000 on a delinquent $132,000 tax bill that is owed by a campaign donor doesn't look good.  It appears that David Cicilline lacks this common sense.

     The Mayor's office hasn't said much about the situation.  They're using the audits and investigation as excuses not to answer questions.  I think they're hoping the situation will go away and we'll forget about it.  Personally, I'm interested in the results of the audits, but the State Police investigation is really the one to watch, especially since David Cicilline had to be talked into it.  I have a feeling there is a lot more to the story.