NASHVILLE – Gov. Bill Haslam says he can’t comment on a TBI probe of state lawmakers who acknowledge pressuring a state board that suspended licenses of three nurses accused of overprescribing painkillers.
But he did condemn the idea of public officials using their power to carry out a “personal agenda.”
“The great thing about democracy [is] when people do things that voters don’t like, they can change those representatives,” Haslam told reporters Wednesday. “And I also don’t like it when people use their leverage to accomplish maybe a personal agenda.”
His comments came after officials said the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is looking into whether Rep. Tony Shipley, R-Kingsport, Rep. Dale Ford, R-Jonesborough, and state Health Department officials committed wrongdoing in their dealings with the state Board of Nursing.
“I think we should let that play out before we jump to any conclusions about if there’s a good-government principle involved there,” Haslam said.