Ragsdale Breaks Silence on Harber
Tune in Sunday at noon for Tennessee This Week. County Mayor Mike Ragsdale breaks his silence on the Tyler Harber stories by Betty Bean in the Halls Shopper.
In those stories, Harber (a former County employee and political soldier for Mayor Ragsdale) claims while working for the County, his workload was zero because his "real" job was doing political work for the County mayor.
Harber claimed that Ragsdale was aware of his involvement with CasWalker.com, a mean-spirited website that attacked numbers of local officials; and that Ragsdale knew of Harber's involvement in the hacking of former GOP Chairman Chad Tindell's computer.
in our interview, Ragsdale says he doesn't read the Shopper (or National Inquirer or Globe for that matter), but is aware of the accusations contained in the stories. He denies them all and believes the stories were generated out of a personal vendetta by Betty Bean and Halls Shopper editor Sandra Clark.
We deal with Harber's claims right off the top of the program, move on to other subjects, then return to the Harber accusations at the beginning of our second segment.
*** On another subject, thanks to those who tuned in last weekend for our program with Governor Bredesen. It was the highest rated Tennessee This Week ever.
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I've had it with this
I've had it with this "personal vendetta" accusation and I'd challenge Team Ragsdale to come up with examples of such. I actually liked Mike Ragsdale just fine until fairly recently, and even considered him something of a friend, not so long ago.
In truthiness, I must say that I was once a bona-fide Ragsdale adversary when he was on County Commission, particularly after the notorious (to my mind) 1993 gay-bashing meeting when he led the forces of bigotry. His actions and behavior there were absolutely repugnant to me (and to many others, including some who still have that video). I wasn't too crazy about his grandstanding opposition to every tax increase, either -- and we don't have to wonder how he'd deal with a commissioner who behaved the way he did, back in the day.
It took me a long time to come to terms with that stuff, but after he left office, he seemed to mellow, and in conversations years later, he told me he regretted certain things he did while on commission. He seemed sincere. Mike is smart and charming, and I grew to like him right well.
But when he became county executive, I started having misgivings again. Rewriting the county employees' insurance plan before he even took office didn't sit well with me, neither did his hiring of his buddy Mike Arms and creating a six-figure job for him while allowing him to remain on County Commission for two years (of course, that may have been colored by watching Arms' behavior -- using the F-word and flashing one-finger salutes at colleagues during meetings, for example).
I also opposed the wheel tax and disliked the bullying tactics Ragsdale and Arms employed to pass it.
And there was Tyler Harber.
Everybody I knew who pays attention to politics wondered what in the world this 20-year-old "special assistant" to the mayor was doing for him, and NOBODY bought the official explanation.
But it still wasn't personal, and I never went after Ragsdale with even a fraction of the vigor that I applied to Victor Ashe, for example.
I contend that ANY reporter worth the big bucks we're all paid (sarcasm alert) should've wanted to find out what Harber really did for Ragsdale during the nearly-three years he worked for him. Curiosity is a good thing.
I'm running on too long here, but for Mike to claim that I did this story out of some personal animus is just as true as the other rumor his staff is spreading -- that Mike Chase paid me to do it.
That is, not at all.
Betty Bean
[...] Betty calls the Mayor
[...] Betty calls the Mayor on that balderdash here. An invitation to the parking lot behind Eddie’s Auto Parts may be imminent. [...]
Did I miss something? Why
Did I miss something? Why was Betty not on this program? Seems like that would have been logical given it was/is her story. Is Mr. Patterson carrying the County Mayor's water like Mr. Mill is for NewTalk?
Good question
Good question Jim...Patterson carried Queen Vicki's water and does so for Ragman. I am sure this issue will be white-washed on tomorrow's broadcast. There is no real journalism practiced by the TV stations or Newless-Sentinel. Betty Bean and Sandra Clark have more testicular fortitude than all the rest combined.
I think one of the most
I think one of the most interesting points Gene, was when you asked about an investigation. I believe you said something to the effect that "many have called for an investigation...some even calling for a Grand Jury investigation. Would you welcome an investigation?"
Mayor Ragsdale then went into a long diatribe hitting Harber on all his faults, etc. He then wrapped up with something to the effect of "if some still want to have an investigation, then I guess they can go ahead."
Of course, I'm paraphrasing from memory here---but I think it looked and sounded bad. Just being an observer of human nature, I notice that most people who are innocent of charges welcome, even wish for, an investigation.
If you have nothing to hide, then you absolutely want to get everything cleared up. When you asked the question---he should have said "yes, absolutely Gene. Harber is a liar and my office and my record are an open book. Would you like to come down tomorrow morning and we'll go over everthing?"
Ragsdale didn't put it that way. He blasted, he criticized, etc. and then wrapped up with a lukewarm agreement.
It looked odd...and sounded odd.
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