Democratic operative claims responsibility for using DUI record against GOP candidate

A Democratic political operative said he was responsible for placing the driving record of a Republican State House candidate in the GOP minority leader’s office as well as for acquiring the information, adding a Tennessee Highway Patrolman in the center of a background check scandal is not involved.

However, Democratic House Political Director Keith disputes that House Minority Leader Jason Mumpower’s office was locked when he delivered the driving record – which includes a DUI – of GOP 46th District House candidate A.J. McCall from Lebanon.

Talley also said the record was readily available at the Wilson County courthouse and not expunged from the public record as McCall stated earlier in the week. Talley added he also sent the court documents to McCall’s home addressed to McCall’s wife and use the material in a poll in the district.

“I think A.J. McCall and the Democratic leadership are trying to distract voters from A.J.’s DUI arrest,” Talley said. “This is fair play and the voters need to know this.”

Mumpower called for a federal investigation into the activities of THP Lt. Ronnie Shirley. Department of Safety officials said this week Shirley was on administrative leave after a preliminary internal investigation showed Shirley allegedly used a state web portal to perform background checks on 182 individuals, including two journalists and a country music star.

Mumpower made public allegations a GOP House candidate’s driving record was left anonymously in his locked legislative office overnight several weeks ago, suggesting it might be tied to activities in the THP. McCall told The City Paper later it was his record left in Mumpower’s office and that the DUI charge in question had been expunged.

Talley said he pulled the driving record and arrest warrants from the Wilson County Courthouse, saying the public records of one DUI arrest and a reckless driving charge were not expunged.

Talley provided to the newspaper printouts from June from Wilson County General Sessions Court as well as arrest warrants from Lebanon Police. The records show charges against McCall fro DUI in 1990 and 1996. Both charges were dropped by the district attorney's office and McCall was found guilty of reckless driving charges in both instances.

Talley said he delivered the envelope to Mumpower’s office in the middle of the day and put it on the minority leader’s desk, saying simply that no one was in the office at the time.

“There were no locked doors, and, after all, that is a public building,” Talley said.

Talley also chalked up sending the arrest records from the early 1990s and a copy of a flier against GOP Rep. Tim Dubois to McCall’s wife to “political hardball.

“I sent that record over there just to let them know we knew about the DUI arrest,” Talley said.

When asked why he sent to McCall’s wife and not to McCall, Talley replied, “Six in one hand, half a dozen in the other.”

McCall’s opponent, longtime incumbent Democratic State Rep. Stratton Bone’s campaign condemned the campaign tactics against McCall earlier in the week before Talley came forward. Talley said the Bone campaign’s statement did not bother him.

“It doesn’t concern me,” Talley said. “I’m here to win House races.”

Mumpower further condemned Talley’s actions, saying he would tender a complaint with House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh over the House Democratic Caucus actions. He also said four people work in his office and that it is staffed whenever it is open.

“It alarms me greatly that Democratic Party officials feel they can enter anyone’s state office, day or night,” Mumpower said. “That should not happen to anyone regardless of party.”

Mumpower added Talley’s action were “the kind of thing voters hate about politics.”

“Trying to scare and intimidate someone’s wife and then try to brush it off shows a person of very low moral character,” Mumpower said. “I guess they believe in a win at any cost kind of system.”

McCall issued as statement yesterday, also criticizing Talley for involving McCall’s wife in the matter.

"I am sorry for the mistakes that I made and I found forgiveness in my family, friends and congregation,” McCall said of the 18-year old DUI charge. “If voters think that I am unqualified because of a mistake that I made in my past, than I can accept that. But I won't accept a corrupt effort to intimidate my family and I will not stand to be blackmailed by thugs. I want to know why this occurred and I want to know why my wife was targeted by these ridiculous tactics."

Tennessee Democratic Party officials as well as Talley and the Democratic State House Caucus said they were not responsible for automated “robo” calls to voters in the 46th District also using the DUI information, adding they did not know who commissioned the calls.

The Bone campaign could not be reached for comment Wednesday.