Boyd fires back after CVB denies role in his extortion indictment

New President and CEO of the Chattanooga Convention and Visitors Bureau Barry White poses at the Times Free Press on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn.
New President and CEO of the Chattanooga Convention and Visitors Bureau Barry White poses at the Times Free Press on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

UPDATE: At a press conference Friday afternoon, East Ridge Mayor Brent Lambert said he was going to release the tapes on Monday at the community center in East Ridge.

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ORIGINAL STORY: The Chattanooga Convention and Visitors Bureau denied any role in the recent extortion indictment of a Hamilton County commissioner who has been critical of the marketing organization.

"Regarding the District 8 commission race, the CVB is not and has not been associated with the recent investigation and indictment," President Barry White wrote in a statement Thursday. "No volunteer board member or CVB employee has participated or acted on behalf of the organization."

Not so fast, said District 8 Commissioner Tim Boyd, who pointed out today that four men who were listed on the host committee for a fundraiser for East Ridge Mayor Brent Lambert also served in January on the CVB search committee that picked a new president.

photo Hamilton County Commissioner Tim Boyd's mugshot.

Boyd said they are former Chattanooga Mayor Jon Kinsey, restauranteur Allen Corey, Westin Hotel developer Ken DeFoor and businessman Mitch Patel. According to campaign contributions released Wednesday, Kinsey donated the maximum $1,500 to Lambert on March 5.

"I do not think Republican primary voters in District 8 are going to have a tough time connecting these dots," Boyd said in a press release this morning. "As I said Tuesday, the level of personal hatred these folks have for me simply because I held them accountable is staggeringly sad."

Lambert is trying to unseat Boyd, who is seeking a third term as District 8 commissioner, in the March 1 Republican primary. But things took a twist last month when Lambert said Boyd threatened him to drop out of the race over campaign contributions.

Lambert filed a complaint with the local district attorney's office, who turned it over to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The day before early voting began this week, Boyd was indicted for one count of extortion, a Class D felony that carries two to four years in prison.

Boyd, who posted a $2,500 bond this week, said this is a political setup and denied any threats. Boyd has said Lambert called him to discuss campaign contributions and assumed he was being recorded.

Boyd maintains Lambert is well connected with developers and the CVB, the city's tourism bureau. In 2017, Boyd questioned that organization for collecting 100 percent of the county's hotel-motel tax revenue without being subject to an audit.

Since that time, Tennessee state Sen. Todd Gardenhire and state Rep. JoAnne Favors have worked to pass legislation that allows the state comptroller's office to audit the CVB.

In his first public statement Wednesday, Lambert thanked the TBI for its investigation, called Boyd a "backroom bully" and maintained he's done nothing illegal. According to Boyd's indictment, he "unlawfully coerced" Lambert on or Feb. 22, 2018, to gain an advantage in the election. The evidence is likely going to be recorded phone calls, local attorneys have said.

The CVB defended its work in Thursday's statement and said the overall situation is regretful.

"It is regretful that the CVB has been unjustly accused or referenced as an affiliate," White wrote in a statement. "The new volunteer and staff leadership at the CVB remains keenly focused on tourism, economic development, and the continued improvement of our community for visitors and residents."

CVB's full statement

The Chattanooga Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc. is the destination marketing and management organization for Chattanooga and Hamilton County. Regarding the Hamilton County District 8 commission race, the CVB is not and has not been associated with the recent investigation and indictment. No volunteer board member or CVB employee has participated or acted on behalf of the organization. Additionally, to the CVB leadership's knowledge, no board or staff member has acted independently. It is regretful that the CVB has been unjustly accused or referenced as an affiliate. The new volunteer and staff leadership at the CVB remains keenly focused on tourism, economic development, and the continued improvement of our community for visitors and residents.

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