Straight off a prison stint cut short by a presidential pardon, former Tennessee Sen. Brian Kelsey is maneuvering for legislation to pay his legal expenses.
The ex-Germantown Republican, who served two weeks in federal prison for directing an illicit campaign finance scheme, is lobbying lawmakers for legislation to enable him to use his state campaign account to pay legal fees after three years of court battles.
Republican Sen. Richard Briggs of Knoxville confirmed Wednesday that Kelsey called him twice to ask him to put an amendment on a campaign finance bill he’s sponsoring this session. Republican Rep. Tim Hicks of Washington County is sponsoring the House version of the bill, and Democratic Rep. Caleb Hemmer of Nashville is a co-sponsor.
Briggs wasn’t certain what sort of amendment Kelsey was seeking. Kelsey also contacted Hicks, according to Briggs.
But Bill Young, executive director of the Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance, said the former senator wants to be able to use state campaign funds to pay for legal expenses.
Kelsey hired at least six attorneys after being indicted for violating federal campaign finance law by funneling more than $80,000 through two political action committees to the American Conservative Union, which paid for ads in his failed 2016 congressional race. It is illegal to use state campaign money to pay for a federal campaign because the funds are raised under different rules.
The Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance turned down Kelsey’s previous request to use funds left in his state account to pay legal fees. Kelsey had almost $198,000 in his state account before transferring it to his Red State Political Action Committee in June 2023. The PAC has more than $180,000, according to the latest filing with the state.
Briggs’ bill is stuck in the Senate finance committee because of a provision that would take part of the professional privilege tax paid by lobbyists to hire auditors and pay for a new campaign finance reporting system for the Registry of Election Finance and Ethics Commission.
Kelsey served two weeks in a federal prison in Kentucky this year before receiving a pardon from President Donald Trump. The former senator stepped down from his Senate post four years ago after being indicted. He pleaded guilty to federal campaign finance charges but then rescinded his plea, claiming he didn’t violate any laws.
Kelsey hired a handful of attorneys after releasing his first legal counsel team. He also claimed his decision to plead guilty was clouded by the birth of twin sons and the illness of his father, who later died. Kelsey also said he didn’t understand the criminal law system, even though he was an attorney and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Read more at TennesseeLookout.com.
