September 16, 2006

Rinky Dink

Ted Cook, the Hardin County resident whose sworn complaint to the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance questioning a series of odd and unexplained large campaign expenditures by state Rep. Randy Rinks, D-Savannah - some of which appear to be for the purpose of paying off Rinks' American Express bill - explains what happened last week when the Registry summarily dismissed his complaint rather than do their duty and investigate the questionable expenditures.

You can read the background here, then come back for Cook's follow-up.

Cook writes:

As I understood the why the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance dismissed my 'complaint' was basically three fold.

One could accused the Registry of being not only complacent, but "in denial", about the failings of their system.

For the record, the Tennessee Attorney General said in an office AG's opinion dated Dec. 7, 2005, that the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance has a duty to review all filed campaign finance disclosure statements to insure compliance. They failed to do so in Rinks' case - and, even when shown specific campaign expenditures by Rinks that appear to violate state law, simply refused to investigate.

I have emailed Rep. Rinks seeking explanation and documentation of some of the questionable campaign expenditures outlined in Cook's sworn statement. I don't expect him to respond, but I'll bring it to you if he does.

Meanwhile, here are some links to articles about Rinks that I found by Googling him...

University of Tennessee Alumnus magazine
Randy Rinks (Martin '74) had grown weary with life as an elected official. He was ready to retire from public office in 1990 and return to his family's building supply business after serving a term as mayor of Savannah, Tennessee. Then along came WestStar, a leadership training program for West Tennessee offered through the University of Tennessee at Martin. Rinks was nominated for WestStar's first class in 1990, and the experience changed his outlook.

But this one from the Center for Public Integrity is more interesting for what it indicates about Rep. Rinks' ethics:

Legislators With Timber Ties Happy to Help the Industry
While some state governments increased access to wooded lands for Big Timber, other states where large logging companies reside have cut state taxes for the industry. For instance, in Tennessee, Rep. Randy Rinks of Savannah and Sen. Jerry Cooper of McMinnville, both Democrats, co-sponsored a bill that would exempt tree-harvesting equipment from sales taxes. Both have businesses that deal in forestry products, and both have received contributions from Champion Paper Co. in past elections.

The bill pushed by Rinks, who works for a building supply dealer, B&R Lumber, and Cooper, founder of Cooper Manufacturing Co., a furniture and hardwood products company, became law in July 1998.

But some local environmentalists said the bill was self-serving and might give thousands of dollars in tax breaks to timber organizations. "I think it's disgusting," said Erin Kelley, executive director of Tennessee Conservation Voters, of the legislators' advocacy of the bill. "I think there is clearly a conflict of interest. These two are clearly in bed with the forest industry."

In interviews with the Center, both Cooper and Rinks seemed hazy as to why they pushed the bill. But the two acknowledged that the Tennessee Forestry Association sought the tax breaks two years ago, as reported in the Chattanooga Times. In 1992, the lobbying organization gave Cooper an award of "Outstanding Senator of the Year, 97th General Assembly."

Oh. That's right. Now I remember.

As for Rinks, c'mon. The guy's a member of the House Ethics Committee yet he pays his AmEx bill with campaign funds and backs legislation designed to benefit himself financially? Is that what he learned in that "leadership training" program?

The people of Tennessee House District 71 deserve better.

UPDATE: The Rep says: "Word on the street is the IRS may have some big questions for Rep. Randy Rinks and his campaign paying for his American Express bill. Uh oh..."

I have faxed and emailed Rep. Rinks requesting documentation regarding the tens of thousands of dollars of unspecified American Express bill charges he paid with campaign funds. I can't compel Rinks to comply with my request. But the IRS can...