Daily Dose for October 23, 2007

Cig Cops a State-Sponsored Rouse?

Cig Cops a State-Sponsored Rouse? -- Tennessee Center for Policy Research President Drew Johnson says that recent media reports about a force of cops who monitor Tennesseans purchasing cigarettes out of state and confiscate them when they bring them back in is all a lie by state government. Johnson reached this conclusion after an open records request revealed that the TN Dept. of Revenue made no additional hires or budget allocations for the cigarette tax enforcement program. Johnson: "They're bluffing because they know this program is completely unconstitutional, and if they were actually arresting people it would be overturned." However, Revenue spokeswoman Sophie Moery says the program is running without the department requesting additional revenue with at least 10 revenue agents.

Huckabee in TN -- Republican Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee will be in TN on Nov. 5 as part of Williamson Christian College's 10th anniversary celebration at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts. The event is a a rare non-campaign fundraiser benefitting the college's Single Parent Scholarship program and its annual fund.

Trial Lawyers Fire Lobbyist After Affair with Briley -- The Tennessee Association for Justice, formerly the Trial Lawyers Association, has fired its lobbyist, Mary Littleton, after it was revealed in the Nashville Scene that she was having an affair with powerful Judiciary Chair State Rep. Rob Briley. Suzanne Keith, the executive director of the group, said its lobbyist and legal counsel Mary Littleton was no longer employed by the organization, effective Monday. Littleton's name first surfaced when she was listed as Briley's next of kin on the police report after he was arrested for leading cops on a high speed chase while intoxicated.

TN Conservation Voters Reward Marrero & Kurita -- Tennessee Conservation Voters awarded State Sens. Beverly Marrero and Rosalind Kurita with top rankings on its legislative scorecard, scoring 11 "positive" actions for the environment. Some lawmakers were not represented on the scorecard, because several environmental bills never made it to the floor for them to vote on. In the House, Rep. Mike McDonald scored tops, while State Rep. Frank Niceley was rated the worst at -2. More here.

Shelby Co. Commission Weakens Ethics Policy -- The Shelby Co. Commission has voted to weaken its own ethics policy regarding accepting gifts. The tougher ethics policy took effect in June and put a $200 limit on gifts from groups with which the county does business, but the Commission voted 7-6 to add a proviso to that section allowing Commissioners to accept gifts over $200 if all the Commissioners get the same gift and it is disclosed. The key gift the Commissioners seem to have had in mind is University of Memphis football season tickets, which Commissioners were previously privy to, but whose value is over $200. Comm. Sidney Chism: "I don't think any commissioner is going to find themselves in the position where $200 or $100 basketball tickets or any ticket from any entity is going to influence their vote."

Hearing on Knox Co. Elections -- Chancellor Daryl Fansler will hear arguments regarding ordering a special election in Knox Co. to fill the seats after he ousted several County Commissioners as remedy to an Open Meetings lawsuit brought by the Knoxville News-Sentinel. Jim Murphy, a Nashville lawyer who represents the Knox County Election Commission and Assistant State Attorney General Janet Kleinfelter, representing state election coordinator Brook Thompson, likely will participate in the hearing. They have argued that the county has no legislative authority to hold a special election. Two other possible routes for remedy include calling a special session of the state legislature to order an election or appoint caretakers to the seats who agree not to run for election in early 2008. Related to that, here's more information about a story we briefly mentioned yesterday that the state is looking to weaken existing sunshine laws in wake of the KNS lawsuit.

Littlefield Puts Rutherford Back on Payroll -- Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield has temporarly put former City Councilwoman Marti Rutherford back on the city payroll so she can receive health retirement benefits from the city. As a former City Councilwoman, Rutherford receives a full pension, but stopped short of receiving health benefits because she was cut off from the payroll after being forced off the commission after it was revealed she didn't live in the district she represents. Littlefield says he will put Rutherford back on the payroll for three days until November 3 so Rutherford can qualify for those health benefits. At least two members of the Chattanooga City Council are upset with the move and have asked about legal recourse to stop it. More here.

Posted by Adam Groves | Email This |