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Cicilline to leave Congress to lead Rhode Island Foundation


Rep. David Cicilline talks about his decision to leave Congress to become president and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation in an interview with NBC 10 News, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. (WJAR){p}{/p}
Rep. David Cicilline talks about his decision to leave Congress to become president and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation in an interview with NBC 10 News, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. (WJAR)

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Rhode Island Congressman David Cicilline will resign his seat in the next few months to take a job leading the Rhode Island Foundation.

Cicilline will leave Washington after 12 years in Congress and just five months after being reelected to a seventh term in November.

“I was not intending to leave. I just ran, was reelected,” Cicilline told NBC 10 Tuesday.

He’ll resign his Congressional seat at the end of May and begin his new position June 1.

Cicilline told NBC 10 he did not seek out the job, but was approached by a search firm to become the next president and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation, which is the largest provider of grant money to non-profits in the state, with an endowment well over $1 billion.

Cicilline’s job will include fundraising, networking, and working with state leaders on key community issues like healthcare, housing, and education.

“I ran for public office in my first time and for every office I’ve ever run for, for one reason, to do everything I can to make life better for Rhode Islanders. And I think in this new position, I can do that with great confidence that I’m going to be able to really make a difference. And when I compare that to, kind of, the next few years in the House under Republican leadership, where I don’t think a lot will get done unfortunately, I saw this as an opportunity where I could make the most difference for the state that I love,” the Democratic Congressman told NBC 10.

Asked what he tells voters who recently reelected him, Cicilline told NBC 10, “First I say, thank you for giving me the great honor of representing you for the last 12 years. It has been the greatest honor of my life. I have loved every part of this job. I hope people remember me for having been a member of Congress who delivered real results for them.”

“And I hope they’ll understand I’m going to a place where I can make an even greater impact on their lives,” he added.

Cicilline will replace Neil Steinberg, who announced last year that he would be stepping down after 15 years on the job.

“His track of public service to and for Rhode Island as mayor, as Congressman is exceptional. His passion, his commitment, his broad knowledge and network make him a great, great candidate for this job,” Steinberg told NBC 10 News.

Cicilline will also make a lot more money, from $174,000 as a Congressman to $650,000 at the Rhode Island Foundation.

“That is benchmark by our board across the country with community foundations,” Steinberg said.

When asked if the money was a consideration in the move, Cicilline replied, “I’ve been lucky. I’ve always done work I’ve loved. I made a lot of money when I was a lawyer. And then I got into elected office for 30 years. My salary has always been public, so it’s not news to anybody. None of those decisions were ever motivated by financial considerations. You know, for me, it’s really important that I have a job I love and that I have a confidence that I’m making a difference in people’s lives.”

And when asked if he could return to politics in the future, Cicilline said, “Look, my plan is to devote all my energy to this new job and not focus on anything else. And, you know, I expect that I’ll be in this job hopefully for a good long time and do a great job.”

Cicilline's decision to leave Congress follows the retirement of Rep. Jim Langevin, who decided not to seek reelection last year.

The secretary of state's office said a special election will be held to fill the 1st District seat.

"In coordination with the Board of Elections, the Department of State will begin the special election process once requested by the Governor. The special election process includes a primary and general election," a spokesperson said.

Cicilline, a Democrat, is a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Committee on the Judiciary.

He was mayor of Providence from 2003 to 2011 and served as a state representative from 1995 to 2003.

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