The Tennessee blogosphere is buzzing with news that an announcment by State Senator Jim Bryson is “eminent.” For the latest, see Tennessee Politics Blog, Blogging for Bryant, TeamGOP, Nashville Files, Nashville is Talking, and Tennessee Talk.
In addition, the domain names “brysonforgovernor.com” and “jimbrysonforgovernor.com” were (privately) registered yesterday, March 30. See our January 25 post for an insight into the significance of that development.
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Just have one thing to say about Jim Bryson.He is already in trouble before he leaves the gate.Dirty Deals……………
Earlier this year, Bryson was the target of a formal complaint filed with the Senate Ethics Committee by state Democratic Chairman Bob Tuke. No action has been taken the complaint, which contends Bryson’s business dealings with Pfizer Inc. have conflicted with his legislative duties.
Tuke said Wednesday he had received a letter from an attorney with the Senate Ethics Committee saying the complaint had insufficient information and he plans to provide more, including an affidavit from a Nashville man who attended an event involving both Pfizer and Bryson.
Bryson said “he knows nothing about it.”
The new affidavit, dated March 2, is from Jason Powell, a Nashville real estate agent who Tuke said is an active Democrat. In it, Powell says he attended an Aug. 17, 2005, gathering at a Nashville church served as host of a town hall meeting on TennCare cuts proposed by Bredesen.
Powell says Pfizer representatives also attended and were introduced by Bryson, who “endorsed” a Pfizer discount drug program described to the audience. Powell says “an underlying motive for Sen. Bryson was to use this town hall meeting forum as a business opportunity for drug companies.”
The complaint charges that Bryson supported legislation that would benefit Pfizer Inc.