Kent Coleman, D-Murfreesboro
Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2003 4:14 pmMany of you have seen the TFALAC post on Rep. Kent Coleman, a freshman democrat from Murfreesboro. Coleman answered the NRA's legislative survey and specifically stated that he would support the bill to remove the prohibitions on restaurants that serve alcohol and the bill to relax Tennessee's reciprocity standards. Based upon those written representations and others to the NRA, the NRAILA lobbyist, Darren LaSorte, determined that he was entitled to an "A" rating from the NRA. Of course, Mr. LaSorte had to assume that Mr. Coleman was being honest and telling the truth in the survey responses.
Long story short, Coleman wins the election against a republican by a mere 40 votes (read that as 21 votes made the difference). Rep. Coleman is assigned to the House Judiciary Committee and is made the Secretary of that committee. He is appointed to a new subcommittee - Constitutional Protections.
When the bills are initially presented, an anticipated sold yes vote became flimsy as room warm jello. Coleman said he had not "heard" from his constituents - so NRA and TFA let his constituents know that they were too quite on this issue. The response was sudden and overwhelming. Coleman then disregarded the response from his constituents and instead claimed that he was opposing the bills because his chief of police did not like them nor did some of his restaurant owners.
He voted against the bills.
He also created a new term - "coleism" - Making representations on an NRA survey to induce a good rating for the purpose of obtaining a public office but having an apparent inability to honor your word.
Long story short, Coleman wins the election against a republican by a mere 40 votes (read that as 21 votes made the difference). Rep. Coleman is assigned to the House Judiciary Committee and is made the Secretary of that committee. He is appointed to a new subcommittee - Constitutional Protections.
When the bills are initially presented, an anticipated sold yes vote became flimsy as room warm jello. Coleman said he had not "heard" from his constituents - so NRA and TFA let his constituents know that they were too quite on this issue. The response was sudden and overwhelming. Coleman then disregarded the response from his constituents and instead claimed that he was opposing the bills because his chief of police did not like them nor did some of his restaurant owners.
He voted against the bills.
He also created a new term - "coleism" - Making representations on an NRA survey to induce a good rating for the purpose of obtaining a public office but having an apparent inability to honor your word.