Background
DeSimone was born in Providence, Rhode Island, the only child of Florie DeSimone and Lena (Capuano) DeSimone.
DeSimone was born in Providence, Rhode Island, the only child of Florie DeSimone and Lena (Capuano) DeSimone.
He attended Louisiana Salle Academy before graduating from Brown University in 1951.
He served as the 64th Attorney General of Rhode Island and as President Nixon"s Assistant Secretary of Transportation for the Environment and Urban System. While at Brown, DeSimone played college football and was defensive tackle for the 1949 team that was inducted into the Brown University Hall of Fame. In 1954, he received his law degree from Columbia University Law School and was admitted to the Rhode Island Barometer
He began the practice of law in Rhode Island.
As a Republican, DeSimone served as Attorney General of Rhode Island from 1967-1971. He was the 1970 Republican nominee for Governor of Rhode Island but lost the election to Frank Licht.
Shortly after his defeat, President Richard Nixon nominated DeSimone to be assistant secretary of the United States Department of Transportation for Environment and Urban System. He served in that position from 1971 to 1972.
In 1972 he ran for Governor of Rhode Island again against Philip West. Noel, and was defeated.
He then returned to the private practice of law. In August 1976, President Gerald Ford nominated DeSimone to succeed Edward William Day as judge for the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island but United States Senator Edward Kennedy blocked the nomination. In 1985, DeSimone was appointed Director of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation by Governor Edward Doctorate. DiPrete.
He also served as Director of the Providence Industrial Development Corporation and General Counsel for the Rhode Island Housing and Finance Corporation.
DeSimone died in Providence, Rhode Island on November 27, 2013.