Posted on 07/09/2008 12:08:24 PM PDT by SmithL
NASHVILLE -- Then-state senator John Ford filed state-required financial interest disclosure forms yearly for 2001 through 2004 without listing any consulting work or income -- and then sought to amend them in 2005 after media reports began surfacing about his consulting income and a formal ethics complaint had been lodged against him, according to testimony today in his federal court trial here.
Earlier testimony has indicated that the consulting firm in which Ford was a 40 percent partner received about $1.2 million from a TennCare dental services provider during that time.
But under questioning by prosecutors, Senate Chief Clerk Russell A. Humphrey walked jurors through each of the Financial Interest Statements that Ford filed for calendar years 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 -- which were displayed for jurors on a giant projection screen in the courtroom. On the form that covered his earnings for 2000, filed in early 2001, Ford listed his sources of income as "funeral, insurance, real estate, consulting in all." In each of the subsequent years, he listed simply: "funeral, real estate, insurance."
Ford also handwrote in "none" as his responses to several questions on each year's disclosure forms regarding businesses in which he had invested at least $5,000, or that he served as an officer or director of, and others.
But in late February 2005, just as media reports began surfacing about Ford's lucrative consulting income over the previous four years, Humphrey testified that the senator came to his office and sought to amend his previous years' Financial Interests Statements to add the words "and consulting" to his previous listings of "funeral, real estate, insurance."
Humphrey, whose office handles all Senate bills, amendments, disclosure reports and other documents, said he filed the amended document but noted on them that they were amended. The prior reports were also kept on file for public review.
But by that time, in March 2005, Ford was the focus of almost weekly media disclosures about his consulting work for the TennCare managed care organizations Doral Dental Services and OmniCare, a Memphis-based health plan. And on Feb. 14, a Clarksville resident, Barry Schmittou, had lodged a formal complaint under Senate ethics rules about the lack of disclosure. When Ford formally filed the amended complaints on March 9, he was already facing a public hearing a week later by the Senate Ethics Committee regarding the disclosures.
Humphrey testified that the Senate rules requiring the disclosure forms are legally binding on senators. And on each three-page form, Ford signed his name to a line attesting to its honesty and informing members that they are subject to perjury charges otherwise.
Humphrey also walked jurors through the process of filing and passing legislation in the state legislature, and Senate Rule 13, which requires members to publicly declare at the time they vote or take any action on any matter in which they perceive they have a "personal interest" in the subject matter. Records of each such declaration of Rule 13, either verbally or in writing, are kept in the official Senate Journal.
Prosecutors introduced into evidence through Humphrey Senate Bill 2624, filed by then-senator Jerry Cooper of McMinnville, from the 2002 legislative session and two amendments that Ford filed to it. Ford's amendments attempted to reduce charges levied on TennCare managed care contractors -- like OmniCare and Doral -- by third-party, independent medical and dental credentialing agencies who verify the credentials of dentists, doctors and other medical professionals that allow them to be paid by the MCOs for the services they render to TennCare patients.
Humphrey testified he reviewed the official journal for the 2002 legislative session and found no record that Ford had declared Rule 13, the conflict of interest statement, either orally or in writing at any time as he presented the amendments for consideration, either in Senate committee or on the Senate floor.
That rule also carries the force of law, he said.
Humphrey was to be cross examined later today by Ford's defense.
That whole family is the best example of why God said destroy them unto the 3rd and 4th generation. They’re all crooks, but sacrosanct because they are black.
I watched about 3 hours of this trial on Monday. Ford's attorney couldn't cross-examine his way out of a wet paper bag.
Isn’t Ford’s attorney court appointed because he declared he was broke?
Yes, he has representation from the Federal Public Defender’s office. He is getting his money’s worth.
They are reportedly descended from one of the the most corrupt politicians in U.S. history....Boss Crump.
He might want to dig up some of that money he has stashed somewhere. It won’t do him any good if he spends the rest of his life behind bars.
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