Daily Dose for August 29, 2007

Ford Gets 5.5 Years

Ford Gets 5.5 Years -- Former State Sen. John Ford was sentenced yesterday to 5.5 years in prison for his role in the FBI's Operation TN Waltz investigation. Ford's attorney has argued that the judge should keep him out of prison until the trial begins in Nashville on a separate charge of misrepresenting consulting fees with a TennCare contractor. The Memphis Commercial Appeal quotes John Ford from 1994 and says it didn't come out like Ford has hoped: "When I do quit, I'm going to go out on top. And I guarantee you when I leave the Senate, the Senate will not be the same and everybody in the Senate will know that." More here and here

Cohen Meets with Black Ministers -- Following reports yesterday that Congressman Steve Cohen may again face a challenge from airline exec Nikki Tinker, Cohen met with a group of black ministers who had come out against him for his support of an expanded federal hate crimes bill which covered homosexuals. Cohen accused Tinker of using the issue as a wedge issue to drive further opposition from the black community. Rev. Robert Poindexter of Mt. Moriah Baptist Church summed up the feelings of some of the black ministers, but also caused the group that invited Cohen to issue an apology. Poindexter said: "He's not black and he can't represent me, that's just the bottom line ... I don't care how people try to dress is up, it always comes down to race and he can't know what it's like to be black."

Chattanooga City Council Puts Rutherford Under Fire -- After a spat with a Chattanooga radio jock brought up the issue, City Councilwoman Marti Rutherford is facing criticism from the Council on whether she lives in the district she represents. A special meeting of the City Council has been set for next Tuesday at 2 p.m. after two citizen complaints and a union complaint were filed against Councilwoman Marti Rutherford. One complaint was from the Service Employees International Union Local 205 and the other complaint was filed by some residents of District 6, which Rutherford represents on the City Council. More here

Posted by Adam Groves | Email This |