Facing charges, Ford begins receiving state pension for life

The day after he was indicted last Thursday along with four other current or former state lawmakers in a government sting called “Tennessee Waltz,” Ford applied for a state pension, state Retirement Division Director Ed Hennessee said Tuesday. On Saturday, Ford resigned from office after spending 31 years in the Legislature.

Based on his time in office, Ford is eligible to receive a state pension of $2,507 a month, which he or a beneficiary will receive for life even if he is convicted on the charges.

He also is eligible to receive, for life, the same state employee group health coverage he enjoyed as a state senator by paying a premium of 20 percent of its cost to the state.

Ford, 63, began receiving his state pension on Sunday, Hennessee said.

State legislators can receive a lifetime pension of $70 per month for each year of service. The pensions of members elected after June 30, 1976, are capped at the level of legislators’ base pay, currently $16,500 per year, but pensions of members elected before 1976 are not capped. Ford was elected in November 1974.

Ford gets an additional $320 a month for his four years as Shelby County General Sessions Court clerk, Hennessee said.

The pension will continue regardless of the outcome of his federal charges.

“Federal courts have consistently ruled that we can’t retroactively terminate somebody’s pension. Pensions are somebody’s contractual right,” Hennessee told The Commercial Appeal newspaper.

Also charged in the sting are Democratic Sens. Kathryn Bowers and Ward Crutchfield, Republican Rep. Chris Newton and former state Sen. Roscoe Dixon, a Democrat.

Charles Love, a lobbyist from Chattanooga, and Barry Myers, a Memphis resident, also are charged in the case. They are described by the government as “bagmen” for the payoffs.