Board requests investigation of Constitutional Republicans
The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance is requesting the attorney general’s office investigate two Constitutional Republican groups that have failed to register as political action committees even though a complainant claims their activities require state spending disclosures.
Registry members voted Tuesday to send the matter to Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti after a Goodlettsville business owner made a sworn complaint against the Sumner County Constitutional Republicans and their partner organization, the Tennessee Constitutional Republicans.
West Duenkel, owner of a motorsports photography business, filed the complaint with the registry and the Sumner County district attorney’s office, claiming the two groups are unregistered political action committees yet qualify as a “multicandidate political action committee,” making expenditures to support or oppose two or more candidates for public office or two or more measures in an election involving referendums. Duenkel contends he hasn’t been able to find a political action committee disclosure or any financial disclosures for the two groups even though they’ve been operating for more than a year.
Registry Member Paige Burcham Dennis, of South Fulton, called for the investigation at a Tuesday meeting, and ultimately the board opted to ask the attorney general to report back in March.
The Sumner County Constitutional Republicans deny being a political action committee. In a Nov. 29 letter to the registry’s attorney, Chair Kurt Riley said the complaint “lacks substance” and appears to be politically motivated.
“I want to clearly state that our group operates as a private club without a formal legal structure. Our existence is based purely on our collective declaration as such,” Riley said in the letter.
Riley noted the group doesn’t have a bank account and that its financial activities are limited to “minor expenses” such as coffee and donuts paid for through petty cash. He said the club doesn’t provide financial support to candidates, candidates’ committees or other similar entities.
Activities are mainly “social and informational” through a social media site, where the group shares preferences and recommendations, according to Riley, who said he has paid for promotional materials such as T-shirts.
The group’s Bible-based platform calls for establishing a Christian foundation for governing as well as halting growth and development in Sumner County, just northeast of Nashville.
The group endorsed several candidates for Sumner County school board seats, General Sessions Judge Russ Edwards and Chris Spencer for state Senate over Republican state Sen. Ferrell Haile, R-Gallatin. It sent out mailers showing donations to Haile’s campaign from drug companies and medical groups.
Duenkel, though, told the Tennessee Lookout in November he feels it is his duty to raise the question because groups that operate as PACs should be transparent in their fundraising.
According to Duenkel’s filing, the Sumner County Constitutional Republicans group has been in existence for four years, and since its inception, it has gotten involved in several local issues, sending out multiple requests for donations, spending “an incredible amount of time working to advance conservatism,” designing and buying stickers and other merchandise and hiring private investigators to vet candidates.