A New Hampshire Democrat is testing the limits of political privilege by insisting that state speeding laws do not apply to her because she holds elected office.
According to WND, State Rep. Ellen Read of Newmarket, who is running for reelection, has advanced a sweeping claim of legislative privilege after being clocked at extreme speeds on a public highway. The Boston Globe reported that A New Hampshire state lawmaker who was caught driving 107 miles per hour in 2024 and accused of driving 92 miles per hour on the same highway in 2025 has been making an audacious argument to avoid legal consequences for her speeding. The paper further noted, Ellen Read, a Democratic state representative from Newmarket running for reelection, claims the sheriffs deputies who stopped her on Interstate 93 had no authority to detain or charge her, since the states Constitution says lawmakers cannot be arrested while traveling to or from the Legislature.
Read has repeatedly invoked that constitutional clause as a shield against accountability, despite the obvious public-safety implications of driving at more than 100 mph. Court records show Read has repeatedly asserted legislative privilege to ask that charges stemming from the two traffic stops be dismissed on account of the office she holds. She pressed her case all the way to the New Hampshire Supreme Court, which declined in June to hear her appeal at this stage. Notably, Read has not cited any emergency or urgent legislative duty that might even arguably justify her decision to exceed posted limits so dramatically.
Law enforcement officials have pushed back firmly on the notion that elected office confers a license to endanger other drivers. Major Christopher Bashaw of the Rockingham County Sheriffs Office told the Globe that the lawmakers immunity theory is detached from both law and common sense. I dont think anyone in the general public believes that just because a state representative is traveling to or from session that they are immune to committing any violation or crime, he said. That would be absurd to think that somebody could cause an accident and kill somebody and not be held accountable.
Court proceedings so far have not gone in Reads favor, despite her attempt to turn a constitutional protection against political harassment into a blanket exemption from traffic enforcement. The Daily Mail reported, Her attorney, former fellow state lawmaker Daniel Hynes, argued that legislative privilege meant evidence that led to Reads negligent driving charge was illegally obtained and moved to have it dismissed, but the motion was denied. The court, unwilling to indulge such a broad reading of privilege, found [her] guilty of the non-criminal charge and fined $1,240. The court also threatened to revoke her license if she received another moving violation within five years.
The legal jeopardy for Read may not be over, particularly as a second high-speed incident remains in play. Her August hearing is for a deferred portion of the sentence, during which she may face greater repercussions, especially in light of her other speeding charge. During that second stop, Read allegedly abandoned any pretense of humility and instead berated the deputy who pulled her over. During the second traffic stop that led to the speeding charge, Read allegedly shouted at the deputy and angrily told him he had no understanding of the state constitution or her privileged status as a lawmaker, according to Major Bashaw.
Despite the Supreme Courts refusal to intervene at this stage, Read is still seeking to have all traffic-related charges thrown out. She has taken her case to to the New Hampshire Supreme Court, which declined to hear her appeal in June. For now, the standing judgment remains: She was found guilty of negligent driving after her first traffic stop, and has a sentencing hearing set for August.
Public reaction has been swift and unforgiving, reflecting a broader frustration with politicians who appear to believe they are above the rules that govern everyone else. Online commenters blasted the Democrats stance, writing, Another putting themselves above the law. Rules for thee but not for me. Hypocrites. Others mocked the abuse of privilege, saying, Gives a whole new to the term diplomatic immunity.' Some critics tied the episode to a wider pattern of double standards on the left, with one remarking, Become a Democrat and any crimes you want. Even self-identified Democrats expressed alarm, including one who wrote, Im a Democrat. She to go. Shes gonna kill someone. Another commenter questioned her basic fitness to drive, stating, I would not trust her doing 35 in a 35. Theres no WAY shes not ALSO every time shes behind the wheel. Its shaped like a dinner plate.
For many voters who still believe in equal justice under the law, the spectacle of a legislator claiming immunity from basic traffic enforcement underscores why trust in government continues to erode, especially when those on the left appear eager to carve out special protections for themselves while demanding stricter controls on everyone else.
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