Ethics Complaint Filed Against Rep. DeSimone by Progressive Dems
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Ethics Complaint Filed Against Rep. DeSimone by Progressive Dems
“Ethics Commission disclosure statements are an important part of maintaining transparency and oversight in our state government,” said Nate Carpenter, Communications Director for the Rhode Island Progressive Democrats of America (RIPDA), who filed the complaint. “Mr. DeSimone’s voters, and the people of Rhode Island as a whole, have a right to know that their House Majority Leader has repeatedly been indebted to the City of Providence and State of Rhode Island because of his failure to pay his taxes, and that he has regularly received income from an organization receiving significant state appropriations.
DeSimone is facing a Democratic primary challenge from Progressive Democrat Marcia Ranglin-Vassell.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTAbout the Complaint
According to the Progressive Democrats:
On April 21 of this year, the City of Providence posted legal notice of a tax sale on DeSimone’s Ralston Street home and his Smith Street law office for failure to pay overdue taxes. According to the city tax collector’s office, the Smith Street property was scheduled for tax sale every year since since 2008, as was DeSimone’s house at 18 Ralston Street in 2006, 2009, 2015 and 2015.
Because of his repeated failure to pay his taxes on time, DeSimone has regularly been thousands of dollars in debt to the City of Providence - a fact that he was legally required to report in his annual financial disclosure statements to the Rhode Island Ethics Commission, which calls for disclosure of all debts in excess of $1,000 “to any person, business entity, financial institution or other organization” beyond a few specific categories. Yet DeSimone, in disclosure after disclosure, repeatedly failed to list this information.
In addition, in 2012 a tax lien was placed against DeSimone’s properties for debts due to the State of Rhode Island. While DeSimone’s troubles with municipal taxes were widely reported on this spring, this state tax issue has not previously been covered. During the 2016 legislative session, DeSimone was the lead sponsor for legislation that would put a 10-year statute of limitations on the collection of state taxes.
Finally, the complaint charges that Rep. DeSimone neglected to disclose his role with United Providence and the legal fees he received for this work. Rep. DeSimone served as the paid registered agent for the organization, an affiliate and quasi-public agency of the Providence School Department in partnership with the Providence Teachers Union. While Rep. DeSimone was a House chairman and House Majority Leader, United Providence received state legislative grants worth $100,000 in each year in 2013, 2014, and 2015, and was scheduled to receive another grant in 2016, before the legislature realized the organization was defunct.
Races to Watch in 2016 - RI Progressive Democrats
1. House District 60
Incumbent: Rep. David Coughlin (D)
Challenger: David Norton (D)
Pawtucket
"[Coughlin] is facing a strong challenger in Norton. I think the [PawSox] stadium issue really resonated with people in Pawtucket, and the problem with the way politics works in RI. Pawtucket has a unique understanding of that, and Coughlin is out of step with the district and vulnerable," said Bell.
2. House District 54
Incumbent: Rep. William O'Brien (D)
Challenger: Bill Deware (D)
North Providence
"Bill's the head of the Rhode Island Radiologist Association, he's been active in UNAP. O'Brien has painted himself as an established politician. He wanted to lower the corporate income tax. On economic issues he's out of step with the middle class in his district," said Bell.
3. House District 67
Incumbent: Rep. Jan Malik (D)
Challenger: Jason Knight (D)
Barrington, Warren
"Malik has been extremely ideologically conservative, with an 'A plus' rating from the NRA. He voted against marriage equality and his district isn't extremely right wing -- it's very liberal on social issues. And Warren is a place where you saw two successful progressive town council primaries last cycle, knocking out established [Democrats]," said Bell.
4. House District 3
Incumbent: Rep. Thomas Palangio (D)
Challenger: Moira Walsh (D)
Providence
Walsh, a Classical High School and Rhode Island College Grad, who has been an organizer for Jobs with Justice, is challenging Pelangio on Smith Hill.
Pelangio served as a State Rep from 1992-2002; he was elected again in 2012 and then again in 2014.
5. House District 69
Incumbent: Open (after Ray Gallison stepped down)
Challenger: Susan Donovan (D)
Bristol
"The machine has still yet to put up someone to replace Gallison. People are really excited about change, especially with what happened there. I'd be surprised if leadership even wants to go in there," said Bell.
6. House District 25
Incumbent: Rep. Jared Nunes (D)
Challenger: Kathleen Decker (D)
Coventry, West Warwick
"There's two races in West Warwick, and Nunes is one of them. Remember, he proposed "tolls everywhere"," said Bell, referencing his assessment of Nunes public-private funding proposal for roads.
7. House District 27
Incumbent: Rep. Pat Serpa (D)
Challenger: Nicholas Delmenico (D)
Warwick, West Warwick, Coventry
"Serpa just canceled the hearings on 38 Studios. West Warwick is a community that's been damaged by machine politics," said Bell.
8. House District 22
Incumbent: Joseph Solomon, Jr. (D)
Challenger: Jennifer Siciliano (D)
Warwick
"She jumped in last minute to run against Solomon again -- and again, he is someone who's endorsed by the NRA. I think he's out of step with the party's core values, and it's a community that knows we need change," said Bell.
9. House District 24
Incumbent: Rep. Joe Trillo (R)
Challenger: Evan Shanley (D)
Warwick
"Yes, Trillo is a Republican, he's Trump's guy here. But he's tied to the political establishment. That's the way the establishment works," said Bell.
10. House District 72
Incumbent: Rep. Dan Reilly (R)
Challenger: Linda Finn (D)
Middletown, Portsmouth
"Finn's running again against Reilly, who it's no secret is dealing with major legal issues with his family. He's vulnerable," said Bell.
11. House District 39
Incumbent: Justin Price (R)
Challenger: Larry Valencia (D)
Hopkinton, Exeter, Richmond
Valencia ran and lost in 2008, won in 2010 and 2012, and was beaten by Price in 2014.
12. Senate District 11
Incumbent: Sen. John Pagliarini, Jr. (R)
Challenger: James Seveney (D)
Portsmouth, Bristol, Tiverton
"I like this rematch. Especially in a Presidential year, where the Republicans will have to defend Trump," said Bell.
13. Senate District 34
Incumbent: Sen. Elaine Morgan (R)
Challenger: Catherine Cool Rumsey (D)
Charles, Exeter, Hopkington, Richmond, West Greenwich
"Morgan beat Rumsey in 2014, in a year that the state's Democratic candidate, Gina Raimondo, narrowly carried the race. It was uniquely bad for down ballot races (for the Dems). Now with Trump at the top of the ticket for the Rs, it will be hard for Morgan," said Bell.
14. Senate District 21
Incumbent: Sen. Nick Kettle (R)
Challenger: Margaux Morisseau (D)
Coventry
Progressive Morisseau lost to Kettle in 2014 and is making another run at the seat in 2016.
15. Senate District 7
Incumbent: Sen. Frank Ciccone (D)
Challenger: Doris De Los Santos (D)
Providence, North Providence
De Los Santos is making another run at the seat held by Ciccone since 2002; she ran unsuccessfully in 2014.
