Pagliarini resigns from Chafee campaign

J.R. Pagliarini, campaign manager for independent Lincoln Chafee, has resigned. Here’s how the Chafee campaign frames this development:

Based on information that was illegally leaked by the Department of Labor & Training to WJAR’s Jim Taricani, it has come to the attention of the campaign that Pagliarini may have unintentionally received unemployment insurance benefits for a brief period of time after having joined the campaign payroll.

Pagliarini chose to resign so as not to be “a distraction” to Chafee’s campaign for Governor.

“I am very sorry to hear of this news,” Chafee said after learning of Pagliarini’s resignation. “I respect J.R. very much, and I am certain that after due process is provided to him, the true facts of the situation will become clear.”

As it happened, I ran into Taricani in Kennedy Plaza about 25 minutes ago, and he told me of the story. We’ll have more later.