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Daily Dose for April 04, 2006
Daily Dose
Cohen Running for Ford's Seat -- State Sen. Steve Cohen, a Memphis Democrat, wants to make a move to Washington. Cohen announced he is running for Harold Ford, Jr's Congressional seat after 24 years of service as a State Senator in the General Assembly. Cohen will face off against nine other Democrats in the Democratic primary and then a Republican opponent in November.
Cooper Targeted in Land Deal -- A federal prosecutor said Monday that Sen. Jerry Cooper, D-Smartt, helped arrange a fraudulent loan for the purchase of a lumber mill he owned. He also said, Sen. Cooper helped an Alabama man "get a loan and arranged for an appraisal that was false." Previously prosecutors said Sen. Cooper was not a target of the federal investigation, but that may be changing after the guily pleas of the couple that falsified a loan in order to acquire the land in the deal. With Anthony and Teresa Auyer pleading guilty, the prosecution may turn to Sen. Cooper who refused to testify in their case, according to the Tennessean. The Senate Ethics Committee cleared Sen. Cooper of violating Senate ethics laws last month.
Protest Bill 'Reaction' -- State Sen. Bill Ketron says his support of a bill that would allow the Senate and House leadership to clear out protests around Capitol Hill in Nashville was an 'oversight'. "I think all of us acted or reacted from Mayor Purcell not doing what he should’ve done the first day...And by this bill, it would’ve given us that authority with the THP over Metro Police,” Ketron said. Several lawmakers said they will now vote against the bill, because they didn't realize that it covered the sidewalks around the Capitol or could limit anti-income tax protests like the one that stopped the state from implimenting a state income several years ago.
State Supreme Court Asked to Take Up Knox Co. Election Challenges -- The state Supreme Court has been asked to pull up a case in Knox Co. Chancery Court over whether or not constitutional officials in Knox County, such as Sheriff, Register of Deeds, and Trustee are exempt from the Supreme Court's ruling on term limits. The ballot intiative passed in 1994 by voters in Knox County includes verbage that may suggest that term limits apply to all officers of Knox County. Election officials in that county are also preparing for an abnormal number of write in campaigns, since 2/3rds of thte commissioners on the County Commission have been term-limited by a decision of the State Supreme Court. Party conventions are also expected to be used to determine party nominees for certain Commission seats were only term-limited incumbents were running.
Corker and Hilleary in East TN -- The Kingsport Times reports a visit by Republican Senate candidates Bob Corker and Van Hilleary to the Greater Kingsport Republican Women's Club in Far East Tennessee. Bob Corker defended his vote in Democratic primaries in Nashville and Van Hilleary said what seperates him from Ed Bryant is he doesn't think Harold Ford, Jr. is a threat: "Ed Bryant is scared of Harold Ford...I think Harold Ford is unelectable. He is wrong on guns, abortion and taxes. Half his family is under indictment" Ford's campaign responded: "If anyone is unelectable, it is Van Hilleary. He has taken thousands of dollars from convicted felon Jack Abramoff. He has voted to increase the federal debt by over a trillion dollars, and he has a long record of cutting health care and other benefits to our nation's veterans."
Qualifications Galore -- We're rapidly approaching the qualifying deadline for races this cycle, so more and more people are qualifying. Here's some of them:
- Senate District 11 - Jim Hall, a Democrat who served as chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board from 1994-2001 and in the cabinet of former Tennessee Gov. Ned McWherter, qualified on Monday to run for the state Senate seat being vacated by David Fowler. Republicans Rep. Bo Watson and Wes Kliner have also qualified for that seat.
- House District 31 - David Norton, a Republican, jumped in the race to replace Bo Watson who is seeking a Senate seat. Attorney Chris Lanier also qualified. Jeff Lewis and Randy Fairbanks, two other Republicans have both picked up papers. From Rhea County, Spring City developer George Thacker and retired Tennessee Valley Authority employee and Spring City resident Jim Cobb have also qualified for the District 31 seat.
- House District 68 - Clarksville Police Department Detective Tony Blakely picked up papers to run as a Democrat to replace Rep. Kim McMillan. Republican Ken Tagasaki has formally qualified for the seat. He returned his petition yesterday.
