Tenn: You Paid For It: Lawmakers' FedEx Bills (US Rep Harold Ford, jr's uncle fleeces TaxSerfs)

Chanel 5 News Nashville ^ | 11/25/03 | Phil Williams

[GailA]

http://www.newschannel5.com/content/investigates/2894.asp

You Paid For It: Lawmakers' FedEx Bills

A NewsChannel 5 "You Paid For It" investigation has already sparked an internal review at the legislature. Every year, lawmakers spend thousands of dollars to send packages overnight. But it's not always state business. NewsChannel 5's chief investigative reporter Phil Williams discovered that sometimes anything goes.

When it comes to the spending of Tennessee's universities, state lawmakers have been outraged.

But those same lawmakers have set up secret long-distance accounts so no one can trace how they're spending your money.

And how they use the state's postage is anybody's guess, according to legislative administrator Connie Frederick.

"It's not appropriate for me to be in a package to see what the contents are, which is one of the reasons why it's very difficult to have checks and balances in place," Frederick tells Phil Williams.

But when we investigated how your lawmakers use the state's FedEx accounts, we discovered: when it comes to limiting their own spending, they don't always deliver.

Take, for example, state Sen. John Ford.

The Memphis Democrat has spent almost $2,200 in the past year to overnight packages by FedEx. That compares to $18,000 spent a year for all 132 members of the legislature.

Across state government, you pay $400,000 a year to make sure that packages "absolutely, positively" get there overnight.

Billing records show that Ford's office has allowed his ex-wife Tamara Mitchell Ford to repeatedly use the state's FedEx account. Included are more than a dozen overnight packages she shipped at state expense to her family in South Carolina.

And that's not all. Taxpayers also paid for her to FedEx packages to court officials in Alabama where she faced DUI charges, packages to a resort in Orlando, even to overnight her credit card payments to American Express.

"Is that appropriate?" Phil Williams asks Frederick.

"Again, it's not appropriate for me to speak to what Sen. Ford may have asked someone else to do for him, as it relates to his duties as a legislator."

Talk radio's Phil Valentine says, "Give me a break."

"This kind of garbage has got to end. We've got people who do not realize that this is taxpayer money."

The senator himself also keeps the FedEx trucks running, overnighting packages to lots of constituents named Ford: Joseph Ford, Kemba Ford, Michael Ford, Michelle Ford, Maxine Ford.

"No relation, of course," Valentine deadpans. "No, no, no. He's buying a car, you see, probably one part at a time. They are FedEx'ing it in."

Then, there are his constituents at some of the country's finest catalogue companies, such as Neiman Marcus and JCrew.

"Why would it ever be appropriate to charge taxpayers for a package from Neiman Marcus?" Williams asks Frederick.

"Again, not knowing what's in the package, I can't comment as to its use."

Valentine says, "You've got to look nice when you are on the floor of the Senate -- no doubt about that. Those can certainly be excused, I'm sure."

Sen. Ford may be the worst offender. But some other lawmakers have also slipped up and billed taxpayers for occasional packages that they admit were inappropriate.

State Rep. Donna Rowland, R-Murfreesboro, FedEx'ed a package to Majority Strategies and another to Conquest Communications -- both political consulting firms.

Rep. Steve McDaniel, R-Parkers Crossroads, overnighted a package to political consultant Arthur Jackson.

Both say those packages were mistakenly charged to the wrong accounts.

"It has raised the issue that the checks and balances in my office may very well not be appropriate and may have failed," Frederick says.

She has now asked state auditors to review how lawmakers FedEx accounts are handled.

As for Sen. Ford, he tells Phil Williams, by phone, that the real crime is that NewsChannel 5 would dare to call him to ask about how he spends your money.

"Don't call me today, tomorrow or ever -- you understand?" Ford says. "Don't call me back. If you do, I'm going to consider it harassment and file charges against you."

[GailA]

Sen john ford is a total disgrace to the human race. This is just one in a long list of his crimes for which he never has paid a penalty. He's pulled a long gun on 5 Memphis Light Gas & Water workers...showed a trucker his 'smoking' cell phone, regularly speeds to Nashville. Has his fingers in more 'tills' that you can even begin to think of.

[NorthGA]

Members of the Ford family have been tried several times on various thuggery and crookery charges over the years - but no one can get a conviction on this family in Memphis no matter what the offending behavior.

Despots are not all overseas.

[Maigrey]

Hehehe Why am I not surprised that he is belligerent when asked to account for his spending practices? And also using taxpayer funds to Fed-X his kids some stuff?

(P.S.--- I went to school with one of the people listed as Fords. Nothing surprises me about that family!)

[ridesthemiles]

Sen john ford is a total disgrace to the human race. This is just one in a long list of his crimes for which he never has paid a penalty. He's pulled a long gun on 5 Memphis Light Gas & Water workers...showed a trucker his 'smoking' cell phone, regularly speeds to Nashville. Has his fingers in more 'tills' that you can even begin to think of.

I don't live in Sen Ford's state, but I would be glad to have him accuse me of harrassment and I would demand that the whole thing go to public trial. Then the evidence of his wrong-doings could come out.
Anyone in his state got the ball$ to do this??????
Does Sen Ford's state have recall provisions? Just another reason why Ford and Gov Davis aren't revered by the citizens.

[OldFriend]

Sounds a lot like a certain Mayor of Philadelphia.

[Damagro]

"even to overnight her credit card payments to American Express"

---

That would qualify as first class mail. The USPS is the only carrier allowed to carry this type mail. Fed Ex has been fined in the past for this type of delivery. Oh yeah, this is the Ford family, nothing is illegal. When will this family of pimps be smitten from the public dole?

[Damagro]

"but no one can get a conviction on this family in Memphis no matter what the offending behavior."

---

They can't be convicted in Jackson or Lexington either. Even if they shoot out a truck drivers windshield

[JDGreen123]

For our non-Tennessee readers, a little more about the Ford family's checkered past:

His (Junior's) own father, Harold Ford, then a respected congressman, fought for years against charges of involvement in a bank-fraud scheme with banker Jake Butcher. Butcher and his brother were convicted and went to jail. Ford was acquitted.

Junior’s uncle Emmitt Ford was convicted of insurance fraud while he was a state representative and served time in prison. And then there’s his other uncle, State Senator John Ford. Whew! His numerous foibles are too many to list.

Casting Stones

[flashbunny]

"That would qualify as first class mail. The USPS is the only carrier allowed to carry this type mail. Fed Ex has been fined in the past for this type of delivery. Oh yeah, this is the Ford family, nothing is illegal. When will this family of pimps be smitten from the public dole?"

Huhwhat? Can you provide me with any proof of what you're claiming? I see nothing of the sort on the web, and this is done all the time.

[JDGreen123]

Here is the story of the shotgun & the utility worker from the late 90s:

Sen. Ford must give up his gun

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)

State Sen. John Ford must do 250 hours of community service work and give up his shotgun as part of an agreement that let him avoid trial on assault charges. Sen. Ford, a Memphis Democrat, must also continue his program of psychological counseling and submit to random drug and alcohol tests, his agreement with prosecutors says.

The agreement, which had been previously withheld by authorities and Ford’s lawyer, was obtained Thursday by The Commercial Appeal of Memphis.

Ford, 54, signed it last week in an attempt to settle five charges of aggravated assault, each of which carries a penalty upon conviction of three to 15 years in prison.

Ford was placed on administrative diversion, which means the assault charges will be held in abeyance and then dismissed if he follows the conditions of the agreement for two years. The charges accuse him of waving a shotgun at a utility company crew working near his residence in February. The crew had parked a truck near Ford’s driveway.

Ford’s diversion agreement says he must apologize to the work crew and stay out of trouble with the law, including traffic violations. He has a reputation for fast driving.

He’s going to comply with all of the conditions of the memorandum, said Walter Bailey, Ford’s lawyer. Ford issued an apology to the work crew and his constituents after a brief court hearing last week. He said he would have no other comment on the matter.

Ford is the uncle of U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr. and the brother of former U.S. Rep. Harold Ford

Sen. Ford must give up his gun

[GailA]

One of the Commie Appeasers our local fish wrapper has exposed this crook on more than one occassion. Noting ever sticks. The ethics committee is a JOKE. Our General Assembly is RAT controled. RATS aren't about to police their own. Most of them are as guilty as he is of taking 'bribes' from lobbyist, and misusing tax dollars. ford has his fingers in the multi-million dollar government day care scam in Memphis. I beliebe his former high dollar lawyer who got him off the MLG & W deal is now the mayor of Shelby Co.

Due to redistricting the senator is now my senator. The Shelby CO GOP leaders are mostly RINOS and will not fund, or support a GOP canidate running against a ford.

They are considered TN royality. Therefore untouchable.

[GailA]

I stand corrected the mayor of Shelby Co was not ford's lawyer. Walter Bailey is a County Commissioner LOL.

[oyez]

Nothing happens to the Fords. Anybody that makes a charge will be called a racist. Other things happen behind the scenes that go unreported, sort of what happens when you mess with the Teamster's Union.

[JDGreen123]

One more good Ford family profile:

Central to the effort is the Ford ballot, a sample ballot distributed in black precincts on Election Day and marked with the family's endorsements in each contest. The ballots are apparently printed and distributed on election eve because candidates have found themselves surprisingly unendorsed for last-minute reasons.

Over the years, anti-Ford ballots have been distributed and sometimes fake Ford ballots have been sighted. There have even been rumors of two different versions of the Ford ballot on the same day, if the family had more than one political base to cover at the time. In any case, to be endorsed on the Ford ballot is good for tens of thousands of votes, enough to control city elections, change the tide in county elections and win close statewide elections.

Jackson-Crockett's Memphis Guide

[vetvetdoug]

Ford got caught in a hotel room on 17th Street in Knoxville naked with a woman other than his wife. It seems someone caught them and robbed them, took all of their clothes and all of the items in the hotel room one could use as cover and then called the press and cops. When the press and the cops arrived, viola...a naked Tennessee congresscritter and his bump for the night, naked. I lived right across the street from the hotel and the ensuing bruha was a sight to see. The event made the Knoxville news but somehow escaped the Memphis Newspapers. This was somewhere between 1978-80 when this happened.

[Fledermaus]

And, as usual, not ONE person in the government will get fired and be held accountable.

And they have the AUDACITY to tell us each year that "they just can't find anywhere else to cut".

I'm so sick of this crap on every level of government. WAKE UP AMERICA!

[Fledermaus]

It's technically illegal to send a first class, business reply envelope through outside services.

As usual, a law no one knows about and break constantly. It's a stupid law. Also "technically", faxes are illegal. More proof our worthless legislatures write laws in stone and never change them as time and technology changes.

Which is why I am for sunsetting ALL laws passed. Force them to renew them periodically if they are worth their salt.

[Fledermaus]

You notice how government auditors and Finance officers and CPA's, etc. are NEVER fired when they don't STOP this kind of spending?

Why isn't someone in the BLOATED BUREAUCRACY checking those invoices and demanding the customer copy of the packing slip? You can look at them online now I think.

It's one thing when those at the top abuse our money, it's not any better when the administrative workers don't do their jobs.

Fire them all and start over! I don't care if they starve.

[AlexW]

"Does Sen Ford's state have recall provisions? Just another reason why Ford and Gov Davis aren't revered by the citizens."

This Ford is a black state senator from a black district.
Only an act of God could remove him.
He is part of a dynasty of low life crooks from Memphis, going back over 50 years.

They have managed to dress up their pretty boy Harold Ford, Jr. and made it to the US House of Reps.
The entire family is, and has always been bogus.

[GailA]

Bet Valentine, Gill and Fleming are not aware of this little tidbit..wonder if the police expunged it off their records?