Hill Corruption: Federal Agents Arrest Four Legislators
Posted: 5/26/2005 9:28:00 AM
Updated: 5/26/2005 11:34:31 AM
Thursday morning, federal officials arrested four Tennessee legislators in Nashville.
Related Information
Federal Indictments (PDF Format):
USA v. John Ford
USA v. Roscoe Dixon and Barry Myers
USA v. Kathrn Bowers and Barry Myers
USA v. Ward Crutchfield and Charles Love
USA v. Chris Newton and Charles Love
House Bill 37 (Bill on which that the indictments were based)
Bios:
Sen. Ford
Sen. Bowers
Sen. Crutchfield
Rep. Newton
(Links will open in a new window)
Agents arrested Sen. Ward Crutchfield, (D) Chattanooga; Sen. John Ford, (D) Memphis; Sen. Kathryn Bowers, (D) Memphis; Rep. Chris Newton, (R) Cleveland.
Agents also arrested former Memphis senator Roscoe Dixon, who now works for the Shelby County mayor’s office; Barry Myers, from Memphis; and Charles Love, from Chattanooga.
The arrests were made based on indictments by a federal grand jury in Memphis.
According to the indictments, the suspects were accused of violating the Hobbs Act, which is a type of extortion, and of taking bribes to use their offices to help a company do business in Tennessee.
According to the FBI, the lawmakers accepted bribed from an undercover electronics company to sponsor legislation that would have helped the company make money.
Ford was accused of accepting $55,000; Crutchfield was accused of taking $12,000; Bowers was accused of taking $11,500; Newton was accused of accepting $4,500, and Dixon was accused of taking $9,500.
Ford was also accused of threatening a witness in connection with the investigation.
The investigation, dubbed Tennessee Waltz, took two years, FBI officials said. The investigation was conducted by the Memphis and Knoxville FBI offices. Nashville and Chattanooga agents were also involved.
Some searches were conducted in the Capitol Building in Nashville.
One legislator, Frank Buck, (D) Dowelltown, said he was surprised to see fellow lawmakers being led out in handcuffs.
NewsChannel 5 will have more on this developing news as it becomes available.
Ford must have decided he was invincible.
Posted: 5/26/2005 9:28:00 AM
Updated: 5/26/2005 11:34:31 AM
Thursday morning, federal officials arrested four Tennessee legislators in Nashville.
Related Information
Federal Indictments (PDF Format):
USA v. John Ford
USA v. Roscoe Dixon and Barry Myers
USA v. Kathrn Bowers and Barry Myers
USA v. Ward Crutchfield and Charles Love
USA v. Chris Newton and Charles Love
House Bill 37 (Bill on which that the indictments were based)
Bios:
Sen. Ford
Sen. Bowers
Sen. Crutchfield
Rep. Newton
(Links will open in a new window)
Agents arrested Sen. Ward Crutchfield, (D) Chattanooga; Sen. John Ford, (D) Memphis; Sen. Kathryn Bowers, (D) Memphis; Rep. Chris Newton, (R) Cleveland.
Agents also arrested former Memphis senator Roscoe Dixon, who now works for the Shelby County mayor’s office; Barry Myers, from Memphis; and Charles Love, from Chattanooga.
The arrests were made based on indictments by a federal grand jury in Memphis.
According to the indictments, the suspects were accused of violating the Hobbs Act, which is a type of extortion, and of taking bribes to use their offices to help a company do business in Tennessee.
According to the FBI, the lawmakers accepted bribed from an undercover electronics company to sponsor legislation that would have helped the company make money.
Ford was accused of accepting $55,000; Crutchfield was accused of taking $12,000; Bowers was accused of taking $11,500; Newton was accused of accepting $4,500, and Dixon was accused of taking $9,500.
Ford was also accused of threatening a witness in connection with the investigation.
The investigation, dubbed Tennessee Waltz, took two years, FBI officials said. The investigation was conducted by the Memphis and Knoxville FBI offices. Nashville and Chattanooga agents were also involved.
Some searches were conducted in the Capitol Building in Nashville.
One legislator, Frank Buck, (D) Dowelltown, said he was surprised to see fellow lawmakers being led out in handcuffs.
NewsChannel 5 will have more on this developing news as it becomes available.
Ford must have decided he was invincible.