Projo Politics Blog

PROVIDENCE -- Finding himself the target of radio talk-show banter, James V. DeRentis, the former banker running Lincoln Chafee's one-week-old exploratory campaign for governor, acknowledged today that his 70-year-old father owns The Foxy Lady.

When he was growing up, DeRentis, 47, said his father was a farrier who shoed horses for a living, as Chafee did early in his own career. Thirty years ago, his father went into a different line of work.

DeRentis, who until recently was executive vice president and chief business officer for Bank Rhode Island, said he supported himself through college, made his own living in banking and never had anything to do with his father's strip club.

"I find it laughable that there's this intimation I am somehow tied to this because he and I share a name,'' DeRentis said of the manner in which his family history was discussed last week on former Providence Mayor Vincent A. "Buddy'' Cianci's WPRO morning talk show.

"It's just silly is what it is,'' DeRentis said in response to a Providence Journal inquiry. "I have always professionally supported myself by my career in banking, and what my father -- or what anybody's parents -- do for a living is not reflective on me. I had nothing to do with his business, anymore than I had anything to do with my mother's career as an operating room nurse.''

DeRentis holds an MBA from Providence College and a BS in economics from Bryant University. Last week's campaign announcement described him as a board member of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, Providence Redevelopment Authority and Trinity Repertory Theatre, and past treasurer of the Providence Preservation Society who at one point chaired a task force on economic development for the chamber, and served on a task force that led to the creation of the Department of Arts, Culture & Tourism for the City of Providence.

It also noted that he had been active in Democratic politics for several years, before signing onto Republican-turned-Independent Chafee's campaign for governor.

Hearing that morning radio was still abuzz with his name, DeRentis said: "I don't know why I am suddenly such a point of interest for the talk show. Apparently, it must be a slow news week or something."

 Tags  campaign manager Foxy Lady governor's race Lincoln Chafee

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