Image Credit: Knox County Sheriff’s Department & Canva
Tennessee Conservative News [By Olivia Lupia] –
The Tennessee Republican State Primary Board will meet on June 10 to decide whether to uphold or vacate the results of the Knox County Sheriff’s primary following a challenge by one of the candidates who filed the complaint after two of the other candidates who appeared on the ballot were indicted in a federal theft conspiracy case.
Republican Mike Davis formally challenged the primary election results after two other Republican candidates, former Sheriff J.J. Jones and current Chief David Amburn, were included in a federal indictment which was the result of a years-long investigation by the FBI with assistance from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).
The two candidates, along with nine additional individuals connected to the Sheriff’s Department, were charged for conduct between January 2011 and September 2018, allegedly using the Knox County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) credit card and seized cash to make unauthorized purchases for personal benefit and completing personal projects while on duty using KCSO resources and equipment.
The purchases totaled over $300,000, with upwards of $30,000 of seized cash used. All 11 defendants were charged with one count of Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Theft of Property over $250,000, one count of Theft of Property over $250,00, and Theft of Services over $60,000.
While neither Jones nor Amburn won the GOP primary candidate nomination, Davis called for the election to be redone as he believes “a substantial number of voters would likely have voted differently had they received the critical information about the investigations and indictments.”
Current Sheriff Tom Spangler had also officially endorsed Amburn for the position ahead of the election, lending credence to Davis’ claim that some voters may have chosen differently with the information about the federal investigation.
The primary winner, Brent Gibson, won 44% of the vote and is the presumptive sheriff as there are no other candidates for the office in the Aug. 6 general election. Davis’ attorney has contended that the combined vote total of the two indicted candidates, equaling roughly 45.5% of the total vote, could be enough to significantly bolster Gibson’s victory margin or completely change the election results in Davis’ favor if voters had the opportunity to recast their ballots.
Now, the state GOP will consider the matter on Wednesday, though reportedly a new election cannot be ordered as Davis has requested. The board must either let the election results stand, award a different candidate the nomination or vacate the entire election. Should the board choose to vacate, it could potentially mean there would be no candidate on the general election ballot in August.
There has been precedent set by a Tennessee political party to allow the local county party to select the nominee after the state party vacated an election, though that strategy has only been employed once by Democrats in 2008 to void an election for a State House district.
GOP Chairman Scott Golden, who decided the case does have enough merit to be heard by the board, has reportedly been exploring all options with Tennessee Elections Coordinator Mark Goins, but until the board meets, hears both sides, and renders a decision, the race remains in limbo.
However, outside the political sphere, all 11 defendants are scheduled to appear in court for arraignment on July 1 at 9 a.m.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
2 Responses
TNGOP should cede the election to Davis.
Thank you for this story. Will watch with much interest to see what the state GOP does. They may set an interesting precedent for later elections. NONE of the alternatives sound fair to the citizens of Knox county. What a strange dilemma.