The Rhode Island Ethics Commission has ruled that Senate Majority Leader Frank Ciccone, who is also a licensed gun dealer, can vote on gun legislation, including a proposed assault weapons ban. Ciccone argued that a “class exemption” in the ethics code permits him to participate, as the bills impact all firearm license holders equally, a point the commission accepted with an 8 to 1 vote in his favor.
This decision occurs amid a pivotal debate over several gun bills in Rhode Island, prompting questions about the ethics of allowing a leader in the firearms industry to influence such legislation. Ciccone, who maintains that firearm sales are not his primary income source and primarily use his license for personal transactions, emphasized that he belongs to a small group of around 80 federally licensed gun dealers in the state, arguing that his participation would not create a substantial conflict of interest.
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