Robert Clark Corrente

Robert Clark Corrente (born in North Providence, Rhode Island) is the current United States Attorney for the state of Rhode Island. Corrente has built a reputation fighting corruption in Rhode Island, and is currently taking part in a major federal corruption probe named Operation Dollar Bill.

Early career

Corrente graduated from Dartmouth College in 1978 with highest distinction and graduated from New York University School of Law in 1981. After graduating from law school, Corrente served as a Managing Partner at Corrente, Brill & Kusinitz. In 1998, he became a partner at Hinckley, Allen & Snyder, LLP, which has offices in Providence, Boston, and New Hampshire. During this time, Corrente also served on the Rhode Island Supreme Court's Ethics Advisory Panel, the Rhode Island Judicial Nominating Commission, and the Editorial Board of Rhode Island Lawyers' Weekly. [Rhode Island United States Attorney's Office official biography. [http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/ri/bio_rcc.html] ]

U.S. Attorney for Rhode Island

In May 2004, Corrente was nominated by President George W. Bush to fill the United States Attorney position left vacant by Margaret E. Curran the year before. He was confirmed by the United States Senate two months later. [White House Presidential Nomination. [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/nominations/273.html] ]

A year before Corrente took office, allegation emerged that Rhode Island State Senator John Celona had accepted money and gifts from CVS, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, and Roger Williams Hospital. [Katherine Gregg, "R.I. to probe legislators who work as consultants," "The Providence Journal", December 24, 2003. [http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo_20031224_probe24.1afd5b.html] ] Corrente inherited this investigation, and in June 2005 filed charges against Celona claiming that he defrauded the state's citizens by accepting money and gifts from the aforementioned companies, which had interests in legislation Celona considered as Chairman of the Senate Corporations Committee. Celona agreed to cooperate with investigators. ["U.S. Attorney brings fraud charges against Celona," "The Providence Journal", June 27, 2005. [http://www.projo.com/digitalbulletin/content/projo-20050627-celona.4f31b7be.html] ] Celona was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison in the beginning of 2007. [Mike Stanton, "Trio sentenced to jail," "The Providence Journal", February 1, 2007. [http://www.projo.com/news/content/Celona1_02-01-07_5Q46TUR.1a85fce.html] ]

Celona's cooperation with authorities has led to a number of investigations into corruption, including within Rhode Island's state government and several corporations based in Rhode Island. Former Roger Williams Hospital president Robert A. Urciuoli and vice president Frances P. Driscoll were co-defendants in the case against Celona, and were both convicted on various charges related to the hospital's payments to Celona. [Stanton, "Trio sentenced to jail," "The Providence Journal", February 1, 2007. [http://www.projo.com/news/content/Celona1_02-01-07_5Q46TUR.1a85fce.html] ] CVS executives Carlos Ortiz and John R. Kramer were indicted in January 2007 for allegedly bribing Celona. [Stanton, "2 CVS officials charged with conspiracy, bribery," "The Providence Journal", January 19, 2007. [http://www.projo.com/news/courts/content/CVS19_01-19-07_C140EQ8.1badec6.html] ]

By far, the greatest implication of the Celona affair was the announcement that the office was pursuing 14 active investigations of seven politicians and seven corporations for corruptions schemes similar to that of the Celona case. [Stanton, "Trio sentenced to jail," "The Providence Journal", February 1, 2007. [http://www.projo.com/news/content/Celona1_02-01-07_5Q46TUR.1a85fce.html] ] The investigation has since been dubbed Operation Dollar Bill by the FBI, and it has been described as a case even more significant than Operation Plunder Dome, an investigation that resulted in the conviction of sitting-Providence Mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci. The Providence Journal has written that the investigation reaches as far as the offices of Rhode Island Senate president Joseph A. Montalbano and Senate Finance chairman Stephen D. Alves, the towns of West Warwick and Lincoln, and former Senate President William V. Irons. It has also been speculated that CVS Corporation and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island have been included in the investigation. It should be noted that these are the entities that the FBI's investigation has included, and not necessarily the 14 entities that are being "actively investigated." Corrente has said, "Whatever the end result, in terms of number of prosecutions or individuals targeted, I hope people involved in political life will get the message: They have to conduct themselves honestly, ethically and fairly." [Stanton, "Operation Dollar Bill," "The Providence Journal", February 4, 2007. [http://www.projo.com/news/content/Celona4_02-04-07_4A483A8.1965a9d.html] ]

Before he left office, Republican Senator Lincoln Chafee said he recommended Corrente for an open position on the bench of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island. [Scott MacKay, "Chafee’s choice for federal judge rankles his onetime friend," "The Providence Journal", January 20, 2007. [http://www.projo.com/news/content/judgevacancy20_01-20-07_IJ414C8.1b17316.html] ]

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/ri/index.html United States Attorney's Office, District of Rhode Island] official site