Tennessee Conservative PAC falls victim to the Bush Economy

[doeriver]

The newsprint edition of the following Johnson City Press article has an additional subheadline reading:

PAC Treasurer Jim Holcomb says he's been laid off{a href="http://www.sjinvestments.net/" investment firm.

There is no word yet as to the fate of both the 501(c)(3) Appalachian Educational Communication Corporation (AECC d.b.a. WHCB 91.5 FM ; Cameo Theatre of Bristol, Virginia) and the semi-for-profit Information Communications Corporation (ICC d.b.a. WPWT 870 AM et al) owned and/or managed by Tennessee Republican Party State Executive Committee member Kenneth C. Hill of Blountville (Sullivan County).



TNRP SEC member Kenneth C. Hill claims to be an "American Indian/Alaskan Native" on various FCC radio station license applications; Tennessee voter application submitted by Hill on December 5, 1983 reveals otherwise.

Hill is also the father of both Tennessee Rep. Matthew Hill and Timothy Hill (a noted Wikipedia "editor"/vandal and one-time press secreatry to former U.S. Rep. David Davis of Johnson City). Both radio broadcasting organzations are referred together by the Hill family as the "Appalachian Radio Group" although no FCC or local/state business license has ever been issued to such named entity. Rep. Matthew Hill is employed as an executive by his father Kenneth at ICC.



screenshot: Hill Tribe Political Intervention At AECC: Ken, You Won't Be Getting That Cow Back In The Barn (blog).

The broadcast studios and offices for both of the Hill's 501(c)(3) Appalachian Educational Communication Corporation and the semi-for-profit Information Communications Corporation are located on the first floor of John M. Gregory's Leitner Pharmaceuticals Building in Bristol, Tennessee:

Gregory shutting down Conservative PAC
http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/Detail.php?Cat=LOCALNEWS&ID=67523
By Hank Hayes
NET News Service

BRISTOL — A difference-making political action committee with a hand in the Republican takeover of the Tennessee General Assembly is shutting down.

Tennessee Conservative PAC Treasurer Jim Holcomb has notified GOP members in the General Assembly by letter that the PAC’s balance is going to zero.

“It is because of the dramatic downturn in the economy that the PAC will not be able to continue as it has, resulting in my having to close out all future activity of this organization,” Holcomb, a former state senator, said in the letter.

In an e-mail, Holcomb added the 5-year-old PAC remains registered for this year with the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance.

The PAC was founded by former King Pharmaceuticals Chairman John Gregory, and many of the PAC’s donors have been family members.



Bristol Meglamillionaire John M. Gregory

Holcomb noted the PAC gave more than $500,000 to campaigns in its first year.

“They’ve helped a lot of good candidates,” House GOP Leader Jason Mumpower of Bristol said of the PAC. “They have really laid the groundwork to reach points we’ve never been able to reach like taking a majority in the state Senate and making gains in the state House. We hope they will be active in the future.”

Last fall, a rift developed between the PAC and Republican Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey of Blountville.

Ramsey had called on U.S. Rep. David Davis, who was supported by Gregory, to give up his GOP primary challenge to his opponent — winning candidate Phil Roe.

Davis had claimed crossover Democrats stole the primary election from him, but he eventually did not contest Roe’s narrow victory before the Tennessee Republican Party’s 66-member executive committee.

(more at Johnson City Press article)