NORTH PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- A third North Providence town councilman accused of corruption resigned Friday, more than a week after being charged with sharing in a $25,000 bribe.
A resignation letter from Raymond Douglas III addressed to Mayor Charles Lombardi and new Town Council President Mansuet Giusti says he believed he could continue to sit as a productive member of the council, but recognized his presence was a distraction.
"By resigning I hope the town can get back to conducting business without having to focus on recent allegations brought against me," he wrote.
Douglas had earlier taken a leave from the council after he, Council President Joseph Burchfield and Councilman John Zambarano, were charged May 6 with taking a bribe from a developer who wanted a zoning change to build a supermarket.
All three remain free on unsecured bond.
Burchfield and Zambarano have also resigned, and a special election will be required to fill the empty seats on the seven-member council. In his letter, Douglas said he hoped to minimize the cost to the town by avoiding a second special election.
Douglas earlier this week withdrew his request to take a pre-planned vacation to South Carolina over Memorial Day weekend. Federal prosecutors had opposed the request.
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