Debra DeSimone is no stranger to these pages. In February of 2013, we immortalized her for saying, the State Constitution is a guideline. The State’s highest law is not a barrier to lawmakers. Its rules do not apply when inconvenient to their will.
De Simone, the tax collector in Atkinson, is at it again. She’s been babysitting her 8-month old granddaughter during office hours despite a town policy limiting her to official business during working hours.
“Their action and activities during assigned working hours shall be limited to official business within the scope of their assigned duties and responsibilities.”
According to the New Hampshire Union Leader, “DeSimone claimed that the policy doesn’t apply to her because she’s elected.”
That’s funny; The Republican said almost exactly the same thing about the New Hampshire Constitution. Can we call this a pattern of behavior?
Her best intentions aside, if neither the rule of law nor the law of rules has any limiting effect on Debra DeSimone why should anyone follow the tax rules in Atkinson, or any rules or laws at all, if they find them inconvenient?
Update: 8:28am – I cleaned up the first paragraph.
