RSSTN State Senator John Ford; A Scandal Too Far
After months and months and scandal after scandal, Operation Tennessee Waltz put Tennesee State Senator John Ford over the brink. He resigned yesterday from a state Senate seat he had held for three decades.
Word of Ford’s resignation on the legislature’s last scheduled day in session sent shockwaves through an already punch-drunk General Assembly that has four of its members, including Ford, facing extortion, conspiracy and bribery charges. It also prompted Gov. Phil Bredesen to say he might call the legislature back to Nashville this year to tackle a political ethics overhaul.
I guess when one makes comments like the following comments during a recorded FBI sting one has no where it go but resignation.
Ford said if he caught someone trying to set him up he would shoot that person, kill them, so that there would be no witnesses.
[Ford] asked if [and undercover agent] and his “partner” were okay, because while he did not mind shooting the partner, he did not want to shoot [the undercover agent].
Senator John Ford’s indictment can be seen here.
Ford’s letter of resignation was short and sweet. He didn’t have to stay up too late at night writing this one.
Bill Hobbs states that Ford quit the Senate before they had a chance to throw him out on his ear. As the Tennessean reports:
Ford’s resignation comes just as the Senate’s Ethics Committee was preparing a six-count complaint against the Memphis senator that almost certainly would have lead to his impeachment.
“We would have had the votes to oust Sen. Ford from office,” Senate Majority Leader Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville, said. Ramsey also said the ethics committee, which he chairs, came to this decision after months of research and hundreds of interviews.
After three decades in politics and all the sudden ethics scandals that swirled around Senator Ford one does wonder what else may have occurred over the years that was never discovered?
Michelle Malkin brings up an interesting point that the AP seems to have neglected to mention what party affiliation of Senator Ford.
State Sen. John Ford, a member of one of Tennessee’s most powerful political families, has resigned after being placed under house arrest facing charges from a two-year FBI sting, the lieutenant governor said Saturday.
Scared Monkeys is willing to tell its readers that John Ford was a DEMOCRAT. His nephew is Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. a DEMOCRAT as well who is looking to run for TN Senator Frist’s seat in 2006.
I am sure this was just a deliberate act over sight on the part of AP.
Update: 1754 Blog has some findings about the questionable reporting as well. Tomahawk, can we give CNN & Fox the benefit of the doubt that the Holiday staff is on this weekend? Nah.
Yes, Harold Ford, Jr. is the nephew of John Ford that we posted on Friday and spoke of his filing for the TN US Senate seat in “Timing is Everything“. Wouldn’t you love to be a fly on the wall at this weekends Ford Memorial Day picnic?
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FBI Sting, Operation Tennessee Waltz, in the Volunteer State
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7 Responses to “TN State Senator John Ford; A Scandal Too Far”
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I would dare say the holiday staff is better than the weekday staff…although I loved and continue to love the MSM never identifying Democrats with the “D” when scandal erupts!
Then again, when Ken Lay goes to the bathroom, somehow George W Bush’s name finds its way into the story.
I am a Democrat and I was happy to read this story. I want to see every unethical politician run out of office regardless of their political affiliation.. No matter how unethical some members of the general population might be I think that we should strive for,and ultimately insist upon, ethics in our politicians. And that should hold true for the City Dog Catcher. the ‘Top Dog’ and everyone in between! J.M.
[...] A question to the voters of Tennessee … Have you forgotten about Harold’s uncle, Tennessee State Senator John Ford and Operation Tennessee Waltz? [...]
What happened to Senator John Ford’s indictment. When I click on it – its not there.
[...] The so-called Democratic blue wave was supposed to include US Representative Harold Ford Jr. becoming the new Democratic state Senator of TN. That does not look like it will happen. Personally, no matter what early polls stated, I did not think TN would elect Ford because of the Ford family political baggage and Harold Ford Jr was hardly what he was stating he was in the media. Operation Tennessee Waltz is not soon forgotten by the TN voters. [...]
[...] The so-called Democratic blue wave was supposed to include US Representative Harold Ford Jr. becoming the new Democratic state Senator of TN. That does not look like it will happen. Personally, no matter what early polls stated, I did not think TN would elect Ford because of the Ford family political baggage and Harold Ford Jr was hardly what he was stating he was in the media. Operation Tennessee Waltz is not soon forgotten by the TN voters. [...]
Former Tennessee State Senator John Ford was sentenced to 14 Years Imprisonment on September 29, 2008, for Wire Fraud and Concealment of Material Facts in connection with his undisclosed “Consulting” for Tenncare Contractors. Also, Ford was convicted on all counts of the six-count indictment.