Moderator Tom Griscom, publisher of the Chattanooga Times Free Press, center, introduces candidates, left to right, Prosecutor Bill Gibbons, a Democrat from Memphis, Republican Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam, Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville, U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Chattanooga, Sen. Jim Kyle, D-Memphis, Former Rep. Kim McMillan , D-Clarksville, and Jackson, Tenn. businessman Mike McWherter during the gubernatorial candidate forum at the Tennessee Press Association's annual winter meeting in Nashville, Tenn. on Thursday, February 11, 2010. (AP Photo/Josh Anderson)The seven major party candidates for the Tennessee governor's office conducted a forum Thursday in Nashville at a gathering of state newspaper executives.
NASHVILLE - Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Haslam came under fire from two GOP rivals today for refusing to release income tax returns detailing how much money he makes from Pilot Corp., the national truck stop chain owned by himself and family members.
The criticism came as Knoxville Mayor Haslam prepares to begin a statewide television and radio advertising campaign that touts his previous experience as a Pilot executive when it comes to creating jobs.
U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., and Shelby County District Attorney General Bill Gibbons sharply criticized the mayor during a gubernatorial candidates' forum hosted by the Tennessee Press Association and The Associated Press.
Both men, who had previously criticized the mayor on the issue in a much less pointed fashion, used a question about their support for openness and transparency in government to launch attacks.
"Mayor Haslam is the one candidate who refuses to disclose his income tax returns," Mr. Gibbons told assembled publishers, editors and reporter from across the state. "He has a TV ad out claiming to be the man from Pilot Oil. Yet he wants to keep his Pilot Oil income a secret."
The mayor said people know he is associated with a family owned company.
It "bothers me to hear somebody say a Tennessee company that started as a small business, that's grown to be a national company, that there's something wrong with that," he said.
Earlier, Chattanooga Rep. Wamp asked, "Where is this money coming from that pays for million dollar early TV buys? Who are you in partnership with? Who might stand to make money from you being governor? That's transparency. It starts now, not when you're governor."
Mr. Haslam, whom the congressman says plans to spend $1 million on ads beginning Friday, retorted, "it's real obvious that came from 7,300 different contributors who put the money into our campaign to support us."
Other candidates taking part in the forum were Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville, state Senate Minority Leader Jim Kyle of Memphis and former state House Majority Leader Kim McMillan, D-Clarksville.