4 Tennessee legislators arrested...

[TN al]

...any insights? I didn't hear what they were arrested for, can anyone help on that. Agents arrested Sen. Ward Crutchfield, (D) Chattanooga; Sen. John Ford, (D) Memphis; Sen. Kathryn Bowers, (D) Memphis; Rep. Chris Newton, (R) Cleveland.

[havocmom]

1. Use the search feature. Put in what you used in your subject line

It will give you links to DU threads on the subject.

[MemphisTiger]

2. Check channel 5 from nashville. They have breaking news

John ford along with 3 other state reps. 2 dems and 1 republican were marched out of the capitol in handcuffs

[BrainRants]

3. Link:

http://www.newschannel5.com/content/news/11560.asp

[FreedomAngel82]

4. So Harold Ford wasn't arrested?

I thought it was him but then my Mom didn't say "junior" at the end of Ford so that should've told me.

[FreedomAngel82]

5. So my question is

when are they going to arrest Tom DeLay??

[Geek_Girl]

6. John Ford is his uncle though

Looks like they rounded up a bunch of representatives.

[alice_in_wonderland]

7. was Newton the Family/Marriage Defence guy?

[Geek_Girl]

8. I'm not sure but I found this

Looks like the RW wack jobs hate this guy too.



This seems like a set up to me.

[alice_in_wonderland]

9. even if a set-up

you don't take bribes.

The timing, just after Harold's annoucement, does seem orchestrated.

I'm rooting for that woman anyway, she's got to get some name recognition going!

by the by, Ward was the first candidate I ever wrote a contribution check to and I'm real steamed by this. "Let Ward do it"! My mom is going to have a great time holding this over my head.

[tnlefty]

11. Welcome alice_in_wonderland!!! I've been thinking about this

for a while and trying to figure out what these folks have in common and why they would be a target for a sting operation.

A few months ago Chairman Button spoke at our democratic women's club meeting and stated that the repubs are already trying to blur the distinction between Harold Ford, Jr. and his uncle and giving the impression that they are one in the same.

Ward Crutchfield has been vocal in promoting the candidacy of Ford, Jr.

I think it's going to be interesting to see how all of this came about. I doubt seriously that David Fowler's shock is genuine, but we'll see.

BTW, the woman's name is Rosalind Kurita.

Hope that you enjoy DU!:hi:

[alice_in_wonderland]

10. oops, it was Jeff Miller

Senator Jeff Miller (R-Cleveland) ...the Marriage Protection Amendment,

then his wife left him.

[SharonAnn]

16. She left him because he was having an affair with another woman and

took the woman, along with his children, to an event.

Guess he thought that his mistress was part of his "family" and he "valued" her.

It seems that there's something in Nashville that causes weird thinking and weird behavior.

[FreedomAngel82]

24. Oh and get this with the other woman

she was younger and was an aide. Go figure!

[FreedomAngel82]

18. I remember that

Thought it was quite almost silly in a sad kinda way.

[newyawker99]

21. Hi alice_in_wonderland!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[politicasista]

12. They have expanded coverage on News 2 and NewsChannel 5 now!

[Geek_Girl]

13. Does anyone have a link

to any info on Rosalind Kurita and whether or not she is running for Frists senate seat.

[tnlefty]

14. She says that she is.

I posted about meeting her in this forum. Read that and look her up in the Gen. Assembly's contact info.

[Clark2008]

15. She won't win... I'm sorry.

No one knows who she is!

I mean, I'm ACTIVE and I had to ask who she was about two months ago and then, poof, promptly forgot her name again.

I know Harold Ford Jr. isn't the Dem DUers would like him to be, but, geesch, he's still 99.9 percent better than Frist or any of the other fundies that may run to take his place.

[SharonAnn]

17. Well, I'm only moderately active and I knew who she was, right away.

[Clark2008]

19. Where do you live in the state?

Isn't she from near Nashville?

I live over East and I hadn't a clue. I've asked a few people who I know vote, but who aren't overly political and none of them knew who she was, either.

[SharonAnn]

23. I'm in East TN, near Knoxville. She's an RN and good on health issues.

[FreedomAngel82]

25. Is there a link on her?

If she isn't quite as dino as Ford I'd be happy to vote for her.

[Geek_Girl]

26. I found her Listed on the DLC directory

My guess is she may be conservative/moderate like Ford Link

I just wish the TN dems were running a progressive that I could support.

[iwantmycountryback]

29. You might want that

But it's hard to see Tennessee electing a progressive right now. I think it's ok to be moderate without being a DINO, especially if you don't have much of a choice considering your location.

[HamstersFromHell]

20. One thing I found amusing...

...while wondering what took them so long to nail Ford (dem or not, he's no good to the party if he or anyone else is a crook):

WKRN was running down the list of charges and the bribe money they allegedly accepted on it's 6pm newscast and it struck me...

Although it's not enough of a sample to be statistically correct, it seemed to me based on the info given that you can buy a republican much cheaper than you can a democrat. :)

[ridgerunner]

22. My mother thinks it is a set-up

IMHO, pukes are better criminals and can sniff out a sting easier.

[Tippy]

27. I believe John Ford gave them ans easy target

He is a real piece of work...they didn't want this to look like a race thing so they included others..and it took them two years to get enough..the fact that the stoy broke within 24 hours of Herold Jr.'s anouncement add's fule to the theroy it was a set up...The FBI sure flashed enough money in their faces...

[ridgerunner]

28. Yeah, Ford is a crook of the highest level

and it irks me that his fellow lawmakers are still backing him.

Peers rally around indicted

Senate leader castigates FBI, but some urge stricter ethics

By TRENT SEIBERT
and MICHAEL CASS
Staff Writer



The legislature largely closed ranks around its indicted members yesterday, starting with a prayer by Lt. Gov. John Wilder condemning the tactics of federal agents who arrested seven people in the Operation Tennessee Waltz sting.

Wilder, who has been the leader of the state Senate since 1971, prayed from the well of the Senate chamber and let it be known that he considered his very family to be under attack.

"Money was being offered as bait to put somebody in jail," Wilder said in prayer to God. "That's wrong, and that's not Your way."

more:http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050528/NEWS0201/505280335

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Now whats sick about this is the simple fact that entrapment of this type is common in the War on Some Drugs, which is supported by many, many legislators around the country, yet it's decietful when applied to real criminals. Hypocrites.