Moses FreemanChattanooga City Councilman Moses Freeman has asked the city attorney to investigate after a council employee attended a political rally without requesting time off.
Freeman said the employee, whom he did not name, claimed he was "ordered to go" by another council member. Freeman also did not name the council member.
Freeman said the issue "raises questions about ethics" and the responsibility of the council.
The council has only three employees.
Its legislative analyst, Thomas Tansil, attended a rally for Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz last week at a church on Lee Highway and delivered the Pledge of Allegiance to open the rally.
Tansil is also an officer at the joint U.S. Marine-Navy installation on Amnicola Highway that was attacked on July 16, leading to the deaths of four Marines and one Navy officer.
Council member Larry Grohn was also at the rally, along with nearly 900 people. It's unclear whether other council members attended.
This is not the first time Freeman and Tansil have had a disagreement. Last month, Freeman raised issues about Tansil missing a council meeting to attend the funeral for one of the military members who died in the attack. Ultimately, the City Council canceled some of its July 28 meetings so members could attend the funeral of Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Randall Smith, with whom Tansil served.
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