August 31, 2006
Defending Marsha
Over at Farmer for Congress (whom I endorse) there is a debate going on about my Congressman, Marsha Blackburn. There are complaints that she votes for omnibus spending bills and globalization.
Marsha takes a lot of heat from a lot of people, including (occasionally) me, but I take slight umbrage at these accusations and feel I must insert some rationality into the debate.
Yes, when bills get to the floor she usually votes along party lines but what you don't see is the monumental amount of work she does behind the scenes to cut out the fat before the bills get to that point. Why do you think the Club for Growth gives her a score of 95 and ranks her 15th in the House?
She is one of the strongest supporters of the Second Amendment we have in Washington.
She went to the Mexican border and visited the Minutemen early in their efforts to bring attention to the crises of national proportions and supported their cause, taking up the rallying cry to bring safety to America.
For years, taxpayers have been able to deduct a portion their state income tax payments from their federal tax burden, leaving a heavier load to those of us living in states without a state income tax. As a freshman in the House, Marsha was successful in getting taxpayers in states that don't have an income tax (e.g., Tennessee!) an equitable tax break -- one of her stated objectives when she first ran. A freshman!
You may blame globalization for manufacturing loses at home, but you'll be wrong. From 1995 to 2002, manufacturing was down over 15% -- in China! (Didn't see that one coming, did you?)
Poverty is lower under Bush. You may hate No Child Left Behind (I do), but scores are rising. The economy has been doing incredibly well under Bush. Unemployment has been at near-record low levels.
My biggest complaint with Marsha is that she doesn't understand technology and votes with the RIAA, but that's just a matter of education.
I will continue to vote for Marsha as long as she continues to act just as she has in the past.
And remember:
If you want to vote for a politician that always votes the way you want them to, run for office.
- AlphaPatriot
Technorati tags: Marsha Blackburn, Club for Growth.
August 22, 2006
Political Signs Still Up
You see them everywhere: on the side of roads, nailed to trees, stuck in yards. I three 4x8 Harold Ford, Jr. signs on the way to and from work.
You don't see them in Bartlett, which requires a hefty deposit before the election and has a strict 3-days after the election and they're gone rule.
But Memphis doesn't have a rule. Any rule. So policy defaults to this:
A state law does, however, require that all signs be removed within three weeks after an election. Problem is, the law provides no punishment if they remain in a yard till doomsday. After all, those with the signs make the rules.
Just another piece of the incumbent protection culture of career politicians.
Chumney Wants to be Mayor
Carol Chumney was once a Tennessee congressman representing House District 89. But she resigned her post in 2003 to run for Memphis City Council District 5. This forced a special election, which she handily won by defeating George Flinn (who is now sitting on the County Commission).
Now she wants to change jobs again:
I'm preparing to run for mayor and I will make a formal announcement later at the appropriate time.
Chumney was often described as little more than a socialist while in the Tennessee House but has made a name for herself on the City Council by repeatedly challenging current mayor Willy Herrenton, particularly on the extravagant spending spree the Mayor has been on:
Chumney, elected to the council in October 2003, has become a lightning rod on the council. She frequently challenges the mayor and often times sparks the ire of her council colleagues who complain that she grandstands.
Chumney was elected seven times to the state legislature from 1990 to 2003 when she resigned to run for the council seat. She also ran for county mayor in 2002, but lost in the Democratic primary to Mayor A C Wharton.
Chumney will definitely face some challenges. for one, several others on the Council are talking like they may run. Also, she is white, a problem for any politician in this county that is running for a position other than a specific district. Finally, Herrenton has already made it clear that he is going to run for a fifth term, and he has built a powerful political machine.
On the other hand she has good name recognition and a lot of people are finally weary of "King Willie". Who knows? She couldn't possibly be worse, could she?
August 21, 2006
Michael Hooks Pleads Guilty, Will Collect Pension
Michael Hooks, Sr. resigned his post as Shelby County Commissioner effective 12:01 a.m. today, then walked into a court room and pleaded guilty to accepting $24,000 in bribes from FBI agents as part of the Tennessee Waltz sting. Said Hooks:
I have nobody to blame but me. I don’t blame the sting operation, I don’t blame the set-up, I blame Commissioner Hooks. And for that, I will pay for it the rest of my life.
But Hooks Sr. only pled guilty to one count of the two counts in the federal indictment:
The extortion and bribery charges in Hooks' indictment carried a maximum punishment of 30 years in prison and $500,000 in fines, but his plea deal with prosecutors should result in much lighter punishment.
Indeed, the charge to which he pled guilty carries a maximum of ten years in prison, but I'm betting he gets off with less.
So that "pay for the rest of my life" pill should be a little easier to swallow.
Not only does Mikey get off easy, but he gets to stay on the state pension plan. 55-year-old Hooks is eligible for $1,426 a month for life if he takes early retirement. That'll buy a lot of cigarettes in jail. Why so much? Because the Hooks are a sly breed:
If Hooks collects the pension, it will amount to about $17,000 a year, more than half of his current pay as a commissioner.
Hooks' pension would be considerably higher than most commissioners because he served as the county's elected assessor, earning $74,222 a year over his highest-paid 36 months. If Hooks had resigned from the commission when he was indicted last August, his monthly pension would have been about half of the $1,426.
However, he stayed in office past his 55th birthday on Oct. 13 and qualified for the full amount.
And now that "pay for the rest of my life" pill becomes insignificant. He gets out of jail early and lives on taxpayer money for the rest of his life. My friends, it is we who will pay for the rest of his life!
The one open question at this point is why federal prosecutors let him off so easy. Perhaps because he has agreed to testify against others in the string of prosecutions? There are still four others yet to be prosecuted as a result of the Waltz, two of the legislators.
One is John Ford, whose trial has conveniently been set to begin after the November elections so as not to taint Harold Ford Jr's chances of securing a US Senate seat (don't want the Ford family stink to get in the way). The other is state Senator Kathryn Bowers who will attend a plea hearing later today.
And of course, there's Michael Hooks, Jr., who is also waiting prosecution. What are the chances daddy will testify against his son?
As one of those "what a coincidence" happenings in the world, blogging journalist Cameron Harper was called up for jury duty last week. The reason: he was part of a special pool of potential jurors for the Michael Hooks, Sr. trial. As if he would ever get chosen!
Name Ford's Party
Pesky Fly has a great idea: name Harold's party who doesn't plan to go to D.C. saying, "Democrat, Democrat, Democrat."
Pesky can't name the party but has a suggestion for the mascot (take a look) but I think he's way off base. No matter how you dress up Ford, underneath he is one thing and one thing only: a true-blue liberal.
So I will name the party and suggest the mascot: The Chameleon Party
.
What's better for someone who talks like a conservative when he's on Fox News, talks like a liberal when he's surrounded by liberals, talks like a socialist when he's in south Memphis and votes like a Democrat all the time?
And the mascot? That's a Two-Face Two-Horn Chameleon.
[Picture taken by ales.kocourek]
Technorati tags: Harold Ford Jr., Tennessee Politics, Memphis Politics, Races of 2006, Liberals in Democrat Camouflage.
A Tale of Two Judges
The Commercial Appeal profiles two judges that unseated incumbents in the last election in Two Karens ready for black robes.
The first
is Karen Massey, an assistant public defender and former military intelligence officer. The endorsements for Massey were split along party lines, yet she was able to beat General Sessions Criminal Court Judge Mischelle Alexander-Best by 10,000 votes (a margin of 5.7 points).
She attributed her win to campaigning long hours in the hot sun and to the hard work of her parents, siblings and extended family.
"We put in a lot of hard work, and my parents can't even vote for me," Massey said with a laugh. "They live in Fayette County."
Next is Karen Webster, who had virtually no endorsements. Her opponent, longtime Probate Court Judge Donn Southern, was endorsed by both the Democrat and Republican parties.
Yet Webster was able to take him down, albeit by the slimest of margins -- a mere 588 votes out of 114,000 cast (a margin of 0.6 points).
In his endorsement letter, Attorney Richard Fields noted:
Probate Court deals with estates from a shotgun house to businesses worth millions of dollars. It requires knowledge of tax laws, constant updates of legislative changes, and sensitivity to people who have lost their loved ones.
Fields said that Judge Southern was experienced, knowledgeable and fair, and had this to say about Webster:
His opponent, Karen D. Webster, has absolutely no qualifications to be a Probate Judge. She has had few cases in Probate Court and none of a complex nature. Her previous experience as a city prosecutor and county contract attorney did not involve probate matters. She simply is not qualified for such a specialized court as Probate Court.
Two candidates. The one with only conservative endorsements (in a county of overwhelming Democrat population and trending more so) wins easily. The one whose opponent received every endorsement eeks out a win.
Interesting.
August 15, 2006
Bredesen's Trooper Scandal Continues
Troopergate: the gift that never stops giving.
13 troopers were promoted in a "dramatic restructuring" last Wednesday. Among those:
- Captain Danny Wilson was promoted to lieutenant colonel (THP's second-highest rank). In 1993 Wilson used his service revolver to shoot out a television and a large oval mirror at his estranged girlfriend's house (who was not home) and left a note describing what he wanted to be preached at his funeral.
- Captain John Eldridge was promoted to major:
Eldridge is a personal friend of Deputy Gov. Dave Cooley's brother-in-law, according to state records, and gave $600 to Gov. Phil Bredesen's campaign in 2004.
- Captain J.R. Perry was promoted to major:
Perry was promoted from sergeant to captain, skipping lieutenant, after he and his wife gave $312 to Bredesen in 2002; they gave an additional $100 in 2004.
- Captain Wayne Springer was promoted to major:
Springer had cited references for promotion in recent years from U.S. Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Pall Mall, and Democratic activist Marvin Sandrell of Columbia, who was slated to welcome U.S. Senate candidate Harold Ford Jr. at a cookout-fundraiser at his barn tonight.
- Lieutenant Don Nicholson was promoted to Captain. In 2003, Nicholson was made lieutenant in spite of having the lowest promotion ranking out of 15 sergeants, and was promoted over 5 other sergeants with higher scores shortly after Bredesen took office and shortly after Nicholson's family had given $350 to the governor's 2002 campaign.
- Lieutenant Robert Melton was promoted to Captain.
[Melton] also contributed or had family members contribute to Bredesen, according to records. A Robert Melton listed at his home address gave $1,675 to his 2002 campaign, records show.
An auditing firm (Kroll, Inc.) hired by the state to review Tennessee Highway Patrol promotion processes found them to be "corrupted" and "tainted" by political activity, unethical conduct and lies and called for more transparency, which we all thought was being put into place. But:
However, the process that culminated in Wednesday's promotions of higher-ranking officers was less transparent. There was no formal application process or job postings for the executive command staff.
Bredesen's bag man "Safety Commissioner" defended the promotions:
Nicely said troopers' political activity played no part in the promotion process "any more than it played in the demotions and some of the dismissals we've had since we've been here. I don't think you can say someone is qualified because they've been politically active or not qualified. I think you have to judge them on their merits." Walker also said politics played no part in the promotions process.
Just curious. Did any of the promotees have a record of being active in or making large donations to the GOP? Anybody?
Are we, then, to assume that every THP patrolman is a Democrat? I doubt it.
Ah well, if the impossible happens Bryson for Governor points out that Bryson promises to remove politics from the THP.
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August 10, 2006
Voting Twice
Voter reform advocate John Harvey has found yet more possible probable fraud:
It appears that approximately 164 people have early voted in Shelby County who, according to their Tennessee Driver's License data, live outside Shelby County. I have forwarded the results of my analysis to the Shelby County District Attorney and also to James Johnson of the Shelby County Election Commission.
On another note, it also appears there are at least five people who have a voters registration in both Shelby and Fayette County.
Harvey also documents on his Voting in Memphis site that Harold Ford, Sr. (daddy to our current Democrat Senate candidate) is still registered to vote in Shelby County even though he now resides in Florida. A quick check using Harvey's Shelby County Voter Registration Database Lookup shows that Ford Sr. has voted 15 times since 1994, and as we are in the midst of our seventh election cycle since then one wonders just how many trips back from Florida Mr. Ford has made to cast illegal votes. Or do you think the election commission sends him an absentee ballot every two years?
Technorati Tags: Voting Reform, Crooked Politics, Elections, Memphis+Politics, Shelby County Tennessee Politics, Tennessee Politics.
August 4, 2006
Election Night Closing Observations
In a rematch of the 2002 Juvenile Court Clerk race, Steve Stamson eeked out a win over Shep Wilbun by 313 votes, a mere 0.2 percent margin of victory (although a winner in this race has yet to be officially declared and it's nearing 3 a.m.). This is in spite of the fact that Stamson unseated Wilbun in 2002 as allegations of sexual misconduct swirled around Wilbun's administration. And in spite of the fact that Stamson stepped into a mess of a court and got things running smoothly.
Debbie Stamson (yes, she's Steve Stamson's wife) took Shelby County Clerk by 303 votes, also 0.2 percent of the vote (a winner has not been officially declared in this race either). I'm wondering why 3,648 fewer people would vote for Shelby County Clerk — a position that affects every taxpayer — than Juvenile Court Clerk? I can't imagine. I'm just pleased Stamson beat out opponent Otis Jackson (pending recount, no doubt).
Another sqeaker is Steve McManus' win over Brad Jobe for TN House District 96 by 67 votes — a 1 percent margin of victory. McManus has been active in the party for some time, so young Jobe ran a heck of a race.
The big news in this county is that Steve Cohen won the Democrat primary for U.S. House District 9, the seat held by Senate candidate Harold Ford, Jr. A Ford has held that seat for over 30 years. But the reason that Cohen's win is big news is because Cohen is white, and the air waves are crackling with rhetoric saying the black population of District 9 needs an African-American representing them. While there were 15 names on the ballot in this race, if the black population wanted a black representative then over 23 thousand of them (31%) shouldn't have picked Cohen! And can you imagine the outrage if someone said a black politician couldn't represent a virtually all-white district? Double standards and hypocrisy abound.
Mark White sailed to an easy win in TN House District 9 Republican primary. Now comes the hard part — he'll be facing Cohen in November. At one time I would have said "not a chance in hell", but I won't in the post-Terry Rolland world.
I am gratified to find that Sherrif candidate Reginald French only garnered only 37% of the vote. He's shady but has close ties to the Democrat machine in this town. I thought this race would be a squeaker but Mark Luttrell won with 63 percent of the vote.
Today's stunner in this neck of the woods is how badly John Farmer trounced Rory Bricco for TN House District 8: 78 percent to 22. I picked Bricco but am certainly not displeased by Farmer's win. I've met Farmer several times — hell, he has even commented on my blog and I on his — and liked what I heard. I just didn't get the sense that he was a force to be reckoned with. I was obviously incredibly, astoundingly wrong. Congratulations John! District 8 will be well represented.
I'll not comment on the Bob Corker win as it would come across as more than a little bitter. Is it small of me that I take some solace in the fact that I spent about ten minutes verbally abusing Josh (who works in Lamar Alexander's Memphis office) about how Bush came to Alexander's aid in 2002, yet all of Washington abandoned Tennessee conservatives in 2006? (Josh is a great guy and Alexander is lucky to have him — he handled the scolding with grace and patience.) Can you say "Senator Ford"? You'd better learn 'cause Corker can't stand up to Ford, no matter how much money he raises.
On a final Ed Bryant note, I urge you to read this heartfelt post from Volunteer Voters.
Half-Bakered has some closing thoughts that are well worth reading. For instance, Mike notices that the Tennessee Waltz hasn't made much of an impact on Shelby County races (not surprising in the town of Herenton and Ricky Peete) and that the County Commission is finally going Democratic (I hadn't yet picked up on that).
A well, it's 3 a.m. and I must get up at 6:30 to go to work. One of these year's I'll learn to take vacation days around election time. [Mental note: this happens again in November]
Two Judicial Races
Judge Ward won Criminal Court Judge (Div. 9) by a mere 8 points. Ward was voted "Judge of the Year" by his peers in 2005 and endorsed by both the Democrat and Republican parties. Yet his opponent, Alicia Howard, garnered over 55 thousand votes in spite of the fact that she has "virtually no criminal experience" and filed for bankruptcy in 2000.
Jim Lammey trounced his opponent for Criminal Court Judge (Div. 5) by 30 points. Yet he had a weak endorsement from the Commercial Appeal and his opponent, Dewun Settle, was endorsed by the Democrat Party. I doubt that the voters knew or cared that Settle has been censured, found in willful contempt of court and pleaded guilty to charges of legal malpractice.
Technorati Tags: Tennessee Politics, Tennessee Shelby County Judicial Races of 2006, Mark Ward, Alicia Howard, Avoiding Unqualified Judges, Jim Lammey, Dewun Settle.
August 3, 2006
Looking for a Party?
I'll be at the Republican Victory Celebration at the Field HQ (5026 Park Ave. in the Eastgate Shopping Center) tonight, but there's lots more going on:
- District Attorney Bill Gibbons
Fox and Hound on Sanderlin - Sheriff Mark Luttrell
Luttrell HQ at Park Place Mall (1245 Ridgeway at Park) - Steve and Debbie Stamson, Senator Curtis Person for Juvenile Court Judge, Judge Fred Axley, Bill Key
Variety Club at 1648 Sycamore View Road - Willingham for Mayor
Willingham HQ near Quince and Kirby - Jane Pierotti for County Commission
Pierotti HQ on S. Mendenhall - Tom Leatherwood and Chris Thomas
Wolfchase Commons, between S&K Mens store and LA Weight Loss across Home Depot - Jim Lammey
Coach's Sports Bar at 4210 Alturia (near Egypt Central)
Here's hoping there's lots and lots of celebrating going on!
Justice Department Watching Shelby County Polls
Big Brother is watching:
Justice Department personnel will watch and record activities during voting hours at various polling locations in the city to ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act. A Civil Rights Division attorney will coordinate the federal activities and maintain contact with local election officials.
Read that again: they're here to ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act, not to make sure that dead people don't vote, or people don't vote twice, or ballot boxes aren't stuffed, or Diebold machines aren't tampered with, or criminals don't vote, or illegal aliens don't vote, or imaginary people don't vote, or people living in other states don't vote, or to stop any of the other things that take place when elections are stolen.
Memphis attorney Richard Fields said the monitors most likely are not coming to Memphis because of any anticipated illegal activity, and he didn't consider the announcement significant.
Mr. Fields is absolutely correct.
The Justice Department statement reads:
Each year, the Justice Department deploys hundreds of federal observers from the Office of Personnel Management, as well as departmental staff, to monitor elections across the country. In 2004, a record 1,463 federal observers and 533 Department personnel were sent to monitor 163 elections in 105 jurisdictions in 29 states. Last year for off-year elections, there were 640 federal observers and 191 Department personnel sent to monitor 47 elections in 36 jurisdictions in 14 states.
Just another day in politics as usual. Let's not ensure actual justice takes place. Like, you know, fair and honest elections.
Technorati Tags: Tennessee Politics, Shelby County Politics, Races of 2006, Election Shenanigans, Stealing Elections, Election Reform, Justice Department.
Short Lines at Some Polls
The Commercial Appeal reports "smooth sailing" at the polls, in spite of County Republican Party chairman Bill Giannini's comments to the contrary:
A contractor for the voting machine vendor, Diebold Elections Systems, said at the 10 precincts he’d visited the machines were operating smoothly. Election Commission Chairman Greg Duckett said he found smooth operations — and short lines — on a morning tour through South Memphis.
County Republican Party chairman Bill Giannini, however, said he waited an hour and a half to vote in Lakeland. Lines were growing even larger at 10 a.m., he said.
"Even in a presidential election I haven’t seen turnout like that,’’ Giannini said.
I drove past two polling places (right at 5:00) in heavy Democrat areas and saw about a dozen cars in those two places combined. The next polling place was, I think, in a mixed area bordering Bartlett, with maybe ten cars outside. By 5:10 I was at the Singleton Community Center in Bartlett (heavy Republican) where there were so many cars that parking had spilled around to the rear of the building. But there wasn't a line out the door.
Tennessee Politics Blog reports light voting across the state:
With approximately four hours of voting left, turnout reports are light throughout the state. Nathan Moore is reporting turnout around Nashville is light. Likewise, in Knoxville Volunteer TV reports "short lines" this morning in Knoxville, with the average voter taking approximately 5 minutes to vote.
Meanwhile, the Tennessean reports low numbers in a variety of districts: 27 people had voted at a location in Green Hills, only 30 people had voted by 9:45 a.m. at a south Nashville location, slow going at the 15th Street Baptist Church, "somewhat light but steady" at a precinct in Hendersonville, people leaving because of a late opening at Una Baptist Church, and voting finally turning heavy by lunch at Immanuel Baptist Church in Belle Meade. The Davidson County Administrator of Elections said that only two precincts had reported heavy traffic, but that everything was going smoothly with the new voting machines.
Technorati Tags: Tennessee Politics, Shelby County Politics, Races of 2006.
Blogger Endorsements
Voluntarily Conservative has reposted his complete list of endorsements, a must-read for all Knox County voters.
Say Uncle is has endorsed Bryant and noted the GOA endorsement of Bryant.
And Half-Bakered finally sticks his head up long enough to make a few endorsements as well (including Bryant). Ah well, better today than tomorrow.
Mine, of course, are here.
Lefties need to check out Left Wing Cracker's endorsements. [Hint: we actually agree on a few.]
Ballot Box (Not) Stolen (Yes They Were!)
And so it begins: apparently someone using forged credentials made off with election materials from the election operations center:
In an astounding development, the Flyer has learned, ballot materials, including a ballot box to be used for "off-machine" purposes (certain write-in ballots and provisional ballots) and other election-day supplies, were checked out of the Shelby County Election Commission's operations center office at Shelby Farms Wednesday by an unauthorized individual. ...
The ballot box and other electon-day supplies, including the preinct roster, belonged to Precinct 49-1, a South Memhis box located at Alton Elementary School at 2020 Alton. Prince 49-1 is a majority black precinct with 843 voters.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has been called in and is conducting an "emergency investigation". Election Commission members and personnel were instructed to appear at the operations center.
[HT to The Pesky Fly]
Update: It turns out that the election materials were not stolen after all, but merely a mixup. It turns out that our Election Commission (appointed, not elected) gave two women letters of appointment that put them in charge of the precinct headquartered at Alton Elementary School.
But wait! Just when we thought the integrity of the election was safe:
Meantime, the officer in charge of Precinct 36-2 in North Memphis reported that his car was stolen with his poll supplies inside. The TBI is investigating that matter, too, and Duckett said there was little he could say. Election officials went to the polling place at 1542 Jackson this morning with backup supplies to open the poll, he said.
Come on! How hard is it to get supplies delivered to a few sites scattered out in one county?
Technorati Tags: Election Shenanigans, Stealing Elections, Election Reform.
Vote Carefully
Political sage Frank Cagle thinks that Bryant is going to surge ahead of Hilleary today. Moreover:
Today we will get an accurate count on the people voting in the Republican primary, and the results could be surprising. That’s because Corker’s juggernaut has stalled. Corker, for all his money, has evidently hired the worst opposition researcher working in politics. His negative ads against Bryant and Hilleary are stupid, wrong, and more importantly in politics, they do not pass the smell test. ...
But the real meat of Cagle's analysis lies in looking ahead to the race against Ford:
However, if Corker should win the primary, how much credibility will he have running ads about Congressman Harold Ford Jr.’s voting record? ...
Corker will no longer be running against conservative Republicans. He will be running against a well-funded, confident and poised candidate: the hottest thing in Tennessee as well as the national media. Congressman Harold Ford Jr. is the political story of the year, in-state and nationally: Will he be the first black Southern senator since Reconstruction? A young man from a scandal-ridden family overcoming adversity and winning over Southern rednecks is an irresistible story line. Junior will be earning “free media” on network and cable television, and you can expect glowing profiles in national magazines and newspapers.
Junior will also have the money to answer Corker on television. Those niggling little accusations and stories about Corker will suddenly get legs with a push from the Democrats and a sympathetic candidate. Those tax returns no one seemed to care about in the primary may become sought-after items. Those illegal aliens hired by a Mud Island subcontractor will have their life stories told.
I have had conservatives tell me recently they don’t see any difference between Corker and Ford and they may vote for Ford to “pay back” the Republican establishment for “buying” the nomination. Tennessee Right to Life leaders have already said they will not endorse Corker in the general.
Vote for Ed Bryant today.
[HT to Blogging for Bryant]
Camouflage and Diversion
Blogging for Bryant uses his urban combat driving skills for dual purposes. Reading it almost made Mountain Dew spray out my nose.
Early Poll Report
I stopped by the poll in my area (a heavy Republican precinct) about 7:45 this morning and talked to one of the workers and a precinct captain.
Both felt that turnout was about the same as in previous elections. Both expressed disappointment, saying they had expected the line to be out the door.
There was, as usual, a fairly long line early and, as usual, some people stood in line a while before leaving leave for work, abandoning their opportunity. Three or four even made it all the way through the process and were only waiting for a booth, but it got to the point where they just had to leave (which will be confusing for everyone should they return later and attempt to vote).
I drove by another polling place in a heavy Democrat area and didn't see much activity from the outside (about the same as the other) but didn't go inside.
August 2, 2006
Tomorrow, Why Ed?
Tomorrow is election day here in Tennessee. For conservative voters, there is one important choice yet to make: Ed Bryant or Van Hilleary for TN Senate?
My friends, it is time to toss Van:
- Going into early voting, Ed was ahead of Van in the polls.
- Shelby County is Ed's back yard and the number of voters that turned out for early voting set a new record.
- On the average, there was light voting across the rest of the state, which is bad news for Van. He cannot win.
- The light voting across the rest of the state is also bad for Corker. The unique combination of voting patterns gives me hope for the first time that Ed can beat Corker in spite of the money Corker is throwing at the election.
At this point, Van is out. A vote for Van is a vote for Corker who, incidentally polls the worst against Ford.
And really, in the end, there's just not that much difference between Corker and Ford.
The decision is clear. Vote Ed Bryant, the true conservative in the race. Don't believe me? Read Enduring Faith, Personal Integrity, Conservative Values by one who worked closely with Ed for almost three years.
And if anyone is looking for guidance as to how to vote for the forty county judicial races or 27 state judical confirmations take a look at my recommendations. Hours of research so you don't have to!
Download and print the Complete AlphaPatriot's Shelby County Voter's Guide. Take it with you to the polls. Pass it out to your friends!
<⁄end shameless self-promotion>
Technorati Tags: Ed Bryant, Van Hilleary, Bob Corker, Tennessee Politics, Tennessee Senate Race, Shelby County Politics.
August 1, 2006
The Complete AlphaPatriot's Shelby County Voter's Guide
Quicklink: The complete AlphaPatriot Shelby County Voter's Guide.Explanation: The ballot on Thursday is the longest in Shelby County history, with every voter having 96 races on which to make a decision and Memphis voters having 103. Sixty six of these are for county judges, about which most voters have no idea.
I performed extensive research for the judicial races and am darn glad I did. There are some very respected jurists in the race and there are some who are astonishingly unqualified. For instance:
- Candidates for Criminal Court Judge with no criminal trial experience.
- A candidate that has been publicly censured, found in "willful contempt of court" and found guilty of legal malpractice.
- Candidates in bankruptcy, that have had their law license suspended, and pled guilty to mishandling client affairs.
You may want to view just the county judicial races as I have included endorsements from all my sources so you can compare them.
But if you want to just print something off and go vote, I highly recommend my complete list of endorsements. It includes links to my research so you can make your own decision, but few of my choices are controversial.
I've done hours of research so you don't have to! As always, comments welcome. And on this topic, comments from practicing attorneys are especially appreciated.
Endorsement for Sheriff Luttrell
Four years ago the Shelby County Sheriff's department was in a very, very sad state of affairs.A DOJ investigation in 2000 found that conditions in the Shelby County Jail violated the constitutional rights of inmates. Today, the Shelby County Jail has received state accreditation and is no longer the object of federal supervision.
Under the previous sheriff, there were reports of jobs for sale and preferential treatment for insiders. There was a sense of lawlessness in the department. Today those allegations are gone and integrity has returned.
Under the previous administration, the department was a black hole for taxpayer monies. Luttrell has reduced the Sheriff department's budget each year he has been in office.
His oppenent, Reginald French, promises to rebid all contracts if elected. Can you say political payback and cronyism?
French has been tied to scandals and has been called "the most dangerous non-judicial candidate" on the August ballot.
Yet in this town of crooks in politics (can you say "Ricky Peete"?), Reginald French stands a very good chance of being elected, so this will be a close race.
However, in this race there is a third choice. John Harvey is a lieutenant in the Shelby County Sheriff's Department and is running a credible write-in campaign.
I know John Harvey. He is intelligent, principled and passionate. The man is everywhere, attending every political event possible and participating in every debate he can. Where he is excluded from the debate, he stands outside as voters enter to greet them and let them know that there is another choice. He has made a name for himself by exposing the poor state of affairs in the voting system, having found a rather extensive list of dead voters and voters registered in two counties or states. He utilized his rather good programming skills to create a site where you can look up the record of every Shelby County voter.
John Harvey is an asset to the community and an invaluable resource for exposing voter fraud.
Yet in the end, Harvey has no chance of winning. His only effect will be to pull enough votes away from Luttrell so that the citizens of Shelby County are saddled with Reginald French for the next four years (can you say "Ross Perot"?).
One of Harvey's complaints about the Sheriff is that he has accepted bribes from felons, which is a violation of department policy. I confronted the Sheriff with that allegation at one of the numerous forums that I attended. The Sheriff responded that
- No campaign contributions received were illegal. His campaign treasurer checks out each dollar given to make certain that it does not come from an ineligable source. (That does not address the department policy issue that Harvey complains of.)
- No contribution has every influenced policy or resulted in preferential treatment. (A claim I believe, as studies have shown that to be true of politics in general except for large contributions from special interest groups.)
- The beauty of our society is that we offer 2nd chances. The felons that the allegations refer to were convicted 15 or 20 years ago and have reintegrated into society. Most importantly, they have gotten thier voting rights back and are citizens just like anyone else. (On this point I whole-heartedly agree. Voting rights for ex-cons is one of my issues, even though (or maybe because) I am a conservative.)
Technorati Tags: Mark Luttell, Reginald French, John Harvey, Tennessee Politics, Shelby County Politics, Shelby County Sherrif Race, Corruption in Politics.
Who is Reginald French?
French has been closely associated with Mayor Herrenton and is tied to the various administration scandals.For instance, Memphis Watchdog reports this series of events:
- In late 2000, French purchases an IT outsourcing firm, Associated Softworks (ASW), for roughly $100,000. French had no IT experience.
- In November 2000, Memphis awards Systems and Computer Technology (SCT) an IT outsourcing contract for $41 million.
- Four months later, French's company ASW lands a lucrative subcontract from SCT.
- ASW is currently supplies the city with "professional services" in a no-bid contractual agreement.
He is a sexual harasser, perjurer, and unethical public official. Mr. French worked in Mayor Herenton’s initial campaign in 1991 and was rewarded with the position of Director of the Mayor’s Action Center in February 1992. In 1997, he was appointed to interim director of the Division of Public Services at a salary of $89,000 per year. On August 8, 1997, his secretary, Ms. Mary F. Johnson, filed a sexual harassment complaint against Mr. French alleging that he asked her for sex. When she refused and reported his actions, she was terminated. Before a formal investigation could begin, Mr. French resigned. Ms. Johnson was reinstated with back pay and a promotion.Only the most ignorant or blindly partisan of voters will be voting for this man. In other words, with Memphis being the largest part of Shelby County, French stands a very good chance of being elected.In 2000 Mr. French bought a majority interest in a computer consulting company for $100,000 (although he never paid for it, it is the subject of a pending litigation in Chancery Court) even though he had no computer experience. In a fax dated October 29, 2002, from Carlee McCullough (see above) to Lillie Alford of the Uniform Certification Agency, Ms. McCullough asked for an expedited review of Reginald French’s company to classify it as a minority business enterprise saying they had a contract on the table and they needed the classification immediately to validate the contract. Mr. French started receiving contracts through ACS (the City’s information technology contractor) in July of 2003 and has received approximately $1.5 million to date.
Mr. French also wore a wire for the FBI trying to implicate Mayor Herenton in an illegal contract deal Mr. French was trying to arrange with the former chief administrator for the Mayor of Atlanta. He wore the wire after his contact gave Mr. French and his wife funds to contribute to Mayor Herenton’s campaign. At this time, Mr. French is appointed to the Memphis Alcohol Commission, which he oversees the establishments that serve alcoholic beverages. He has accepted $1,000 campaign contributions from Ralph Lunati and Charles Westerland, the owners of Platinum Plus and the former King of Clubs, respectively, the two largest strip clubs in Memphis.
Reginald French is a political hack and hopefully will be investigated by federal authorities.
Technorati Tags: Reginald French, Tennessee Politics, Shelby County Politics, Shelby County Sherrif Race, Corruption in Politics.