CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- An email sent to Rep. Kevin Brooks, R-Cleveland, has escalated a conversation about civility among Bradley County commissioners.
In a recent meeting, Commissioner Mark Hall accused Commissioner Dan Rawls, founder of the Tea Party of Southeast Tennessee, of sending an intimidating email "with threats and accusations" to Brooks.
"I take issue with this reckless behavior. His attempts to intimidate [are] out of control and these shady tactics will be challenged whenever they arise," Hall said. "Bad company corrupts good character."
Rawls questioned Brooks' integrity and does not even live in the representative's district, Hall said. Brooks did not ask him to speak on the matter, he added.
Hall also requested that the meeting minutes reflect that "Dan Rawls has met his match."
Although not specifically mentioned during the meeting, Rawls later confirmed that the email was sent in regard to Brooks' position on Insure Tennessee, Gov. Bill Haslam's proposal to use federal Medicaid funds to extend health insurance coverage to an estimated 280,000 low-income Tennesseans. The governor's proposal failed last week before it could reach a floor vote in the General Assembly.
The email sent to Brooks was not a matter of intimidation, but one of cause and effect, Rawls said.
"If you vote this way, which is against the constituency and against the taxpayers, this is what I'm going to do," Rawls said of the email contents. "If you consider that a threat, sorry."
The effect of Brooks supporting the proposed state health coverage plan would be that "we will work against you in [the] next election," Rawls said.
Brooks did not respond to a request for a copy of the email.
Rawls said it would take a couple of days for him to provide a copy.
Hall alleged that Rawls sent the email as a representative of the Bradley County Commission.
Rawls said the email was sent from his tea party email address.
The exchange between Hall and Rawls followed a number of responses made by commissioners who took exception to recent statements made by Commissioner Charlotte Peak, who has called for an atmosphere of respectful discourse as opposed to a pervasive "redneck mentality."
Peak has been especially critical of "anti-city" sentiment within the Bradley County Commission.
Commissioner Thomas Crye said the use of the word "redneck" was a damaging choice.
"Words are important," he said. "Once you use a word, people tend to have a tendency to hang onto that word."
A few weeks ago, Crye used a sexual abuse analogy to describe how he believes that Cleveland has taken advantage of Bradley County on a number of occasions.
"Working with the city is rough sometimes and good sometimes," said Commissioner Howard Thompson, who is noted for taking verbal jabs at the city government on a regular basis.
Politics is not a polite pursuit, Rawls has said.
Paul Leach is based in Cleveland. Email him at paul.leach.press@gmail.com.