Hearing Held for Tennessee Lawmaker (John Ford)

[shawn703]

Prosecutors seeking to keep state Sen. John Ford behind bars played a video Friday of the lawmaker watching an undercover agent count out $10,000 and an audiotape of him threatening potential witnesses.

The tapes were played at a bond hearing a day after Ford was charged as part of a two-year FBI sting operation nicknamed "Tennessee Waltz." Ford is charged along with four other current and former state lawmakers with taking payoffs, but he alone is accused of threatening to kill witnesses.

Ford's brother is Harold Ford, who served 11 terms in Congress. His nephew, Rep. Harold Ford Jr., has served five terms in Congress and said Wednesday he would run in 2006 for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Majority Leader Bill Frist.

U.S. Magistrate Diane Vescobo said she hoped to conclude the bond hearing Friday.



more...
http://www.journal-news.com/news/content/shared-gen/ap/National/Lawmakers_Arrested.html

[UpInArms]

1. related: Four Tennessee lawmakers, one former senator arrested in federal

Four Tennessee lawmakers, one former senator arrested in federal probe

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/05/26/lawmakers.arrested.ap/

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) -- Four Tennessee lawmakers, a former senator and two others were indicted Thursday amid a federal investigation into the business dealings of a state senator from Memphis from a powerful political family, officials said.

Those charged included the senator, John Ford; fellow Sens. Kathryn Bowers and Ward Crutchfield; state Rep. Chris Newton; and former state Sen. Roscoe Dixon. Newton is a Republican and the others are Democrats.

Federal authorities said during a news conference Thursday 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.

Ford has been under investigation for his consulting deals with companies doing business with the state.

...more...

[LSparkle]

2. I was so afraid this guy was a relative of Ford, Jr.

Thankfully this is coming out early enough to hopefully be forgotten by the '06 election.

[AlCzervik]

3. Thats sad for Harold, he just filed papers to run for Frists seat

and we all know this can and will be used against him.

[BR_Parkway]

8. The incredible timing of this breaking after 4 year investigation...

....makes ya go 'hmmmmmm'

[Call me Deacon Blues]

4. Tennesseans don't care about this

We all know that John Ford was a crazy slime ball. We don't hold it against Harold. Hell, I've got a crazy uncle myself.

[420inTN]

6. It won't matter in West TN..

I'm not sure sure about the very red central-east TN. However, those who will hold John against Jr probably wouldn't vote for Jr anyway.

[ktowntennesseedem]

9. Exactly!

Anyone here in ET who would use this against Jr. wouldn't vote for him anyway. I'm glad it happened when it did, because Ford Jr. has plenty of time to distance himself, and show a clear distinction in his own ethics and record from that of Uncle Spam-for-Brains.

[indepat]

5. John Ford has allegedly fired a weapon on the interstate and brandished

a weapon in the direction of city? or county employees on/near his property. I seem to recall Senator Ford getting diversion on the latter.

[420inTN]

7. He's done all kinds of stuff

1) Shooting at a truck driver while driving down the interstate.
2) Holding his State Senate Seat while also holding a county job (County Clerk?).
3) Putting one of his babies' mommas on the payroll of said county job.
4) Several "conflict of interest" issues:
a) His family owns several child daycare centers while John was on the state child daycare committe.
b) Received payments from a TennCare (TN replacement for MedicAid) contractor.

The guy is a whack job (and in my opinion, about as crooked as they get).

here's an interesting article about Jr with some other family info here