Hargett says he’s not taking Pfizer job, after all

The Bartlett Republican said Wednesday he is reconsidering his decision to resign from his District 97 seat immediately, although he would not seek re-election next year.

He announced on Aug. 16 that he was resigning from the House to go to work as the pharmaceutical giant’s government relations manager for Tennessee and Alabama.

But he said Wednesday that he will stay with his current employer, Rural/Metro Ambulance Service, where he will be promoted to division general manager for the company’s operations in Memphis and Alabama. He was director of community relations.

The Pfizer announcement brought a round of criticism from some lawmakers and activists for ethical reforms in Tennessee state government, who criticized the “revolving door” movement of lawmakers to lucrative positions with private companies.

Some states have tried to prevent lawmakers from jumping into lobbyist positions by requiring a waiting period before they can do so.

Hargett has served as vice chairman of the House ethics committee and a member of a joint legislative panel on ethics, both of which are studying ways to strengthen the state’s ethics laws that govern elected officials and lobbyists.

Hargett cited the toll on his family of five terms in the legislature as one reason why he was going to take the Pfizer job. He said the same of decision to decline it.

“All these decisions are family driven,” he told the Memphis newspaper.

Hargett’s decision to step down as the Republican leader of the House set off a race for his replacement.

Four Republicans say they will seek the post: Reps. Harry Brooks and Bill Dunn, both of Knoxville, Glen Casada of College Grove and Curry Todd of Collierville.