TENNESSEE WALTZ: The Dance is Over
05/02/08

All ugly terms that were part of an FBI public corruption case that began nearly six years ago and recently came to a successful close.

Last month, the undercover sting known as "Tennessee Waltz" (coincidentally, also the official state song), ended where it started: a contractor working in Shelby County Juvenile Court Clerk's Office was sentenced for his role in a corrupt invoice scam, accepting money for work never performed.

Tennessee Waltz was a landmark investigation: it not only led to the convictions or guilty pleas of a dozen state and local public officials—including several state senators, a state representative, two county commissioners, and two school board members—but also to new state ethics laws and the creation of an independent ethics commission in Tennessee.

...more from the FBI Release...

You were expecting........?

Now that's over, It's time for operation Rocky Top.

Good show, but it should be an ongoing process in all localities. I think we need an agency whose entire focus is on political corruption. As much as I'm against bigger government, I'd make an exception in that case. I spent 12 years working for the government when I was younger. I know what kind of bullshit goes on. I was a central witness in an investigation and along with many others had some very damaging testimony. Still, due to politics, the investigation was eventually quashed. Sadly, there's nothing new under the sun. But we win once in awhile.