Home | Entries [Previous |Next]
0 Comments
Daily Dose for January 23, 2007
Daily Dose
Frist: Hill Wrong -- Serious backpedeling now on the whole Frist for Governor report filed in the Hill newspaper. Frist himself tells the Commercial Appeal that he has no idea who the unnamed source quoted in the article is, but it wasn't him and it wasn't "any of my counselors, kitchen cabinet or advisers" and he hasn't seriously thought about running for Governor yet. However, at the same event where Frist was quoted above, State Rep. Stacey Campfield's take is he was certainly working the room.
Baxter Leaves TVA -- Knoxville-businessman Bill Baxter has resigned his spot on the TVA board. Baxter: "I am now returning full time to the private sector after serving our state, region, and country in public positions for eight of the last nine years of my life." Baxter, for a brief stint, was in charge of the TVA before the reorganization. Before entering the TVA administration, Baxter briefly considered a Republican campaign for Governor a few years ago and this resignation certainly adds his name back to the list of prospective future political leaders.
No Public Input in Commission Replacements -- The Knox Co. Commission has decided to reject two proposals which would call for public input on replacements for out-going term-limited County Commissioners and constitutional officers. The commission rejected a plan to call for a special election for nine County Commissioners, the Register of Deeds, Trustee, Clerk, and Sheriff in favor of the Commission appointing the replacements. County Commission Chair Scott Moore explained the plan this way: ""I know the times are tough...We're getting a lot of calls. But that's the process." County Law Director John Owings said at the Jan. 31 meeting, the date Commissioners select replacements, Commissioners could discuss candidates among themselves but, under law, cannot ask questions of the candidates.
Corner-to-Corner Ethics -- Looks like the TBI may finally be taking a break from all those ethics investigations into Memphis public officials - they've been called to help out an investigation of the Unicoi County’s Circuit Court clerk's office on the other end of the state. Christy Howard, head of the clerk's office says she knows she didn't take county funds that are now mising from her department and hopes the TBI finds out who did. The organization is looking into auditing problems. Scratch that - another Memphis County Commissioner seems to be involved in some kind of scheme to lure minority contractors.
