He is unmarried. He has studied social science at Rogaland DH and has a minor in history.
The exclusion process started off while Simonsen was on a vacation in Israel. Norways largest commercial TV channel, TV2 broadcasted a program called Rikets tilstand (condition of the state) where they focused on one of Simonsen's friends who he had assisted to get licensed (to sell alchoholic beverages). The program also told that his friend was former convicted for invitation to prostitution in Germany. Simonsen denied that he had done anything wrong and stated that he only had helped out a friend who had waited for a long time to get licensed. This was - in his opinion - coherent with the politics of the Progress Party.
Prior to this TV program he had officially supported formerly excluded members of the party like Dag Danielsen, Vidar Kleppe and Fridjof Frank Gundersen.Professional experience
He's been editor for "Strandbuen", "Video- og TV-guiden" and "Fremskritt" (Progress). He has been secretary of the parliament group of the Progress Party. He has been a member of Stavanger city council and been chairman of Stavanger Progress Party. He has been member of the main board in the Progress Party and been chairman in Rogaland Progression Party's Youth. He was a board member Oslo Kinomatografer (Oslo Cinema) 1987-93. Administrative deputy chairman om the Progress Party 1991-93. Deputy member of the Parliament 1981-85. He was deputy chairman of the church and education committe of the Parliament 1989-93. He has been a member of the Parliament since 1989.The exclusion
After 25 year as a member of the Progress Party he was excluded in part from the party by his own county division of the party in Rogaland. They decided that his way of life was not coherent to his position as a member of the parliament. Friday October 19 2001 the Progress Party's secretary-general made a statment to the Norwegian news broadcast NTB: (Translated from Norwegian) The Progress Party has after a general consideration come to the conclusion that the best solution on both parts is seperation. Simonsen on the other hand thought that this was a too generalised term to be acceptable. According to Simonsen there was no concrete reasons of his exclusion, and that his request for what the reasons were this had failed.