Breaking: Ford to Sit in Special Session January 09, 2006

Democrat Ophelia Ford, who won a special election to replace her brother former State Senator John Ford, will be provisionally seated at the special session on ethics reform to begin tomorrow. Ford defeated Republican Terry Roland in the race to replace indicted Sen. John Ford, who resigned following Operation Tennessee Waltz by 13 votes. That election remains in question before the State Senate, but a Senate committee defered action on the matter until the names of the voters who cast ballots can be checked against a database of death certificates. That means that Ophelia Ford will represent District 29, which includes parts of Memphis, in the special session, but her fate as the full-time Senator from District 29 is still in question.

Two Republicans, Sens. Ron Ramsey and Jeff Miller voted against the provisional arrangement, but the proposal passed 4-2, with Democrats and Republican Chairman Mike Williams voting for the arrangement. Ramsey questioned the need to "move forward with an election that we know stinks to high heaven," but Democrat Sen. Roy Herron said at 13 votes should be shown fradulant before the committee invalidates the election. Six illegal votes have already been discovered in the race.

1/10 Update: More details from the Commercial Appeal and State Representative Stacey Campfield who sat in on the hearings.

— Posted by: Larry January 10, 2006 07:43 AM