Welcome to Capitol Hill: Fifty Years of Scandal in Tennessee Politics

by Joel Ebert, Erik Schelzig, Bill Haslam (Foreword)

Although Tennessee has a rich history of political scandals dating back to the founding of the state, the last fifty years have been a confusing, confounding, and sometimes ludicrous period of ne’er-do-welling. Welcome to Capitol Hill is a guide to the state’s modern history of corruption. From Governor Ray Blanton’s pardon scandals to the FBI investigation that started with now lieutenant governor Randy McNally wearing a wire in the late 1980s to the sexual misconduct that plagues Tennessee politics, this book chronicles it all.

Veteran political reporters Joel Ebert and Erik Schelzig draw from interviews, archival documents, and never-before-seen federal investigative files to provide readers with a handy resource about the wrongdoings of our elected officials.

Genres: Politics, History

296 pages, Paperback

Published August 15, 2023

Reviews

[Katrinka · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't a typical genre for me—but boy, does the book show how important good journalism is if democracy's to function at all.

[Kate Plunket · Rating 4 out of 5]

really interesting to listen to a book where places and names are all familiar and about tn - also distressing that some of these things were done by tennesseans but very good state history work

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Welcome to Capitol Hill: 50 Years of Scandal in Tennessee Politics by Joel Ebert and Erik Schelzig (Vanderbilt University Press 2023) (364.1323) (3920).

Tennessee has had an assortment of public political scandals within the last fifty years worthy of inclusion in a volume of this ilk.

Two of the best of the scandals feature prominently in this volume. From former Governor Ray Blanton, who in the 1970's sold criminal pardons like snack cakes during his final days in office (so many that his replacement was actually sworn in early to remove Blanton from office) to Jake Butcher and his baby brother C.H. Butcher Jr. (bank owners-hucksters-fraudsters who brought the 1982 World’s Fair to Knoxville and then had their assets seized before each brother went to prison for massive financial fraud), there have been enough political hijinks in Tennessee to make the devil himself bow in shame.

Other than these two general interest cases, the balance of the book struck this reader as the settling of scores by and between political hacks or rivals.

That seems to be the intended audience for this volume as well.

My rating: 7/10, finished 3/22/24 (3920).

[Werewolf670 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really shows how deep the political issues have always been in Tennessee.
And to sum it all is this quote from Politico (By JONATHAN MARTIN)

“Today, Tennessee represents the grim culmination of the forces corroding state politics: the nationalization of elections and governance, the tribalism between the two parties, the collapse of local media and internet-accelerated siloing of news and the incentive structures..”

I know as I was growing up that we were not taught in our schools just how deep our issues ran in the state.
As an adult it’s honestly mind boggling how much news gets suppressed or not even talked about in the long run. I mean the KKK was established here for goodness sake 🤦🏻‍♀️. This book didn’t sugar coat and it’s all just a small slice of a bigger and longer version of our states history .

[Luke Wiest · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, the book is written fairly well but sometimes the details can be confusing. Second, the content of the book was so appalling that I couldn't finish it. I got through four chapters and skimmed the epilogue. I know that graft and corruption goes on at all levels of politics. What I found so disturbing was that in the cases put forth in the book that I read, it literally took years to remove these criminals from office! The character of these people is despicable. And these are elected lawmakers. I just couldn't read anymore. I've lived in Tennessee since 2019 and it is evident that the state legislature is corrupt. As the book says, it's just a matter of time before the next scandal breaks.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ebert and Schelzig described their motivation in the intro - one of the main factors was the loss of institutional memory in Tennessee state politics which is being driven by retirements and shrinking political reporting staffs. The 7 chapters cover 7 of the more significant political scandals involving Tennessee Democratic and Republican state political figures. Each chapter is an interesting study in issues of bribery, corruption, and abuse of power. Each chapter provides an overview of a different scandal. A readable book that helps to preserve the memory of these incidents.

[Mark Bunch · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short, great history of TN politics gone awry. If you want or need to know the history of TN this is a good start. A recent, 2023, publication, is a keeper for the TN library. From Blanton and the Butchers - to the Tennessee Three. I strongly recommend. Well written. Easy to read. A fun read or/ and a reference book. How about " A Ray of Blanton Sunshine " sang by Dottie West. Or a t-shirt declaring " Make No Mistake I am with Jake", Jake Butcher for Governor 1978

[Robert Gowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve worked on Capitol Hill for over 30 years so I thought I knew the details of most of these stories inside and out. I didn’t. Erik and Joel uncovered a lot of details that I’d missed or are just now available. Great, well written, meticulously researched, quick read.

[Nora · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 4th grade Tennessee history class covered walking horses and Davy Crockett, but it apparently left out all of the federal indictments of legislators in the 2000s.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. I remember every one of these scandals. However, I never knew exactly how blatant or how agregious the offenses were. This was quite enlightening. We must elect ethical leaders!

[Adina Chumley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good grief! This book illustrates that:
A. Tennesseans are getting their money’s worth out of the FBI!
B. Far too often - power corrupts, especially when it comes to campaign money and government contracts
C. Super majorities are not healthy for good government or honest governing.
D. One bad apple probably leads to a couple more that need to be culled.
Illuminating read!