August 29, 2006

Rep. Pruitt Faces More Fraud Allegations

Candidate Jim Boyd, running for the 58th Tennessee State House district, has called a news conference for Thuresday to release information that Boyd says is new evidence that the incumbent, state Rep. Mary Pruitt, "illegally laundered and pocketed PAC and special interest money."

From Boyd's press release:

"Representative Pruitt deliberately set out to defraud the public," Boyd stated. "I have proof that she set up a sham company. Through this sham company, she was able to launder thousands and thousands of dollars in campaign contributions."

"Representative Pruitt's criminal actions are just part-and-parcel of the old 'business as usual' attitude here on Capitol Hill. An attitude that, thanks to the FBI, the media and the Internet is quickly being blown away. We will one day have a clean legislature in Tennessee."

"What Representative Pruitt conducted was fraud, plain and simple," Boyd said. "I'm sure the authorities would be very interested to look into that."

Boyd, making his first run for public office, is a member of many civic and community organizations including the Reserve Officers' Association, the National Rifle Association and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The 58th Tennessee State House district covers downtown Nashville, Berry Hill, and the South and East sides of Metropolitan Nashville.

A recent NewsChannel5 investigation by reporter Phil Williams uncovered many questionable aspects to Rep. Pruitt's campaign expenditures.