Political Corruption or Nosy Nellies

Apparently, while the THP, Minority Leader Jason Mumpower, and countless news agencies have been unable to directly link the actions of a "nosy" Highway Patrolman to the release of expunged DUI records for a State House candidate, William Howard Hobbs feels confident there is a conspiracy at the highest levels of State Government to make his job harder:

In a WSMV story, Tennessee Highway Patrol Col. Mike Walker said the list accessed by Lt. Ronnie Shirley doesn't include any elected officials or political figures. Bzzzz!!!! Wrong! (Or, quite possibly, perhaps the THP doesn't have the whole list...)

The problem is, Hobbs links to an article which doesn't provide any evidence, merely suspicion on the part of AJ McCall, that it was Lt. Shirley who leaked old DUI records. Even Jason Mumpower, the Republican Minority Leader in the House, concedes there is no evidence:

Mumpower conceded there was no direct link established between the issues at the THP and the political activity in the 46th District House race. He said the THP should release the list of anyone whose backgrounds were checked improperly.

“It is disappointing to me. It is not a statute but a rule. Perhaps we could look at the quick ability to amend the rule. I think the citizens who have been violated through an illegal background search deserve to know what happened to them,” Mumpower added.

Of course, its still possible that Shirley was the person who obtained the expunged DUI records, and most of the statements from the THP and Governor seem to state that no "elected officials" had their records looked at, but that wouldn't necessarily include AJ McCall who hasn't been elected yet.

Either way, if they won't release the list of names to the press, the THP ought to at least inform the individuals whose records were observed, and allow them to do with that information what they will.