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Charles Sargent "outted" this week for running false and misleading campaign ads.
In this election cycle a number of incumbent Republicans are making claims in their campaign ads that simply appear to be false. Not simply misleading, false.
This week another such example was exposed on the Michael DelGiorno show (Nashville 99.7 FM) when Rep. Billy Spivey and Andrew Ogles, leader of Americans for Prosperity - Tennessee, were guests on the show.
The background
Charles Sargent has sponsored bills in the past on the Hall tax but legislative records indicate that he never put several of them even on notice for a hearing in the committee that he chaired. Then, in January 2015, Sargent and Senator Mark Green filed yet another bill on the Hall income tax. That bill, as it was about to pass almost 16 months later at the end of session in 2016 did not repeal the tax. That bill would have only reduced the tax from 6% to 5% - permanently.
On the last day of session, an amendment was offered by Rep. Billy Spivey (and Rep. Mark Pody) with the encouragement of Americans for Prosperity - Tennessee to put a clause on the bill that would "sunset" the tax on January 1, 2022 - six year later. A sunset is not a "repeal" - it is merely a provision that says if the law is still here on that date (and the sunset provision is not deleted or amended) that the law will end or "sunset" on a specific date.
Now, Charles Sargent appears to be crowing in this election cycle about his hard work to pass a law that would repeal or phase out the Hall tax. In reality he and his senate sponsor have passed a law that reduces the tax one percentage point but gives future legislatures 6 years to rework it and save it.
The new developments
Presently, Charles Sargent is running campaign ads and mailing flyers trying deparately to get re-elected. He is claiming that he is a champion of the people because he sponsored legislation that would get rid of the Hall Income tax.
However, on Monday, July 25, on the Michael DelGiorno show Rep. Billy Spivey and Andrew Ogles (Americans for Prosperity - Tennessee) talked about what REALLY happened on the failed effort to actually repeal the Hall Income tax and instead that the best that could be done under the opposition from Haslam and legislative leadership and even in STRONG OPPOSITION from Charles Sargent was to add an amendment to Sargent's bill that created a sunset fo the Hall tax SIX years from now.
As Michael DelGiorno observed on the show - the Republican Party in Tennessee has a scandalous problem - with people like Charles Sargent, Diane Black and Grant Starett running what appears to be false and misleading advertisements. Misleading the voters with their actions and their ads.
Listen to the discussion for yourself in ITunes!!!!
So, why does this matter to the TFA and its supporters?
It goes without saying that Charles Sargent is a danger to the 2nd Amendment rights of Tennesseans. His actions "behind the scenes" to derail legislation and route the bills to the House Finance Committee, which he controls, speaks volumes as to his lack of integrity when he claims otherwise to be a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment based almost entirely on a few choreographed votes on bills that the Establishment Republican leadership "allowed" to be voted for on the floor.
The reason this matters now is that Truth Matters, Integrity Matters, Trust Matters and they matter all the time. These first hand witness statements provide strong evidence that Sargent is misleading in his campaign ads intentionally. This testimony provides evidence that he is the proverbial "wolf in sheep's clothing" and that he must be removed from office to end the abuse. Reform is not an option - replacement is.
This matters - even if its not a 2nd Amendment issue - because if the voters understand that he is misleading them with his claims and campaign ads - just like previously discussed with the intentionally false ads by Diane Black about why and when she got her handgun permit - then voters will be better able to see past the misrepresentations and will vote to replace him and end the risk than he will do greater harm in the future.
Call Charles Sargent today at (615) 741-6808 and tell him that truth matters, integrity matters, trust matters and that he needs to tell the truth about his efforts to protect the Hall tax NOT to end it.
Call Speaker Beth Harwell at (615) 741-0709 and tell her that its a shame that she allows incumbent legislators, many of whom she appoints as "her" leaders in the Legislature, to make and use misleading campaign ads. Ask her if she has or will appoint the Attorney General to investigate the wholesale "fraud" on the voters that is being perpetrated through misleading advertising.
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