Union worker charged with impersonation

CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) - An assistant executive director with a state teacher's union was arrested Tuesday morning, charged with using his computer to impersonate state Rep. Doug Gablinske of Bristol, the Target 12 Investigators have learned.

John Leidecker of Cranston was charged with a misdemeanor - use of false information - under the state computer crimes act, according to Lt. Steven Contente of the Bristol Police Department. He was arraigned at Kent County Courthouse Tuesday afternoon.

Leidecker is one of eight assistant executive directors at the National Education Association of Rhode Island (NEARI), which has about 11,800 members statewide, according to its website . The union's executive director, Robert Walsh, is a member of Gov.-elect Lincoln Chafee's transition advisory committee.

Lt. Contente said Rep. Gablinske filed a complaint with the police prior to the Nov. 2 election alleging that someone was sending out e-mails falsely claiming to be from him.

Members of the Bristol Police and the Rhode Island State Police served a search warrant Tuesday morning at Leidecker's house and the NEARI headquarters, both in Cranston. Contente said computer equipment was seized.

Gablinske called the allegations against Leidecker an example of "union thuggery."

"The NEA is really organized crime and [to] resort to these types of tactics during campaigns - they should be embarrassed, ashamed," Gablinske told Eyewitness News. "People on the outside have no idea the types of tactics used by unions during the campaigns and I don't think the membership does either. They should be asking questions."

In a statement, Walsh said the union was aware of Leidecker's arrest but was reserving judgment, especially in light of NEARI's contentious relationship with the state lawmaker in question.

"We have no firsthand knowledge of the charges," Walsh said. "However, given the involvement of Rep. Doug Gablinske in this matter, we are suspicious about the motivation for this action. At this point, we are waiting until our attorneys sort things out."

Gablinske said he had received an e-mail from someone claiming to be a “Doug Gablinski” – spelling his last name with an "I" – making false claims about his record.

He said the e-mail claimed he supported putting tolls on the Mt. Hope Bridge on Route 114, something he has long opposed.

Gablinske, a two-term Democrat, lost in the Sept. 14 primary to Richard Morrison, who received strong support from organized labor. He then mounted a failed write-in campaign.

Leidecker earned $115,099 working for NEARI in its 2009 fiscal year, according to the union's annual report to the U.S. Department of Labor. He is a graduate of Rhode Island College who earned a master's degree at Fairfield University and a law degree at Roger Williams School of Law, according to his LinkedIn profile.

twhite@wpri.com

WPRI.com reporter Ted Nesi contributed to this report.