Oh my, my.
Current Crop of Democrat Officials Can’t Help But Continue the Tennessee Democrat Party’s Tradition of Corruption
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – June 3, 2016 — With this week’s news, it’s clear Tennessee Democrats cannot escape their tradition of corruption.
The Tennessee Democrat Party has a long history rife with dishonesty and fraud. Elected officials like former Tennessee Governor Ray Blanton, with his bribes for pardons scandal, as well as former State Senator John Ford (D — Memphis), with his conviction after being arrested by the FBI, are proof of the TNDP’s soiled legacy.
These themes of illegal and deceitful behavior continue today.
For example, the Democratic Party is standing behind current State Representative Joe Armstrong (D – Knoxville) who has been indicted for tax evasion, lying to the IRS, and conspiracy to defraud the United States. Additionally, the Shelby County Democratic Party is a hotbed of financial chaos as they investigate the questionable handling of funds by former Chairman Bryan Carson who resigned after thousands of dollars went missing. And just this week in Chattanooga, Mayor Andy Berke, a Democrat who is a former State Senator, has been accused of having an affair with one of his senior advisors. Sadly, Democrats simply cannot rid themselves of their tradition of corruption.
“Democrats are attempting to distract from their disastrous performances at the ballot box in recent years and their dismal record in office,” said Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Ryan Haynes. “Regardless of what they say, they can’t run from their tradition of corruption. In fact, with the Armstrong indictment, the Shelby County fiasco, and Berke’s questionable behavior, it appears they’re adding to it. Given that their likely presidential nominee is staring at a possible indictment herself, the Tennessee Democratic Party is proving it is corrupt to the core.”
Background
Rep. Joe Armstrong bartered his vote for profit according to the Knoxville News Sentinel.
- “The indictment against Armstrong alleges he lied to the IRS and shortchanged the government more than $100,000 in income taxes owed.”
- “Armstrong devised a scheme to profit from the expected increase,” Atchley wrote in the indictment. “It was a further part of the conspiracy that Armstrong would elicit others to invest and finance his scheme to surreptitiously profit from the increase in the Tennessee tax rate.”
- “Armstrong agreed with his unidentified co-conspirators he would use his position on the House finance committee to push through the tax hike while secretly amassing cash and brokering a deal with Tru Wholesale to buy the tax stamps before the hike was enacted, according to the indictment.”
Memphis Commercial Appeal: Shelby Democrats seek criminal investigation of old chair.
- “Members of the Shelby County Democratic Party’s executive committee voted in favor of a resolution to pursue criminal charges with the Shelby County District Attorney or the sheriff’s office against former party chairman Bryan Carson.”
- The resolution accuses Carson of “unlawful embezzlement of funds in the amount of at least $25,000” during his term as chairman from March 2013 to January 2015.
Chattanooga Mayor Berke faces “allegations of affair,” according to the Times Free Press.
- Berke is dealing with “allegations that he maintained a sexual relationship with a senior adviser, while the county’s district attorney said he might ask for an investigation into a related domestic dispute.”
- A caller to a local radio show asked Berke “if he would step down if any of the allegations proved true?”
Democrat candidate for President, Hillary Clinton, continues to be dogged by legal questions and the FBI probe surrounding her work at the State Department.
- After months of stonewalling and insisting that she had done nothing illegal or barred by department regulations, the former secretary of state finally took refuge in saying that what she had done was “a mistake” and that in reflection she regretted the choice she had made.
- Her careless handling of classified info extended to her staff, as well.