TN (State) Legislator (Ronnie) Davis indicted on federal chages (15)(selling diplomatic passports)

The Tennessean ^ | 8/30/02 | Scheri Smith

[GailA]

State Rep. Ronnie Davis was indicted today on 15 felony counts in federal court, including allegations that he and a Murfreesboro woman tried to sell fake diplomatic passports to two Texas men and tried to defraud First Tennessee Bank.

Davis, a Republican from Newport in East Tennessee, is charged along with Diana D. Burton of Murfreesboro, federal prosecutors said in a statement this morning.

[The Duke]

This can't be - because that would constitute a "conspiracy", and everybody knows there's no such thing as a conspiracy.

[LenS]

Your best bet might be to vote for him, then get him tossed after he's convicted. Of course, under Tennessee law, would you get a gubernatorial appointed replacement or a special election?

[Shermy]

Surprise! More document related fraud in Tennessee.

Anyone know anything knew about Katherine Smith???

[bert]

It is cocke, pronounced "cock". I was down there today visiting a company that make the booths, trash receptacles, tables etc in most of the fast food places in America. They have a vast reach for a small town.

[Inge_CAV]

"Anyone know anything knew about Katherine Smith???"

Not seen or heard anything new on her death in quite a while. Seems to have disappeared off the news screens just like Condidit.

[dljordan]

COCKE is correct

[eastforker]

Are the republicans being GORED,just thinkin you know.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

No fooling! Here's the course:

Smokey Mountain C. C.
Route 7, Golf Course Rd.
Newport TN 37821
615-623-7321

And what's even odder is that his office is just down the street from the local branch of "The Plumbers" (Nixon/Watergate reference for the humorless or history-challenged - wink, wink, nudge, nudge ;-)

Vassar Plumbing
1525 Golf Course Rd
Newport, TN 37821-7119

[cva66snipe]

Cocke county is one of the more well know counties in East Tennessee. Catherine Marshall wrote about it in Christie. It's the home of Stokley Van Camp and Bush Brothers foods. It does have a long standing reputation as a rough county as far as illegal activity goes from moonshine to pot patches to politics. It's a remote mountain county past Newport. Most of the people living there are good hard working people it's base is an agriculture town. As with any county especially rural ones there are places there that can get a little bit rough. You don't bother them they won't bother you.

[quienyo]

Once upon a time, a member of the narcotics task force from East Tennessee told me that Cocke County is the only place in the state where the Sheriff and Mayor have competing brothels/gambling parlors.

[jackliberty]

Hey now, don't go thinking we is all like 'at

Sorry, Ping, I wasn't trying to disparage the people of Tennessee; only the monarchy. I should have made that clear.

I've known all along that there are good people in TN. After all, there are FReepers there.

[Theodore R.]

Well, what does Lamar! say about all this? He'll set the record straight.

[GailA]

County commissioners might get to appoint the next rep, should this idiot be elected. My guess is that he won't be, that the demon-rat will use it against him. Or he might do like westmoreland did and commit suicide.

[LasVegasMac]

No grace given for party affiliation.

Prosecute to the max.

Damn crook!

LVM

[GailA]

The woman is his PERSONAL companion..can you say MISTRESS!

Rep davis is a married man.

State Representative Indicted

A 15 count federal indictment accuses state Representative Ronnie Davis and a female companion of scheming to sell US passports.

"Davis and Burton are charged with conspiracy to defraud two businessmen from Texas by allegedly providing them with regular US passports that had been altered to give them the appearance of being diplomatic passports -- all in exchange for 100-thousand dollars", said U.S. Attorney James Vines.

Davis is a Republican who represents Newport in East Tennessee.

The indictment says the representative and Diana Burton of Murfreesboro covered their passport selling scheme with a business called the Burton Group.

The business was run out of an apartment in the Capitol Towers in Nashville.

Davis and Burton allegedly stated that they were a married couple.

Federal officials say they shared bank accounts at First Tennessee Bank.

Davis -- who is married and has two children -- even bought Burton a house in Murfreesboro.

The indictment alleges Davis tried to use his influence as a state lawmaker to get the help from Tennessee Congressman Bill Jenkins and the staff of Vice President Gore to get diplomatic passports.

"Public corruption is the second most important jurisdiction that we have behind the war on terrorism", said Phil Thomas of the F.B.I.

Federal officials say the passport scheme is not related to terrorist activity.

http://www.newschannel5.com/news/0208/30/9.htm

This according to WKRN.com has been a 5 year investigation.

[LasVegasMac]

We have allowed our government to reach the same status as any bribe ridden, completely corrupt, third world, banana republic.

In times past, when a politician got caught - they paid for it.

Then came the Clinton era.

Tell more lies, spew some more spin, deny, deflect, etc.

I have so much faith in our political system that I'm betting (from Lost Wages, now!) that the Torch gets re-elected. And if the Republicans don't change the way they do business (deal with, confront the blatant DemoRat lies, etc) on a national level, GWB will be a one term pres.

The sheeple have allowed this to happen.

Just my $.05 worth.

LVM

[itsahoot]

string him up

Hey leave him alone, he is after all, a Republican. That is the only thing that matters, I know because I read that on this forum.

[Lion's Cub]

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