August 26, 2008

Two Great Questions

Tennessean colunist Gail Kerr asks two great questions about why the Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper who ran unauthorized background checks on hundreds of Tennesseans hasn't been fired yet:

There is obviously cause here. He's been in trouble before, and the THP tried, and failed, to cover up a fake disciplinary action. Shirley got his job back without so much as a scratch. This is deja vu all over again. Is there concern that if fired, he becomes a loose cannon?

Which leads to the biggest unanswered question of all: What does Lt. Shirley know that someone in power doesn't want you to know?

Meanwhile, the THP says it has already notified 50 of the 182 people it claims Lt. Shirley ran background checks on without authorization. Only two names have leaked out so far. If you are on the list and want to help the public better understand the nature of the list and the motivation behind it, please contact me.

Update: The City Paper reports that Republicans in the state legislature are trying to get federal prosecutors to look at the case.