State Rep. Ellen Read, D-Newmarket, is facing growing calls from both parties to resign after comments and actions surrounding multiple speeding stops that fellow lawmakers say misstate the law and damage public confidence in the Legislature.
Allegations and rebuttals
Colleagues in the House dispute Read’s suggestion that a long-standing constitutional provision shields lawmakers from traffic enforcement while travelling to or from the State House. The provision, written into the state constitution centuries ago, has become the center of a controversy after two traffic stops involving Read.
State Rep. Kimberly Rice, R-Hudson, who has formally joined calls for Read’s resignation, said the issue is not simply legal parsing but about standards for elected officials.
"We are not above the law, and we should be held to a higher standard,"
Rice told reporters she believes Read is unfit to represent her district and that the House should move forward with someone focused on constituents’ needs.
The traffic incidents
Public records and statements from Read’s legal representative outline two separate interactions with police after Read left the State House. Her attorney framed part of the dispute as a personal conflict between Read and another lawmaker, while critics say the speed and frequency of the stops are the central concern.
| Date | Alleged speed | Details |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | Alleged 107 mph; Read admitted to 85 mph | Stop on I-93 after leaving the State House |
| June 2025 | Alleged 92 mph in a 65-mph zone | Ticket issued in Londonderry |
Read’s attorney, Dana Albrecht, said officers detained Read during one of the stops and did not accept the constitutional argument at the scene. Albrecht characterized the criticism as politically motivated and linked it to a dispute with state Rep. Kris Schultz, D-Concord.
"One speeding ticket, one contested speeding ticket and one alleged parking violation where the only one making the allegation is Kris Schultz... Wow. This sounds like the Salem witch trials to me,"
The letter from Schultz to the House speaker, which prompted some members to call for action, has not drawn a public response from Schultz, who did not reply to requests for comment.
Local impact and larger questions
The controversy touches two recurring themes in state politics: ethics and public trust, and how historical legal language applies to modern circumstances. Lawmakers and residents alike watch how the House handles internal discipline and whether it will require a formal resignation, a censure or another response.
For constituents in Read’s district, the dispute raises practical questions about representation. Lawmakers calling for her resignation say they want a member focused on local issues rather than an internal controversy. Read’s supporters, including her attorney, argue the situation has been blown out of proportion and framed by political opponents.
What comes next
- The House leadership may review formal complaints or letters from members and determine whether to pursue an ethics inquiry.
- Read could choose to resign, fight calls for removal, or await any formal action recommended by House committees.
- Constituents may press for clarity on how the constitutional provision applies to routine traffic enforcement.
As the Legislature and public weigh those options, the case highlights how historical text and modern enforcement can collide — and how such collisions play out in the court of public opinion as much as in law books.
