WARREN, R.I. (WPRI) – A newly elected state representative is apologizing after he acknowledges he misled members of the local Democratic town committee about a mailer, as the committee calls on him not to take his seat in the General Assembly.

State Rep.-elect Laufton Ascencao, who won the House District 68 seat on Nov. 6, issued a statement after East Bay Newspapers reported Warren Democratic Town Committee members had accused him of providing a faked invoice to prove he had sent a political mailer that he now admits he never sent.

“During the 2018 election, I did a stupid and immature thing,” he said. “I think it’s important to own up to a mistake and that’s what I’m trying to do here.” He indicated he “completed the design” of the mailer, “but I finished it too late for it to actually arrive before Election Day.”

“Instead of coming clean and admitting that I had been unable to complete the mailer, I told them it had gone out,” Ascencao said. “I wasn’t honest with people I consider friends.” As part of what he acknowledged was his “deception,” he said he showed “a mock invoice” for the mailer dated Nov. 10.

“In reality, at no point was any expense accrued, any order placed, or any check mailed,” he said. He said he has apologized, reached out to the Board of Elections to explain his mistake, and did not file any false reports with the board.

In a statement, the Warren Democratic Town Committee said Ascencao should not take the oath of office.

“It is with heavy hearts that we have asked Representative‐elect Laufton Ascencao [to] step down and not take office in January, for the sake of public confidence in government,” the committee wrote.

Keith Phillis, the town committee’s treasurer, told Target 12 he was “shocked and let down” when he learned that Ascencao misled them.

“It was made aware to him at all points that we would need to follow up on any documentation that is to be reported to the Board of Elections, given the complexity of campaign finance laws,” said Phillis.

Asked if he thinks Ascencao should take the oath of office come January, Phillis said, “I’m going to hold my tongue on that.”

“I am very let down by what transpired,” he added.

Ascencao, 25, is a member of the group of 21 current and incoming House Democrats who have broken with Speaker Nicholas Mattiello and dubbed themselves “the Reform Caucus.” He indicated in his statement he still plans to be sworn in for the District 68 seat in January.

Richard Thornton, director of campaign finance for the R.I. Board of Elections, confirmed he received information from the Warren town committee about the Ascencao incident, but could neither confirm nor deny if the board is investigating the complaint.

John Marion, the executive director of Common Cause Rhode Island, said this is “not a good look” for a freshman lawmaker.

“Especially given that there is a ‘Reform Caucus’ of 21 legislators, of which he is a part of, whose public aim is to clean the place up a little it,” Marion continued. “Then one of them trips before they even get to the starting line.”

Ascancao campaigned with the progressive group the Rhode Island Working Families Party. In a statement, the organization’s executive director, Georgia Hollister Isman, said she is “disappointed” in his behavior but suggested he should still take his seat.

“As troubled as I am by Laufton’s actions, I’m counting on his deeply held beliefs in equality and justice to move him past his poor judgment and toward delivering real change for his constituents and all Rhode Islanders,” Isman wrote.

Ascencao’s opponent in the November election, Libertarian Bill Hunt, was among those who quickly criticized him on Twitter:

Tim White (twhite@wpri.com) is the Target 12 investigative reporter and host of Newsmakers for WPRI 12 and Fox Providence. Follow him on Twitter and on Facebook

Ted Nesi (tnesi@wpri.com) covers politics and the economy for WPRI.com. He is a weekly panelist on Newsmakers and hosts Executive Suite. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook

An earlier version of this story said there were 22, rather than 21, members of the House “Reform Caucus.” One of the 22 current and future House members who did not vote for Nicholas Mattiello as speaker last month, Mario Mendez, was absent for that vote and is not a member of the caucus.