Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Legislature Shipley Threatens to Launch Investigation to Frighten Whistleblower
Posted by Jeff Woods on Tue, Jan 10, 2012 at 11:35 AM
To say that state Rep. Tony Shipley hasn't learned his lesson is an understatement. While deciding not to file criminal charges against Shipley yesterday, Davidson County DA Torry Johnson did criticize him for "particularly heavy-handed" intimidation of state regulators. Shipley succeeded in pressuring the Board of Nursing to reinstate the licenses of three nurses accused of over-prescribing pills, and Johnson made it clear he thought the lawmaker was way out of line. But Shipley's unabashed. Shamelessly, he's threatening to launch his own McCarthy-style investigation into who complained to the authorities about him in the first place. To Tennessee Report's Andrea Zelinski, the defiant Shipley says:
I'm back to business as usual and will do everything I have done before again. We'll make a decision maybe later this week whether to open an investigation into who did it and what they told the DA because a false report to the district attorney is a felony. So we're not going to have that. We're not going to stand for it. ... I think as a minimum the person who orchestrated this ought to reimburse the state for the expenses we incurred. ... This was uncalled for. In a pre-election year when we're trying to raise money and raising concerns about the ethics of legislators, it's not a healthy thing for us and I intend for it not to be a healthy thing for the person who did it if I can if I can figure out who did it.
Shipley can make good on his outrageous threat because he's the chairman of a special joint committee overseeing health-related boards. House Republican leaders named Shipley to this position even during the investigation into whether he was guilty of official misconduct because of what he did on behalf of the nurses. That appointment was a mistake, as anyone who has observed Shipley during his two terms in Nashville realizes.
For his penchant for public ranting and raving, his nickname in the political press corps is Capt. Apocalypse. He has invoked God's wrath against gay people. He wants to shred the Fourth Amendment to launch top-secret missions against all the terrorists in our midst. Now he's threatening to use his public office to frighten citizens for reporting possible public corruption.
Comments (11)
Showing 1-11 of 11
What an ass. He is going to keep on until he does get indicted, apparently.
Threatening those who ask questions or offer criticism flies directly in the face of the American system of government and our American values. It fits well with an authoritarianistic view of both, sort of what we saw in a communist or fascist system.
Tony, you are not above being held accountable, having to answer questions about your actions, facing the consequences of your deeds (and misdeeds).
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"He is going to keep on until he does get indicted, apparently."
From your mouth to God's ear.
BTW, someone needs to throw a dictionary at Capt. Apocalypse. It wasn't a "false" report. It was a report that embarassed Rep. Shipley. There is a difference.
Maybe it's time for some public intimidation of Rep. Shipley.
What a turd. What possible interest could this douche have in propping up nurses who abuse prescription medication? Let's check his hearing, he may be abusing Oxy like Rush. Doesn't this take time away from his Christian obligation to bash gay people?
Is Nathan Vaughn going to run against him? The tide of lunacy has to roll back sometime.
This guy is a real piece of work. There have got to be some Repubs who have principles who would primary this crook....don't there?
Rep. Tony Shipley - Protecting Tennessee "Pill Mills" and Targeting Tennessee Bureau of Investigation "Next Session" (2012):
Shipley on TBI probe into Health Department case: The story should be 'legislator does job'
By Kacie Breeding
http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=90…
Published July 19th, 2011 1:40 pm
Tennessee Health Department officials and some state legislators — including Tony Shipley, R-Kingsport — are being investigated for possible misconduct and false reporting by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
TBI spokeswoman Kristin Helm said the agency launched an investigation June 22. It's exploring whether, "members of the Tennessee General Assembly and/or employees of the state department of health" committed criminal infractions during a process that led to the recent reversal of disciplinary action against three registered nurses accused of substandard care and contributing to two patient deaths while employed at the now-defunct Appalachian Medical Center, 3010 Bristol Highway, Johnson City.
Registered nurses Bobby Reynolds II, David Stout Jr. and Tina Killebrew were exonerated and their licenses restored in May. At that time Shipley identified himself to the Times-News as the, "rascal behind the scenes that made it happen."
On Tuesday, in reference to the TBI probe, Shipley said, "The story should be 'legislator does job,' you know, as opposed to suggesting that there was anything inappropriate."
Shipley said he is scheduled to meet with a TBI investigator next week. He said the investigator contacted him by text or e-mail on Monday and said, "'I want to talk to you about Appalachian Medical.' I said, 'I don’t know any more about it than what you all put in your reports.' He said, 'I need to reach out to you.' There was no questioning. He said, 'I want to come see you.' At that time I had no idea what was going on."
...
The health department issued a prepared statement saying it is, "cooperating fully with the inquiry by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations. We are providing information and responding to requests as needed to assist in this matter. It is inappropriate for the department to offer further comment at this time."
Meanwhile, according to Helm, an investigation launched into Appalachian Medical Center employees in 2005 is still open, but the case file has been turned over to Tony Clark, District Attorney General of the 1st Judicial District sometime since May. Helm said they are awaiting further instruction from Clark, who could tell them to close the case, present it to a grand jury, or seek additional information.
In May, Helm confirmed the TBI raided the office in 2007, with investigators calling it a “pill mill” that contributed to 47 patient deaths in two years. No charges have been filed.
Back in May, Shipley had said he would "be around to see TBI next session," upon learning that Appalachian Medical Center's former employees were still under investigation.
TNGA Rep. Tony Shipley demonstrated that he was not concerned about the due process rights of Tennessee teachers with his cosponsoring Rep. Dunn's HB 0367 anti-teacher legislation that sought to eliminate the "... judicial review of [local board of education] decision to suspend or dismiss a teacher for incompetence, inefficiency, neglect of duty, unprofessional conduct or insubordination":
Bill Information for HB0367
http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/D…
http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/107/Bill/H…
