Gordon Dennis Fox (born December 21, 1961) is an American attorney and politician from Providence, Rhode Island. He served formerly as the Speaker of the Rhode Island House of Representatives, before resigning in disgrace. A member of the Democratic Party, he was first elected to the legislature in 1992. On June 11, 2015 Fox was sentenced to three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges including bribery, fraud, and filing a false tax return.
Fox was elected Speaker on February 11, 2010 as the first openly gay Rhode Island man to hold that office. Fox resigned from the Speakership on the evening of March 22, 2014 following an FBI raid on his Smith Hill office and his home on Providence's East Side. The FBI found Fox to have stolen $108,000 in campaign contributions and accepted $52,000 in bribes. He completed his sentence at Canaan U.S. Penitentiary in Waymart, Pennsylvania and was released in February, 2018.
Early life and career
Gordon Dennis Fox was born on December 21, 1961, at Providence, Rhode Island. One of six children, he is the son of Mary Fox and Mr. Fox. Mary Fox was of Cape Verdean lineage, and Mr. Fox was of Irish-American descent. Mr. Fox was an artisan and served as a jewelry polisher, while his wife Mary served on private home staffs and later at a golf ball manufacturer. Fox's parents met while his father was stopped in Providence on return to Boston after service in the Korean War. Fox's father died when he was eighteen.
During his childhood, Fox and his family lived for a time in a Providence home with "a view of the Statehouse". Fox graduated from Classical High School in Providence. He earned a degree in history and political science at Rhode Island College. Fox then earned his Juris Doctor degree from Northeastern University School of Law. While studying there, Fox commuted to Carvel ice cream shop for work. He became an attorney.
Career
Fox unsuccessfully ran for the Providence City Council in the mid-1980s. Soon after, Fox contributed to the campaigns of state representative Ray Rickman, and then state representative Patrick J. Kennedy of Kennedy Family fame.
Providence Board of Licenses
In 2001, Mayor Buddy Cianci appointed Fox to the Providence Board of Licenses. In 2006 he was appointed vice-chairman of the board. Fox resigned from the Board of Licenses in December 2009.
Rhode Island House of Representatives
Fox was first elected to the Rhode Island House of Representatives in November 1992. He represented the 4th district, which included parts of the East Side of Providence, namely the Mount Hope, Summit and Blackstone neighborhoods.
In 1993, Fox backed John B. Harwood over the more liberal Russell Bramley for Speaker. He stated that he supported Harwood because he was a departure from the previous House leadership and because he was supported by Fox's mentor, George Caruolo.
In October 2001, Fox became chairman of the House Finance Committee. A year later, in late 2002 Fox was elected Majority Leader.
On March 30, 2004, Fox came out publicly at a rally in support of same-sex marriage at the State House. At the time he came out, Fox was the only openly gay member of the Rhode Island General Assembly.
During his tenure in the House, Fox worked to pass legislation that created a statewide smoking ban, historic tax credit program, affordable housing fund, mental health parity law, and protections for victims of domestic violence. In 2004 he sponsored a Lobbyist Disclosure Law drafted by Common Cause. The following year he sponsored legislation that would have weakened the same law.
Speakership
As soon as William J. Murphy indicated his intention to retire from the speakership, Fox expressed interest in the position. In October 2009, Murphy endorsed Fox in the race to succeed him. Fox faced conservative Democrat Gregory Schadone and Republican Robert A. Watson in the election held on February 11, 2010. Fox received 51 votes to Schadone's 14 and Watson's 5. He became the state's first African-American and first gay Speaker of the House. He was the first openly gay house speaker in the United States, although Assemblyman John Pérez (D–Los Angeles) was elected to the speakership of the California State Assembly several weeks before Fox. Pérez, however, was not sworn in as speaker until March 1, 2010, whereas Fox took office almost three weeks earlier on February 11.