Indicted senator wants to keep leadership positions

Crutchfield, a Chattanooga Democrat, faxed a letter to Ramsey on Sunday proclaiming his innocence and stating his desire to retain his leadership posts unless “the preparation of my defense be such that I can no longer fulfill my duties.”

But Ramsey said because the letter does not specifically request a hearing, he will write Crutchfield back to clarify whether the letter was intended as a hearing request.

“The rules state you have to request a hearing,” Ramsey said. “I’m just following procedures.”

Calls by The Associated Press to Crutchfield’s home and office Monday were not immediately returned.

Crutchfield is deputy speaker of the Senate and secretary of the Senate Finance Committee.

Indicted Sen. Kathryn Bowers, D-Memphis, did not request a hearing by Monday’s deadline and forfeits her post as secretary of the Senate’s Environment, Conservation and Tourism Committee, Ramsey said.

Bowers said Monday she did not know she had a leadership position on a Senate committee.

Bowers had chaired the Joint TennCare Oversight Committee prior to her switching from the House to the Senate after winning a special election to fill a vacant seat. But committee spokesman Melvin Everette said the panel’s vice chairman had been acting as chairman since Bowers moved to the Senate in May.

The chairman post on that committee traditionally switches between members of the House and Senate every two years, Everette said.

Crutchfield and Bowers were among five current or former lawmakers arrested May 26 in a federal and state bribery sting operation code-named “Tennessee Waltz.”

The lawmakers are all charged with accepting bribes from undercover FBI agents posing as representatives of a fake electronics recycling company called E-Cycle Management Inc.

The others charged along with Crutchfield and Bowers were former Democratic Sen. John Ford of Memphis; Republican Rep. Chris Newton of Cleveland; and former state Sen. Roscoe Dixon, a Democrat from Memphis.

Ford resigned his Senate seat May 28. Bowers has not resigned from the Senate, but has stepped down as head of the Shelby County Democratic Party.

Also charged as “bag men” were Charles Love, a lobbyist from Chattanooga and member of the local school board, and Barry Myers, a Memphis resident who was a candidate to temporarily replace Dixon in the Senate.

Crutchfield was charged with accepting more than $12,000 in bribes from undercover agents. He has said he is innocent.

In his letter, Crutchfield wrote, “I am innocent of the charges filed against me and plan to vigorously defend my case in court.”

Senate Chief Clerk Russell Humphrey said that during an ethics committee hearing, the Senate member can make a case why they should remain in leadership.

If the member then disagrees with the committee’s decision, he can appeal it to the full Senate, Humphrey said, which may not meet again until next year.

Ramsey said he would move to have a hearing “within a few weeks,” if Crutchfield requests it.

Gov. Phil Bredesen and others have discussed the possibility of a special session to deal with improving ethics laws.