51 legislative candidates in Tennessee failed to report a total of $145,875 in contribution. Damn!

 Times Free Press: 

Courtesy of

 Fifty-one legislative candidates last year failed to report a total of $145,875 in contributions from political action committees and corporations, according to a state watchdog agency's check of campaign finance filings. 

Among them were two top House leaders. One, Republican Caucus Chairman Glen Casada, sponsored a bill this year that critics charged would weaken current law by exempting corporations from having to report contributions. 

Another was one of the fiercest opponents of Casada's bill, Democratic Caucus Chairman Mike Turner. The bill failed on the House floor by two votes. 

The Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance cross-indexes contribution reports from corporations and PACs with those of candidates to check for mistakes. Last year, they found 181 reported contributions not listed on candidates' reports.


Here are discrepancies found between reported PAC and corporation giving and reports filed by legislative candidates and Gov. Bill Haslam. State Registry of Election Finance officials say such differences are almost always simple omissions or other mistakes: 

REP. TURNER, MIKE — $19,875 
CANDIDATE NORTH, PHILLIP L. — $13,900 
REP. MITCHELL, BO — $11,250 
CANDIDATE COBB, TY — $8,000 
FORMER REP. MAGGART, DEBRA - $6,800 
SEN. KETRON, BILL — $6,100 
REP. TIDWELL, JOHN - $6,000 
FORMER REP. PRUITT, MARY— $5,250 
REP. STEWART, MIKE — $5,000 
REP. ARMSTRONG, JOE — $3.900 
CANDIDATE CLAYBAKER, BEN — $3,000 
REP. DOSS, BARRY — $2,900 
REP. MATHENY, JUDD — $2,850 
REP. HARDAWAY, G. A. — $2,800 
REP. ANTONIO, PARKINSON — $2,750 
REP. ROGERS, COURTNEY L. — $2,750 
REP. LYNN, SUSAN — $2,700 
REP. CARR, JOE — $2,650 
CANDIDATE TIPTON, ANITA — $2,500 
SEN. HARPER, THELMA — $2,500 
REP. LOLLAR, RON — $2,500 
REP. SPARKS, MIKE — $2,350 
FORMER REP. RICHARDSON, JEANNE — $2,300 
SEN. GREEN, MARK — $2,250 
REP. DEBERRY, JOHN - $2,200 
REP. CASADA, GLEN — $2,000 
REP. HOLT, ANDREW — $1,750 
REP. BROWN, TOMMIE — $1,250 
REP. CALFEE, KENT — $1,250 
REP. GREEN, MARK E. — $2,250 
REP. SANDERSON, BILL — $1,200 
REP. FORD, DALE — $1,000 
REP. FARMER, ANDREW — $1,000 
GOV. HASLAM, BILL — $1,000 
REP. JONES, SHERRY — $1,000 
SEN. STEVENS, JOHN — $1,000 
REP. TOWNS JR., JOE — $1,000
 REP. CAMPER, KAREN — $750 
SEN. NICELEY, FRANK — $700 
FORMER SEN. BARNES, TIM — $500 
REP. FAVORS, JOANNE — $500 
CANDIDATE MORGAN, PHIL — $500 
REP. PITTS, JOE — $500 
REP. RAGAN, JOHN — $1,000 
REP. RICH, BARRETT — $500 
CANDIDATE TURNER, STEVEN — $500 
SEN. CROWE, RUSTY — $500 
REP. MATLOCK, JIMMY — $400 
CANDIDATE YOUNG, KENNY — $250 
REP. POWERS, DENNIS — $250 
REP. SHIPLEY, TONY — $250 
REP. WOMICK, RICK — $250 

As you can see it was BOTH Republicans and Democrats in Tennessee who failed to report all of their political contributions accurately. Some of them may have been innocent over sites, but others are substantial amounts of money that make it hard to simply say "Oops!" and sweep it under the rug.

So I think perhaps it is understandable as to WHY the IRS is so interested in checking out those that are asking for 501 tax exemptions and how meticulous watchdog groups need to be in keeping track of who is getting the money, and who is hiding how much money they have received.

And don't forget this is jsust in Tennesssee!