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Church Hill attorney and GOP Senate candidate Mike Faulk accused of having affair with party official's wife

 

ROGERSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A Republican candidate in a campaign central to GOP efforts to gain a majority in the state Senate next session has been accused by a member of his party of having an extramarital affair with her.

Republicans have expressed confidence that Church Hill attorney Mike Faulk could oust Sen. Mike Williams, who left the GOP last year to become an independent and sometimes sides with Democrats on key votes.

A victory by Faulk on Nov. 7 in the rural, conservative and overwhelmingly Republican state Senate District 4 would be key for the GOP in breaking a 16-16 tie with Democrats in the upper chamber.

But his campaign is facing unexpected trouble because the chairwoman of the Hawkins County Young Republicans has circulated a letter discouraging other Republicans from supporting Faulk, saying he had an affair with her during the race and criticizing him for repeatedly denying it.

"My ability to perform my job in leading this organization has been tainted due to my inappropriate, extramarital relationship with state Senate Candidate Mike Faulk," said the letter sent from the work e-mail account of Joseph Rogers Primary School teacher Kelli Walker.

The Associated Press obtained a copy of the e-mail containing the letter, which has been forwarded widely in the district and state. The Hawkins County Board of Education confirmed the document was sent from Walker's e-mail account but declined an AP public records request for a copy on the grounds that the correspondence was personal.

Faulk hasn't responded to repeated requests for comment from the AP sent by phone, e-mail, in person and in a letter left at his Church Hill law office this week. He didn't respond to a phone message left at his office Thursday afternoon.

Faulk's campaign announced Friday it was buying $75,000 worth of television advertising time.

Walker also hasn't returned numerous phone and e-mail messages seeking comment.
Republican Sen. Rusty Crowe, who represents a neighboring Senate district, called on Faulk to respond to the allegation.

"You need to confront it immediately and tell what the story is," said Crowe of Johnson City. "And if it's not good, you just have to 'fess up and say, 'It's not good and I shouldn't have.'"
Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey has championed Faulk's bid to replace Williams, who left the Republican Party after his relationship with Ramsey soured. Ramsey and his political action committee have given $17,000 to Faulk's campaign — 11 percent of the $152,650 Faulk reported raising on his most recent campaign finance filing.

Ramsey declined to comment through a spokesman, and state Republican Party spokesman Bill Hobbs had no comment.

"The whole area is very conservative, so I think that will be a problem for Faulk," said John David Briley, a political science professor at East Tennessee State University. "It's not going to make Ron Ramsey happy."

Williams didn't want to talk about the allegation against Faulk.

"I'm just running my campaign," he said. "I don't know what he's doing in his life or his campaign." No Democrat is running for the seat.

The affair has cost Walker, who is in her late 30s, her marriage and reputation, according to the letter.

"I believe that God's punishment is swift and just when we willfully disobey his Word," the letter says. "The consequences of my behavior have been just that."

Faulk, 55, describes himself as a conservative "Mountain Republican" on his campaign Web site, saying "I go back to Dad's philosophy — take care of your family first." He wrote in the January issue of Tennessee Valley Outdoors magazine that he was recently divorced after 30 years of marriage.

Walker's letter indicates she planned to resign from her leadership role with the county's Young Republicans, but two addressees of the letter say they have not yet received hard copies.

Reuben Watkins, head of the Tennessee Young Republican Federation, said Wednesday that Walker sent an e-mail saying she wouldn't attend the group's statewide meeting this weekend.

Walker's letter says she can't encourage the group "to openly support a candidate who has repeatedly denied these claims and refuses to take responsibility for his part in the tragedy I now find myself."

Several people in the Senate district said they had heard the allegations, but most didn't want to speak about it on the record. Some suggested they shouldn't play a role in the campaign.

"What does all that have to do with his working in the Senate?" said Jim Dean, 67, who has placed a large Faulk campaign sign above his tire shop in Mount Carmel.

Democratic Party spokesman Wade Munday downplayed the effect allegations of affairs might have this year.

"During this cycle I think voters are going to be concerned with the issues, not get distracted by these things. However, that's something for the voters to decide," Munday said.

Talk of an extramarital affair also has surfaced in another state Senate race where Republicans could pick up a seat. The former brother-in-law of Democratic candidate Randy Camp has circulated a letter criticizing him for having affairs while married. Camp, who is running for Senate District 26 in West Tennessee, admitted adultery in his 2006 divorce proceedings.

"If we only allowed perfect people to serve, we wouldn't have many people in Nashville," Camp said in a statement. "It's up to the voters to decide if this matters."

Camp is vying with state Rep. Dolores Gresham, R-Somerville, to replace former Senate Speaker John Wilder, a Mason Democrat who retired from the Senate this year.

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Mike Faulk. Dog and Poney Act? Adulterer? Liberal? Anti Civil Liberties? Mike Faulk couldnt sell popcorn at the movie theatre much less should he have leadership responsibilities in these trying economic times. He is morally and ethically corrupt. If I lived in District 4, he'd have some explaining to do.

Mike Smith | 6/17/2009 - 1:14 PM - (Suggest Removal )

What a dirtbag. Talking about taking care of his family and hunting strange all the time. This is the sort of two faced garbage that makes me sick about politicians. Nobody with any sense should vote for this adulterer and fornicator.

Reuben Blades | 9/12/2008 - 6:09 PM - (Suggest Removal )

Why,my goodness,Faulk,like Ramsey,just has a target on his back.

Otis Vicars | 9/12/2008 - 5:25 PM - (Suggest Removal )

Since his time on the County Commission, Faulk has continued his commitment to the volunteer firefighters of Hawkins County by donating computers and raising funds to provide insurance coverage for the brave men and women who risk their lives daily to protect life and property.

Our firefighting family will be voting for him. Who cares what he did I look at his record and what he does for our community.

Stacy Barton | 9/12/2008 - 5:02 PM - (Suggest Removal )

I have been a life time Democrat and have known Mr. Mike Faulk for about 8 years. He has always been very respectful and helpful to me and my family. For example, my wife and I have 4 children and Mike always remembers their birthdays when most of our own family members do not?to say the least of what he has done for us. I hate that this has happened but from my experience with him and from all the positive things he has promoted and implemented in our community; it will not stop me from supporting him this election season. His IS the most qualified person to have the most positive impact in our state Senate in my view.

Stanton Luther | 9/12/2008 - 4:42 PM - (Suggest Removal )

Everyone should do a little research on Mike Faulk. He has done wonderful things for Church Hill, ask anyone! We should look past these accusations for the good of the community.

Heather Damron | 9/12/2008 - 3:41 PM - (Suggest Removal )

i dont these people from adam. but for me, what the man does on his time is his business.thats an issue him and his wife will have to work thru. if he is qualified for the job he seeks, and has a good professional record, then thats what ill base my vote on. you people act like you never made a mistake before. sounds like to me his character speaks for itself, judging by the posts.
it clearly sounds to me like he is in fact a true proffessional. stories like thes make me realize he is human, as am I...good luck and god bless..taylor

taylor barker | 9/12/2008 - 7:34 PM - (Suggest Removal )

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