Nice Work If You Can Get It

For those of you who haven't been following the Tennessee Waltz scandal, here's a quick review courtesy of the Associated Press:

The current federal investigation, nicknamed the "Tennessee Waltz," examined how state contracts were awarded during former state Gov. Don Sundquist's administration.

The fallout has led to multiple arrests, and state Sen. John Ford has resigned from office after more than 30 years in the Senate. Besides Ford, Sens. Kathryn Bowers and Ward Crutchfield; Rep. Chris Newton; and former state Sen. Roscoe Dixon were charged with taking bribes from a phony company created by the FBI.

Ford also was charged with threatening to kill a witness.

And that's just so far -- more charges may be on the way.

Now turn to today's Tennessean:

The elected officials indicted in the FBI's "Tennessee Waltz" bribery sting could pocket a combined $119,000 a year from the taxpayer-subsidized state pension plan for the rest of their lives -- even if convicted of the charges against them.

The biggest checks would go to Sen. Ward Crutchfield, D-Chattanooga, who at 76 is in line for $62,256 per year from the state pension plan. He has declared his innocence.

Meanwhile, two former senators under indictment have applied for their pensions: John Ford of Memphis, who will get about $30,000 a year, and Roscoe Dixon, also of Memphis, who will receive $16,400 per year.

There is a law on the books that forbids legislators convicted of felonies from receiving pensions, but because of the way it is written, four of the five former or sitting legislators under indictment can still collect that retirement benefit even if they are convicted.

$16,400 a year ain't a lot, but I'll bet it's more than they pay in the prison laundry. $30K is a pretty good deal for threatening to kill somebody. And $62,256? Crutchfield will have the snazziest cell on the block.

Comments

[joe]

"during former state Gov. Don Sundquist's administration"

But the article doesn't mention Sundquist at all. That's a little odd.

[crimethink]

Sickening, but not surprising.

[phocion]

joe,

The investigation into the corruption stems from criminal cases involving the governor's friends. So the FBI went back and started examining all contracts from that era, but haven't been able to pin anything on Sundquist himself.

[Joe Bonforte]

Every decade or two, the government of the state of Tennessee has to do something to show the rest of the nation how bone-headed state governments can be. We had a governor convicted of selling pardons, a bill passed (and then vetoed) that prohibited adults of both sexes living in the same building on college campuses, a sneak-attack income tax attempt that sparked near riots, and now this.

These guys have been in the legislature for decades. It's no wonder they consider themselves above the law. John Ford has been caught threatening highway patrolmen with a gun for pulling him over, among other crimes, yet voters in his district just kept on putting him back in.

If it's true that you get the government you deserve, then I despair at the lack of sense of my fellow Tennesseans.

[joe]

phocion,

All of the indicted appear to be Democratic legislators. Sundquist was a Republican governor.

Are you saying there were people in the administration who were investigated but not indicted, but that the investigation led to the indictments of people who weren't Sundquists's "friends?"

[dead_elvis]

The sad thing is, if you read letters to the editor here in Memphis, there are people here who will defend John Ford to the death, no matter how red-handed he was caught. He's had so many problems, it's about time they nailed him for something that can stick. It's too bad that with this pension he gets in one last raspberry at the idiots who kept electing him.

[temujin334]

"a sneak-attack income tax attempt that sparked near riots"

The income tax ordeal and Byron "Low Tax" Looper were the topics of the day when I lived in Tennessee. After living there, I realize how lazy my state politicians are.

[rafuzo]

"After living there, I realize how lazy my state politicians are."

Shouldn't we be recognizing lazy politicians as a good thing?

[joe]

"a sneak-attack income tax attempt that sparked near riots"

Try, "a group of activists organized by hysterical radio jocks who vandalized the capitol building."

Why do I suspect a similar strategy employed by teachers unions wouldn't result in such exultations about "people power?"

[dead_elvis]

Oh, and in the bonehead pension department, for a brief period of about three years, Memphis had a law that some city employees could collect a third of their salary for life after only 12 years of service. So you could be in your early 40s, collecting 20 or 30 grand a year for life. This included appointees by the mayor, so one could imagine the potential for abuse. Although this did get repealed after about 3 years, the disgusting thing was how much the city government dragged its feet on such an obvious problem.

Then the county has had a situation whereby a former employee can get himself hired for a day to do no work, years after quitting or retiring, and double his pension. Not sure the technical details and rules, but apparently it's considered normal and they've done it for years.

God, I'm getting depressed. I need a government job.

[R C Dean]

The fact that joe can't see the difference between a more-or-less spontaneous grass-roots demonstration against higher taxes, and one organized by labor to line its pockets, is sad.

In fact, a demonstration against higher taxes, is kind of the opposite of pressure exerted by an organized interest group of government employees about how they should be allowed to bury their snouts even deeper into the trough.

[joe]

No, RC, they're both about people wanting more money in their pockets.

[Douglas Fletcher]

I'll help relieve you of this guilt-complex of yours, joe. Just send me half of your money & I'll absolve you.

[phocion]

joe,

These Democratic politicians are not Sundquist's friends, but their malfeasance was discovered as a result of the investigation into state contracts prompted by the indictment of his friends. The friends I was referring to were John Stamps (pled guilty) and Al Ganier (indicted). The crimes are not actually linked; the "Tennessee 7" just happened to have the misfortune of being corrupt at a time when the FBI was looking into corruption in the state.

[joe]

Doug,

I don't earn enough money to feel guilty.

Or buy stamps, for that matter. 😉

[joe]

Thanks, phocion.

[dhex]

ABSCAM rides again!