Exposing the Corruption of the "Family Values" Party
Steve Sword is a Tennessee Criminal Court judge appointed by Governor Bill Haslem, a Republican. Since his appointment, he was re-elected in 2012 and 2014 and he was unopposed in 2022. In 2019, he presided over a trial that ended in the conviction of David Lynn Richards Jr,. a former pastor, for repeatedly raping his adopted daughter.
However, he is on the list for his support for Rep. David Byrd, claiming the women who said they were assaulted by Byrd while they were in high school were not credible. He said this even though Byrd has not denied their allegations and apologized, though without admitting guilt.
David Byrd is a Tennessee state representative. He has been re-elected since three women came forward and alleged he sexually assaulted them when they were on the high school basketball team while he was their coach. He admitted it on video, but refused calls from both Democrats and Republicans to resign.
Chris Conlee was the pastor at Highpoint Church in Memphis, Tennessee. He supervised Andy Savage [See GOP Predators 324: Andy Savage.] and when the news broke about Jules Woodson, he protected Savage by promoting the false framing that it was a consensual adult sexual encounter even though he knew otherwise. He knew of Savage’s past abuse when he hired him. He knowingly protected Savage and misrepresented him to his church. When Highpoint finished their investigation, they allowed Conlee to resign.
Andy Savage sexually assaulted a seventeen-year-old girl when he was a youth pastor in 1998. At the time, she reported it to his supervisor the next day who decided since she complied with Savage’s coercion, she was a willing participant. She told her parents and enough of a fuss was raised that he was allowed…
Frank Page was president of the Southern Baptist Convention and president of the SBC Executive Committee until 2018 when he resigned due to what he called a “morally inappropriate relationship.” That is not why he’s on this list because it may have been with a consenting adult. He is on this list because of the decades long Southern Baptist Convention coverup of pastoral sexual abuse of children and church members. Page suggested survivor activists were just setting up the church for lawsuits.
Andrew Puzder was the CEO of CKE Foods, the company that owns Hardee’s and Carl Jr.’s. He was a big Trump supporter and donated several hundred thousand to Trump’s campaign. He was someone Trump wanted to make Secretary of Labor. His appointment required Senate confirmation and there was heavy opposition in the Senate. He withdrew his nomination. One of the many reasons his nomination was opposed was that his ex-wife accused him of domestic violence on the Oprah Winfrey show though she later recanted.
Jeremy Durham was a Tennessee state representative. Several women alleged that he sexually harassed them and behaved inappropriately. He would drink in his office and have sex in his office. He texted women demanding pictures. The Attorney General investigated and found plenty of evidence that would justify expelling him but recommended leaving it up to the voters. That changed as more information came to light. He was expelled 70+2
Mark Lovell was a Republican state representative in Tennessee for about 100 days. He won the GOP primary over the incumbent who had a DUI and a firearms arrest, and then an arrest for stealing Lovell’s yard signs. Lovell bailed him out of jail which seems a clever campaign act that only cost $100. Like many legislators, he went frequently to industry receptions where free food an alcohol are served. These are legal so long as all legislators are invited. He seemed to get drunk at these events.
On Feb. 7, 2018, Lovell attended five receptions. He got visibly drunk and in front of a room full of witnesses grabbed one woman’s breasts and buttocks; prevented another woman from walking away from him; and touched a third woman inappropriately. One of the women filed a formal complaint. The house ethics committee investigated and found he definitely did what several people saw and a few photographed.
He continued to deny it but resigned, signing a resignation letter written by Republican party leadership
Rep. David Hawk got into an argument with his wife and struck her while she was holding their baby. He grabbed her by the arm, struck her in the face, and knocked her to the ground. He took the baby from her and went to a neighbor’s house while she ran to another neighbor’s house. The police were called. He was arrested. He was later convicted of misdemeanor reckless endangerment. Despite his conviction, he won reelection and is still in the Tennessee House of Representatives and has been thinking of running for Congress.