The World According to Oatney

Conflicts of Interest

Tennessee House Democratic Chairman Mike Turner sees no conflict with the possibility of serving as head of the Tennessee State Employees Association while also serving in the General Assembly, and ostensibly the Democrats' Number Two in the House of Representatives:

He would be the president of the association, and Turner does not believe that he would be lobbying for them? He might not consider what he will do to be lobbying, but if he plans to move bills or to help shepherd any legislation in the House which will have an impact on the membership over which he will be the leader, it can rightly be said that Mike Turner would be using his position as a legislator to benefit State employees, over whose union (and that is effectively what the TSEA is) he would be the head. This is singularly disappointing considering Mike Turner's seniority standing in the House. As long as he has been a member of the General Assembly, Mike Turner should know what constitutes a conflict of interest.

I don't agree with Turner's politics, but always thought well of him personally. He and I have always gotten on very well. I really thought he would be the kind of person to know better than this.

Labels: Democrats, Tennessee politics

posted by Deacon David Oatney @ 12:26 PM