Stacey CampfieldKNOXVILLE, Tenn. - A political adviser to Republican state Sen. Stacey Campfield has been dismissed from his state job as the senator's executive assistant for apparently violating legislative staff rules.
The Knoxville News Sentinel reports Bryan Dodson spent most of August in Knoxville instead of at his Nashville office as rules for legislative staff require.
According to Dodson's work time sheet for August obtained by the newspaper, Dodson wrote that he worked 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on all work days during the month. Beside the date Aug. 12, he wrote on the form "in Knox" with a line and arrow going down through Aug. 30.
Campfield said Dodson has been acting "as my person in Knoxville when I'm not in Knoxville" and his understanding was that Dodson had been given special permission by Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey's office to work outside of the state government complex in Nashville.
Ramsey spokesman Adam Kleinheider and Legislative Administration Director Connie Ridley confirmed that Dodson had been terminated and taken off the state payroll this week.
In response to a question about Dodson's time sheet entry showing he worked in Knoxville, Ridley replied, "that's a violation of our policy."
Kleinheider and Ridley refused to discuss specific reasons for Dodson's dismissal, citing state confidentiality rules.