A Concord Democrat is calling on a member of her own party to resign after Rep. Ellen Read of Newmarket claimed “legislative privilege” to fight speeding tickets after she made a scene outside of a public hearing earlier this year.
Rep. Kris Schultz, who represents Concord both in the State House and on the City Council, said an accumulation of poor behavior led her to send a letter to New Hampshire House leadership last week asking them to call for Read’s resignation.
Schultz said some of her constituents were testifying on a bill earlier this year when Read yelled and cursed in the hallway, an incident that prompted the Speaker of the House to ban her from entering parts of the State House, except on session days.
“She makes it a toxic place to be at a level that, for someone I typically agree with on policy, I have a problem with,” Schultz said in an interview.
In response, Read said Schultz has a “vendetta” against her. Read has said in interviews and statements that the recent criticisms and reprimands she’s received are politically targeted. Her legal counsel also said in a statement that the “politics of personal destruction needs to stop.”
“I remain one of the most prolific legislators in the House, and one of the most effective,” Read said in a statement. She said she plans to continue to advocate for affordable housing, campaign finance reform, labor rights and government accountability, among other policy goals.
Back in Newmarket, local Democrats are mounting a write-in campaign to replace Read if she runs again.
While the deadline to get on the ballot has passed, Democratic Rep. Michael Cahill, a running mate of Read’s from Newmarket, posted on Facebook on Tuesday alluding to a write-in campaign that will give primary voters an “alternative.”
Three influential Republicans also released a statement on Monday calling for Read to resign or be removed from the House.
Read came under scrutiny last week for citing the state Constitution to make the case that she couldn’t be charged for driving at excessive speeds in two separate cases dating back to 2024. She argued in court documents that the motor vehicle stop was unconstitutional because she was leaving the State House.
Read called a resulting swell of criticism a “non-scandal.”
Schultz said she found the “legislative privilege” claim offensive.
“It makes us all look bad,” Schultz said. “It’s like, ‘own up for your behavior.’ Both instances, she hasn’t.”
Schultz said Read’s actions deal a blow to Democrats’ legislative agenda.
“She makes it harder to fight for things like the minimum wage,” Schutlz said. “When a fellow progressive is so written off, how are we going to succeed on the policies she champions?”
While the two lawmakers share common ground on most policy issues, Schultz testified against Read’s bill to investigate the Concord-based Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence.
The bill became divisive among Concord city councilors after Ward 5 Councilor Stacey Brown aligned with Read and others, raising questions about misconduct at the Coalition and fellow Councilor Amanda Grady Sexton, who works for the Coalition.
Schultz said Read’s claims in that bill were baseless and ran the risk of “doing very real harm.”
Schultz said she and Read once had a personal friendship but had a falling out several years ago. Read says Schultz has a vendetta against her and has harassed her.
