McLaughlin Rescinds Resignation

NEWPORT, RI—Less than a week after announcing he was quitting the Newport City Council, Justin McLaughlin has now rescinded his resignation.

McLaughlin reportedly changed his mind and made it official on Monday, dashing speculation that former Mayor Harry Winthrop was poised to seek an appointment to fill McLaughlin’s seat.

McLaughlin’s resignation was effective today, according to the letter he filed with the City Clerk’s office last week.

In his new letter, McLaughlin said he failed to think about his responsibility to serve after winning election to the council in 2014.

“I look forward to fulfilling my responsibility to the residents of Newport by serving the two-year term to which I was elected in 2014,” he wrote. “It is a duty that I regret I briefly failed to fully consider. I apologize to all the members of the council for the confusion that my actions may have caused.”