Brian’s Blog Endorses Mike Faulk – Two Years Early

The speaker allocates office space and support staff and all but dictates bathroom breaks. Most importantly, the speaker serves as lieutenant governor and is one tick bite away from being governor. A bit of apoplexy hit Nashville earlier this year when Gov. Phil Bredesen took ill and Tennesseans realized Lt. Gov. John Wilder could become the real governor.

It’s completely impossible to overstate how desperately eccentric octogenarian Wilder clings to power. Speaker since 1971, Wilder could have had power ripped from his white-knuckled clutches in 2004 when Republicans won a majority in the Senate.

Shortly after that election, though, Republican Sen. Micheal Williams of Maynardville met with Wilder. When the 104th General Assembly convened in January 2005, Williams, along with Knoxville Republican Sen. Tim Burchett, voted for Democrat Wilder for speaker.

Wilder then plucked Williams from obscurity and installed him as speaker pro tem, even though Williams ranked 16th in seniority, had held no leadership position and brought little life experience of value to the position. Williams lists his occupation as antique vehicle restorer but showed no income from that profession on his Senate statements of interests from 2002-2006.

After last week’s election, Republicans still hold a 17-16 majority, and Wilder’s death grip again appears shaky. Republican leaders say Burchett is back in the GOP fold. Williams is another matter.

Williams said he might turn independent because of pressure being applied by Republican leadership for him to back Republican Senate Leader Ron Ramsey for speaker. Williams said last week, “I really think our government works best when we don’t have one party in total control.” Following that logic, since Democrats control the House and the governor’s office, a Williams vote for Ramsey would break Democrats’ one-party control.

But logic may not matter. Asked whether his constituents wanted him to vote for Wilder or Ramsey, Williams replied in a statement, “My views and votes are always grounded in what is best for my district and our state – not what any one member of the senate or a political party desires.”

Williams is delusional if he thinks the majority of his constituents want him to vote for Wilder again. Republican U.S. Senator-elect Bob Corker won the counties in Williams’ district – Claiborne, Grainger, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson and Union – with 63 percent of the vote. To say that Williams’ district is a Republican stronghold is an understatement.

And Republicans in his district leave no doubt what they want Williams to do. Union County Republican Party Chairman Jack Rhyne said, “We expect Mr. Williams to do the right thing the right thing for the Republican Party, for the county and for the state. The right thing to do is vote for the Republican.”

Many of Williams’ constituents are angry. Claiborne County Republican Party Chairwoman Judi Swilling said, “People haven’t forgotten what he did last time and are very upset.”

Especially Republican Executive Committee member Henry DeVault of Blaine. If Williams votes for Wilder again, “We oughta impeach him,” DeVault said. Even Grainger County Republican Party Chairman Dustin Stratton, who describes himself as Williams’ friend, sees problems. “If he doesn’t vote for Ramsey, there’ll be trouble,” Stratton said. “He has to make a decision, and there are consequences to decisions.”

Michael Faulk, a Church Hill attorney and possible challenger to Williams in 2008, echoed other Republicans in the district. “Since Sen. Williams cast his vote for Sen. Wilder in January 2005, there’s been a groundswell of concern from hardcore Republicans,” Faulk said. “In that group, he’s in serious trouble.”

Williams is likely done as a senator if he votes for Wilder, which leaves many observers wondering why he would commit political suicide. With no other apparent source of income, Williams could be unemployed after the 2008 election.

But, more than one constituent said they had heard reports of another deal. A rumor floating around Nashville has Williams voting for Wilder for speaker, then taking a job in the Bredesen administration.

Though a well-placed Senate source confirmed the rumor, Lydia Lenker, Bredesen’s press secretary, said, “I have no knowledge of Sen. Williams taking a job in the administration.” Williams neither confirmed nor denied the rumor in his e-mailed statement. After all the ethics issues Bredesen has had to navigate, it’s hard to imagine him signing off on such a blatantly unethical scheme.

Given Wilder’s benign neglect of a culture of corruption that led to the arrest of three Democratic senators last year, it’s impossible to overstate the need for change. But, given Williams’ oblivious ignoring of his constituents, it’s entirely possible he will sell his soul again.