Tennessee Takes Up an Overhaul of Ethics Rules
By THEO EMERY, NY TIMES

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NASHVILLE, Jan. 10 - Last May, F.B.I. agents ran a bribery sting operation called Tennessee Waltz that ensnared four state lawmakers, including a member of a Memphis political dynasty.

On Tuesday, as the legislature met in a special session to take up a proposed overhaul of the state's ethics laws, Gov. Phil Bredesen urged swift action, saying the scandal had cast a pall over state government.

"I know you feel this shadow as I do," Mr. Bredesen, a Democrat, told legislators. "Some problems are best left to the passage of time. Others require bold action up front. On the subject of ethics, it is time for bold action."

Government watchdogs have long criticized Tennessee as having weak ethics and financial disclosure laws. Jon Goldin-Dubois, a vice president of Common Cause, said the state's ethics laws were "in the bottom tier" nationally.

Mr. Bredesen requested the special session last year to spur action on the ethics legislation. Under the rules of the session, the legislature cannot move on to other business until the ethics laws are overhauled.

The ethics bill would set up an independent ethics commission, create new reporting requirements for campaign donations and lobbyist spending, and establish conflict-of-interest rules.

The most prominent target of the sting was State Senator John N. Ford, a member of a Democratic political dynasty from Memphis. Mr. Ford is the uncle of United States Representative Harold E. Ford Jr., a rising star in the Democratic Party.

Lawmakers are accused of accepting cash from a fake company the F.B.I. set up with the understanding that they would support legislation that would increase profits for the company, E-Cycle Management.

Mr. Ford resigned from the legislature but has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Seven other people have been indicted, including three other lawmakers. One lawmaker, State Representative J. Chris Newton, Republican of Cleveland, resigned and pleaded guilty. The two others, State Senator Kathryn I. Bowers, a Memphis Democrat, and State Senator Ward Crutchfield, Democrat of Chattanooga, have pleaded not guilty and were at the special session.

Even as the session began, there were new tremors from the federal investigation. State Senator Jeff Miller, Republican of Cleveland, who took $1,000 from a lobbyist indicted in the sting but has not been charged, said Tuesday that he would not seek re-election and resigned as chairman of the Senate majority caucus.

Wikipedia: Tennessee Waltz

Capitol Hill Corruption: Senator Asks Two Accused in Operation Tennessee Waltz To Sit Out Special Session
Posted: 1/6/2006 12:35:00 PM
Updated: 1/6/2006 12:37:02 PM

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Republican State Senator Jim Bryson sent a letter to Democrats Ward Crutchfield and Kathryn Bowers asking them not to participate in the special session.

Bryson says they should voluntarily agree to stay out of the special session. Senator Bryson says if the two senators show up next week he will introduce a resolution urging them not to participate.

"Most people I talk to about indicted senators helping write ethics legislation say that's just common sense I don't know why anybody would be against this. I think there's going to be a lot of support for this movement," said Jim Bryson.

He is accused of taking $12,000 in bribes. One year ago Senator Ward Crutchfield was one of the most powerful people in the state,

"It would really give this session much more credibility which is what we need in the legislature right now," said Bryson.

Bowers is accused of taking $11,500 in bribes. Bryson's letter asks both to sit out the special session while they are under indictment. If they don't agree, he wants the entire senate to vote.

"I hope everything is settled without having to go to the resolution that is my hope because I think that will be the best thing for the senate," said Bryson.

But the head of democrat party, Bob Tuke, sees the whole thing as partisan. Both Crutchfield and Bowers are democrats. He admits it's a difficult situation.

"It's awkward. It's awkward for them to be in a special session on ethics when they're under indictment," said Tuke.

But Tuke says voters represented by Bowers and Crutchfield would have no voice if the senators didn't participate.

"I would wager that those constituents already feel like they have not been well represented," said Bryson.

Staff members from Republican senator Jeff Miller's office have been questioned by a federal grand jury, but Miller has not been indicted. It all leads to an unusual backdrop for the special session on ethics. The first big vote might be about who should participate.

Bryson says he has not heard back from Senators Bowers and Crutchfield. They have said in the past they plan to attend the special session which starts on Tuesday.

NewsChannel 5 Investigates: Capitol Hill Corruption
Posted: 3/2/2005 12:55:00 PM
Updated: 1/9/2006 3:13:31 PM

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Long before federal agents rounded up state lawmakers as part of Operation Tennessee Waltz, NewsChannel 5's investigative team had turned its journalistic eye on Tennessee's Capitol Hill. Led by chief investigative reporter Phil Williams, that investigation discovered serious questions about the ethical conduct of Tennessee lawmakers.
"NewsChannel 5 Investigates: Capitol Hill Corruption"

Now, Gov. Phil Bredesen has called lawmakers into a special session to address ethics reform. The session convenes at 11 a.m. on Jan. 10.

A joint legislative committee has drafted an ethics reform proposal. A summary is available on the legislature's web site.

Lobbying of all 50 States

Government watchdogs have given Tennessee an "F" when it comes to disclosure of legislators' outside interests. Tennessee was also ranked 45th in the nation on disclosure of lobbying activities.

Here is how our NewsChannel 5 investigations have unfolded:

2003

Feb. 10, 2003: Lawmakers Enjoy Wining, Dining and More

Feb. 11, 2003: Lawmakers Write Loopholes for Selves

Feb. 12, 2003: Lobbyist Spending Cloaked in Secret

Feb. 24, 2003: Senator Taps Into Connections for Land Deal

Feb. 25, 2003: Can Legislature Police Its Own Ethics?

Nov. 27, 2003: Ford Says FedEx Charges Not Taxpayers' Concern

Dec. 12, 2003: Ford Apologizes For FedEx Spending

2004

May 26, 2004: Road Builders Use Gift to Pave Way with Public Officials

Dec. 7, 2004: Senate Chairman Faces Expanding Investigation

2005

Feb. 10, 2005: Ford Campaign Pays Women, Wedding Expenses

Feb. 11, 2005: Ford-Connected Company Profits from TennCare

Feb. 17, 2005: Ethics Committee Subpoenas Ford Records

Feb. 21, 2005: Senator's Former Girlfriend Says Campaign Funds Misused

Feb. 22, 2005: Did Campaign Money Finance Sporty Lifestyles?

Feb. 24, 2005: Feds Eye Ford Case, Contract Hinged On 'Principal Legislator'

Feb. 28, 2005: New Questions About Senator Ford's Financial Ties to TennCare

March 1, 2005: Wedding Video Shows How Ford Spent Campaign Money

March 2, 2005: Ford Could Surrender Tax Records Soon

March 3, 2005: Lawyer Says Ford Paid To Help TennCare Provider In Other States

March 4, 2005: Ford Faces Federal Grand Jury Investigation

March 8, 2005: Ford's Consulting Income Tops $1 Million

March 9, 2005: Ethics Panel Finds 'Probable Cause' Against Ford

March 11, 2005: Company Confirms New Ford Consulting Deal

March 14, 2005: Manager Says Ford Planned To Use Position For Profit
Statement of Johnson Controls

March 15, 2005: Ford Pushed Johnson Controls In Senate Office

March 16, 2005: Ford Confronts Ethics Allegations, As New Documents Released

March 17, 2005: Campaign Finance Board Issues Show-Cause On Ford Wedding

March 18, 2005: Ethics Chairman To Recommend Expanding Ford Investigation

March 23, 2005: New Information Ties Ford To Another TennCare Figure

March 24, 2005: Ethics Committee Asks Special Counsel To Aid Ford Investigation

March 29, 2005: Medicaid Fraud Unit Investigates Ford Case; TennCare Contractor Accused of 'Illegal Acts'

March 30, 2005: Ford Linked To Contractor As Company's Former Lawyer Alleges Illegal Activity

April 5, 2005: Clock Runs Out On Lobbyist Disclosure Bill

April 6, 2005: Millions Of Dollars Flow From TennCare To Ford-Connected Company

April 7, 2005: Democrat Lawmaker Says Ford Should Resign

April 20, 2005: State Moves Against TennCare Company With Ties To Ford

May 2, 2005: Lawmakers Steer Millions To Ford-Connected Firms
More On Ford-Connected Corporations

May 5, 2005: Governor Threatens Line-Item Veto of Questionable Appropriations

May 11, 2005: Ford Fined $10,000 For Misuse Of Campaign Funds

May 25, 2005: TennCare Figures Appear Before Federal Grand Jury

May 26, 2005: FBI Sting Snares Five Lawmakers, Two "Bag Men"

May 27, 2005: Ethics Committee Receives 'Damning' Evidence Against Ford

May 28, 2005: FORD RESIGNS!

June 1, 2005: Company Faces Lawsuit Over 'Illegal Political Payments'

June 29, 2005: Committee Refuses To Endorse New TennCare Contract

July 11, 2005: Agents Didn't Search Capitol Offices In Corruption Case

July 12, 2005: Ethics Reform Committee Dogged By Ethical Questions

July 13, 2005: Regulators Say 'There's A Problem On The Hill'

July 15, 2005: Lawmaker Named Co-conspirator In Federal Indictment

Aug. 8, 2005: Two More Lawmakers May Face Ethics Hearings

Aug. 9, 2005: Democrats Call For Republican Senator To Come Clean

Aug. 31, 2005: Ethics Panel Won't Probe Deal Involving Senator, Lt. Governor's Bank

Sept. 1, 2005: Ethics Panel Sets Different Standards For Ford, Cooper Investigations

Sept. 13, 2005: Ethics Chairman Wants Full Investigation of Cooper, Wilder Deal

Sept. 20, 2005: Senator Files Report Listing Thousand Dollars As 'Contribution'

Oct. 12, 2005: Ethics Committee Won't Ask Cooper About Land Deal

Nov. 17, 2005: Consensus Forming on Ethics Reform