TennWatch/Volitics

Ford Family Tree

Newton (N.J.) and Vera Ford begat 15 children. Among them:

• Harold Ford, Sr., former federal representative. First Ford to enter the world of politics since the 1880s and now living in a mansion on an exclusive Florida beach. He was indicted in a federal bank fraud case, having written 388 bad checks totaling $552,447 at House bank between 1988 and 1991, but was acquitted in 1993 when a probe found "no criminal wrongdoing" on his part (even though he was one of the worst abusers). He decided not to run again in '96.
• John Ford, state Senator, currently under indictment on charges of bribery and extortion in the FBI’s Tennessee Waltz. Past brushes with the law include allegedly shooting at a trucker on I-40 (covered up by the TBI) and waving a gun at utility workers trying to fix damage from an ice storm in front of his house.
• Ophelia Ford, current state Senator whose first election was voided by the Senate when is was proven that a number of illegal votes were cast, including those of dead people. She had "won" by a margin of 13 votes.
• Emmitt Ford, former state representative, convicted of insurance fraud in 1981 and sentenced to 21 months in prison for tax evasion in 2000.
• Edmund Ford, currently chairman of the Memphis City Council.
• Dr. James Ford, now deceased. He was elected to the Memphis city council and the Shelby county commission.
• Joe Ford, currently serving on the County Commission. He was elected to the city council when brother James left to fill his seat on the county commission. Joe was appointed to the County Commission brother James died in 2001, and won "re-election" in 2002.

Harold Ford (Sr.) begat three sons:

• Harold Ford, Jr., who served as US Representative for the same district that his father served. He was raised in Washington, attended prep schools, and claimed his grandmother Vera was white during his failed run for Senate. [Note: she wasn't, but saying so sure pissed off the black community.]
• (Newton) Jake Ford, who recently tried to enter politics by running as an independent in the Steve Cohen/Mark White race for the seat brother Harold had vacated to run for Senate. His arrest record includes assault against his father in 1991, a subsequent bench warrant when he failed to appear in court, a 1993 charge of marijuana possession and a DUI in 1994. None of these cases went to trail and there is no felony record for the man.
• Sir Isaac, currently studying to be a doctor, has unsuccessfully run for Memphis City Council and Shelby County mayor. He voted in the voided victory of his aunt Ophelia because he claimed to live at the funeral home which is in the district, even though he really lives in a home he owns with his father in east Memphis. He served as campaign treasurer for brother Jake's unsuccessful run.

Corruption vs. Racism

Michael Hooks, Sr. goes in front of the judge today to be sentenced for taking $24,200 in bribes from FBI agents in the Tennessee Waltz sting.

Say what you want to about Hooks Sr., but he isn't stupid. Earlier this year Roscoe Dixon refused to show remorse for his part in the corruption scandal and was subsequently sentenced to 63 months in prison (5 yr. and 3 mo.). Hooks evidently learned from this display and has has publicly apologized, pleaded guilty, blamed no one but himself and not once did he play the race card. In fact, Hook's attorney Steve Farese said in court papers:

(Hooks) respectfully submits that he has made an extraordinary public disclosure of his criminal activity which has helped to remove the specter of racism as had been alleged by some. This honest and forthright public admission was a heartfelt act of contrition, which not only lifted a burden from the Defendant but, more importantly, helped vindicate the Government's investigation into public corruption. ... Unlike others similarly situated, (Hooks) never implied that his indictment was based on race or that he never accepted money.

Not Edmund Ford, no sir! In the best Ford tradition, ol' Edmund claims it a vast government conspiracy:

"Hey, they good at making movies," said Ford.

But why would the federal government do such a thing?

During a break in the council meeting, reporters asked [Edmund Ford] why he was still voting. He replied: "I'm innocent, OK? I'm innocent."

Earlier he told The Commercial Appeal "This is about color."

"I'm a child of God, OK? I know what I have not done. Maybe this will open up the eyes of some people."

Yep, open your eyes and see that it must be Bush's fault! After Katrina, everyone knows that he hates minorities (in spite of "a cabinet unprecedented for its inclusiveness").

If fact, according to Edmund, he doesn't have time to be taking bribes!

You know, if anybody knows me, I've always said, if there's some wrong doing I'm going to let the world know. You've been sitting there, when I made those statements, Mike, Ok? I work 5 hard jobs a day. I get up at 7:00 in the morning. I work 7 days a week. So take it from there.

Wow! 5 "hard" jobs every day! Let's see, 8 hours of work per job, five jobs, carry the . . . Whoa! Eddie works 40 hours a day!

Or perhaps he thinks having lunch and asking for bribe money constitues a full days work in one of his "hard" jobs.

And speaking of continuing the race divide, check out this quote from journalist Wendi Thomas:

Black man after black man was making federal court appearances just down the street, while Ford and Peete were trotting their behinds into city hall, for what I fear was business as expected, if not business as usual.

The fact that the vast majority of those arrested as a result of Tennessee Waltz were black has nothing to do with Wendi's story. If a white journalist were to write the exact same phrase the African-American community would rise up as one and shout, "Racist!" So why does a black journalist get to do so? And what good came from doing so?