Ford license fight

September 4, 2006

Former Tennessee State Sen. John Ford is fighting to keep his license to sell insurance, but the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance says the Memphis Democrat should be denied because he’s financially irresponsible and untrustworthy.

Ford testified at a hearing Aug. 15 before administrative law judge Marion Wall of Nashville.

The state insurance department filed a petition to revoke his insurance license in January, declaring that he was no longer fit to hold one.

Ford resigned from the Senate last year after 31 years when he was indicted on federal public corruption charges stemming from the FBI’s undercover Tennessee Waltz investigation. He is set for trial Feb. 5.

However, department officials focused their concern on the state Registry of Election Finance’s decision to fine Ford $10,000 last year for spending $15,320 in campaign money on his daughter’s wedding in 2003.

“Do we have to wait until someone takes money from an insurance client?” department chief counsel Mary Moody asked.

“We submit that we do not. The department does not have to wait until an insurance client is defrauded.” (AP)

Topics Tennessee

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