No Surrender: Forrester Speaks On The Truce
Posted on April 30, 2009 at 8:16 amTNDP chair Chip Forrester issues a retort to those that say the accord he reached with his detractors in the party was less a truce and more unconditional surrender:
Mr. Baker was right when he noted in his article that things were moving in a positive direction at Speaker-emeritus Jimmy Naifeh’s annual Coon Supper. But to characterize this as “surrender” could not be further from the truth. The coming together of all the constituencies for party unity is something I hoped would happen and could not be more pleased with how this has taken place.
He also wrongly states that the “deal” requires that I hire an executive director picked by the governor and reporting directly to the governor. This is completely untrue. What we have decided to do is bring on a top-flight communications director (something that I, in fact, campaigned on while running for chair) to more aggressively combat the continued failings of the Tennessee Republican Party which has been hijacked by extremist right wing zealots like Rep. Jason Mumpower, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey and the current TNGOP Chair Robin Smith.
Given his history as a successful entrepreneur, Governor Bredesen looks at operations from a business perspective and in discussions has suggested that the party develop a business plan to help guide its operating activities, which we are in the process of developing now. The kind of leadership that the governor has given the state in these turbulent economic times is just the kind of leadership he has demonstrated for the Party.
What we are really all doing is having the entire team play to its strengths—the governor’s fundraising prowess is key to our statewide financial success, an “all hands on deck” candidate recruitment process that seeks, identifies, recruits and trains the best candidates for 2010, empowers the 72 members of the state Democratic executive committee in a much more visible leadership role, re-engages our 95 county parties, brings the grassroots activists from across the state into the Party and new 21st century communication tools (like our brand new web site www.tndp.org) that creates a community of committed Democratic activists—to do the single most important job we all have—win in 2010. There has been no “surrender” — just the unification of our Party for the battle ahead.
Speaker Williams Intends To Be Around Awhile
Posted on March 29, 2009 at 1:42 pmThe Speaker of the House talks about the legislature and his reelection plans at a Carter County legislative breakfast:
Williams, who afterward was stripped of his party affiliation by Tennessee Republican Party Chairwoman Robin Smith, did not mention Mumpower, whose seat at the front table remained vacant.
“I know I’m going to have some challenges,” Williams said. “I’ve had a couple of problems with my own party, but we’re getting those ironed out. We just have a small minority, I think, here in Carter County that would rather see someone out of Nashville tell us what to do in Carter County than to have our own down there. But like I said, that’s a small minority, and I think in 2010 in November we’ll show what a small minority that is.”
Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey of Blountville, who supported Mumpower, told the crowd he is working well with Williams.
“The speaker of the House and the speaker of the Senate have to work together — period,” Ramsey said after getting a partial standing ovation.
SEE ALSO:
Commentary on the Mumpower noshow
Former Rep. Vaughn Sues Ethics Commision
Posted on March 19, 2009 at 12:09 amYou don’t see that everyday:
The lawsuit refers to a complaint Vaughn filed with the Tennessee Ethics Commission, accusing House Republican Caucus Chairman Glen Casada of Franklin and House Majority Leader Jason Mumpower of Bristol of improper conduct during the election by misleading voters through Web sites under Vaughn’s name.
The commission dismissed the complaint in January. In the lawsuit, Vaughn accuses the commission of not having the proper number of members to make a decision on the complaint, and calls for another review.
“I’m not really against the commission; all I’m asking them for is an investigation of the issues that I brought before them,” Vaughn said.
The Margin Of Williams Caucus Victory
Posted on March 11, 2009 at 1:16 pmThe vote to affirm Speaker Kent Williams as a member of the state House GOP caucus wasn’t close:
But House Republican Caucus Chairman Glen Casada said a poll of the membership on Monday night revealed that an “overwhelming majority” of House Republicans preferred to keep Williams as a member.
“I was surprised a little bit,” said Casada, of Franklin. “But I think in the membership’s mind this is a way to demonstrate that we are moving on and that we are going to solve the problems of unemployment and the budgets shortfall.
Casada said the reason the decision had not been made public previously is because it was considered an internal issue.
“It’s almost a non-issue,” he said. “He’s in, now let’s quit talking about it and move on.”
Robin Smith Tells You Where You Can File That Caucus Vote
Posted on at 12:17 pmThe TNGOP chair that threw Rep. Kent Williams out of the Republican Party reacts to the vote of the state House GOP caucus confirming Williams as a member of that caucus:
From the party perspective, she said, “Kent Williams became the Democratic nominee on Jan.13″ and “bargained away” his right to be considered a Republican.
Smith said she had not discussed the matter with Mumpower. She questioned whether Williams’ membership in the caucus would include support for re-election, given the caucus traditionally focuses on re-election of incumbent members.
On that point, Mumpower was reasonably clear. The answer is no.
“We will support every Republican nominee on the ballot,” he said. “You interpret that how you want.”
A Republican In The Legislature Only: House GOP Votes To Keep Williams
Posted on at 10:19 amDespite being expelled from the Tennessee Republican Party by its chairwoman Robin Smith back in January, Tom Humphrey reports that Speaker Kent Williams is a Republican — at least as far as the House GOP Caucus is concerned.
Since going back on his promise to vote for Jason Mumpower for house speaker and instead joining with 49 House Democrats to elect himself speaker, Williams status as a Republican has been a matter of some debate.
While he was allowed into an open caucus meeting in February, he has been subsequently turned away from such caucus meetings this month. Republican Leader Jason Mumpower as well as Caucus Chair Glen Casada have previously asserted that they had the power to ban Williams from the caucus without the benefit of a vote.
But on Monday night there was a vote — and Kent Williams prevailed:
“I think the sentiment is to allow Kent to come into the meetings,” he said during a brief interview today. Mumpower said he assumes that will include the right to vote on caucus matters.
Mumpower refused to provide any details of the vote, but other Republican legislators say a substantial majority favored Williams’ continued presence at caucus meetings.
“I don’t want to betry the confidence of caucus members,” said Mumpower in declining to give vote totals.
He’s Gonna Come Back Tomorrow And The Next Day And The Next Day
Posted on March 8, 2009 at 7:51 pmSpeaker Kent Williams makes clear his intention to caucus with the Republican Party in the state House - whether they like it or not:
Williams also said he intends to go to future House GOP Caucus meetings whether Casada and Mumpower like it or not.
“I’ll go if I know when it is. They are not really telling me when the caucus meetings are,” Williams said. “We’ve got Mumpower and Casada and (Tennessee Republican Party Chairwoman) Robin Smith calling all the shots for those two. That’s why we needed a new direction in (House speaker) leadership.”
Williams said he’s been invited “several times” to caucus with House Democrats but admitted he would not feel comfortable in their meetings.
Regardless of how he’s being treated by House Republicans, Williams said he remains on board with supporting GOP-advocated measures such as restricting abortion and expanding rights for gun permit holders.
“I will vote for what’s best for the people of Carter County and people of Tennessee,” he said.
Williams also reacted to Smith’s recent statement at a Bedford County GOP Lincoln Day dinner that he “is probably more conservative” than she is. Smith made the decision to kick Williams out of the Tennessee Republican Party.
“If I’m more conservative than her, how come I’m not a Republican?” Williams asked.
Also in the article, Rep. Joe McCord makes clear that Williams will be welcome in his rural Republican caucus.
Speaker Williams Says He’s Still In The GOP Caucus, Challenges Mumpower To Poll Caucus
Posted on March 5, 2009 at 7:22 amDespite being barred from a caucus meeting yesterday and being thrown out of the Republican party last month, Speaker Kent Williams maintains he is still a member of the caucus and that the votes are not there to kick him out:
“I’m still in the caucus,” Speaker Williams said. “I’m still a Republican. I’m not voted out (of the caucus) yet, and I don’t think I will be.”
The speaker said Rep. Mumpower and other Republicans opposing him do not have a majority of the 49 GOP Caucus votes needed to oust him. He thinks there are maybe 12, 13 votes against him.
Last month, Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Robin Smith booted the speaker from the party.
Rep. Mumpower said dealing with Speaker Williams is an “issue we’re working on. If there (is) even one member (opposed), if it causes discontent within the caucus, it would be best if he did not attend. And there are more than a few members who are discontent with him, therefore I think it’s best that he doesn’t attend.”
He said “my mission is to have and to maintain a very united caucus, and that’s what we’re going to be about.” He said that will not be possible “if there are members who are discontent,” and he noted there “absolutely” are such members.
Caucus members will not get a vote on the matter, Rep. Mumpower said, noting it will be a leadership decision based on “what’s best for the caucus … my position is we should do whatever is necessary to maintain the utmost unity within the caucus.”
MORE: Jeff Woods
Speaker Kent Williams Barred From GOP Caucus Meeting
Posted on March 4, 2009 at 5:04 pmRobin Smith had no compunction about kicking the Speaker out of the party but before today the House GOP Caucus had balked at official action.
Now it would seem the House Republicans are on their way to kicking the Speaker of the House out of their caucus:
House Speaker Kent Williams was barred from a Republican Caucus meeting Wednesday and House Republican Leader Jason Mumpower said he should stay away permanently.
Williams said he believes a majority of Republican representatives would favor allowing him to caucus with them even though state Republican Chairman Robin Smith has declared he is no longer considered a Republican.
But Mumpower said he and House Republican Chairman Glen Casada could decide to ban Williams from the caucus without a vote.
Mumpower said that he believes that “if even one member” of the House Republican Caucus opposes Williams attendance, Williams should stay away.
“If it causes dissent within the caucus, then it’s best if he did not attend - and there are more than a few members who are discontent with him attending,” said Mumpower.
MORE:
Stacey Campfield
Andy Sher
PREVIOUSLY:
Republican caucus can’t repeat state party’s mistake on Williams
What’s Robin Got To Do With It?
Odom’s Role In Williams Speakermaking Questioned
Posted on February 25, 2009 at 2:33 pmBy his colleagues in the House:
Rep. Mike Turner, the House Democratic Caucus Chairman, and Rep. John Litz of Morristown sat down with reporters to give a new timeline, one that leaves Odom almost completely out of the picture. In this version, Litz begins asking around about a Republican candidate who could play the foil to Rep. Jason Mumpower. By the second week of December, Williams comes to Litz to see if the Democrats can deliver, but Litz only tells “Speaker Naifeh and one other individual that day,” according to a timeline he released.
Odom, who says Naifeh was out of the loop, is mentioned once in Litz’s timeline: The two speak during a caucus meeting, during which Odom “informed me that he had spoken to Rep. Williams and mentioned the Speakership to him around Thanksgiving.” Litz says at that point he and Naifeh decided to keep the Williams Plan quiet until the day of the vote.
Turner said in today’s interview that Litz’s timeline was not meant to contradict Odom, but it’s obvious that House Democrats are quickly coming to the defense of Naifeh, and at the expense of Odom.
Is this the first shot across the bow in that attempted coup we’ve heard about recently?
UPDATE: Much more from Woods.
He Was As Serious About The Apology As He Was About The Offer
Posted on January 28, 2009 at 5:29 pmAt this link is the full and complete statement of Rep. Susan Lynn which was to be delivered today (if needed) at the House Ethics Committee meeting called to deal with the ethics complaint lodged against Speaker Kent Williams by Rep. Brian Kelsey.
In it Lynn recounts the now well-reported incidents of alleged sexual harassment between her and Rep. Kent Williams as well as her reported contacts with the media over the allegations. Her account is consistent with the Mumpower memo
The only new information iss that the reported apology by Williams after the first incident didn’t go quite as smoothly as described in the Mumpower memo.
“During the apology, the legislator tried once more to assure me of the sincerity of his remarks. This upset me and I expressed to Leader Mumpower that this was not really an apology. Leader Mumpower stated to the freshman legislator than this was upsetting me and that he should stop repeating his sincerity over his original ‘offer.”
If true, of course, this would but a little dent in the “he was just drunk” defense. Drunken misplaced stumblings of a lonely legislator in a parking garage during the late hours of the evening are easier to forgive and forget than than those same stumblings are repeated in the cold, sobering light of day, in the legislative office of the Minority Leader.
RELATED:
Mumpower on the decision
Richard Locker
WKRN
WPLN
Rep. Kent Coleman On Keeping The Dems Together To Vote For Speaker Williams
Posted on January 25, 2009 at 9:24 pmThe Murfreesboro legislator contends the famous recess before the nomination for House Speaker was necessary to keep potential “Mumpower Democrats” on the reservation:
My first understanding that that was a possibility took place in the caucus meeting, which was scheduled for 11 o’clock on Tuesday morning and we go into session at noon. At that time, we were informed that the existing speaker (Rep. Jimmy Naifeh) could not get the votes necessary to elect a speaker, and somebody submitted the proposal that Kent Williams would vote for himself if he were going to get elected as speaker, and the only way he could get elected as speaker, in our mind, was for all the Democrats to vote for him. But at the time we first left our caucus meeting to go on to the floor, it was my impression that Kent Williams did not have the necessary votes to get elected speaker. Not until we recessed after the House members were sworn into office that we took a recess and received the commitments from some Democrats that might have in the past pledged their support to Jason Mumpower.
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Rep. Susan Lynn Blogs On The Kent Williams Sexual Harassment Story
Posted on January 22, 2009 at 7:31 amThe representative breaks down the last week:
After the election last week, I was contacted by a Nashville blogger that had knowledge of the incident two years earlier. He asked me if I would like to comment on his blog. I declined once more and immediately called my caucus leader to inform him that I was contacted by the blogger. We agreed to remain firm in our position not to comment on the incident.
On Sunday night the press started calling me. I refused to comment. Their phone calls persisted all day on Monday at which time I still refused to comment. In addition, they repeatedly contacted my leadership. In the early evening on Monday some media informed our press secretary that they intended to issue a public records request to our leadership for any information pertaining to the incident. When leadership arrived at the office on Tuesday morning members of the media were waiting with their requests for public information.
Tentative, Unofficial And Other Similiar Caveats
Posted on January 21, 2009 at 6:25 pmWhile state house committee assignments, having gone through two days of negotiations, have not been announced, Post Politics has obtained a tentative list of committee assignments currently making its way through the legislature. Again, this is by no means a final or official list.
UPDATE: Jama appears to have procured a similar list.
What’s A Leader To Do?
Posted on at 8:18 amAunt B. chastises Republican Leader Jason Mumpower for not issuing a stricter censure against now Speaker Kent Williams at the time of the 2007 sexual harassment allegations against him:
I understand why Lynn might not have cared if he was reprimanded. After all, her attention was on getting the incidents stopped and for Williams to straighten out. If her actions with Mumpower achieved that, great.
But Mumpower had an obligation to at least every Republican woman under his purview and, I would hope, should have felt some moral responsibility to all of the women who might have to work with Williams. His responsibility went farther than just getting Williams to back off Lynn. He had a responsibility to make sure that Williams understood as clearly as possible that such actions are inappropriate and unacceptable. And he had a responsibility to do so in such a way that, if Williams’ next target were someone less powerful, less sure of herself, less likely to be taken seriously, there was a big red warning flag attached to him that he had already pulled this kind of stuff.
Mumpower failed here.
The Weakest Link
Posted on January 19, 2009 at 8:18 amLt. Governor Ron Ramsey says everyone knew who it was:
Ramsey said Williams “sold his soul.” According to Ramsey, “We all knew who the weak link was. We all knew who was for sale, who would go to the highest bidder. That was Kent Williams, of course. … But at the same time, he was literally telling everyone … ‘I’m voting for Jason Mumpower, no question about it.’ ”
More Ramsey: “I’m going to have to work with this man, I guess. I’m going to make sure Jason’s in the room with me so I have a witness to what he tells me. … We can see the trend lines in the state of Tennessee, and I think we’ll pick two or three more seats in the state House next time. He will be a one-time wonder in my opinion, and it’s going to be difficult to work with him. You don’t put a title in front of your name and suddenly you have trust. I would have had more respect for him if he had voted for Jimmy Naifeh, I honestly would. There’s going to come a day when the Democrats wish they had never done this. I firmly believe this.”
Bless His Heart
Posted on at 7:58 amDavid Oatney is praying for Speaker Kent Williams:
Regardless of what the final decision is on Kent Williams’ Republican status, there is one thing that I will do for Williams-I will pray for him. I believe that there is hope for every soul, even someone who has done something so cold as to betray his leaders and the party which brought him to the House with its label and support. Representative Williams says that he needs no sermons. I doubt that I am the only one who think he needs a reminder of the Commandment concerning the bearing of false witness.
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You’re Not The Boss Of Me
Posted on at 7:56 amSpeaker Kent Williams cites some more reasons why he jettisoned the wishes of his party and allowed the Democrats to install him as speaker:
Williams, a Carter County native, bristled when a letter arrived days before the legislature convened Tuesday.
The letter from Rep. Debra Maggart, R-Hendersonville, a party whip, reminded members of the consequences of voting against the party’s nominees for speaker. She enclosed provisions of state GOP by-laws that allow the party chairman to strip the party label from a legislator who doesn’t vote for the caucus’s nominees for speaker.
“As our historic day approaches, it is vital that we all are aware of the Tennesse Republican Party’s position as well as the state chairman’s intentions. Simply put, the state chairman has the authority to remove a House or Senate Caucus member’s name from the Republican primary ballot if that member does not vote for our House or Senate Caucus nominees,” Maggart wrote.
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