Group opposing Nashville transit plan used fake name, unauthorized photo in opinion piece

A group opposing Nashville's $5.4 billion transit plan used a fake name and a misappropriated photo of a local resident on an opinion piece it submitted to The Tennessean, which published this past weekend.

Better Transit for Nashville — which describes itself as a "local, grassroots group" against the city's plan to build a light-rail system and enhance bus service — submitted the piece under the name Matt Johnson.

Jennifer Miller of Better Transit for Nashville submitted what she said was a photo of Johnson.

On Monday, after Tennessean editors began asking questions about the validity of the photograph, group organizer Jim Harwell said that multiple volunteers had written the piece together using a pen name.

Tennessean editors later confirmed the photo was of a Nashville man who did not authorize its use and who is not affiliated with the activist group.

"I am outraged, disappointed and perplexed," Michael A. Anastasi, vice president and editor of The Tennessean, said in a statement. "I fail to understand why a group we have been dealing with in good faith as responsible representatives of a legitimate point of view would fabricate a name and, moreover, misappropriate a citizen’s image to advance their argument.

"Each day on our editorial pages we publish our purpose and our mission, and it’s clear honesty is a bedrock value."

In a message to David Plazas, opinion and engagement editor at The Tennessean, the group said the piece was "written by several of our volunteers."

“We apologize that the wrong photo was inadvertently included (if possible, please do take the photo down). We stand by all the content in the opinion piece. Thank you again.”

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Better Transit for Nashville has more than 3,300 followers on Facebook. The group posts links, memes and videos arguing against the plan.

One 11-minute video features footage of a confrontation with supporters of the transit plan that is edited to include a photo of President Donald Trump and the words "you're fired.” The same video features a voice over comparing supporters of the transit plan with Scientologists.

The tax plan calls for an increase in four taxes — including a 1-cent increase to the sales tax — to pay for 26 miles of light rail on five major corridors, a downtown connector tunnel, rapid transit on other roads, enhancements to city buses and other upgrades.

Early voting on the tax hike begins April 11.

The Tennessean has published several articles and columns examining the transit plan in the months leading up to the vote. The piece submitted by Better Transit for Nashville was published alongside a opinion piece in favor of the plan.

"The transit referendum is one of the most important decisions Nashvillians will make this generation," Anastasi said. "It deserves to be debated vigorously and with the utmost rigor. This city expects that to be done so with integrity and transparency."

Kelly Brockman, a spokeswoman for the Transit for Nashville Coalition, said the misleading action by Better Transit for Nashville fits into a broader strategy used by groups that have argued against the transit plan.

"It’s dishonest, and in some cases, out and out fraud," Brockman said in a statement. "For months we’ve noticed a growing number of fake personas online, perpetuating a Russian-style digital campaign here in Nashville. If the group is truly grassroots, why do this? Why lie and deceive?"

Jeff Eller, a spokesman for NoTax4Tracks, said his group used credible information to argue against the transit plan. He said NoTax4Tracks has nothing to do with Better Transit for Nashville.

"What we do is verifiable," Eller said. "We put it online and we're pretty straightforward and transparent."

Ken Paulson, the dean of the College of Media and Entertainment at Middle Tennessee State University and president of the First Amendment Center, said it was "next to impossible" to avoid being duped.

“It is very hard to prevent that from ever happening," Paulson said. “We live in an age when fraud is rampant and sometimes ill-spirited people can in fact con even seasoned professionals.”

Reach Adam Tamburin at atamburin@tennessean.com and 615-726-5986. Follow him on Twitter @tamburintweets.