Gervin questions why it would take five years to build a tax evasion case. If the other sources are to be believed, there are also larger issues involved, including possible bribery and concerns with Knox County contracts. In complex cases, investigators will often delay lesser charges as they build their case on the bigger ones.



The writer says Burchett never received a target letter. Any attorney who has worked with the feds will tell you that target letters are not always required and many prosecutors choose not to send them at all. This is especially true during sensitive investigations that require confidential human sources and undercover work.

Midway through the Nashville Scene article, readers learn that Gervin was actually presented with documents, including bank statements, relating to Burchett’s campaign finance woes. She admitted to not following up with the information. This is likely because she was protecting Tim Burchett even back then. However, we can give her the benefit of the doubt and say it’s because Allison didn’t provide her with all the documents she wanted. After all, when everything else fails, blame Allison.



Gervin’s piece then turns to speculating on the identities of the other sources in Boucher and Ebert’s Tennessean story. She names Mike Strickland, CEO of Bandit Lites, with no reason given other than because he is currently dating Allison Burchett. She names Lynn Duncan, wife of U.S. Rep Jimmy Duncan, because “all the Duncans hate Burchett.” Finally, she names businessman Brad Mayes because he has “animosity toward Knox County government.”

Gervin does not provide a single piece of evidence as to why she thinks these individuals are the sources unless her own anonymous sources claiming three of them had lunch together counts. While readers may take her “outing” them to be nothing but wild accusations, it is likely the names were presented to her by her friends in Burchett’s office, who seem to do much of her work for her nowadays.



Even if she is correct with her guesses as to who the sources are, why would that even matter? The Tennessean article didn’t go into a series of accusations or attacks these sources are making. The sources simply confirmed that they have been questioned by the FBI regarding Mayor Tim Burchett.