Ethics Complaint Filed Against Rep. DeSimone by Progressive Dems
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
The Progressive Democrats have filed a complaint with the Rhode Island Ethics Commission regarding House Majority Leader John DeSimone’s "failure to disclose his indebtedness to the City of Providence and the State of Rhode Island for unpaid property taxes, and for his failure to disclose his income derived from the city and state for his role with United Providence, an organization that received hundreds of thousands of dollars in legislative grants in recent years."
“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.
Related Slideshow: Races to Watch in 2016 - RI Progressive Democrats
Sam Bell, State Director for the Rhode Island Progressive Democrats, ran through a list of races to watch at the GA in 2016. Bell noted that as of June 1, Progressive Dems had yet to make endorsements. "This is just my take and analysis of these races," said Bell.
Bell noted other races as well that weren't on the list.
"Julie Casimiro, because of her positions on certain labor issues and some of her past work on education, but we view her as a real Democrat, we are certainly cheering her on, and some of our members may well help her out," said Bell, who noted it was similar for another Democrat. "Same for Lisa Tomasso, we certainly feel she is the much preferable candidate (to Republican Sherry) Roberts."
1. House District 60
2. House District 54
3. House District 67-
4. House District 3 -
5. House District 69 -
6. House District 25 -
7. House District 27 -
8. House District 22 -
9. House District 24 -
10. House District 72 -
11. House District 39 -
12. Senate District 11 -
13. Senate District 34 -
14. Senate District 21 -
15. Senate District 7
Related Articles
- NEW: DeSimone to Face Challenge from Providence Teacher Ranglin-Vassell
- The Scoop - Jones, Mattiello, DeSimone and Slater All in the News
- Progressive Democrats of America: Health Insurance Companies ‘Deadly Spin’
- Progressive Democrats Of Rhode Island Endorse Clay Pell for Governor
- Progressive Democrats Target 15 General Assembly Seats in RI
- RI Progressive Democrats Endorse 12 Candidates
- Is House Majority Leader DeSimone One of the Most Vulnerable in RI?
- NEW: City Council Candidate Long Files Ethics Complaint Against Solomon
- NEW: North Providence GOP Files Ethics Complaint Against Town Council President
- King’s Insurance Company: Read the Ethics Complaint
- $3 Bar Lawyer Files Ethics Complaint Against Board of Licenses’ Harris
- Ethics Complaint Filed Against Cicilline’s Sister
- Ethics Complaint Filed Against Rep. O’Brien of North Providence
- Sheehan Blasts Speaker on Ethics Legislation and Mattiello Fires Right Back
- Pawtucket Looking at Possible Criminal Intent Over Ethics Allegations Released
- Will This Be the Year an Ethics Amendment Passes the RI General Assembly?
- NEW: RI Ethics Commission Finds Probable Cause That Lally Violated Revolving Door Law
- Grebien Admits Failing to Disclose Business on Ethics Forms After GoLocal Review
- Providence City Councilman and Attorney Battle Over Ethics Charges
- UPDATED: Legislation to Restore Ethics Commission Oversight of General Assembly Introduced
- GOP Chair Bell Calls Mattiello Public Enemy #1 on Ethics
- Moore: The Real Ethics Reform Heroes Aren’t Legislative Leadership
- Common Cause RI Testifies in Support of Restoring Ethics Commission Oversight
- The Budget Bill & Ethics Reform: This Week at the State House
- EDITORIAL: Ethics Reform - A Big Win for Rhode Island
- Guest MINDSETTER™ Sen. Sheehan: Passage of Ethics Reform is Great News for RI
- Does Providence Have an Ethics Problem?
- RI ACLU Disappointed Ethics Commission Voted to Uphold Complaint Moratorium
- Common Cause RI Applauds Passage of Ethics Reform
- Block Admits to Failing to Disclose Volunteer Position on Ethics Filing
- Ethics Reform Legislation Introduced & More: This Week at the State House
- Pawtucket Mayor Has Stalled on Sending Potential Violations to Ethics
- Guest MINDSETTER™ Sen. Sheehan: Ethics Reform - or a Festering Status Quo
- Ethics Leaders Call for PawSox to be Fined for Failing to Register as Lobbyists
- Moore: RI Has Bigger Ethics Issues Than Lally’s Job
