The court said while Coia's conviction does not involve any actions in his capacity as an attorney, it expects "that all attorneys in this state shall at all times comport themselves in accordance with state and federal criminal laws." The court continued, Coia's "admitted illegal conduct warrants the imposition of professional discipline by this Court."
Under the suspension, Coia is not entitled to receive any income from his firm, Coia & Lepore. The court's chief disciplinary counsel, David D. Curtin, says that he would like to see Coia's name removed from the firm.
When the court began considering whether to disbar Coia last summer, Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy (D-R.I.) and others urged leniency. Kennedy wrote the court, on official congressional stationery: "In his dealings with people in the public realm, [Coia] conducts himself with an impressive level of integrity." Kennedy called him "a credit to the Rhode Island Bar" and urged the court to consider "the totality of Mr. Coia's contributions to society."
The letters, among nearly two dozen written by politicians, lawyers, businessmen, and clerics, helped convince the court not to disbar Coia, as Curtin had sought. Curtin criticized Coia for trying to "downplay the significance of his conduct" and called it a "scam" "motivated by personal greed, and executed with guile." Curtin added, "His conduct is a calculated plan, and not an anomalous act in an otherwise unblemished career."
Kennedy's support reveals a political friendship cemented by the millions of campaign dollars that Coia and LIUNA have given to Kennedy and the Democratic Party. Since Kennedy took over as chairman of the DCCC in 1998, LIUNA has donated $278,000 to the DCCC. LIUNA has donated over $2 million to Democratic causes since 1998. Coia has also provided Kennedy with fundraising advice and contacts. According to Kennedy chief of staff Anthony Marcella, Kennedy still seeks Coia's counsel on fundraising and other issues, and considers him a friend. [Providence J.-Bull.; BNA 11/29/00]
Brown Univ. Prof. Darrell West, an expert on political fundraising and
a biographer of Kennedy, called it "rather shocking" that Kennedy would
"embrace Coia as closely as he has." "Arthur Coia has been the target of
various investigations; he has controversy written all over him," West
said. "There's at least the appearance that Kennedy and the Democrats have
leaned heavily on Coia for fundraising. This guy has delivered big-time
for Kennedy, so he's in the tent."
Union Corruption Update is made possible by the generous contributions from readers like you. NLPC, P.O. Box 6273, McLean, VA 22106-6273. Thank you.
In addition to the unions and organizations covered in this Union Corruption Update, readers can look forward to news and information on other corrupt and abusive unions in future editions.
All back issues of the Union Corruption Update can be viewed at NLPC's website (www.nlpc.org). Also available is a union-by-union and state-by-state index of all Union Corruption Update articles.
If you have story ideas or suggestions for future editions of Union Corruption Update, please email NLPC at nlpc@nlpc.org. Thank you.
Union Corruption Update is part of NLPC's Organized Labor Accountability Project which is investigating and exposing corruption and extremism in the Teamsters, LIUNA, AFL-CIO and many other union organizations. NLPC is a nonpartisan, nonprofit foundation promoting ethics and accountability in government through research, education and legal action.
Union Corruption Update Article Index (by Union)
Union Corruption Update Article Index (by State)
Organized Labor Accountability Project