RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WZTV) — A Rutherford County resident has filed an ethics complaint against County Mayor Joe Carr, alleging he attempted to influence a previous ethics review involving the county’s property assessor.
The complainant, Jason Bennett, said in an interview with FOX 17 News that his intent is not to seek removal or disciplinary action against Carr, but to ensure the ethics process is fair and unbiased.
“I don’t think people can trust the process as it stands,” Bennett said. “We’re the taxpayers. We deserve a fair process.”
Allegations outlined in the complaint
According to the filing, Bennett raises three primary concerns:
- Attempted influence: Bennett alleges Carr spoke with an ethics committee member just minutes before a 2024 ethics hearing regarding Property Assessor Rob Mitchell.
- Use of staff for private business: The complaint claims Carr used county staff members to help facilitate distribution of honey he sells privately.
- Employer contact: Bennett says that within hours of filing the complaint, a county official contacted his employer. Bennett amended the complaint to include that incident.
“It was concerning,” Bennett said. “It happened within hours of me filing the complaint.”…