By Bruce Landis
Journal staff writer

PROVIDENCE -- Governor Carcieri this morning admitted to his fourth violation of the state Ethics Code, agreeing to pay a $2,500 fine in connection with his hiring of his niece in 2003.

The niece, Stephanie Accaputo, had worked on Carcieri's successful 2002 campaign for his first term as governor. Carcieri hired her for a job in his Office of Constituent Affairs in the Office of the Governor.

She quit Friday, the governor's office said.

Carcieri released a statement saying that "the governor did not intend to violate the Code of Ethics" but admitting that he did so after the commission "clarified" the code's nepotism provisions in 2007.