Wilder reimburses state for ’03 personal business costs

Wilder said he wrote a $183.54 check to the state last week to cover costs incurred by him for the Dec. 18, 2003, trip.

He made the trip to Chattanooga in his personal plane, which is reimbursed by the state at a special rate, though he said he wasn’t aware his office had charged the state for the trip

Wilder, D-Mason, said the trip was made at least partially on behalf of Texas law firm Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Sampson, which sought to do business with the city of Chattanooga. He also said the law firm paid him $750 for travel expenses as well as his “advice and counsel.”

The move to repay the state came after a report by the Chattanooga Times Free Press revealed state taxpayers footed the bill for the visit.

He said filing for reimbursement for the Chattanooga trip was a mistake and said he was unaware of it until last week.

But he acknowledged the visit fell into a gray area. Part of the cost could have been justified on grounds he visited Sen. Ward Crutchfield, D-Chattanooga, and engaged in state business, he said.

He said he chose to reimburse the state to not create any impression that he had “cheated on anybody.”

Austin, Tex.-based Linebarger Goggan did not win any contracts as a result of the meeting.

Drew Rawlins of the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance said Lt. Gov. Wilder’s Chattanooga actions are not covered by the states recently passed conflict of interest law.

The law prohibits legislators from being paid to lobby before state bodies but does not address municipal, county or federal groups.