This afternoon, I received a phone call from an individual identifying himself as Robert H. Thompson the Treasurer for Carson Dailey, Republican candidate for Knox Co. Commission Ninth District. He was informing me of a glitch or provision in the law that allows candidates to not file the financial disclosure on February 1, 2016 and instead file the Pre-Primary report on February 23, 2016. The last day of early voting.
I contacted Cliff Rodgers and he confirmed that he and Chris Davis had talked with Mr. Thompson a few weeks ago and there is apparently a momentary provision. Momentary in that it only applies to the March Primaries in 2012, 2016 and 2020. The report that was filed on February 1 by 99% of the candidates desiring your vote covers all financial transactions through January 15, 2016. The Pre-Primary report for those candidates will cover January 16-February 20, 2016 and must be filed on February 23, 2016. Dailey’s will need to cover from the start of his campaign – February 20, 2016 and filed on February 23, 2016.
The “glitch”in state law
BrianHornback.Com will be all over Carson Dailey’s filing on February 23, 2016. the date is circled on our calendar. Mr. Rodgers assured me that February 23, 2016 is in concrete and slackers will not be tolerated.
Thompson said it was administratively cumbersome to file now and again in a few weeks. I asked him why is it that Mr. James “Brandon” Hamilton and Mr. Tom Pierce who the citizens of the Ninth District will get to contrasts and compare Dailey with on August 4, 2016 chose to comply with the financial disclosure filing. In the time that he and Dailey sought this loophole, they could have filed the paperwork.
What is there to hide?
It would appear to several South Knox County observers that Dailey is either embarrassed of his lack of fundraising prowess or he is wanting the district not to see who is contributing and supporting him before the primary. A write-in candidate could emerge with this blood in the water of the lack of openness and transparency in Dailey’s financial dealings.
Dailey is apparently not a team player. As his Treasurer stated to me and Mr. Rodgers confirmed, the loophole was discovered several weeks ago. The Election Commission carried on business as usual with the February 1 filing. Dailey did not share this tidbit with his fellow Republican candidates. Not even sharing it with the incumbent law director that Dailey contributed $200 to, Law Director Armstrong could have used the extra time to correct the errors on his own form (read that here) and the errors that Armstrong facilitated with Tony Norman’s (Read that here)
Dailey served on the Knox County Ethics Committee and the Board of Zoning Appeals, you would think that he would desire to be open, accessible and transparent with the voters about his campaign finances. Apparently not. He is operating like President Obama shielding his campaign finances and spending time looking for glitches to circumvent and locating advantages for himself.
His Treasurer asked that I correct the term failed to file. I asked the Treasurer did you file on February 1, 2016 as the Election Commission asked and expected. He said we were seeking this provision. I informed him that I still believe that my term failure to file was appropriate, as their campaign failed to file on February 1, 2016.
The schedule of financial disclosure filings from the KnoxVotes.org website that all candidates except Dailey followed
South Knox County, if you have a Republican person that could get write-in votes, there is a deadline to notify the Knox Co Election Commission that you want those write-ins counted on March 1, 2016. I will check with the KCEC tomorrow for that deadline, or you can wait, until August 4, 2016 early voting July 15-30, 2016 James “Brandon” Hamilton or Tom Pierce are both options for you to send a message to Dailey and his Treasurer and reject Dailey.
