Internal conflicts within the Democratic Party at both the state and Hamilton County levels have led to a defamation lawsuit and a grievance.
A former party treasurer is seeking over $1 million from the state party, and a grievance filed by a Hamilton County Commission candidate claims the local party opposed her run and went against party rules by supporting primary candidates.
Both the lawsuit and the grievance name Rachel Campbell, president of the Tennessee Democratic Party and the former president of the Hamilton County Democratic Party, and Chris Anderson, a representative of the Tennessee Democratic Party state Executive Committee, co-chair of the Grievance Committee and an employee in the Chattanooga Mayor’s Office.
In the lawsuit, Carol Abney, former treasurer for the state party, alleges that she was removed from her role after party leadership made false allegations that she didn’t live in Tennessee. Abney claims that she was forced from the role for attempting to more closely document party spending.
In the grievance, Democratic primary challenger Elea Wright accused members of the Hamilton County Democratic Party of favoring County Commission incumbent Warren Mackey, D-Lake Vista, in the primary.