Former state senator arrested

« Politics ain't beanbag, but it ain't football, either | Home | Hamilton County political parties reorganize and reenergize »

March 26, 2009

Former state senator arrested

Jeff Miller, who once held the seat now represented by Sen. Dewayne Bunch of Cleveland, was indicted along with his secretary, April Miles, and both were taken into custody by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation yesterday. The charges stem from allegations that the two conspired to overcharge Bradley County while Miller served as the delinquent tax attorney, and apparently planned to cover it up (if I read "conspiracy to commit aggravated perjury" the right way).

Mr. Miller escaped indictment in the federal sting known as "Tennessee Waltz" several years ago, though records showed that he had accepted money from the fake electronics recycling company set up to bribe legislators. A fellow Cleveland lawmaker, former Rep. Chris Newton, pleaded guilty and served a short sentence.

Miller was in the news in addition to that, too, due to an extramarital affair and subsequent very public divorce; and some in the blogosphere pointed out the cognitive dissonance in his sponsorship of a "marriage protection" bill, while he engaged in marriage-busting dalliances.

I bring all this up not to drag a person through it again, but just to point out that it seems there is a pattern of dishonesty that finally caught up with him. Please remember that an accused individual is innocent under the law until proven guilty. Let us hope justice is effectively served in this case.