a dog-eared town

It seems a powerful local state senator was padding his income, just a little bit.

John A. Celona, the flamboyant former state senator from North Providence, admitted yesterday to federal criminal charges that he sold his office for personal gain.

In a plea agreement filed in U.S. District Court, Celona agreed to cooperate in an ongoing investigation of three health-care companies whom he said gave him money and gifts to influence legislation — a total of $318,565, plus a free golf trip to San Diego, according to the charges.

Hey, just because he got more than $300,000 doesn’t mean he didn’t deserve a free golf trip too, ya know. Hey, it’s hard work extorting all that money out of the largest companies in the state.