"You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We'll preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we'll sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness." – Ronald Reagan

Here’s a well-written account by Scott Broden of last night’s Rutherford County GOP caucus to select candidates for county offices:

Republican delegate Adam Johnson, who’s an MTSU political science major, was pleased with the convention process that will save the county an estimated $100,000, which is the cost it would have faced in running a primary.

“The party is really excited, especially the younger people involved,” Johnson said. “We’re going to keep this thing moving forward. Conservatives have something to shoot for. It’s good for the country. It’s nice to see a healthy political system coming back to this country.”

By now, you’ve most likely read the story of how two state senators conspired to sneak a provision into a caption bill to help Murfreesboro businessman Ronnie Barrett with a little trouble he’s having with the Tennessee Department of Transportation. If you haven’t, then you can check out the original account written by me here.

The story launched a firestorm this week, catching the senators in question off guard and destabilizing the political system in Nashville for days. For those who have forgotten, here is the video from the Transportation Committee when Senators Jim Tracy (R – Shelbyville) and Doug Jackson (D – Dickson) partook in a little bi-partisan back-scratching (thanks so much to my good friend Christian Grantham for ripping this video and sending it to me):

I’ve been relatively quiet and until now have not explained how all this sort of landed in my lap late last week. Those details are just as compelling as the story itself.

My interest is in honest government. I seek the same honesty from Republicans as I do from Democrats. For years now, I have called out Republicans and Democrats alike who have misbehaved. I have praised Republicans and Democrats when they do things with which I agree. I have never been, nor will I ever be, an apologist for someone who does wrong, be they Republican or Democrat.

So, about this story:

Last Thursday evening I receive a rather anonymous e-mail from someone purporting to be a well-connected Republican in middle Tennessee. In part, the e-mail read:

As you may or may not be aware Ronnie Barrett and [edited out] have attempted on several occasions over the past two years to get TDOT to pay for and install an access road for Barrett Firearms. What you may not know is the extent, some cases unethical, to which Ronnie Barrett and more specifically [edited out] have pursued this construction project at tax payer expense. I have spoken with all Republican members of the Rutherford County delegation and to a person none of them are currently in support of the project. Moreover it is my understanding the representative whose district the proposed project resides hasn’t been contacted by Barrett or [edited out] and was only aware of the project because of second hand conversations with other members of the legislature who refused to sponsor the Barrett/[edited out] legislation.

The e-mail further explained which bill addressed the issue of Barrett’s road extension. I was told to check the amendments of HB0150 and SB0094 – that I could find my answers there. I checked HB0150, sponsored by Charles Sargent, and found nothing, but upon inspection of its Senate companion, sponsored by Doug Jackson, I found an interesting detail (the amendment). After laying low for a year, both bills made their way to committee.

I routinely follow up with tips or other information that could lead to a story. This anonymous tip was no exception. Now, it’s at this point that I should mention that I could not find the fingerprints of the House member which I have replaced with [edited out] in the anonymous e-mail mentioned anywhere on the legislation; however, I am fairly certain that some detail links the Member in question with the request – I just can’t find it.

As is routinely the case, Members ask others to carry legislation or sign on as a co-sponsor, and this is what I think happened to Charles Sargent. Someone in the House asked him to sponsor this bill, he didn’t carefully read over it, and instead just put his name to it without a second thought. Why would anyone trick him into sponsoring something that would hurt him, right? Well, unless their own blind ambition got in the way.

I found out that another version of the bill likely existed last year, but did not get traction. I also found out that another senator was originally asked to sponsor the senate version, but the senator in question refused. I do not think that senator would admit to that taking place, so mentioning his or her name is not important.

I had to find details and piece this puzzle together. The first version of the story was written more as an opinion piece, but I thought a newsier approach would increase the impact of the information uncovered. I spent the entire weekend writing and re-writing, making sure all the pieces fit together – and they do.

The story appeared Monday morning on Nashville 24/7 and was picked up by Jeff Woods at the Nashville Scene. Woods would eventually write 4 or 5 posts about the story. On Tuesday, some legislators headed down to a gun shoot co-sponsored by Barrett Firearms in Tullahoma. With the cloud of this legislation hanging over the event, WSMV hit the scene to report on the legislation, I thought. Wrong. WSMV failed at further uncovering the actual story. Sam Stockard took my reporting, splashed an opinion with it, and called it an editorial.

There are other details. The story was picked up all over the internet and continues to bounce around in the news. The AP picked it up yesterday, and I understand it is being looked at more closely by one of the television stations in Nashville. I know I’m forgetting some details, but the important part is that the story broke – that some people were paying attention to what their elected officials were doing in Nashville and knew this was wrong.

This is a reminder that it is up to us to hold our elected officials accountable; that we must expect honest and ethical government; and we must keep a close watch on those we send to Nashville and Washington to fight on our behalf. Their actions speak louder than words.

UPDATE!

I found the original legislation in question. Around the same time last year that HB0150 and SB0094 were filed by Sargent and Jackson respectively, Representative Judd Matheny (R – Tullahoma) and Senator Bill Ketron (R – Murfreesboro) filed HB2054 and SB1688, which read:

It is the intent of the general assembly that the state of Tennessee shall transfer a parcel of property to Rutherford County in order to promote the orderly development of business and industry in such county. The state of Tennessee shall transfer a state right-of way in Rutherford County along Interstate 24, as designated by the Rutherford County mayor and agreed upon by the commissioner of finance and administration and the commissioner of transportation, to Rutherford County.

A conservative issues-oriented group is looking for a short-term project manager for the Nashville area.

Job Details:

An experienced grassroots organizer is needed IMMEDIATELY in Nashville, TN to coordinate a conservative grassroots project. Though the initial project is short-term, competent performance will result in the opportunity for employment, training, and advancement in similar projects nationwide.

The organizer’s primary objective will be to work with local activists and other conservative/libertarian grassroots activists to build opposition to current legislation pending before the US Senate.

Skills:

Effective Speaker. Good written communication skills and a working knowledge of new media tactics are essential for completing this assignment.

If you’re interested in the position, e-mail me at Matt.Hurtt@gmail.com.

Let’s watch Judge Andrew Napolitano talk to Daniel Hannan, MEP: