David Cicilline planned to attend Dem political fundraiser. Now the event is canceled. Here's why.

PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Democratic Party has canceled a fundraiser honoring former Congressman David Cicilline originally planned for Friday after attracting scrutiny of the potential conflict with Cicilline's current role as the president/CEO of the nonprofit Rhode Island Foundation - and potential media investor.

Amid rumblings that the Rhode Island Foundation's board of directors called on Cicilline to withdraw, the Democratic Party put out a statement Wednesday morning saying:

"Unfortunately we are postponing the True Blue Celebration, scheduled for this Friday, to a later date. Former Congressman Cicilline will not be able to attend, due to the limitations of his new position."

"Tickets will be refunded upon request, or can be applied to a future event."

The political flap erupted a week after Cicilline -  a leader in the second impeachment of former President Donald Trump - told the Boston Globe and more recently a group of journalism fellows that the non-profit, tax-exempt charitable f oundation he heads intends to invest in "local journalism."

“Supporting local journalism in a community is not a luxury, it’s a necessity,” Cicilline told Globe columnist Dan McGowan during a one=on-one on what's ahead for the R.I. Foundation. (The foundation has not yet responded to inquiries about the well-endowed organization's intention in the R.I. media landscape.)

Cicilline campaign account still paying his food, travel and lodging bills

For the record: Cicilline still had $511,142 at last report in his congressional campaign account, from which he paid pages and pages of bills.

At the end of May, he:

• Transferred $10,000 from this campaign account to the Rhode Island Democratic Party

• Paid $26,000 to the Rolla Group in Washington, D.C., for fundraising/consulting

• Paid $1,000 to Rhode Island College

• Paid $500 to Latino Public Radio

Since his resignation from Congress on June 1, Cicilline has tapped his campaign account to pay:

• American Express $10,724 in July, $3,210 in August and $858 in September

• A $700 contribution to Assumption of The Virgin Mary Church in August

• A least $3,982 in Southwest, Delta, United and American Airlines bills and lodging tabs at the Royal Palm in Florida and the Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs Hotel in California in June.

Federal Election Commission rules for "winding down" a campaign account sharply limit how the dollars can be used and specifically forbid "personal use." Among the permitted uses, aside from moving expenses: "Donations to charitable organizations ... Unlimited transfers to any national, state or local political party committee. Donations to state and local candidates."

Cicilline has not responded directly to inquiries about his use of his congressional campaign account, which he amassed while he was in office, and his plans for the $511,141 remaining.

But Brendan Galvin sent this statement to The Journal on Wednesday night: "I handle compliance for the Cicilline Committee.

"The expenditures contained in the finance report include allowable winding down costs and allowable campaign account expenditures, some of which are from prior to June 1 but posted after June 1. We are in the process of assessing what to do with the remaining funds in the campaign account, in accordance with FEC guidance."

RI Foundation has a policy of avoiding political activity

The fundraiser planned for Friday was billed as an event to honor former Providence Mayor and U.S. Rep. Cicilline, but the invitation specified the proceeds from the $125 per ticket event – with "sponsorships" going for $1,000 – would go to the Rhode Island Democratic State Committee.

More: Cicilline resigning from Congress, will lead Rhode Island Foundation. What we know.

The cancellation came in the wake of an online story by GoLocalProv and social media posts from Journal staff about the Rhode Island Foundation's self-professed policy of avoiding any activity that might be perceived as political.

In July, in response to a Journal request for comment from Cicilline on the importance, if any, of Cicilline's successor in Congress actually living in the 1st Congressional District, Rhode Island Foundation spokesman Chris Barnett wrote:

"Owing to the foundation’s nonpartisan status, we’re going to pass on questions about politics."

With reports from Journal staff writer Patrick Anderson.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: David Cicilline told to avoid political events in RI Foundation role