Altogether now.... "Sleazy"
Usually, politicians at least try to look sincere, and hide their tracks a bit better. But this is just simply sleazy.
Former Senator Jeff Miller now wants to be friends to the gay community. This is the same senator who sponsored the “Marriage Protection Act” and spearheaded the drive to amend Tennessee’s constitution against same sex marriage. Oh, and he also has a gay brother, Gregg. Not that it makes any difference, but if my brother did something like that to me.... well, I can’t really say online what my feelings on that are. We’ll keep it a bit more civil here.
My issue is this. First, he has a brother who is gay. Does he know nothing about some of the issues that this minority faces? Second, he’s a hypocrite.
Brigitte Miller, Sen. Miller’s wife of 15 years, said he is having an affair with a legislative researcher and that he and the young lady accompanied the Millers’ three daughters to a November Martina McBride concert in Nashville.
“They’ve been seeing each other for a while,” Mrs. Miller told a Capitol Hill reporter. “Now he admits things. But he said it’s only been since he moved out. But I know better. I’ve got things that tell me differently.”
Their divorce suit was filed Feb. 25, 2006. After all of this, he openly opposed an amendment to his own bill that stated: “Adultery is deemed to be a threat to the institution of marriage and contrary to public policy in Tennessee.” No surprise there, since it was apparently hitting a little to close to home for him.
So, now that he’s no longer a senator, he’s gearing up to be a lobbyist. By law, he has to wait one year before he can approach any legislator on any issue. But, he can try to garner future business. He’s been reaching out to many, among whom is the state’s largest LGBT civil rights organization, Tennessee Equality Project.
This was their response.
“I suppose he thinks helping pass discriminatory bills would make him an effective advocate for the gay, lesbian and transgender community,” Chris Sanders, Equality Project president told the Times Free Press newspaper.
Sanders said the letter was met with a “mixture of derision and hostility” and noted his proposal “is certainly not one that we’re going to follow up on.” (source)
Perhaps he just doesn’t realize just how offensive this is to some of us. At any rate, this was the letter he sent out.
January 23,2007
To Whom It May Concern:
After my retirement from the legislature, I am pleased to offer to you my services as a lobbyist. Following the requisite waiting period, one year...I will be extending the governmental relations division of my private practice in an effort to assist you and others in ensuring that legislation essential to the betterment of your business practices is supported and legislation to the detriment of your business practices is strongly opposed. After twelve years as a state senator, sitting on numerous committees, attending both regular and special legislative sessions, and serving as Chairman of the Senate Environment Committee and Caucus Chairman of the Senate Republican Caucus, I have not only had the opportunity to observe and participate in the legislative process, I have also met and formed strong relationships with so many individuals continuously involved in the process. I have worked closely with and become dear friends with many holding office and those who keep the wheels turning behind the scenes. Further, through countless leadership and legislative policy meetings with the executive branch, I have both gained first-hand knowledge of how policy decisions are made and become intimately familiar with the applicable rules of law and procedure that regularly present necessary hurdles that cannot be circumvented.
I firmly believe my participation in state government over the last decade and more, during which I learned the intricacies of all that is involved in both passing and prohibiting the passage of legislation, places me in a unique position where I am better able to achieve your goals than those who have not had the opportunity to personally pass or refuse to pass legislation. It is not simply a matter of drafting a potential statutory change, urging some members to lend it their support, and then watching as it becomes law. There is a very complex system of committees, individuals, and requisite processes that if not followed to the letter of the law can prohibit needed legislation from being ratified. I look forward to working with you ill the future and, in the meantime, I am more than happy to offer you any advice you may need regarding the legislative process, potentially applicable rules of law and procedure, steps utilized in making policy decisions, or simply to be a go-to person on a particular issue.
Yours in service,
Jeff Miller
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