Wed
May 19 2010
07:00 am
By: bizgrrl
As noted by Joe Powell last week and WBIR yesterday, Tennessee ranks # 1 for combined categories of: Public corruption, Racketeering and Extortion, Forgery and Counterfeiting; Fraud; and Embezzlement.
The data was tabulated and reported by The Daily Beast. They used a decades worth of federal data (1998 - 2008) and "leveled the playing field by calculating the numbers on a per-100,000 people basis". And, of course, The Daily Beast highlights the Newport criminal element.
We're number 1! We're number 1!
Topics:
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Discussing:
- Child labor still happening in the U.S., Alabama specifically (3 replies)
- TN Dept. of Health tells medical providers it will stop taking federal money for HIV prevention (1 reply)
- M&M's polarizing? (1 reply)
- U.S. has had at least 39 mass shootings in just 24 days so far this year (2 replies)
- Baby boomlet, includes Tennessee (1 reply)
- Crypto mining sites coming to Morristown (2 replies)
- RIP David Crosby (4 replies)
- As of March 1, 2023, Smoky Mountains National Park parking pass is required (4 replies)
- Deja vu? Groundhog day? (2 replies)
- Tennessee proposes increasing EV fees and more (4 replies)
- Eleven Fifty Gone (2 replies)
- CDC identifies possible safety issue with Pfizer’s updated Covid-19 vaccine (2 replies)
TN Progressive
- Friday Toons (RoaneViews)
- Dr. Richardson Says It Better Than Most (RoaneViews)
- Trump's Former Chief of Staff Knew He Was Stupid, But... (RoaneViews)
- Friday Toons (RoaneViews)
- Blount County Covid-19 update as of 12/17/2022 (BlountViews)
- Blount County coronavirus update as of 11/12/2022 (BlountViews)
- Fall 2022 (Whitescreek Journal)
- Early Voting for November 8, 2022, Midterm Election (BlountViews)
- Blount County coronavirus update as of 10/08/2022 (BlountViews)
- Mmmm, A Fresh Hot Cup of Joe (Joe Powell)
- You asked for it and you are going to GET IT, Part 3 - State and Federal Democratic Primaries (Left Wing Cracker)
- You asked for it and you are going to GET IT, part 2 - Judgeships! (Left Wing Cracker)
TN Politics
- Stockard on the Stump: Criminal Court judge balks at state’s supervision plan (TN Lookout)
- Democrats in Congress condemn Biden administration expansion of Title 42 (TN Lookout)
- National Dems give New Hampshire, Georgia more time to change 2024 primary dates (TN Lookout)
- Fair criticism does not equal incivility (TN Lookout)
- GOP senators sent message to interim correction commissioner on Community Corrections (TN Lookout)
- Juvenile justice recommendations from legislature lean heavily on institutions (TN Lookout)
- Environmental activist Pearson wins race to succeed the late Rep. Barbara Cooper (TN Journal)
- Read Gov. Bill Lee’s remarks on the occasion of his second inaugural (TN Journal)
- New TNJ edition alert: Party executive panels could face cuts, Lee readies roads push (TN Journal)
- Here are the Senate committee assignments for the upcoming session (TN Journal)
- Find your local House member’s committee assignments (TN Journal)
- New TNJ edition alert: GOP flexes on Nashville, new House rules to limit speechifying on floor (TN Journal)
Knox TN Today
- Teacher role models: Job, Gen. MacArthur and dad (Knox TN Today)
- Tyre Nichols tapes: How much to show? (Knox TN Today)
- Fall in love with Fall Creek Falls (Knox TN Today)
- ‘Bird love and pair bonding’ (Knox TN Today)
- DAR sets date to honor those buried at Mars Hill (Knox TN Today)
- Another Vol foe goes low (Knox TN Today)
- Covid in the rearview mirror (Knox TN Today)
- Eight transfers over $1 million (Knox TN Today)
- Frosty Bison (Knox TN Today)
- Nicole Lenaghan joins The Trust Company (Knox TN Today)
- Déjà vu Thursday: UConn returns to TBA (Knox TN Today)
- Covenant Health donates land for simulation center (Knox TN Today)
Local TV News
- A chilly, sunny day with wind chills in the 30s (WBIR)
- UT Advisory Board to hold meeting in Knoxville, review Master Plan presentation (WATE)
- 6 free things to do in East Tennessee Jan. 27-29 (WATE)
- New bill aims to regulate Delta-8 products in Tennessee (WATE)
- Expert says rising interest rates leading to higher mortgage payments (WBIR)
- Knox County student's urban vegetation growth recognized in national competition (WATE)
- 1 person dead after 'serious crash' in Knoxville on I-75 (WATE)
- 48 counterfeit checks given to 2 Sevierville locations (WATE)
- 10About Town: A fishing show, ChocolateFest and a Chinese New Year Festival (WBIR)
- Recouping their losses: Gatlinburg wildfire victims plead their case before appeals court (WBIR)
- Southern Skies Music Festival releases 2023 lineup (WBIR)
- East TN teen spreads Parkinson's disease awareness through storytelling (WBIR)
News Sentinel
- Knoxville restaurants and bakeries are scrambling to adjust to sky-high egg prices (KNS Business)
- Roth IRA conversions can make sense in down financial markets | Jimmy Rodefer (KNS Business)
- Ex-Maryville Apostolic teacher volunteered at church after sex assault allegation (KNS News)
- Knoxville founders share their personal 'big pivot' moments | McAdoo (KNS Business)
- Mother of teen in Knoxville cheer gym sex abuse lawsuit: 'Everyone knew' (KNS News)
- I'm glad I gave bingo a second chance | Opinion (KNS Opinion)
- The week in politics: Sexton pressed on speaking tour, trans bill set for committee (KNS News)
- Five fired Memphis police officers indicted, booked in connection to Tyre Nichols death (KNS News)
- Where to find Valentine's Day specials at 14 Knoxville restaurants and bars (KNS Business)
- Real life is found in between 'perfect' posts on social media | Opinion (KNS Opinion)
- Nick and J's Cafe owner on high egg prices : 'There's a loss, I have to eat it'.' (KNS News)
- Nick and J's Cafe carries on as egg prices soar (KNS News)
- Y-12 celebrates new fire station and Emergency Operations Center (KNS News)
- National School Choice Week is about funding students, not systems | Opinion (KNS Opinion)
State News
- Nashville police: Man dead in Lafayette Street shooting (Tennessean)
- Lebanon planning commission given choice: Approve 270 apartment units or likely lawsuit (Tennessean)
- Steven A. James Obituary - Chattanooga Times Free Press (Times Free Press)
- JoAnn Hughes Obituary - Chattanooga Times Free Press (Times Free Press)
- New Memphis eats: Órale Tacos & Bakery serves up authentic Mexican fare. Here's a taste. (Commercial Appeal)
- 'Wow factor': $40M Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center expands U of M music school (Commercial Appeal)
- New Chattanooga Public Library exhibit depicts American reactions ... - Chattanooga Times Free Press (Times Free Press)
- Ethen Vanderpool sentenced for 2018 shooting death of Mt. Juliet High student (Tennessean)
- Stranded no more: New app can help Nashvillians who get lost outdoors (Tennessean)
- Five fired Memphis police officers indicted, booked in connection to Tyre Nichols death (Commercial Appeal)
- Opinion: Once ‘dirtiest city in the country,’ Chattanooga on Lawn ... - Chattanooga Times Free Press (Times Free Press)
- Tyre Nichols' death spurs internal investigation, review of specialized units, says Memphis police chief (Commercial Appeal)
Local .GOV
- Youth Sports Registration is Open! (Knox County)
- Valentine's Day Picnic Dates (Knox County)
- Santa's Workshop (Knox County)
- KCHD's next Spanish Diabetes Management Series starts Feb. 9 (Knox County)
- Renew your TennCare Today (Knox County)
- Environmental Health hosts FREE BBPT Classes (Knox County)
Wire Reports
- The Fed's New Key Inflation Rate Rose In Q4, But S&P 500 Rallies - Investor's Business Daily (Business)
- Post Politics Now: Ronna McDaniel seeks to hang on as RNC chair - The Washington Post (US News)
- 5 Memphis Police Officers Charged With Murder in Death of Tyre Nichols - The New York Times (US News)
- George Santos accused of making vile joke about Hitler, Jews and Black people – live - The Independent (US News)
- Feds announce massive takedown of fraudulent nursing diploma scheme; 2 Burlington County, NJ residents charged - WPVI-TV (US News)
- Intel stock tumbles over 10% after brutal results - CNBC (Business)
- Gautam Adani's business loses $50 billion in market value after short seller report - CNN (Business)
- Tesla stock: Here's Goldman's 'most important takeaway' from Musk's earnings call - Yahoo Finance (Business)
- Revealed: Trump secretly donated $1m to discredited Arizona election ‘audit’ - The Guardian US (US News)
- NBC Bay Area News: Suspect in Northern California farm shootings reportedly confesses, claims he was not in his right mind - CNN (US News)
- There's no whiskey in small bottles of Fireball. Now the company is being sued - NPR (Business)
- Texas death row inmates sue state over ‘brutal’ solitary confinement conditions - The Guardian US (US News)
- McDonald's, In-N-Out, and Chipotle are spending millions on minimum wage referendum - KSL.com (Business)
- FDA to ease blood donation ban on gay men, allow monogamous to give - The Washington Post (US News)
- Hasbro, owner of Wizards of the Coast, to lay off 15% of workforce - The Seattle Times (Business)
Lost Medicaid Funding
To date, the failure to expand Medicaid/TennCare has cost the State of Tennessee ? in lost federal funding. (Source)
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Wow. I shouldn't be
Wow. I shouldn't be surprised, but I must admit that I am.
Reasons I shouldn't be surprised:
Midway: Remember those $1000 donations that County Commissioners got for supporting this boondogle? KNS not-so heroic reporting on this here. Greater clarity at (link...)
Hutchison: We repudiated him, but don't forget how he ran this county.
Newport: Gave me the creeps when I drove through there the other day on the way to LEAF. Any town that puts the police blotter on the 2nd page of the paper must have issues.
coker story
great example of extortion, corruption, and lies
i was, at least, rather
i was, at least, rather stunned a news outlet in the state had bothered to actually report on this study, and as best as i can tell, WBIR is the only outlet to do so. i was notified of this report from an email from a PR person for The Daily Beast, and i'd bet cash money many, many news outlets in TN got this story (could be wrong, of course, but still ...)
what would impress me would be to see a local or state print or other traditional media outlet get some responses from our own elected officials on these numbers and ratings. it was and is easy for me to link and copy and paste from the study, but i'm no paid reporter. you'd think one paid reporter in the state might take the time to dig and follow up on this story. of course, so very few reporters are actually paid to investigate stories.
notable too are the typical comments that cite Illinois for having several ex-governors jailed/prosecuted - missing the even larger number of clerks or deputies or dozens of other minor and mid-level office holders who've been convicted or fired for malfeasance and abuses of authority in this state over a 10-year period (as you noted, adjusted for populations, we rank as the worst of the worst).
and Newport is not so much an exceptionally bad county - for me, they are emblematic of a statewide and systemic problem. the recent and long-ranging problems attempting to just remove the Knox Co. Law Director from office is a telling example. another good example can be found in the city of Morristown as noted by blogger Linda Noe - the State Comptroller has been explicitly citing and warning them for illegal transfers of money to hide massive budget shortfalls and there is no response from the media to the problem.
it should be deeply disturbing to Tennesseans that our state ranks so badly and deeply disturbing to those in office who do their jobs well. hopefully, your mention on KV of this study will stir up some much-needed discussion and attention to a problem that grows worse every passing year and decade.
Greed, lies and cover-ups in Tennessee governments, etc.
This news flash should not surprise anyone who sees or hears the daily news 'bulletins'... like today's examples: the County Clerk's employee trying to license a stolen car...or the Asst. Housing Director's stealing "more than previously thought". Yes, Arnett does need to do a complete audit!
We have got to elect candidates who will return integrity, honesty, efficiency,and respect to Knox County government, especially in the County Mayor's office. "A New Direction" will not be accomplished by electing a member of the Good Ole Party that gave us Lockett, the Ragsdale Lunch Bunch, or anyone connected to the remnants of the past lapses in trustworthy governance.
And, hey, Joe...I used to love your great reporting when I lived in Morristown! Did ya hear about the secretary at First Baptist, Morristown, running off with $124,000! And yeah, Cocke County works hard to earn its seedy reputation...at one point last year, just about all law enforcement, city and county, were all in the slammer for various offenses!
Louisiana
will likely challenge us to a duel over this.
#18 challenging #1? Not
#18 challenging #1? Not likely.
That's okay...
We ARE number one after all...in a duel...we would cheat. While Louisiana was marching the required ten paces before turning, we would be sneaking right along behind them...pistol at the ready.
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-BANG!-10 [thud]
Challenge
Boy howdy, you got that right. I have lived in Louisiana for 19 years now (It's temporary though, I'm coming home soon) and have always heard and always believe that we had the most corrupt politicians and government in the US. I mean think about it; The Kingfish wrote the book on how it's done; we have one three time Gov., Edwin Edwards, who is still in the federal pen at Kinder doing 10 to 20 and could probably get re-elected next week. (He was a good Gov. I would vote for him against Piyoush Jindal)
It shakes me to the core to find this out.
Must check this.
Don't Stop Now
Josh Flory's News-Sentinel article on the visit from Charlotte ex-mayor Pat McCrory had some interesting tidbits. Bet he didn't have "Most Corrupt" in mind when he said:
Using the standards they are
Using the standards they are going by, looks like mainly convictions and arrests, we are number one at getting caught. Perhaps they are not paying off the right people. Maybe our corrupt yokels are just more stupider.
Seek and ye shall find
I have a feeling government corruption is about like NCAA athletic infractions. "Getting caught" is likely just a matter of someone with authority looking.
I am not at all surprised, stunned or startled...
I am not at all surprised, stunned or startled regarding Tennessee's #1 ranking in statewide corruption. In fact, I feel validated. I have been saying for years that my home state is the most corrupt state I have ever seen. While I haven't lived in very many states, the five I have observed on a local basis give good ol' Rocky Top the top "honor" hands down.
Now if we can just keep the Knox County School Board away from the Dancing Bear Lodge, perhaps we can save at least one teacher's aide position in the upcoming budget.
Corruption starts in your own back yard, folks.
Quick aside:
School board members have voluntarily chosen to cover their own travel expenses in the upcoming budget year, Appfleurs.
Even so, the cuts to teacher and teacher aide positions still appear necessary.
The truth needs to come out
The very top of the list is Maryville TN with Welfare fraud....or forgery.The Maryville police always look the other way, always.
Chambers and schools also corrupt
Once thing I notice here is that their is a mafia style control over businesses. This corrupt group is make up of people in state government controlled offices and those receiving state grants and those working for the state directly or indirectly.
Here is a list of examples:
1. Chamber of Commerce - Take in dues from small businesses and do very little for them while going out of their way for those who spend the most money (large business / schools / local and state government)The board is almost never make up of those from small businesses who do not contribute a large amount of money.
It is made up of county employees, colleges, TNSBDC employees, other government employees, largest businesses and a few small businesses who contribute a large amount of money.
2. TNBDC - State funded stands for Tennessee Small Business Development Centers. They collect data on small businesses and are there to help them but too often are get caught up in corrupt incubators and accelerators that receive large amounts of federal, state and local grants and then turn the money over to private investors who are almost always politically connected and had something to do with getting the grant in the first place. Talk about corruption! Launch Tennessee is the state body of these accelerators.
3. County and City Governments - No need to explain
4. Tennessee Board of Regents - Have become more and more corrupt with huge influxes of grants going to schools. Schools have become experts in the area of grant writing and usually use their money to buy off chambers of commerce and are almost always on their board of directors. They also help influence elections in order to get their people to push more grants their way.
Several fraternal organizations - These are not usually corrupt but have been taken over by those who have perverted them for selfish reasons. Members are often lured by the side-bar promise of business rewards due to affiliations.
Even some churches have been abused the same as the example of fraternal organizations.
Evil will always find co-operate with evil when it comes to greed and corruption.
Greater Knoxville Chamber Corrupt
Has anyone else had an experience with the Greater Knoxville Chamber not wanting to assist their efforts in order to protect a member who is paying them a lot of money?
Is this normal here? If so, this is corruption at this greatest point. Taking money from the masses and using it to benefit the few.
I have experienced this in two separate areas of Tennessee and both had to do with the Chamber attempting to control business. I thought the were there as a community service to businesses not to attempt to dictate, control and pick winners and looses in business.
Lets be clear.
(in reply to KnoxvilleChamber)
The OP is not saying they Chamber would take direct action against a small business to favor a larger member.
The OP is saying the Chamber is happy to take our dues while ignoring our interests and giving no effective representation on the Chamber board.
When I started my small business and got my membership (1 year only), I certainly felt that way. I've spoken to over a dozen people in EOK who felt ignored as well, and that their dues were a waste of $$, which is an issue for small startups. This issue is part of the reason EOK was formed, IIRC.
Nice straw man try, though.
public sector vs private sector
not clear to me, but seems like most of the Daily Beast criteria might have included private sector as well as public sector corruption. So not sure how our government itself compares. But stories like the Haslam/Jones Lang LaSalle deal are very troublesome
I dunno. You'd think if we
I dunno. You'd think if we were #1 in state corruption we would be ranked higher in college football polls.
Knoxville Chamber Corrupt; Ageeed
I can tell you from my own experience that the Knoxville Chamber is as corrupt as they come. This includes much of the board of directors and the executives.
There is a collusion between certain businesses that plans how to best promote their own little click and if you are int the way of their corrupt agenda you had better look out. This power stretches all the way to the Governor's office who was put in office due much to the credit of the Knoxville Chamber. Many of those involved in promoting the corruption that ranked us number one are also connected to these groups. But don't be fooled into thinking it stops at the door of the Knoxville Camber. Any one chamber can make sure you are blacklisted throughout the state. Once of this list you will find it almost impossible to do business without issues because these connection involve the states and city governments.
So the person who compared it to a mafia is spot on!
BTW - to the person who doubted the corrupt schools; they apply for grants with the help of the state, county and city officials then use much of that money to pay them off in different ways. For example: maybe it includes buying equipment. Guess who owns the supply company. Maybe it requires building a building, guess who the contractors is? Or maybe they hire someone who is willing to take the contract and split some of the profits with the people who helped push the deal to them. This is called in the underground world as "dropping envelopes" which means you walk into someone's office have a short conversation tell them they dropped something and on the floor when they look down is an envelope full of cash. Wake up, it happens every day!
Show me a government contract and I will show you someone getting a kickback or favor. the Chamber is well known for helping its highest paid members connect with those all to willing to make a deal in order for the Easter Bunny to drop off a few envelopes.