The RI Heritage Hall of Fame voted to induct Gen. Michael Flynn. Now, members are resigning.

PROVIDENCE - The selection of former Trump National Security Adviser − and renowned conspiracy theorist − Mike Flynn as an inductee into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame has led to more than a half dozen resignations from the board that oversees the Hall of Fame.

It also led former Congressman Jim Langevin, who was also selected last week for induction into the honorary Hall of Fame, to serve notice: "If retired General Michael Flynn were to be included in this class I would not accept the nomination."

In her letter of resignation from the board, former Rep. Denise Aiken wrote: "I find that I am unable to be associated with an organization that would choose to honor a criminal who failed to keep this oath to the Constitution of the United States."

"The inclusion of Lieutenant General Michael Flynn flies in the face of honorable service," wrote Aiken, adding in a subsequent interview: "I just couldn't see placing that particular nominee on the same footing with so many fabulous people that have been honored in that way over the many years that it's been in existence."

In their own co-signed letter of resignation to the president, Lawrence C. Reid, prominent lawyer John Tarantino and former Sen. Bea Lanzi called the selection of Flynn "both disappointing and astounding."

"There is an overall right and wrong in the universe, and what has happened here, in our view, and according to our moral compasses, and consciences, compels us to resign," they wrote in a letter obtained by The Journal.

Members warned about nominating Flynn would lead to resignations

In their letter of resignation Tarantino and Lanzi wrote:

"When we learned last month that Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn was a nominee, you and the Board were advised specifically and in detail why we believe that he is not worthy of induction and why his induction would likely cause real and dramatic harm to the organization."

The two wrote that they would not stop or withdraw their donations, but specified the Board not use them to "to deal with any legal fees, crisis management, public relations fallout, or other negative reactions the organization may face because of Lt. Gen. Flynn's nomination and induction."

Former Sen. John O'Leary resigned because he too "was disappointed by the vote for [Flynn]. It distracts from the other wonderful honorees in the past and those nominated this year. I believe his nomination and selection does a disservice to the RIHHOF organization."

Former TV reporter/news anchor Steve Aveson, who was among those who resigned from the board after the close vote, declined comment.

A sixth board member, who asked not to be identified, resigned.

On Dec. 26, board member Roberta Feather who earlier called for the board president Reid's resignation and says she got no response, submitted her own letter of resignation.

In her December 20 email to Reid, she wrote: "Please resign. You cannot recover respect, and perhaps the RIHH[O]F CAN’T either... I realize this is all Pat Conley’s doing, but you should remove yourself ... You need to make a public announcement saying mistakes were made and the induction is postponed pending reorganization."

On the day after Christmas, she resigned. Referencing former Hall of Fame President Patrick Conley's statements to The Journal, her email said, in part: "Mr. Conley has indicated that induction would serve to 'vindicate' Mr. Flynn. Mr. Flynn is not worthy of vindication.

"Lying to the FBI about his communications with Russian agents is not right or moral under any circumstance and undeserving of vindication. Neither is proposing to have the military confiscate all voting machines in certain jurisdictions or stating that military coups are acceptable."

Before resigning her own seat, Feather, a professor emeritus at the University of Rhode Island College of Nursing, told The Journal she wanted to first personally notify the people she nominated − including former R.I. First Lady Stephanie Chafee − that they didn't make the cut.

State Revenue Director Thomas Verdi, the former deputy chief of the Providence Police, confirmed that he was nominated to take an open seat on the 19-member board, but as a result of the vote to induct Flynn, he declined. Verdi is a former inductee.

The hubbub stems from a vote via Zoom last week to induct the controversial Flynn into the "Hall of Fame," an organization led for close to 20 years by lawyer-historian Patrick T. Conley.

On its website, the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame says it "honors, recognizes and publicizes the achievements of Rhode Islanders who make a significant contribution to their community, state, or nation."

Past inductees included people with notable roles in Rhode Island history, from Roger Williams to Samuel Slater, and more recently, TV and radio personality Gene Valicenti and PPAC CEO Lynn Singleton.

Response from the RI Heritage Hall of Fame

Reid, the current president of the board, has not responded to inquiries about the selection of Flynn, who grew up in Rhode Island. Flynn and his wife sold their Middletown, Rhode Island home last summer.

Brigadier Gen. James D'Agostino, who reportedly placed Flynn's name in nomination, also did not respond.

But Conley made public a letter he wrote Tarantino last Friday defending the induction of Flynn into the Hall of Fame "to vindicate Flynn in his home state in the manner contained in his executive grant of clemency from President Trump – another innocent victim of the 'Russia hoax'."

"Flynn did not commit high treason, espionage, sedition, or any high crime," Conley wrote.

"Flynn was illegally surveilled by the outgoing Obama administration ... set-up without benefit of counsel by two agents from a weaponized FBI .... [then] tried and convicted by a biased media," wrote Conley, who still guides the Hall of Fame board from behind the scenes.

More: URI trustees vote unanimously to revoke honorary degrees to Michael Flynn, Rudy Giuliani

Flynn is one of half a dozen former Trump aides who were indicted as a result of the special counsel investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election. Flynn pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to the FBI about his communications with a former Russian ambassador before Trump was inaugurated. Flynn admitted that he lied about his request to then-ambassador Sergey Kislyak that Russia refrain from escalating tensions with the United States in response to sanctions imposed by the Obama administration, according to USA Today archives.

While awaiting sentencing, Flynn sought to withdraw his guilty plea by claiming he was entrapped by politically motivated federal investigators.

Flynn's defense team repeatedly cast his prosecution as a politically motivated conspiracy among Obama administration officials and accused prosecutors of hiding evidence that would've exonerated their client.

A federal judge in December 2020 dismissed Flynn's case, but not without eviscerating the Justice Department's handling of the former national security adviser's prosecution and making clear that a presidential pardon does not mean innocence.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Gen. Michael Flynn voted to RI Heritage Hall of Fame, causing backlash