Must Do 200 Hours Of Community Service, Pay $10,000 Fine
posted February 22, 2006
Former Rep. Chris Newton of Bradley County will have to spend "a year and one day" in federal prison for his part in the "Operation Tennessee Waltz" sting.
Newton last Aug. 30 entered a guilty plea to bribery and he resigned his house seat.
He also was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.
Judge Jon Phipps McCalla of Memphis also directed that he do 200 hours of community service.
He is to go into prison within 75 days. The facility where he will serve has not yet been designated.
The judge said some time was needed in prison as an example to other public officials.
Newton had been caught taking cash from officials of E-Cycle Management. It turned out to be a dummy company set up by the FBI.
Newton will be on supervised release for two years after serving the term.
He had asked to avoid prison, saying he needed to care for his ailing mother.
It was the first sentencing under Tennessee Waltz.
Last week, County Commissioner William Cotton was convicted in the first trial of Tennessee Waltz. He has since resigned from the commission.
Newton made this statement, "I stand here this morning to accept the sentence and judgment of the court for my involvement in the Tennessee Waltz investigations. This entire process has been a difficult journey, and in one sense, part of this journey is reaching a conclusion. With the court’s judgment this morning, and upon the serving of my sentence, I can begin to put behind me the terrible events of the last year.
"The events that lead me here today are disgraceful to me personally. As I have admitted before, I allowed my position to consume me and to become my identity. The Chris Newton that was arrested in Nashville in May of last year is not the Chris Newton that many thought they knew. He is not the Chris Newton that I thought I knew. I have no one to blame but myself, but today marks the end of this part of my life.
"In another sense, however, part of this journey is just now beginning. This is true not only for me, but also for the citizens of this state. As for me, I must begin the process of rebuilding relationships that I have damaged or lost. I have let down my family, my close friends, as well as my former constituents and colleagues. But, most importantly, I have disappointed myself. My involvement in this investigation has truly forced me to start over, and from here forward, I am going to focus upon what is really important in life.
"First, I want to continue to be a proactive voice for the people who have no other voice. This was one of the primary reasons I entered public service. But, even outside of my service in Nashville, lending a helping hand to others in need has always been a priority of mine. If anything, the consequences of my actions have reinforced how important it is to help others in times of distress. Thus, with the sentence today, I renew my commitment to this important goal in my life.
"Second, I want my sentence to be a new call to the citizens of Tennessee that we have to get serious about confronting the 'business as usual' in Nashville. We have to recognize that the corruptive influence of money in our legislative process seeks to promote the interests of the few at the expense of the many. This corruptive influence cannot be solved simply by creating commissions and chattering publicly about the “need” for reform. Instead, we need to candidly acknowledge the problem and fundamentally work toward reducing, if not eliminating, the power that money has over our legislative process."
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