The same group that launched a recall petition last month seeking to remove District 20 Metro Councilmember Rollin Horton from office is now shifting its focus to an ethics complaint against the West Nashville representative.
Recall filing cites The Nations rezoning plan as reason for District 20 councilmember’s proposed ousting
The group of organizers, called Voices of District 20, did not return the petition to the Metro Clerk by the deadline of Nov. 3. If the petition had been submitted with the signatures of at least 15 percent of the registered voters in District 20, it would have triggered a recall election.
The group did not respond to Scene sister publication the Nashville Post’s question when asked how many signatures were collected.
Now, Voices of District 20 plans to file an ethics complaint against the councilmember, alleging “a disturbing pattern of harassment, intimidation, and abuse of power targeting citizens engaged in the lawful effort to recall him from office,” according to a press release.
The complaint has not yet been filed, but the group says it will be based on alleged incidents of online harassment, doxxing, misuse of police resources and interference with petition volunteers by Horton. The release called this a “blatant misuse of public office to silence dissent and obstruct a constitutionally protected process.”
Councilmember outbursts, drama mark disorderly discussion related to overlay bill for West Side neighborhood
The original notice for the recall petition was filed by real estate agent Lauren Magli, a resident of The Nations who was vocal in her opposition of Horton’s recently passed rezoning plan for the neighborhood. The notice alleged Horton did not provide adequate or transparent notification to his district on the legislation and that he dismissed concerns from residents.
One member behind the push for the ethics complaint is Chris Remke, a development consultant and a part Save Our Nashville Neighborhoods, a coalition of mostly West Nashville residents opposed to recent housing and rezoning reform.
“This is about more than one councilmember — it’s about the right of every citizen to engage in democracy without fear of retaliation,” Remke says in the release. “We won’t be bullied out of the process.”
After the initial petition notice was filed, Horton responded by saying Nashville is facing a housing crisis and that his recent rezoning efforts have been aimed at addressing the issue.
“I don’t know why my opponents — mostly from other council districts — are filing a formal ethics complaint instead of signatures on petitions,” Horton says in a statement released Tuesday. “Nonetheless, I remain humbled and grateful for the overwhelming support from the constituents of District 20. The hard work continues.”
This article was first published by our sister publication, the Nashville Post.
