Campaign complaint against Knox Co. mayor proceeds

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance voted Wednesday to proceed with a campaign finance complaint against Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett, despite concerns raised by one board member that the allegations were based on a newspaper report.

The panel voted 4-1 to require more information about questionable spending first reported by The Knoxville News Sentinel, including payments of more than $15,000 to Burchett's wife, Allison.

The mayor's attorney, Stephen Zralek, told the panel that the allegations were evidence of what he called a "sad divorce" between the Tim and Allison Burchett, and efforts were being made to fix errors in his disclosures.

"We're here to cooperate, we want to get to the bottom of this as much as you do," he said. "The mayor was unaware of any violations that may have occurred, and will be implementing new policies to make sure that it never happens again."

The registry also delayed a vote on whether health care investor Andrew Miller used a political action committee he funded to skirt the law limiting campaign contributions. The board is looking into whether Miller used the PAC as a conduit to exceed the $1,400 per election limit on individual donations to a single campaign.

Registry records showed Miller was the only contributor to the Truth Matters PAC, donating $71,000 to it in July. The PAC contributed to 10 legislative campaigns. Eight of the candidates, including three lawmakers, also reported receiving contributions totaling $11,300 this year from Miller.

Miller told the panel that he had commitments from several other donors before the Aug. 2 primary, but that they didn't submit their checks until after the election. He has received nearly $50,000 from four donors since then.

"Getting those checks in doesn't happen as fast as I would like it to," Miller said. "Anybody who has ever tried to raise money for political things, it sometimes just doesn't happen on the same calendar I would like it to."

"The folks that got those contributions in have all said they'd be willing to supply some kind of letter to say 'Look, I told him we were going to do this,'" he said.

Board member Henry Fincher said Miller's comments didn't sway his belief that the PAC was used as a conduit.

"I'm not saying you're a bad guy for what you did, but you jumped the gun," he said. "I think it's become a conduit, and I don't think it's allowed under the law. But I also think you should have a chance to get the lawyers in here."

But Fincher, a former Democratic state representative, was the lone opponent to issuing a show cause letter in complaint against Burchett, a former Republican state senator. Fincher said the freelance writer for the newspaper who filed the complaint did not have any independent knowledge of campaign finance activities other than what had been written about in news accounts.

Fellow board member Patricia Heim disagreed, referring to the registry's decision in 2007 to fine former state Sen. Jerry Cooper, D-Morrison, a record $120,000 for transferring campaign funds into his personal account.

The complaint filed by a conservative advocacy group now known as the Beacon Center of Tennessee was based on information revealed in a federal fraud conspiracy trial against Cooper, who was ultimately acquitted on charges of bank fraud, mail fraud and conspiracy. Both cases were scheduled to be heard at the registry's next meeting on Oct. 25.