Cranston council legal counsel Stephen Angel and Council President Jessica Marino submit resignations

Stephen Angel, the Cranston City Council’s legal counsel, announced his resignation effective Sept. 30, 2025, and asked that his resignation letter be entered into the record. Angel spoke at the Aug. 27 special council meeting and criticized the Hopkins administration and others for what he described as personal attacks, saying his work advising the council had been performed “at the highest level” and that accusations against him were driven by a political vendetta.

Angel told the council he had served the city in multiple roles, citing past work in 2003 and more than five years as the council’s legal counsel. He said, "The volume of blatantly false and misleading information funneled to the council, the public, and the media from this administration is staggering and deeply concerning," and announced, "effective 09/30/2025 ... I resign my position as legal counsel to the Cranston City Council." The council moved to enter his resignation letter into the meeting record; the roll call recorded all members present voting yes.

Council President Jessica Marino also announced her resignation at the Aug. 27 meeting, saying she would resign “effective at the conclusion of the meeting this evening, August 27.” Marino framed the decision as a response to what she described as malicious and vindictive conduct toward her and others and said she did not “feel the joy” of public service amid the current environment. Marino, the first female council president in the city’s history, read a resignation letter that thanked residents and summarized her time in office, including noting she was the top vote-getter citywide in the 2024 general election.

Council members offered remarks after both announcements. Several colleagues praised Marino’s leadership and thanked both Marino and Angel for their service; Councilman Traficante said he had “never seen anything like this” in 43 years of public service and expressed disappointment about the resignations. The council voted to enter Marino’s resignation letter into the record by roll call; the clerk recorded unanimous yes votes at that roll call.

No personnel votes or replacements were taken at the meeting. Angel said his resignation had been submitted in writing to the city clerk and asked that the letter be distributed to council members. Marino said she would return to private life to address personal matters and that she appreciated the support of residents and colleagues.