Posted on 02/07/2005 8:00:34 AM PST by SmithL
State Senator John Ford could be facing more problems.
Income tax returns filed as evidence in a recent child support case involving the Memphis Democrat show he received $237,000 over two years from a business partnership, but didn't disclose the venture on annual legislative conflict of interest statements as required by state law.
Also last week, a juvenile court judge raised Ford's child support to $1,900 from $500 after he rejected the senator's claim that the state's new child support rules are illegal.
The ruling means Ford will owe thousands of dollars in payments dating to 2002. Ford is expected to appeal.
It's a little more complicted than that...
IRS records show senator failed to disclose business partnership
memlj
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Income tax returns filed as evidence in a recent child support case involving state Sen. John Ford show he received $237,000 over two years from a business partnership, yet didn’t disclose the venture on annual legislative conflict-of-interest statements as required by state law.
When contacted last week by The Commercial Appeal to discuss the matter, Ford declined.
“Look, don’t call me,” he said Friday before hanging up. “I have nothing to say to you, period.”
The day before, a juvenile court judge raised Ford’s child support to $1,900 from $500 after he rejected the senator’s claim that the state’s new child support rules are illegal. The ruling means the Memphis Democrat will owe thousands of dollars in payments dating to 2002. Ford is expected to appeal.
Meanwhile, the recent IRS disclosure could mean more problems for Ford. According to the documents, he received payments in 2002 and 2003 from an entity listed on his income tax returns as Managed Care Services Group 1. The returns indicate the entity is a partnership, but tell little else.
Business papers obtained by The Commercial Appeal, however, show Ford is listed in Pennsylvania as general partner of an almost identically named company, Managed Care Services Group, a limited partnership that’s linked to a former TennCare executive.
The firm’s registered office is the suburban Philadelphia home of Ronald R. Dobbins. Between 1985 and 1998, Dobbins served as president and chief operating officer of United American Healthcare Corp., the parent firm of OmniCare Health Plan, one of TennCare’s larger health maintenance organizations in Memphis.
Dobbins did not respond to attempts to contact him.
As a ranking member of the Senate, Ford serves on the TennCare Oversight Committee that guides policy for Tennessee’s publicly funded health insurance program. TennCare contracts with OmniCare and other privately run HMOs to cover poor and otherwise uninsurable residents.
To prevent potential conflicts, state law requires members of the General Assembly to disclose sources of income greater than $1,000, but doesn’t require them to list the amount. However, Ford hasn’t listed his involvement with Managed Care Services in annual conflict-of-interest statements.
“If it’s something he’s a (partner in) and deriving income from, it sounds like he should list it,” said Drew Rawlins, executive director of the Registry of Election Finance. Failure to abide by the law is punishable by a fine up to $10,000.
A study last month by the Washington-based Center for Public Integrity found Tennessee’s financial disclosure requirements rank among the worst in the country, and Rawlins conceded such rule violations are seldom enforced here. He said the Registry’s board will pursue the Ford matter only if it first receives a sworn complaint.
According to IRS documents, Ford’s 2003 tax return lists $356,899 in gross income after business expenses are deducted. In an attached schedule, Ford lists $188,375 in partnership income from Managed Care Services Group 1. Ford’s 2002 return lists $48,683 from that partnership, for a two-year total of $237,058. Neither return lists an address for the company.
Researcher Susie Schaab of the watchdog group said Ford’s disclosures are examples of Tennessee’s dismal record in holding legislators accountable for private dealings that might pose public conflicts.
“Lawmakers sometimes claim they have ethics laws just by pointing to them” but often those laws are sorely lacking, Schaab said.
A study by the center released last month ranked Tennessee in a tie with Wyoming as 44th among 47 states when grading legislator financial disclosure requirements. Only New Hampshire and Utah ranked worse. Three states — Michigan, Vermont and Idaho — have no requirements.
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Information from: The Commercial Appeal, http://www.commercialappeal.com
Mr. Ford will be overwhelmingly re-elected. He represents his constituents.
Racists!
What is his relationship to Harold Ford, Jr.? Father or uncle? Will this have a negative effect on Harold Ford's plans to run for the senate seat currently held by Sen. Frist?
Uncle.
As Ford is a dem, a black dem, I believe, the only appropriate thing to do, especially for the media, is to put this all behind us and move on to something important. There are much more important things for the left wing media. There may acutaully be new proof that Bush parked over the line for his parking space on two different days in 1967. So, let's understand Ford's motivation and not risk racism by judging him!
John Ford is the uncle of Harold Ford, Jr. Harold's father was also a politician from Memphis of some controversy.
Nothing these Democrats do has a negative effect on their electablity.
"...Mr. Ford will be overwhelmingly re-elected. He represents his constituents...."
He dosen't even live in the area he "represents". His residence is the family funeral parlor so as to make it look like he does. The only way we'll get rid of Ford is when he's carried out of Nashville in a plastic bag. Or if one of his hos pops a cap on him for failure to pay them. He's like KKK Byrd, in politics for life.
Harold Ford may have a safe seat in Congress--most seats are gerrymandered to be safe for the incumbent--but Tennessee is only 16.4% black, and the state has two Republican senators and has given its electoral votes to Bush twice...so it isn't a given that Ford would do well running for a statewide office.
Exactly. His constituents are urban liberals from the most crime ridden neighborhoods in the state. He fits right in.
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