Mayoral Candidate Seizes on "Whiskergate" PR Weirdness

Cranston, R.I.—Michael J. Sepe, the Democrat and longtime city party committee leader challenging Cranston Mayor Allan W. Fung for the mayorship this November, has seized on the bizarre circumstances related to the resignation of the city’s senior services director to scold the Fung administration for its handling of the PR stunt gone wrong.

Sue Stenhouse resigned her post last Friday after she had a bus driver dress up like an elderly woman at a press conference and the story has since virally been reported around the world.

Cranston is a city familiar with being the focus of national attention, being home to a former Miss Universe, legendary TV and film producer Vin Di Bona, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and the headquarters of Alex and Ani, but this time, many say the so-called “Whiskergate” story is a black eye for the city.

Sepe, a man synonymous with Cranston politics for decades, released a press release on Friday stating that the mockery facing the city is “is just another example of the disconnect between Mayor Fung’s office and the city departments that the Mayor is ultimately responsible for.

“I am tired of seeing the City of Cranston being embarrassed over and over again,” Sepe said. “The announcement of a new program to help the elderly shoveling snow during the winter months, is commendable. Unfortunately, in my opinion, because of the lack of coordination, it now turns into a side show resulting in the so called ‘resignation’ of the Senior Services Director and another black eye for the city.”

The mayor’s office will not comment on the matter, citing confidentiality reasons because it is a personnel matter.

Stenhouse has declined commenting on the situation as well.