Lawmaker roils colleagues after secretly moving 1K miles away and keeping her paycheck

Rhode Island's House Speaker and Attorney General are both calling on a Democratic state lawmaker to resign after learning she quietly made a South Carolina home her primary residence — while continuing to collect her legislative salary and serve constituents from 1,000 miles away.

State Rep. Julie Casimiro, who has represented North Kingstown and Exeter since 2017, made her Hardeeville, South Carolina home her primary residence as of July 1, according to Boston Globe reporting. Casimiro isn't running for reelection but says she intends to finish out her current term remotely, continuing to earn her $794.38 biweekly salary plus health insurance until her successor is sworn in this January.

House Speaker Chris Blazejewski said the residency change raises real legal questions about her ability to keep serving.

"If she is no longer a permanent resident of the state of Rhode Island, in order to address legal questions about her eligibility to serve the balance of her term and in an abundance of caution, she should consider resigning her seat," Blazejewski said.

Attorney General Peter Neronha went further, confirming his office is actively reviewing the legal implications: "We are reviewing the applicable law, expect to say more in the coming days, and my advice is for her to resign."

Casimiro, who serves as vice chair of the House Oversight Committee, has defended her decision to stay in office, arguing someone needs to continue representing her constituents. She says she plans to return to Rhode Island for meetings in September and would attend if lawmakers are called back into session this fall to vote on a state Supreme Court nominee.

If Casimiro does resign, her seat would remain vacant until a successor is sworn in come January.