posted May 28, 2005
What? A sting operation that started when there were complaints about corruption in state government? Why not investigate the complaints instead of starting a dummy company to entrap politicians?
Well, the answer is that E-Cycle allowed the Feds to limit the scope of the investigation to the targets the feds wanted to jail. All but one were Democrat, all but two were black, and the Ford and Crutchfield names embody the Democratic power structures in West and East Tennessee.
And, if the investigation was going so well, why didn’t they keep it going? After all, they were seven for seven. Stopping to publicize the results just put all other lawmakers on guard and blew operational cover. Maybe that’s what the selective Feds wanted. After all, Rep. Seargant, who is a Republican, attended E-Cycles parties faithfully, yet did not get an offer of money. And how much money would the Feds have spent to get the guy in their crosshairs to say yes to a bribe?
Were there not Republicans to entice, or are they all purer than Caesar’s wife? If the Feds do a Garden of Eden sting they should make sure that enough apples are around to tempt Democrats and Republicans equally.
Yes, this does have some politicians' fingerprints all over it.
Indeed, politics is a dirty lake. But let’s fairly cast a wide net so that we can catch all the fish, whether they’re red or blue.
Jeremy Goldsten
Chattanooga
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This issue has nothing to with political parties. It is more about personal ethics. Complaints of corruption are nothing new to the Tennessee Legislature. With the possible exception of Ward Crutchfield, every one of the people arrested made their principal living off state and local government. This current round of arrests simply contributes more evidence to the long-held belief of many voters that many Tennessee politicians are for sale to the highest bidder and taxpayers have never been invited to the auction.
But here are the facts, as I see them:
1) These indictments are for alleged corruption involving legislators from both sides of the aisle in a cash-for-legislation scandal and even allegations that one powerful senator threatened to kill a witness (death threats to undercover FBI agents). At least one of John Ford's bribes was caught on tape and played during his bond hearing. http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/local_news/article/0,1426,MCA_437_3811368,00.html
2) The legislators sponsored or supported house bill 37 (bill 97 in the senate), which would have allowed the fake company to purchase surplus computer equipment from the state. Newton withdrew the bill on Wednesday. There is speculation, no facts simply guessing going on, that the FBI didn't set up this elaborate ruse to catch five current and former legislators taking a relatively small amount of money. There is more coming. As U.S. Attorney Jim Vines put it, "not today." He was asked if there would be any more arrests.
Many are convinced the only reason the arrests happened yesterday was because Chris Newton began to realize the game was up and withdrew HB37 from the House Wednesday afternoon. The feds indicted those they had a solid case against and they were hoping to use them to cast a wider net. Re-read the Vines comments listed above.
3) The effectiveness of other legislators is now tarnished and public confidence in government has suffered. It besmirches the reputation of the entire legislative body. Those that have been indicted have embarrassed the state of Tennessee, the citizens they were elected to serve and their own reputations. Until this issue is resolved they all need to be removed from office. The question you need to ask: What can any of them accomplish in Nashville for the citizens of their District with this indictment hanging over their head? What is the proper course of action?
J.C. Bowman
flapolicy@hotmail.com
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