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Daily Dose for April 16, 2008
Blackburn's Fundraising Blunders
Blackburn's Fundraising Blunders -- Congressman Marsha Blackburn on Tuesday acknowledged failing to report more than a quarter-million dollars in campaign expenditures over the past six years, much of which are disbursements to her own family members. Blackburn also reported failing to report $102,044 in contributions. Blackburn says she plans to correct the errant FEC reporting in a series of amendments to disclosure reports dating back to her first run for Congress in 2002. Tom Leatherwood, Blackburn's GOP Primary opponent, used the opportunity to hit Blackburn hard on the issue. Leatherwood: "While many families are struggling just to make the monthly budget in this poor economy, Congressman Blackburn has misplaced over a quarter of a million dollars. If we can't trust her to manage her own budget, how can we trust her to manage our tax dollars?" More here.
Kyle Opposes DUI Fine Increases -- State Sen. Jim Kyle opposing a bill that would raise minimum fines for DUI convictions said fines are already so high that many people cannot pay them. Kyle argued that the higher the fine imposed, the more likely offenders are to pay nothing at all. Kyle: "If someone owes you $100, they'll try to pay you. If they owe you $1,000, they're going to give up and not pay anything ... This will have an adverse effect in that most people will decide not to pay anything. They'll just drive their car without a license and go on down the street." The legislative staff estimated the bill, if enacted, will generate about $3M per year in new revenue. Half would go into a state fund for alcohol and drug addiction treatment, and the other half would go to the local government where the offense occurred.
TN Plan in Question -- The Commercial Appeal looks at the Tennessee Plan for selecting an reelecting judges, which expires in June, unless the Legislature renews it. Under the plan, appealate and other judges are selected by a nominating panel of lawyers, appointed by the Governor and only face general 'yes' or 'no' elections to continue their tenure. Luminary John Jay Hooker has been fighting against the TN Plan for many years - and Brian T. Fitzpatrick, writing in the CA, points out the fundamental unfairness of the plan, which requires the support of lawyers instead of the public.
Group Criticizes Dean for Not Including Gay-Owned Businesses -- Nashville's GLBT community criticized Nashville Mayor Karl Dean's new anti-discrimination policy for contracting because it does not set standards for awarding Metro contracts to gay-owned businesses. Griffin & Strong attorney Rodney Strong said the exclusion of GLBT-owned businesses comes from the fact there is no constitutional or legal precedent for including them in procurement nondiscrimination programs.
Knox Petition Cleans Up Charter Amendments -- Knox Co. Charter Petition, a group of citizens in that county proposing extensive changes to the county charter hope to get their provisions on the ballot, regardless of county commission approval. The group says it will probably collect signatures to get its revised provisions on the ballot - even if the County Commission does not directly approve them to be placed on the ballot. Earlier, several Commissioners voiced opposition to some of the provisions, which Law Dir. John Owings said contained ambiguous legal language which would put them in jeopardy. The group changed the wording of their amendments following Owings report.
