From a story in today’s Tennessean “Wilson County Commissioner Chris Sorey used a state Web site to run unauthorized background checks on citizens, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation says.”
“Helm would not identify those whose backgrounds were checked, but Mt. Juliet City Manager Randy Robertson has told his employees that the portal was used to run private information on some city employees and a person of prominence within the city.”
Sorey “was placed on routine, unpaid administrative leave on Nov. 6, said John Black, executive director of the Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport Authority. On Nov. 13, Sorey resigned to take a higher-paying job.”
As a result of the investigation, the TBI has blocked the Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport Authority from all access to the TBI’s “Criminal Justice Portal.”
“The TBI turned over its information to Rutherford County District Attorney William Whitesell, who did not seek a criminal investigation and said no charges are pending.”
You can read the rest of the story on the Tennessean’s web site here.
19 Comments
November 29, 2008 at 5:40 pm
[...] Radio Free Mt. Juliet: “Wilson County Commissioner Chris Sorey used a state Web site to run unauthorized background [...]
November 29, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Everything Mr. Sorey has done here is wrong, and he knows it, or he wouldn’t have had a backup job waiting in the wings. Mr. Sorey needs to resign his seat as County Commissioner, and if he will not, I call on the Commission to take action against him. If he really believed the city was violating laws, he should have gone to the TBI himself. Instead, he violated laws, and then tried to make a name for himself at local city meetings. You can read the rest of my thoughts on this story at http://www.vote4cole.wordpress.com
November 30, 2008 at 10:14 am
Mr. Cole,
I wish you had been a little better informed before you made your post. If you would like, feel free to call me at anytime and I will be more than happy to explain the scenarios involved as well as procedure for TBI. For that matter, my number is public and I have received nothing but support so far. For the record, I did not have a job waiting in the wings, but when I was given the opportunity to take a position with more income and less stress, it was a no brainer.
I wish you well on your 2010 campaign, but not at my expense.
Chris Sorey
579-6068
And yes, I answer my phone
November 30, 2008 at 11:47 am
Chris,
As I said in my post last night, I don’t live in D2, so I am not looking to boost my 2010 campaign at your expense. My blog is committed to sharing news, and MY views to the citizens of Wilson County. If the citizens of our county disagree with me, then that is perfectly acceptable. There are real issues affecting our county on a daily basis, that people are interested in. In my view, this isn’t even in the top 10, but I posted my opinion anyway. If in reality, you were offered a job at better pay with less stress in a 7 day time span, then congratulations, you’re doing a lot better than most Americans in this troubling time. For the record, I don’t need more information. I know two things to be factual from the article in the Tennessean. Ronnie Shirley used this site, and was then fired for it. You used the same site. In both cases, the public trust was breached, and I find it troubling that the state and counties involved do not feel the need to pursue further charges. IIn MY view, the key difference in the two cases is this. Mr. Shirley was a state employee, hired by the state. You sir, were also a local government employee, but you are also an elected official. An elected official should have better judgement than to do that. The public trusted you enough to grant you there vote, and MY view is that it shows them disrespect to go about your investigation the way you did.
If I were in your shoes, I would be much more concerned about writing a letter to the editor of the Tennessean, or doing an interview with them to “explain the scenarios involved”, than I would be in trying to reach out to a local blogger who reaches probably about 0.05% of the daily readers the Tennessean probably does. The only people I have heard from, supporting you, are people who start the conversation saying they are your friends. That’s fine, I would hope my friends would do the same if I were ever in your shoes. But trust me when I tell you, that to most of the readers of the Tennessean, who read yesterdays article, it does not look good. Those are the people you need to do some damage control with, if you indeed feel justified in all that has transpired.
November 30, 2008 at 11:51 am
Mr. Cole, if you can find where any law has been violated, I’ll kiss your butt. It’s just a rule, not a law. And exactly what have you done to try and fix the problems that we all know are out there? Talk? Blog? That doesn’t get it done, my friend. At least Mr. Sorey has the guts to get out there and make discoveries, and act upon them. Again, what have you done?
November 30, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Marketing101,
What have you done? I don’t live in Mt. Juliet, but I am guessing that you do. As a person who doesn’t live inside the city limits, or who does not represent anyone living in the city limits, my “powers” to create change there don’t go far beyond my keyboard. If I lived in the city limits, I would have been much more involved. The first thing I would have done would have been to try and talk to Marlowe, Mack, and Bradshaw, and convince them it would be better to work together and only have one of them run, so that there would be a change in the administration. I also think something has to be done about the increasingly ridiculous war between the east side and the west side of the counties. A consolidated city – county government would be the right answer there, so that all taxpayers pay an equal share for equal services, and we eliminate layers of administration we don’t need. These are the issues I will run on in 2010. If you look at my blog, you’ll realize I’m just getting started, so no, I haven’t “done much”. But I’m guessing you have been here longer, and are more involved, so I welcome you to share with all of us, what you have done.
November 30, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Mr. Cole,
I appreciate your thoughts, as misinformed as they are. I sincerely hope that if you are ever elected to an office, that you will conduct more research into the matter brought before you to vote on than you have on this subject. Yes, I was fortunate in finding other employment, and have taken two calls from people I know in the MJ area asking if I knew where they might find a job. I may have found a job for one of them.
What you have not taken time to realize, or understand is that there has been no law broken, and the actions I am accused of took place prior to my election.
I asked for any disciplinary actions in Gary Gaskins file last November, and was given nothing and told there were no disciplinary actions in his file. Gaskins has nothing to do with fire codes inspections, but I have documents that show him signing off on permits before that particular permit had even been applied for. Gaskins was also selling products at the county fair that would have been used on construction sites that he would be inspecting. I believe that to be a blatant conflict of interest, and one of concern given his ability to stop projects and waive others through. Now, fast forward to one year later and he makes a complaint that reaches the TBI because I asked to see if he had been reprimanded and you don’t believe this is retaliation for bringing out the fact that the city allowed certain builders to do less? I refer you to the fact that Chief Garrett was hired in July, and this matter could not have begun prior to that date. Were you also aware that they tried to charge me with tresspassing because I knew which homes that were under construction were not in compliance? Of course you didn’t know that. You also are probably unaware of the fact that everything I have spoken about at city meetings has been presented to the city manager prior to the meetings, and he refused to do anything about any of it, including the fire code issues. Sure, they did something when the media got involved, but there has been no investigation on how this happened, only which homes need to be fixed. Or has there? One homebuilder who is in the process of donating land to the city has no oversight, but of course, there is no conflct of interest there. Yes, you read that correct. There is a homebuilder who has not had any reinspections on any of the homes that they have built, and it goes on from there.
More importantly, I will not be the person who sees a news story years from now about someone who has been injured or worse in a situation that I could have spoken up about.
Mr Cole, I have to ask. Are you employed by a builder or the YMCA?
November 30, 2008 at 2:13 pm
I am going to reserve personal judgment about Mr. Sorey’s actions at this point and I will refrain making any definitive statements regarding Mr. Sorey specifically in reference to this matter.
I will, however, point out a few things that may have been missed here.
First off, as a result of Mr. Sorey’s action, whether morally or ethically understandable or not, the Smyrna/Rutherford County airport has lost its access to TBI’s Criminal Justice Portal. I would have to assume that there was a reason to provide them access in the first place, so losing the ability to use the system has to logically come as a loss to the airport.
Mr. Sorey and I have had our differences on this site over time, and one of our little exchanges came from when I referred to him as a “security guard”. This infuriated Mr. Sorey, which led to one of our most heated and nasty exchanges to date. During that exchange Mr. Sorey said that I reminded him a lot of a sexual predator he once arrested. I didn’t care much for his reference, so I made a comparison of my own in his direction, which led to us both being moderated. I apologized for my words, Mr. Sorey didn’t get over it so quickly, and to my memory, he never apologized for his statements. In response to his having been moderated, Chris started his own website so that he could make fun of certain people with whom he had taken exception, myself included.
Mr. Sorey was obviously upset because of my reference to him as being a security guard, so I glean from that experience that he took his position more seriously than that of “security guard”. Mr. Sorey quite empathically let me know that he had the same arrest authority as any policeman in the state.
That having been said, I then take his use of the Criminal Justice Portal, authorized or unauthorized, as the same as any other law enforcement agent’s use or misuse of that system. As a result, this alleged improper use, if it is that, stirs in my mind something of concern to me. Law Enforcement agencies need to be able to be trusted with information, but if they use that information improperly, or improperly access that information, we, the public, are being abused. That system is not in place so that anyone with a badge can look up information about anyone whose past the want to dig into.
I believe that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and every other law enforcement agency, realizes that the information contained in the Portal needs to be protected against frivolous or inappropriate access. I think that is why this is such a big issue.
This may be a case of retaliation by the City of Mt. Juliet, in fact, on a personal level I am convinced of it, but that is not the end of it. This city has a long history of politics by ambush, backstabbing, and backscratching. The motive behind the efforts of the city to attack back should not be overlooked, however, if Mr. Sorey did in fact improperly, or illegally, use this system, he must accept that he did so with full knowledge that what he was doing was wrong.
Here is what I mean. I have a lot of beefs with this city. I think that they have done a lot of harm to a lot of people. I think they break laws whatever way they please and they get away with it. However, as much as I hate what I see them doing, their actions would not justify my breaking into city hall to steal files or rifle through files to find the information I was seeking; information that may prove my case. I would go to jail…I might have some company if I found the right information while I was in there, but I would none- the-less meet Bubba.
Mr. Sorey may have been doing what he was doing with that portal for all the right reasons, but that doesn’t make what he did “right”. I don’t know that he was wrong, either. He may have had legal justification for what he has done on that system. That’s why I am not passing judgement on Mr. Sorey’s actions just yet. I want to hear the other side of this story, which we really haven’t had a chance to hear yet.
However, whenever a public servant, elected official, or anyone else misuses or abuses their office or position, it tears at our society. When elected and appointed public officials or employees of government get away with such abuses, I have to sit back and ask myself. “what is the difference between those people who abuse their offices and the guy who sits in jail for shoplifting or drug use?” To me, the public official who violates a trust is much worse. I can understand shoplifters and drug addicts, I don’t agree with their lifestyle, but I get it. I don’t agree with, nor do I understand, the lifestyle or actions of people of power abusing that power.
This whole episode has brought discredit to the officials of the airport, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (for not having a system in place that would automatically catch improper use of the system or for not having caught the illegal access themselves), and possibly to the District Attorney General of Rutherford County (for not taking action against Mr. Sorey if he has in fact violated his position). This, my friend, is not a light and transient matter. Whenever law enforcement agents abuse their position or misuse their authority or access, they cause the public to be less trustful of them. If we are to retain any semblance of law and order in this country the public has to maintain trust in the law enforcement system. Now, this thing that Mr. Sorey has done is not in and of itself going to cause all Americans to distrust the entire law enforcement system in this country, but it does tell us that, unless someone like our chief of police has a cause to ask for an audit, there is a possibility that anyone with access to this system can look into anything they want without risk (and it even appears that they can access it all they want if the only thing they have to fear is suspension if they are somehow caught). Perhaps there are other audits that happen occasionally, but if there are, wouldn’t Mr. Sorey have known he would be caught? If he knew he would be caught, would he have used the system illegally? That question is what is causing me to be reserved regarding Mr. Sorey’s actions in particular. If he knew he would be caught, and he used the system anyway, I have to believe that he felt he was right for what he was doing or he is plain stupid.
Marketing101, You are right, Mr. Sorey is doing something about what could have been a very big problem for this city, and I applaud that effort, but if he is violating rules or breaking laws in the process (and if he knows he is breaking rules and/or laws), he needs to be brought to account for what he has done just like the city officials need to be brought to account for what they have done. I am sure you were taught growing up that two wrongs don’t make a right and that the ends don’t necessarily justify the means, weren’t you?
If we were to take your position where would it lead? Wouldn’t that lead to injustice, chaos and pandemonium also? Law enforcement agents breaking laws and rules because other people are breaking laws and rules doesn’t quite make sense, does it?
We will see how things shake out in the long run, however, on the surface, this looks exceedingly like a case of the city retaliating against Mr. Sorey for bringing the fire codes issue to the forefront and it looks like Mr. Sorey has improperly used the Portal system. Both, in my opinion, would be wrong.
I am more focused on what the city isn’t doing, then anything else. The fact that certain members of this commission have colluded together to bring harm to certain people in this city is quite obvious. The fact that they continue to ignore that fact and the fact that the city manager and city attorney continue to overlook that fact is appalling. Had this city had a better attitude regarding citizen involvement this whole episode would have been avoided. When citizens approach this city, as Mr. Sorey had regarding the fire codes issue, and the city ignores them, it causes other issues. Are we to accept that they ignore the law or should we press on and seek justice? If we seek justice, and the TBI, the FBI, the SEC, and the District Attorney all look the other way, it will inevitably lead to citizens acting outside the law at some point in the game. The thinking that causes a person to justify their illegal actions at that point in the game goes like this, “if they (the officials) don’t have to obey the law, why should we?” It’s wrong thinking and it really doesn’t justify the illegal actions, but it is the justification that is used in an effort to somehow make things “right”.
When a person takes an action that they know to be illegal, even when they feel they are justified, they have to stand up and take their lumps when they are caught. That does not mean that there can’t be mercy in law enforcement, I believe in a merciful and just law enforcement system. However, if you break the law, and you knew you were breaking the law, you have to be ready to give account for your actions, that’s just a part of being an adult. It is just unfortunate that the TBI can be brought in by the chief of police in Mt. Juliet because Chris Sorey improperly used the Criminal Justice Portal, but this commission and its members can violate law after law, overturn the will of the voters, and harm other people and the TBI just looks the other way. The TBI has been made aware of what has happened in this city, I know because I personally made them aware, they simply chose to look the other way.
I said it a long-time ago, and I will say it again, this thing that is going on in this city will get a lot worse before it gets better. Truth always wins out over injustice, the only question is “when”. Until the citizens of Mt. Juliet are really heard, and until law enforcement finds its nerve and develops the courage and will necessary in order to bring public officials to justice, there will continue to be what we have already seen too much of in this city…misconduct. Isn’t it time for citizens of this community to get together and take back our city? If we are going to have a country that is under order we will have to start somewhere: If not now, when; of not you, who; if not here, where?
November 30, 2008 at 3:36 pm
I agree that no law has been violated here. Anyone could have paid any number of commercial sites for the same information and much is publicly available for free if you know where to look. He may have violated organizational policies that were put in place, but the problem with policies is that they are really just guidelines and have nothing to do with the law.
The Mt. Juliet officials have hidden things from the people over the past at least 3 years that I have been here. I wish I had the time to go on the crusade of public works plans that were approved on my block even though no civil engineer in his right mind would do so with a good conscious.
November 30, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Chris,
I can assure you I am neither employed by the YMCA or a builder. I am eternally grateful that the county shut the door on the YMCA deal, and I think it is a sham that the new city commission wasn’t seated prior to the vote ont he YMCA land deal. The company I work for has no ties whatsoever to the affairs of Wilson County or Mt. Juliet governments.
November 30, 2008 at 5:18 pm
If you live in the county, why would you be eternally grateful that we “shut the door on the YMCA deal” if it will not affect you as a county resident? City property taxes would not be imposed on you if they were to happen, yet you could still join or use the facilities if you wanted.
Do you realize now that all I did was a drivers license check? Do you still believe I should resign from the County Commission when as Lori said, that information can be obtained from numerous other sources, including the license station on Foster Avenue? Do you also realize that I also worked for an entity that was not in nor had ties to Wilson County or MJ the same as you? Are you seeing the picture here? you were quick to judge me, but…
I look forward to your post, and you can feel free to call as well. I doubt you will, and at the risk of sounding negative, the ideas you posted about your platform have all been floated before. Please give me an exact scenario of the East vs. West county divide issue that has affected you. After all, we have a new high school and Lebanon High is falling down. We have 4 Fire Stations on or this side of 109. We have an ambulance in every one of those stations. Feel free to expand on any of this, as it would appear that you have opinions, but no way to pay for them. It is my hope that the next budget year will see dollars available for WEMA as well as the ability to start a true codes department in Wilson County. I believe most of the East vs. West mentality is from misinformed folks on this side of the county, and some who may actually have a beef in other parts.
November 30, 2008 at 6:03 pm
I have created a set of polls on http://www.vote4cole.wordpress.com, so that the readers can vote on a series of questions regarding this incident. Let’s let the readers and citizens of Wilson County be heard on this.
Chris,
I invite you to let me know of any questions you would like to be added to the poll. I have tried to construct this farily, so that we can truly see where the public stands. I appreciate you trying to educate me on the issue, but none of that changes the fact that your use of the system was improper, whether it was against the law or not.
As for my policy positions, I’m not going to use this as a platform to kick off my campaign for an election that is still two years away. I will tell you that most of my “east vs. west” frustration is simply from hearing about it. I’m tired of Mt. Juliet officials pumping their fists in the air about how they’re bigger, and then having Lebanon officials making comments back. I think our true opportunity lies in the county vs. city issues I see. Take the new MJHS for example. It was built without any traffic planning in mind, and then because of it’s location, there is a squabble over how it is going to be rectified. It’s obvious that the governing bodies can’t work together, so a change needs to be looked at. I don’t think just putting the county in charge is the right answer either, as the county commission and school board get along about as badly as the county and the city. Sweeping changes need to be made both in the setup of our city and county government, and also in the people who currently hold those offices, on both levels. I’m certainly not trying to say the county government is in any way as bad as that of the city of Mt. Juliet, but it is not perfect either.
As for the YMCA deal, I am grateful, because I believe the deal was crooked. Whether it affects my pocket or not, the deal is wrong, and I could not support it. I’m also not one of the people who thinks the fire department is a problem. I do think it is a problem that the city of Mt. Juliet is taking their share of taxes, but relies on the county for these services. This is why I want to see one government, that all taxes flow to, that pays for all services. In my particular situation, when I want to go shopping, I have two options. I can go to Davidson County, and fail to support our county at all, or I can go to Providence. When I do that, I am giving money to the city. Will I ever get services back from the city for those tax dollars? NO! If we had one government, all of our tax dollars would go to support services for ALL of us.
November 30, 2008 at 6:38 pm
Mr. Cole,
It is fairly obvious that you are using this issue to drive people to your site, for your own political gain. How about you add a poll question that says “Is Michael Cole trying to make a name for himself by linking his site to other blogs on this issue” and see where that goes.
Surely you realize I did not use the issues that were reported in the press for political gain, and this happened prior to the election. I did not get in front of the camera when the fire codes were on the news, and if you remember, it was a concerned citizen. This all took place prior to the election, and most of my constituents have said keep it up and give them hell! I worked my butt off in my election, and spent a total of $400 out of my own pocket. I took nothing from anyone then, and haven’t taken anything from anyone since. I didn’t even take the free ticket to the fair, yet you question my integrity.
If you want to make a name for yourself, try volunteering somewhere.
November 30, 2008 at 6:55 pm
Chris,
Are you kidding me? Do you really think that anyone is going to remember two years from now that they heard of me on a comment board? Congrats on how much you spent in your race, I spent almost 2 1/2 times that in my write-in race last year, even though I knew I would lose as a write-in. I’m pretty sure I reached more people during the campaign, than what I will reach via this blog, in any way, shape, or form. The only reason I started the poll on my site, is because I’m trying to be fair to you. If people truly believe that you are in the right, then let them declare that. And if a whole bunch of people flood my site to vote on your behalf, then they probably already don’t care for me, so what good would that do me. I’ve seen how you’ve treated Mr. Huber and some others on this site in the past, it seems like you are trying to do the same thing in this case with your snarky comments.
By the way, what is the address of the website that Mr. Huber referenced earlier, where you make fun of people? I’ll make sure I add that to my daily reading, so I can keep up when you start making fun of me.
November 30, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Chris,
I added the question you wanted to my poll. Feel free to vote often to make it look like I am the one who did something wrong here.
Thanks!
November 30, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Mr. Cole,
Can you read tone of voice? I offered my number and you did not take me up on that offer but have posted your uninformed opinions for the better part of the day. I have tried to be as nice as possible, but what more can I do? You have appointed yourself judge and jury with no witnesses. Your poll can be taken by anyone, and is by no means scientific. That includes the question about whether or not you are driving people to your site for political gain.
The website I put up was in jest, and it was funny. I have since taken it down, because it may have hurt some feelings. I have treated others as they have treated me, but when it comes down to it, I don’t hold grudges and try to help everyone I come in contact with. If nothing else, please understand that I was looking into the fire codes and other issues before you lived in this county.
December 1, 2008 at 10:29 am
Mr. Cole
By your own admission you are not a resident of Mt. Juliet. I do live here and Mr. Sorey hasn’t done anything wrong except look out for the best intrest of the citizens of Mt. Juliet. He has been the first to try and get rid of the “Good ‘ole boy” system around here and if you will check your own poll, you will see that most people agree. I hope you can see that Mr. Sorey has the best intrest of us at heart. Thank you.
December 1, 2008 at 6:35 pm
I’m sorry, but this is a trust issue.
Law enforcement personnel have access to significant amounts of private information. Access to that private information is limited for good reasons. Just because Mr. Sorey thinks he has good reason to ignore those rules (set in place to protect private individuals from intrusive, potentially vindictive,or politically motivated relaliation) doesn’t excuse his abuse of the database. And unauthorized use is abuse. Period.
Linda Elam’s administration has demonstrated a flagrant disregard for all things ethical. The defense: “Well, I didn’t break any laws…..” Not everything that is unethical is technically illegal. It’s wrong when Elam (et al) pulls it, and it’s as just as wrong when Sorey pulls it.
Mr. Sorey’s actions may not be chargable, but they are clearly unethical, and represent a cavalier attitude toward law: If I think I should be able to break this rule, then to hell with the rule.
When the average citizen tries that line of defense in court, the judge is generally, and rightfully, unimpressed.
It is bad enough for a citizen to have that attitude. When a public official or a cop does it….it is a clear and unacceptable violation of the public trust.
Most troubling is Mr. Sorey continued defense of his actions.
Gee whiz, Mr. Peabody — even Ray “Professional Courtesy” Justice knew there was a time to ‘fess up and vote to censure his guilty self.
I don’t care what any poll says. Mr. Sorey should resign.
December 7, 2008 at 6:04 pm
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