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Daily Dose for November 15, 2007
Scotter Clippard New Head of Thompson Fundraising
Scotter Clippard New Head of Thompson Fundraising -- Jackson, TN native B.C. "Scotter" Clippard, once mentioned as a TN Gubernatorial candidate, is the new man in charge of fundraising for Fred Thompson's Presidential campaign. The announcement has not been made officials, but Clippard's official title will be Chairman of the First Day Founders, a group of 70-80 core Thompson supporters. Former GOP Gov. Winfield Dunn praised the decision. Clippard replaces Phil Martin. In other Thompson news, Thompson called "outrageous" the charge by fellow candidate Mitt Romney that Thompson may have bribed National Right to Life for their endorsement.
10th District Race Decided Tonight -- The race in the District 10 special election to replace outgoing State Sen. Ward Crutchfield, will be decided tonight. The race pits Democrat Andy Berke against Republican Oscar Brock. It's a race that has been significant for the amount of party involvement from both the Democrats and Republicans, with big names in each of the parties coming out to campaign for thier man. The latest squabble in the race is over a GOP charge that now-felon Ward Crutchfield may have cast an illegal vote in the race for Berke, which they say is "business as usual." Stay tuned to TN Politics Blog tonight for Election Night coverage.
Cooper Gets $120K Fine -- State Sen. Jerry Cooper was fined $120,000 for transferring campaign funds to a personal account by the Registry of Election Finance. During a criminal trial for a related incident, it was discovered Cooper funneled $95,004 from his campaign account into his personal account using 24 checks written from December 1999 to November 2001. The Tennessee Center for Policy Research filed the official complaint precipitating the Registry's action. More here and here. The Registry also levied another fine against TN Waltz-convicted former State Sen. Kathryn Bowers for failing to file her disclosures.
Womack Will Run Again in Murfreesboro -- Former State Sen. Andy Womack may run for retiring State Rep. John Hood's seat with the hope of keeping the seat in Democratic hands. The district in Murfreesboro has been considered a swing district the past few cycles with Republican businessman Joe Carr closely narrowly loosing to Hood two years ago. Carr is expected to run again.
Can Dems Capitalize in East TN? -- A cornerstone of new TN Democratic Party Chair Gray Sasser's policies so far has been voter targeting in the most unlikely of places - East TN. The eastern end of the state has been historically Republican since the Civil War, but that hasn't stopped Sasser from apply DNC Chair Howard Dean's 50 State Strategy to the region. The DNC funds a Democrat Field Rep for the area and voter outreach has been targeting blue collar areas. However, factionalism within Democratic ranks in Knoxville may be representative for roadblocks in the effort, as Frank Cagle explains.
Memphis Criminals Update -- City Councilman Rickey Peete, who plead guilty to accepting bribes while he was on the Memphis City Council, received 51 months in prison yesterday. He previously served prison time for the same type of offense, which destroyed any chance he had for leniency. Peete and fellow councilman Edmund Ford were indicted in December on charges they accepted a combined $18,900 in bribes for their votes on a zoning issue. Ford has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial. Meanwhile, newly indicted former Co. Commissioner Bruce Thompson pled not guilty to federal extortion charges on allegations he helped a construction company land a lucrative school building contract.
