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Friday, October 30, 2026Oct 30

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Smith: Running from accountability

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running-from-accountability running-from-accountability
photo Robin Smith

A few events discussed recently in this space have upset some “powers that be” – so much so that their discomfort resulted in professional threats and name-calling.

When I pointed out the United Auto Workers lost the union election after two years of unfettered access to

Volkswagen employees (a victory for the fiercely independent workers of this state), I heard about the anger in the Berke administration, among others.

When I compared Mayor Andy Berke to Barack Obama in his empty political rhetoric while he gazes at the prospects of making a bid for the office of Tennessee governor or U.S. senator, I heard the same growling.

I asked a few questions about the Berke administration permitting the city-owned EPB to conduct an “audit” of its books after data was presented over a year ago showing overcharges for electricity usage and erroneous inventories of streetlights.