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[Tennessee] House leader orders audit of event tied to Caucus
AP ^ | 10/16/5

Posted on 10/16/2005 9:55:02 AM PDT by SmithL

NASHVILLE - House Speaker Pro Tem Lois DeBerry, who has said questions surrounding an annual conference focusing on issues of importance to blacks is "killing me," has ordered an audit of the event's finances.

Barbara Nance, director of the General Assembly's Office of Minority Affairs, said Friday that she did not know when results of the audit would be available.

Records have been turned over to Nashville accountant Harry Hoskins, who will perform the audit.

"He is going to keep them until he finishes the report," Nance said.

Republicans have raised questions about the finances of the Black Caucus, and Rep. Stacey Campfield, R-Knoxville drew criticism for comparing the membership guidelines of the caucus to the Ku Klux Klan.

The Legislative Retreat and Training Seminar is separate from the Black Caucus but is closely linked to it. The event was begun in 1974; DeBerry, a Democrat from Memphis, is its chairman.

The retreat is organized by the legislative office every year, not the Black Caucus, although caucus members are involved in its planning.

The event has been financed by a mix of state agencies and private businesses with interest in legislation, according to records released by the caucus.

Last year's event, which was held in Chattanooga, had a total budget of $248,000, with more than $163,000 coming from a variety of sources: five state agencies, a health insurance plan with a TennCare contract, pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, utilities and universities.

The backers' support comes in the form of advertisements purchased for the retreat's program.

The event held in November had about 1,500 attendees for several days of workshops, seminars and social events. Those attending were some legislators, state officials, local leaders and youths selected from a variety of organizations.

The records from the Office of Minority Affairs were made available by Nance on Thursday.

They show the following agencies and groups paid $10,000 each:

# OmniCare, now known as UAHC Health Plan of Tennessee, which has claimed it paid $420,500 in consulting fees to former state Sen. John Ford, who is indicted in the Tennessee Waltz case.

# Erlanger Health System of Chattanooga, one of eight hospital groups statewide that joined a federal suit this year to resist cuts to TennCare proposed by Gov. Phil Bredesen.

# Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions, which hosted a "financial literacy" workshop for 600 youths attending the retreat.

# University of Tennessee.

# Tennessee Valley Authority, the nation's largest public utility.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Tennessee
KEYWORDS: tnblackcaucus
And the taxpayers, of course.
1 posted on 10/16/2005 9:55:03 AM PDT by SmithL
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To: SmithL

Maybe we should outlaw all racist organizations.


2 posted on 10/16/2005 10:06:14 AM PDT by FreePaul
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To: SmithL

Smith I can say this for TN, LA has us beat when it comes to corruption in politics but only by a hair.


3 posted on 10/16/2005 10:08:04 AM PDT by angelsonmyside
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To: FreePaul

Only those pertaining to whites!


4 posted on 10/16/2005 10:08:27 AM PDT by gunnedah
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To: FreePaul

The 14th Amendment should prohibit any organization that receives public funding from having racist policies. If only our courts would rule according to law rather than according to what their society friends will fete them for, this would be long established.


5 posted on 10/16/2005 10:10:15 AM PDT by thoughtomator
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