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Lawyers put Shipley on defense at KBA luncheon

Published October 14th, 2008 | 3 Comments

KINGSPORT — A few Kingsport Bar Association (KBA) lawyers put Tennessee 2nd House District GOP challenger Tony Shipley on defense Tuesday regarding his proposals to take state taxes off homegrown agricultural products and allow voters to choose state Supreme Court judges.

Both Shipley and Democratic incumbent state Rep. Nathan Vaughn pitched their candidacies to KBA members during a Ridgefields Country Club luncheon.

The luncheon temporarily turned contentious after attorney Larry V. Roberts sided with Vaughn’s contention that removing state taxes from agricultural products is unconstitutional.

“Don’t you think you should know that before you make promises to people in your district?” Roberts asked Shipley.

Shipley answered that a 2008 court ruling suggested the proposal is constitutional.

“It does suggest in talking with attorneys that there may be an opportunity to look at that,” Shipley said of the 2008 ruling. “There’s a legal department in the legislature that will refine that ... (but) the most important point I want to make here is reducing the sales tax on food is a responsible notion.”

Attorney Jack Vaughn, who is not related to Rep. Vaughn, also confronted Shipley about the proposal.

“When I get somebody on the witness stand who changes testimony, that certainly gives me to question their credibility. ... How many other of your statements are you going to change to wrap around and mold into what you’re trying to say?” Jack Vaughn asked Shipley. “Are you a man of your word? Apparently from what you’ve said ... you’ve changed your testimony. Would you explain that?”

Shipley responded: “I just did explain it.”

“I will certainly accept that explanation if that’s what you want to tell the ladies and gentlemen of the jury ... no guts, no glory,” Jack Vaughn answered with a glare on his face.

When asked for his reaction to Shipley’s proposal on Monday, Gov. Phil Bredesen stressed the state is not in a “very good position” to start taking taxes off things.

“I’m struggling with enough tax revenue to do the basic stuff for schools and higher education and prisons ... (but) I’d want to look at the specific proposal,” Bredesen said.

Attorney Thomas Dossett questioned Shipley about his attack on Rep. Vaughn’s vote to increase the cigarette tax to fund education reform.

“That cigarette tax, we know is a diminishing resource,” Shipley told Dossett. “If education was so important to the Democrat Caucus, sir, it would have been placed first in the budget and voted first in the budget. The Republican Caucus, sir, has deliberately tried for a number of years to get education funded first. ... My comment concerning the cigarette tax is that to tax any one aspect of our economy is wrongheaded.”

Rep. Vaughn, a member of the House Finance Committee, told lawyers that the state doesn’t fund one item at a time.

“We fund all of the priorities of state government,” Rep. Vaughn said.

On electing state Supreme Court judges, Sullivan County Circuit Judge John McLellan said he was concerned about judges having to go out and raise money to run political campaigns.

“We do it for the president of the United States,” Shipley responded. “We do it for the governor. We do it for senators in statewide elections. ... I tend to trust the people.”

Rep. Vaughn, in his opening statement at the luncheon, reiterated he’s upset by House GOP Leader Jason Mumpower’s characterization that he’s more suited to represent inner-city Memphis.

“Memphis is known to be a haven for liberal Democrat lawmakers ... and this is the way Mr. Vaughn has been voting,” said Mumpower, a Bristolian who is backing Shipley and needs four GOP pickups for Republicans to win a majority in the state House.

Rep. Vaughn added he continues to be offended by Shipley saying that his views are more aligned with Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and Tennessee Democratic House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh.

“When did he become an expert on Barack Obama’s values and my values?” Vaughn asked. “Why is it we can’t talk about our own values and the things we believe in? I have not tried to define or identify who or what he is. ... That’s the kind of politics that is destroying this country.”

The 2nd House District includes parts of Kingsport, Colonial Heights, Sullivan Gardens and Indian Springs.

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After attending this luncheon as a guest, I have to say I disagree with the way it is portrayed in this article. To say the luncheon was only temporarily contentious is more than a slight understatement. After Mr. Shipley gave his opening remarks followed by Mr. Vaughn, the group seemed to only question Shipley. Almost all questions were directed towards him, giving Vaughn the opportunity to respond afterwards and have the last word. I was somewhat embarrassed to see a room full of distinguished people in our community so unabashedly berate one candidate while giving the other a pat on the back. Fair and balanced was clearly missing here. I would probably attribute this onslaught to the presence and leadership of a certain former General Sessions Judge whom Shipley campaigned against, and subsequently lost, in 2006. I have to add I came in to this debate open-minded, but after watching how Shipley held his own, despite the incessant hostility, he definitely earned my vote.

Jerry Provost | 10/15/2008 - 4:52 PM - ( Comment

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Yeah, you would have to
go to Morristown,Knoxville,Atlanta,or Raleigh to find an attorney to take on something of significance in the Kingsport area. But if your adversary has more money than you do, you can be sold out.

Jim Williams | 10/15/2008 - 3:07 PM - ( Comment

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I agree with Bobby Cole on this what could be worse than several lawyers,try to get help here in Kingsport,there isn't a lawyer one who isn't on Big Companies pay rolls just for back up,no one in Kingsport can get REAL LEGAL HELP from a kingsport Lawyer.

lisa ray | 10/15/2008 - 1:31 PM - ( Comment

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