Former (TN-D) House Leader, Once Elected In Prison, Dies

Nashville Channel 5 ^

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Former state House Majority Leader Tommy Burnett, whose political career survived his first federal conviction but not his second, has died. Legislative and court officials said Burnett's son, Fentress County General Sessions Judge Todd Burnett, told friends and family that his father, age 67, died Thursday in a Nashville hospital.

[dfwgator]

"Well....bye!"

[Engineer_Soldier]

I hope he repented and turned his life around. Other than his eternal soul, I’m not sad to see his term on earth end.

[StarFan]

"....Popular in his Cumberland Plateau district, the Democrat easily won re-election from his prison cell."

Huh?

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP. Some Tennesseeans from the ‘80s should remember Burnett.

[fieldmarshaldj]

You read it right. He won reelection to his State House seat even after he was sitting in prison. Burnett was a likeable guy, but he was a crook.

[wardaddy]

I knew him...used to argue with him.