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Friday, January 30, 2009

Legislature / Politics / Woods New Episode in Sex Soap Opera: Odom Calls for Kelsey to Resign

Posted by Jeff Woods on Fri, Jan 30, 2009 at 8:16 AM

click to enlarge odom-thumb-81x114.jpeg
Rep. Brian Kelsey says the legislature is an "ethical cesspool." That's a news flash. And now, he's finding out what happens to a grandstanding backbencher who embarrasses his colleagues. Turning up the volume in the legislature's sexual harassment soap opera, House Democratic leader Gary Odom is calling for Kelsey to resign. Turns out, as we learned yesterday, Kelsey's motives in filing an ethics complaint against House Speaker Kent Williams may not have been completely pure. Imagine that. The day before he filed the complaint, Kelsey admits sending a text message to Williams that stated: "Tell Kent I'm willing to talk about reconciliation if he's willing to talk about chairman of the full committee." Kelsey calls it a "peace offering" and insists he wasn't trying to make a deal. "I made a peace offering, because I knew that we were going to have to pass legislation this year, and that I was going to have to work with the speaker to make that happen. So I made a peace offering," he tells The Tennessean. Kelsey says Democrats are trying to "browbeat" him for filing the complaint. "The legislature has been an ethical cesspool for a while, and I'm not going to quit filing ethics complaints when I feel that wrongs have been committed," he says. Williams apparently didn't think the message was so harmless. His office says that "on advice of legal counsel," it was turned over "to the proper authorities." Odom calls it "an attempt to extort an appointed position" and says Kelsey should resign. "He demanded a full committee chairmanship -- indicated that if that took place, it would resolve his differences with the speaker," Odom tells the Commercial Appeal. "When that didn't happen, he filed a sexual harassment complaint about an incident in which he wasn't involved nor was a witness to." More from Odom: Recounting that Kelsey had called the dismissal of his complaint against Williams a "mockery of ethics," Odom says, "if he wants to see a mockery of ethics, he should look in the mirror." "Any member who attempts to obtain a political appointment through extortion has committed a serious ethics violation and is unworthy of holding office," he says. Maybe Odom should file an ethics complaint.

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1. Kelsey is a lawyer. (http://www.martintate.com/bio_kelsey.asp)
2. Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct (RPC) 8.4(e) states: "It is professional misconduct to: attempt to . . . influence . . . a governmental . . .official on grounds unrelated to the merits of, or the procedures governing the matter under consideration.”
3. The comments to RPC 8.4 also state: "Lawyers holding public office assume legal responsibilities beyond those of other citizens. A lawyer's abuse of public office can suggest an inability to fulfill the professional role of a lawyer."
4. Also, RPC 8.3(a) states: “ A lawyer having knowledge that another lawyer has committed a violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct that raises a substantial question as to that lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as a lawyer in other respects shall inform the Disciplinary Counsel of the Board of Professional Responsibility.”
5. Does every lawyer in the State have an obligation to report Kelsey?

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Posted by at home on January 30, 2009 at 9:07 AM

The ethics complaint came out after the text. The text never offered a resolution or a perceived threat. Williams’s aid never responded back to the text which would indicate that Williams did not perceive the text as blackmail. Rep Kelsey did what all other reps including Odom did! They corresponded with Williams in some fashion regarding a chair or co-chair spot. If you don't think Odom did not mention that he is owed a spot due to the fact he is the reason Williams is in the position he is in, then you are a fool. We all know that if Odom and Turner are involved then that means they are manipulating the situation in some fashion and something is in it for them. We all know that Odom cannot be trusted just ask the Governor.

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Posted by Tim on January 30, 2009 at 9:36 AM

This is so entertaining because what goes round comes round. I don't think the circle is complete yet.

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Posted by She Who Shall Not Be Named on January 30, 2009 at 10:34 AM

That Kelsey comes across like a little pip-squeak.

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Posted by Scooby on January 30, 2009 at 12:58 PM

Wow, Kelso gives us a Blogo of our very own! Seriously, it was ridiculous in the first place for an uninvolved 3rd party to jump into Ms. Lynn's business. It could only have been for political shenanigan reasons.
Williams and Odom may turn out to be a lot slyer and more formidable than anyone gave them credit for. It is great theatre!

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Posted by Binky on January 30, 2009 at 1:51 PM

Surely the folks in his district are proud of this single, christian attorney's one man crusade to rid state government of sex harassment in the highest halls of power. His obsession with Kent Williams borders on creepiness. His blatant sleaziness exposes him as just another hack. All he needs is a cape and mask to become a true avenger and bigger cartoon character than he has already become.

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Posted by Mongoose on January 30, 2009 at 7:01 PM

Hi I was wondering what template your are using for your blog? Looks great. Can you email me the link to the theme @ pammy27@yahoo.com thank you :)

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Posted by Dancehall Videos on January 17, 2010 at 2:25 PM
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