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FBI arrests 4 state legislators
Ford, Bowers, Newton, Crutchfield arrested on bribery, extortion charges

By MATT GOURAS
Associated Press

NASHVILLE — Federal authorities indicted four lawmakers, a former lawmaker and two others as part of a corruption probe into the business dealings of state Sen. John Ford of Memphis.

Those charged were Ford; state Sen. Kathryn Bowers, D-Memphis; state Rep. Chris Newton, R-Benton; state Sen. Ward Crutchfield, D-Chattanooga; and Roscoe Dixon, a former state senator who is now a top aide to Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton.

Federal authorities said during a news conference today that the charges were extortion and accepting bribes following a two-year undercover operation dubbed “Tennessee Waltz.” The grand jury returned the indictments in Memphis.

Also charged were Barry Myers and Charles Love. Myers couldn’t immediately be identified. Love is a member of the Hamilton County School Board.

“We hope it will bring back some of the trust back to state government,” said Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director Mark Gwyn.

The arrests happened as the Tennessee General Assembly was trying to wrap up debate on the state budget and adjourn the session by Friday.

Gov. Phil Bredesen met with Senate leaders after they got news of the arrests, several of which happened early today in Nashville.

Sen. Joe Haynes said Bredesen told the leaders that no more lawmakers were to be charged in the case. The governor told the lawmakers that he had been briefed on the investigation early in the day by FBI and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agents.

Newton and Bowers previously said they were interviewed earlier this month by FBI agents about Ford.

Newton said he was asked about Ford’s dealings with TennCare contractors, including a contract worth $429,000 with Doral Dental, and about legislation he had sponsored or co-sponsored with Ford, including one bill that would allow companies to buy and sell used electronic equipment from the state.

During the close of the session on Wednesday, Newton asked to withdraw that bill, HB0037, from the House. The bill would have required state government to route surplus computer and electronic equipment to local schools districts. It also required that any equipment the schools didn’t need be disposed of by a qualified electronic recycling company.

Love, a registered lobbyist and principal in Charles Love & Associates in Chattanooga, said last week that he lobbied legislators on behalf of an Atlanta company, E-Cycle Management, even though records show he was not registered to work for that firm.

Sponsors of the legislation were Ford, Bowers, Newton, Crutchfield and six other lawmakers — Rep. Ulysses Jones, D-Memphis; Rep. Charles M. Sargent, R-Franklin; Rep. Larry Miller, D-Memphis; Rep. Paul Stanley, R-Germantown; Rep. Joe Armstrong, D-Knoxville; and Sen. Jeff Miller, R-Cleveland.