Vincent A Cianci Jr.

Vincent Albert "Buddy" Cianci Jr. (, see-AN-see; Italian pronunciation: [ˈtʃaŋtʃi], CHAHN-chee; April 30, 1941 – January 28, 2016) was an American lawyer, radio talk show host, politician, and political commentator who served as the mayor of Providence, Rhode Island (1975–84, 1991–2002). Cianci was the longest-serving mayor of Providence and one of the longest-serving "big city" mayors in United States history, having held office for over 21 years.

Cianci was twice elected Mayor of Providence and also served as a prosecutor and attorney. Notably, he was forced to resign from office twice due to felony convictions. His first administration ended in 1984 when he pleaded nolo contendere to charges brought against him. His second stint as mayor ended when he was forced to resign following his conviction for one count of racketeering conspiracy, and he served four years in federal prison.

Cianci was first elected mayor as the candidate of the Republican Party. While in office, he declared himself an independent and, as of 2009, he said that he had no party affiliation. On his radio show in June 2014, Cianci announced that he would run for mayor again. He was defeated by Democratic candidate Jorge Elorza.