Doing Dunn
Posted on June 26, 2009 at 8:02 am
Yesterday, it was reported that Rep. Bill Dunn of Knoxville when he was the state House Minority Leader in 2006, received $15,000 in political contributions from Bill Haslam and his family. The money was given to a leadership PAC, GET R DUNN, which is now closed.
This little tidbit comes up because Bill Dunn was the lone Republican to vote against a bill in committee during the last day of the legislative session which would have lifted the ban on raising political contributions during session.
This, of course, was a devastating blow to the gubernatorial campaign of Lt. Ron Ramsey who desperately needs to raise funds during session next year to be able to compete with Bill Haslam, whose ability to self-finance is well known and well-established.
So, is this a big deal that Dunn received this money three years ago? Does it mean that Dunn is in the pocket of Haslam, that he was returning a favor for the Haslam family support back then?
I mean that’s the implication here, right? What other reason is there to report such a thing unless one thinks that it is a reasonable conclusion to draw from the facts?
The interesting thing is that another reporter who picked up the story clearly doesn’t think so. Tom Humphrey at the end of his blog post on the story, a blog post that could lead the reader to believe Dunn was in Haslam’s pocket, adds a disclaimer.
“Note: Dunn has had an impeccable reputation for honesty that, so far as an old reporter can recall, has not been subject to challenge,” Humphrey wrote.
A bit of a mixed message there it would seem. After all, the Haslam family is very generous to Republican causes and candidates. Ron Ramsey himself has received money from Haslam. Many many Republicans have.
If I were looking for motive, I wouldn’t be looking at the money per se. I would look at the reason why that Dunn PAC got the money from is now closed. The reason, of course, is that a representative who has been ousted from leadership has little need for a PAC.
Leadership PACs are for raising money for political friends in order to get and keep their votes when you run for leadership. Bill Dunn is no longer in leadership.
Why is that? Well, he was replaced by Jason Mumpower, a protege of Ron Ramsey. Ramsey back when House Republicans were choosing their leadership in 2006 was the Senate Minority Leader and likely had already made his deal with Senator Rosalind Kurita and knew he was on the cusp of being Lt. Governor.
Building a Republican majority in the house to compliment what was to become his Senate Majority was likely very important to Ramsey, still is. Even more important than building a Republican Majority was building a Republican majority which had loyalty to him. A Bill Dunn-led House Republican Caucus would have been an ally for Ron Ramsey. A Jason Mumpower-led Majority was a better one.
Now, like Tom Humphrey says, Bill Dunn has an impeccable reputation for honesty and the like, and would not put petty grievances above his unvarnished and studious investigation of legislation. However, if one were looking for a ulterior motive for Dunn’s vote, a look at that leadership vote back in the day would seem as good as any.
In the end it doesn’t really matter. A Democrat, Rep. Mike Turner, voted for the measure and another Democratic vote, Craig Fitzhugh, changed at the last moment from yes to no. Bill Dunn shouldn’t bear the the brunt of the weight for this vote.
Because in the end, while it may be unfair for legislator to be impeded raising money for the a gubernatorial race while the legislature is session, nobody really cared out this rule until 2010 approached.
The passing of this bill, whenever it happens, if it happens, is going to look bad. Ramsey might be able to raise money but he will be seen as having pushed through a piece of legislation which he personally benefits from.
That and the fact daily stories about this Ramsey donor or that one who had business before the legislature will become a frequent occurrence if this bill passes. The money he can raise may be cancelled out by the heat he gets for changing the law and taking the money.
Ramsey has been put in a tight spot here, that much is true. But Bill Dunn’s vote and whatever the reasoning behind it, is the least of Ron Ramsey’s trouble now.
UPDATE: Rep. Mike Turner in the comments:
“I voted for the bill because it would help level the playing field, which is tilted towards money and wealth. As for my friend Bill Dunn done he is one of the most honest thoughtful people i have ever met, his argument against the bill was solid and reasoned. He pointed out that my reason’s for voting for the bill might be correct but he thought it sent the wrong message and might open the system to abuse, which is also a sound reasoning. How ever he made a better case against the bill than I did for it and even convinced Craig Fitzhugh ( another honest and reasoned person ) to change his vote. However we still have system that favors the wealthy when it comes to fundraising and we will look at this bill again in January, when we will not be up against a deadline ( the ending of the session ) and have more time to look at both the pro’s and con’s of the bill.”
Ramsey: Letter of Reprimand For Goforth Proper Action
Posted on June 16, 2009 at 2:10 pmVia Silence:
Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey says a “strong letter of reprimand” was the proper action to take against an employee of a Republican lawmaker who used a state computer to send a racist e-mail about President Barack Obama.
The Limits Are The Thing
Posted on May 18, 2009 at 8:09 amWhile Ron Ramsey seems optimistic about passing a bill this session that would free up he and other gubernatorial candidates across the aisle to raise money during next year’s legislative session, Kent Williams is not so sure noting that the bill, progressing nicely in the Senate, finds itself in a closed House subcommittee.
Either way, what is noteworthy about this bill is not just the lifting of the legislative ban. Certainly, this is important for all candidates but another portion of the bill is just as important, if not more.
This bill retroactively indexes for inflation the limits individual contributors can give to a candidate over a two year period. A bump from $2,000 to $2,800 for legislative candidates and a bump from $5,000 to $7,000 for gubernatorial candidates.
That is big. Now no Republican is going to be able to match the dollars that Bill Haslam spends, just as no Democrat will be able to match Ward Cammack. It isn’t about catching them because even if they were caught, each could simply write a check.
The point is funding the campaign they need to run the race they need to run. And a legislator is going to be hard pressed to fund a viable campaign with contribution limits set in 1995 and a fundraising ban during much of the year. The campaigns can manage without one, but not both.
Ramsey can deal with the session band — if when session is out he can go to his biggest contributors and hit them up (and their wives and their children) for an extra 2K. You start getting 2K more a maxed out contributor, your coffers start filling up quick.
So while the focus in the media is on lifting the ban, indexing the limits are just as important. Ramsey, if he wants to mount a legitimate campaign against Haslam, can deal with a ban or unindexed limit — but not both.
A bill fixing one or both of these problems needs to pass before lawmakers leave for the year in a few weeks or the Ramsey campaign may be done before it even starts.
SEE ALSO: Daily News Journal
They Can Flap Their Gums All They Want
Posted on May 16, 2009 at 7:24 pmLt. Gov. Ron Ramsey spits a line you will no doubt hear on the campaign trail from him in some shape or form almost continuously until at least August 2010:
“Mayor Haslam mentioned a lot about education,” Lt. Gov. Ramsey said. “I’m kind of a been-there, done-that kind of guy. Some of these guys can talk the talk and are good people, but I’m the only who’s been there and walked the walk.”
Naifeh To Go Heeled In Legislature If Permit Holder Ban Is Lifted
Posted on May 12, 2009 at 6:59 amLt. Governor Ron Ramsey and Speaker Kent Williams have the authority to allow lawful handgun permit holders to bring guns into Legislative Plaza. If they do lift the ban, Speaker Emeritus Naifeh will be strapped as well, just in case tax protesters start getting any ideas:
“According to the NRA, handgun permit holders are more responsible with their firearms than off-duty police officers,” [Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey] said. “I believe that.”
If the ban on guns in the Legislative Plaza is lifted, he said, 220,000 trained and responsible permit holders would have the right to bring their guns in, but 6 million other Tennesseans would still be banned.The two speakers would have to agree to overturn the ban imposed by Naifeh and Wilder. Naifeh said he hopes it will remain in place.
“I’d hate to think of people having guns up here in ‘02,” he said, referring to mass protests when the Legislature considered a state income tax in 2002.
“If they do (allow guns), I guess I’ll have to pack mine,” said Naifeh, one of 34 state legislators who are listed as holding handgun carry permits.
SEE ALSO: Andy Sher
At Midnight On The 1st, Lt. Governor Ramsey Is Fixin’ To Make It Rain
Posted on May 8, 2009 at 5:33 pmFresh from the inbox:
Sitting legislators are not allowed to raise funds until the end of the legislative session — or June 1st — whichever comes first. Looks like Ramsey’s not planning on getting out early this year.
Forrester And Friend Go Upside Ramsey On Ethics
Posted on at 1:50 pmVia a press release from the Tennessee Democratic Party:
Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Chip Forrester recently criticized Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey for trying to eliminate the Tennessee Ethics Commission. Ramsey supports House Bill 506, sponsored by Rep. Curry Todd (R-Collierville), which would dismantle the Tennessee Ethics Commission and transfer its duties to the Registry of Election Finance.
“This is just another excellent example of why Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey has no business running for governor,” Forrester said. “Shifting the duties of the Ethics Commission to the Registry of Election Finance shows that ethics enforcement is not a priority for Lt. Gov. Ramsey and the Tennessee Republican Party.”
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.
Van Hilleary Represents Ramsey At Cumberland County Lincoln Day Dinner
Posted on April 29, 2009 at 9:30 amFrom the Crossville Chronicle:
Three of the four candidates for governor were in attendance and gave their respective stump speeches. Congressman Zach Wamp of Chattanooga, Attorney General Bill Gibbons of Memphis and Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam all agreed that experience in balancing budgets, job creation and K-12 education are the major issues facing Tennessee. Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey of Blountville was unable to attend and was represented by former Congressman Hilleary.
Putnam County Presidents’ Day Dinner Hosted At Tech
Posted on April 28, 2009 at 5:42 pmFrom the Daily News:
The Presidents’ Day dinner will be held this Saturday evening at the campus of Tennessee Tech University at 6:00 P.M. in the Roaden University Center on the second floor in the multi-purpose room.
Tre Hargett , Tennessee Secretary of State will be the featured speaker with Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey, Mayor of Knoxville Bill Haslam, and Lt. Gen. Dave Evans as other notable speakers.
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Wilson County Gubernatorial Straw Poll
Posted on April 20, 2009 at 10:44 amResults of from the county’s “Presidential Dinner” via Zach Wamp’s Twitter:
Wamp-55
Ramsey-51
Haslam-16
Gibbons-8
Ramsey On The Haslam Truck Stop Price-Gouging Settlement
Posted on April 16, 2009 at 12:52 pmThe Lt. Governor subtly confirms, yes, you will likely see this in a mailer some day:
“I won’t bring that up … yet. The fact that this is the third state that’s happened in, I wasn’t going to point that out.”
UPDATE: Democrat Ward Cammack gives us a little general election preview:
“Government should never allow unscrupulous businesses to take advantage of consumers during times of crisis. As governor, my administration will build on Governor Bredesen’s vigilance in cracking down on such indefensible actions.”
The Gubernatorial Battleground
Posted on April 13, 2009 at 8:00 amWe’re right in the middle of it:
“The growth of our party in the last 20 years has very much been in this collar around Nashville,” said Rep. Wamp, a declared candidate, of the socalled “collar counties” around the state capital. “Without a candidate in the Republican Party at this point from (Middle Tennessee), it’s a real battleground.” East Tennessee counties remain Republicans’ main base with Chattanooga, Knoxville and Tri-cities media markets reaching some 49 percent of the GOP primary vote in Republicans’ 2006 U.S. Senate primary, according to election returns.
Lt. Gov. Ramsey, R-Blountville, the state Senate speaker who is testing the waters for a bid, said conventional wisdom holds that he, the congressman and Mr. Haslam would split East Tennessee since each has power bases there.
The declared candidate from West Tennessee, District Attorney Gibbons, likely will take the Shelby County area, he said.
“So the two most important areas in this gubernatorial race in my opinion are the collar counties around Nashville… and rural West Tennessee including Jackson,” Lt. Gov. Ramsey said.
The Middle Tennessee collar counties include Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Sumner, Robertson and Cheatham. Once largely rural, they have exploded in growth in recent years. And many of their new voters are Republican. “All of us understand that Middle Tennessee is going to be a major battleground on the Republican side,” said District Attorney Gibbons. “At this point there’s no candidate from Middle Tennessee. My guess is there won’t be.” Mayor Haslam, also a declared candidate, said he intends to compete in all areas of the state but noted, “Middle Tennessee is an essential part of that.”
(FT: Woods)
Cammack To Use His Financial Wizardry For Good Instead Of Evil
Posted on April 12, 2009 at 11:44 pmGubernatorial candidate Ward Cammack in a blog posting on the TNDP’s new social networking site gives his take on the financial crisis and more specifically the company formerly known as AIG. Spokesman Mark Brown tells us what to take away from the keen financial analysis of Cammack:
Ward has an understanding of the current economy that is unmatched in this field of candidates. To put it bluntly, the 21st Century economy is a complex beast, and we’re presently going through a reset. It’s important that we have political leaders that understand what’ s going on and can see beyond the old paradigms.
Yes, this is similar to some of the risks municipalities were taking with derivatives. Three of our opponents (Herron, McMillan, and Ramsey) voted to allow municipalities to purchase these, and I’m not sure any of them understood what they were voting for. Ward understand the complexities of contemporary financial transactions.
Throughout the campaign, we’ll use our online communications to address various issues. Some of them might not seem campaign related, but, to borrow from Mayor Dean, it’s all connected.
MORE: Post Business
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Why The House Will Keep Ramsey Off The Campaign Trail
Posted on April 2, 2009 at 3:50 pmFrom Tom Humphrey:
Durham noted that the governor was about a month later than usual in delivering a budget proposal to the Legislature this year. Given that situation, he said, the House is running a bit behind usual speed but not dramatically so.
The House, he noted, has subcommittees that actively consider bills - with power to kill them - that are lacking in the Senate. The House Calendar Committee also acts on all bill while its Senate counterpart typically just schedules bills for a floor vote. Such differences, along with the larger membership, naturally make the House somewhat less speedy than the Senate.
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He Knew The Rules
Posted on at 3:06 pmR. Neal thinks the Lt. Governor needs to pipe down about trying to get out of session early and trying to overturn the ban on fundraising during session:
So basically, Ramsey, who is running for governor, doesn’t really care if they deal with pressing issues such as judicial selection or thorough legislative review and oversight of the state budget. He’s more concerned that Haslam is getting the fundraising jump on him.
I thought we sent these guys over to Nashville to do the People’s Business?
Ramsey knew the rules when he got in the race. He could always resign from office if carrying out his elected duties is too much of a distraction.
For an alternate view, click here.
Hey Yo, I Got A Governor’s Race To Get To
Posted on at 1:24 pmLt. Governor Ron Ramsey on a possible “on-time” end to the legislative session:
“When we get the budget a week ago Monday, it makes it a little harder to get out early. But I’d still like to get out by Memorial Day, which is what I’d call on time, not early. We’re actually starting with a schedule on when our committees can shut down. I’ve actually discussed it in a leadership meeting with the Senate and the House, and I think we’re all in agreement on this. If we leave it open-ended, I believe the House will stay here until the Fourth of July, the way things are going right now. The irony is the House leadership agrees with this. I think the Senate will take the lead in shutting down committees beginning about the middle of April and therefore that’ll send a signal that we’re not going to stay here through the summer.”
Sen. Kyle Says Ramsey Can Resign If He Doesn’t Like Fundraising Rules
Posted on at 8:20 amThe Memphis state Senator on the Lt. Governor’s complains about not being able to raise funds for gubernatorial race during session:
“The governor himself can raise money,” Lt. Gov. Ramsey said. “If you’re a sitting congressman you can raise money. Why shouldn’t someone in the legislature, if they’re running for an office, also be able to raise money?”
Sen. Kyle said he agrees with the lieutenant governor to “an extent.” But he pointed out that Sen. Ramsey and Senate Republicans opposed changing state law several years ago to allow two Democratic House members running in special Senate elections to raise funds back home.
“I’m not necessarily supportive based on the positions he and other Republicans have taken over the years,” Sen. Kyle said.
“Ron has a simple remedy,” Sen. Kyle said, recalling how his wife resigned a judgeship to run for the then-state Public Service Commission. “There’s no rule that Ron has to be in the Senate.”
Asked about Lt. Gov. Ramsey’s remarks, Mr. Haslam, a declared candidate, grinned and said, “I’m not worried about Ron. He’ll be OK. I’m assuming they put the law in for a lot of reasons, and I don’t know that I even have an opinion on that. Selfishly, I like it the way it is now.”
But he said, “If they’re going to change it, they need to go back and review why it was put in place in the first place.”
Additional commentary on the issue here.
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