Victor Ashe: Jimmy Matlock’s attack on Tim Burchett marks start of GOP silly season

Victor Ashe | Shopper News columnist

Show Caption Hide Caption Jimmy Matlock announces he's running for Congress Matlock is a small business owner in Lenoir City. He has served in the state legislature since 2007. He will face Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett and likely a slew of other Republicans for the congressional seat.

GOP congressional candidate Jimmy Matlock has attacked Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett in radio ads for voting for a Democrat, John Wilder, to be Senate speaker and suggested he might vote for U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California for House speaker after this.

This is false. While Burchett did in fact vote Wilder due to a prior commitment he made, former speaker Ron Ramsey, who did not get Burchett’s vote, strongly favors Burchett over Matlock for Congress. Ramsey says, “Tim Burchett is well qualified to be in Congress. I urge his nomination on Aug. 2.”

This writer has been a donor to both Burchett for Congress and to Jimmy Matlock for state representative. But this current argument by Matlock marks the start of the 2018 silly season.

Matlock's record bears scrutiny

Matlock knows that Burchett is a conservative Republican who would never vote for Pelosi. But if Matlock is going to criticize Burchett for his record, then Matlock is inviting the public to review his voting record for the past 12 years.

Matlock’s record bears in-depth explanation as he skipped the special legislative session call in 2016 by Gov. Bill Haslam to prevent Tennessee from losing over $70 million in highway funds. He was chair of the house Transportation Committee then but did not chair a meeting as he was absent. The House voted to oust a clear sexual predator (Jeremy Durham) from the House and Matlock missed that vote, too.

No wonder Speaker Beth Harwell removed him from the chair of that committee a few months later after noting his absentee record. It is fair to ask Matlock if he will attend all sessions? Why did he miss this one? As the late Gov. Ned McWherter once said, if you are not prepared to work, you should not hire out.

Mannis staffs mayor campaign

Knoxville mayoral candidate Eddie Mannis took the first legal step toward a 2019 run for mayor when he named Jennifer Holder, owner of Pirate Girl PR firm, as his treasurer. Holder formerly worked in management at First Tennessee Bank for 15 years, is Phi Beta Kappa, lives downtown and is active in many civic activities. Mannis is the first significant mayoral candidate to name a treasurer.

Other announced candidates are City Councilman Marshall Stair and former county school board chair Indya Kincannon, onetime staff assistant to city Mayor Madeline Rogero. Others considering a race are former vice mayor Joe Bailey and restaurant owner Mike Chase.

Christi Branscom, who has also been mentioned as a mayoral candidate, when contacted, said she was “pleased with having a lot of support but has decided not to do it.” When asked why she declined to run, she mentioned that her company does work for KCDC and she did not want to face potential conflicts of interest if she did run.

Bill Lee favors appointing AG

GOP candidate for governor Bill Lee has pointed out to this writer that he too favors a change in the selection process of picking the state attorney general. Harwell and Randy Boyd are on record as keeping the current system in which the Supreme Court picks the AG for an eight-year term. Diane Black favors either popular election or the legislature choosing. Lee favors the governor appointing the AG with the legislature confirming the choice. There is a sharp difference of opinion here among the four GOP candidates for governor.

The current system is conducted in secrecy as the five-member Supreme Court decides who serves in the policy-making position of AG. No woman or African-American has ever been seriously considered by this system.

Birthdays

July 4 – Rev. Harold Middlebrook, 76; Catholic Bishop Richard Stika, 61; former Knoxville school board chair Dr. Gene Overholt, 81.

July 5 – Dr. Paul Ambrose, 74; East Tennessee Foundation CEO Mike McClamrock, 54; Sessions Judge Geoff Emery, 70. July 6 – developer John Turley, 68; former city councilman Gary Underwood, 62; former President George W. Bush, 72; Jean Anderson, wife of former longtime city Parks Director Sam Anderson, 55. July 7 – HT Hackney CEO Bill Sansom, former TVA chair and commissioner of transportation, 77. July 8 – 2019 City Council candidate Amelia Parker, 39; Knoxville attorney Rick Hollow, 78; federal Judge Tom Varlan, 62; retired banker Doug McKamey, 72. July 9 – retired UT president Joe Johnson, 85; former Knoxville city mayoral assistant Regenia Whaley, 65.