House ethics panel declines Matheny ethics investigation

The committee voted that there wasn’t enough probable cause to continue.

Because Matheny, R-Tullahoma, received an opinion from the Registry of Election Finance that he broke no laws, the preliminary investigation had been limited to finding out whether House ethics rules were broken.

The original complaint, filed by Rep. Phillip Pinion, D-Union City, had accused Matheny of providing a letter that 3D Financial PAC sent with contributions totaling more than $20,000 to dozens of other state legislators.

The campaign stationery used the words “Judd Matheny, State Representative.”

Matheny has said he did nothing wrong and was merely helping a business in his district. The PAC is controlled by Tullahoma-based 3D Financial, which makes high interest loans to borrowers who put up their vehicle titles as collateral.