Posted on 05/11/2005 12:25:03 PM PDT by fight_truth_decay
NASHVILLE (AP) -- The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance has found Sen. John Ford guilty of fraudulently using political campaign funds. The vote was 4-3.
At a hearing Wednesday which Ford didn't attend, the Registry also fined him $10,000 for using campaign money on his daughter's wedding.
The Memphis Democrat told the election finance board the spending was legal because roughly one-third of the wedding attendees lived in his Senate district.
This marks the first official sanction against Ford in a recent swarm of ethical allegations.
One of Ford's lawyers, Ed Yarbrough, said he would talk to his client before appealing the decision. Yarbrough said it might be simpler to pay the fine and move on.
Ford presented a written affidavit in which he said he was aware of other elected officials using campaign money for such expenses as anniversaries or buying cars for family members.
The board brushed aside Ford's defense. Board member Karen Dunavant said it was ridiculous to mount a defense that claims everybody does it.
A demoncRAT and albore's country--what am I not surprised? (rhetorical)
What kind of country do we live in nowadays that a DemocRAT cannot just be a DemocRAT anymore?
Those damn nazi's are taking over this country and screwing it all up < /sarcasm >
No wonder the liberals are the most pissed I have ever seen them.
$10,000? That's less than the wedding cost!
Tenn. Senator Says He Keeps Two Families
The Associated Press
EXCERPT
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - State Sen. John Ford testified in a juvenile court hearing that he keeps two homes, living with two different women whose children he fathered.
Ford's testimony was part of his defense in a child support case. The Memphis Democrat heads a Senate committee that guides the state's child welfare policies, and for the past year he's tried to make use of a law he authored that keeps court-ordered support lower when a father is financially responsible for other children
CUT
Ford is battling a suit by a third woman, Dana Smith, who is trying to increase his court-ordered support of a 10-year-old girl he fathered. Smith, a former employee under Ford when he was General Sessions Clerk, won a 1996 sexual harassment verdict against .
January 23, 2005
Source: http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/84-01232005-437330.html
But, but one third of the wedding guest were his constituant he yells.
Does seem low (payback-fine)..I am sure it was one grand affair!
I bet his wedding cost a lot more than the $10,000.00 fine.
Those names would be an interesting to know.
Yep, The demonrats wanted to nail Tom Delay with false allegations and so now the gauntlet is really down...Let's just open up ALL the books shall we? This could make a new reality TV show!
Bet he pays fine with campaign contributions since it was a political issue.
He's potentially in for a lot more than a mere $10,000 fine. Politicians do not have to report political contributions as income and pay tax on them as long as they use the contributions for campaign funds and other political purposes. However, once they dip their hands into political funds and convert those funds to ordinary income by spending them on personal expenses, like here, they commit felony tax evasion and are subject to Federal prosecution. A number, including Bill Scott of Illinois a number of years ago, have ended up doing time because of this type of activity. Let's hope the same happens to Ford.
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