Projo Politics Blog

While fundraising events are not unusual at peak points in the legislative session, House Majority Leader Gordon Fox was feted at not just one but two last month.

On March 1, he raked in an estimated $30,000 at his $150-a-person time at the Hi Hat in Providence.

On Wednesday, he harvested $10,000 or so at what was described as a private, $100-a-ticket event at the Peerless Lofts hosted by former Harrah’s lobbyist and onetime state Rep. Ray Rickman; Tazza Caffe and Lounge owner Michael Corso; and Steve Nappa and Robert Britto of Nappa Building Co.

House leadership spokesman Larry Berman said: “This is a private fundraiser … put on by friends like Ray Rickman to honor him.”

Fox — who is also a member of the Providence liquor-licensing board — had $74,497 in his campaign account when the last reporting period ended, on Dec. 31.

That included a passel of $200 contributions at a Dec. 5 fundraiser at MODA, in Providence, from Rickman; downtown property rehabilitator and Peerless Lofts owner Arnold B. Chace; Bradford Dimeo of Dimeo Construction; Michael Van Leesten, a top aide to the Mashantucket Pequots, and others. Fox’s biggest expense in that reporting period was his $3,265 share of the tab for the State House Christmas party catered by Feast or Famine, a Warren restaurant owned by his sometime business partner Alex Tomasso.

The next reports are due at the end of this month for the quarter that ended on Friday.

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