By Katherine Gregg
Journal State House Bureau

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- With controversy continuing to swirl, the president of the largest state employees union has notified the candidates for governor that this Saturday's gubernatorial forum is off.

Over the weekend, the forum morphed from a closed-door event to one open to media coverage, but the invitations to speak -- and answer union members' questions -- was still limited to former U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee and the two Democrats: Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch and state Treasurer Frank T. Caprio.

As a result of the ensuing debate over who should and should not be invited, J. Michael Downey, president of Council 94, American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees said he decided to cancel the event entirely -- for now -- so the union members could concentrate on their internal business that day, including the election of their officers for the next four years.

Downey said he now sees the wisdom of waiting until after the June candidate declaration period to hold the forum, and then "open it to anybody who wants to come.''