What to Know About the Investigations Into the Barry Affair

It's been a little more than a week since Mayor Megan Barry publicly admitted that she'd had a lengthy affair with the former head of her security detail, Sergeant Rob Forrest, and the imbroglio has prompted three inquiries into the mayor's conduct. To help you keep them all straight, here's what you need to know about each investigation and who is conducting it.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation:

At the request of Davidson County District Attorney Glenn Funk, the TBI is investigating whether Barry or Forrest broke any laws during the course of their affair, including the misuse of public funds. That investigation is underway, with the TBI requesting documents from Metro and reportedly taking Forrest's city-issued cell phone. The matter has drawn powerhouse attorneys. Former U.S. Attorney Jerry Martin is representing the mayor, while David Raybin is representing Forrest. 

Metro Council Special Committee:

Earlier this week, the council voted to create a special committee "to investigate the circumstances involving travel and other expenses, including overtime expenses, potentially related to the Mayor’s admitted improprieties involving an employee of the Metropolitan Government to determine if there was any improper use of public money." They will not be looking for criminal conduct, but rather violations of Metro policies and standards of conduct.

The committee will effectively have subpoena power — it will be able to compel the appearance of witnesses who will be put under oath — and the production of documents. Vice Mayor David Briley hasn't yet appointed the council members who will serve on the committee. When the council last used its power to create such a committee in 1974, council members reviewed documents and interviewed witnesses themselves. Today's council members could do that or hire an outside firm. 

Council Board of Ethical Conduct:

On Wednesday, a coalition of police-oversight activists called Community Oversight Now filed an ethics complaint questioning, among other things, whether the mayor could be be an "honest broker" between the community and the police department, given her extramarital affair with a police officer. That complaint goes first to the Metro Department of Law, which has 14 days to review the complaint. The department will then submit a recommendation to the board, which will decide whether to take up the complaint. If they do, they can make a recommend based on their findings. The board could recommend that the mayor resign or that the mayor be censured. They also have two other options: They could refer the matter to the district attorney or refer it back to the Department of Law and request that a civil action be taken up. Hypothetically speaking, the latter option could mean asking for a civil suit to be pursued against the official in question.