Joel Ebert
Welcome to Capitol Hill: 50 Years of Scandal in Tennessee Politics
Vanderbilt University Press (August 2023)
Although Tennessee has a rich history of political scandals, dating back to the founding of the state, the last fifty years have been a confusing, confounding, and sometimes ludicrous period of ne'er-do-welling. Welcome to Capitol Hill is a guide to the state's modern history of corruption. From Governor Ray Blanton's pardon scandals to the FBI investigation that started with now–Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally wearing a wire in the late 1980s to the sexual misconduct that plagues Tennessee politics, this book chronicles it all.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Foreword by Gov. Bill Haslam
Cast of Characters
Introduction
1. From 'Miracle Man' to 'Pardon me Ray'
2. The Butcher collapse.
3. Operation Rocky Top.
4. John Ford and the Tennessee Waltz.
5. Representative Pants Candy.
6. Casada’s crash landing.
7. Trouble with campaign cash.
Epilogue: The same old song.
Appendix: Tennessee lawmakers behaving badly.
Reviews
“Political scandal is as endemic to Tennessee as the Grand Ole Opry. In this rollicking account, Joel Ebert and Erik Schelzig unwind squalid tales of larceny in high places that will make you howl.”
—David Axelrod, former Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama
“Joel and Erik are my favorite kind of journalists. They ask tough questions of politicians and policymakers—people who don’t always want to answer such—and they remember the factual details. This book ought to be read by every citizen and the aspiring leaders who ask for their votes.”
—Keel Hunt, author of Coup: The Day the Democrats Ousted Their Governor
“Joel Ebert and Erik Schelzig are uniquely qualified to write authoritatively on many of the Tennessee political scandals in the book because they either reported on the events in real-time or subsequently covered the players involved in them. A riveting examination.”
—Adam C. Kleinheider, former journalist and Tennessee Senate communications director
In the News
"A new book from veteran state house reporters Joel Ebert and Erik Schelzig will shine a spotlight on half a century of Tennessee political scandals."
"On this episode of Inside Politics, host Pat Nolan is joined by Joel Ebert and Erik Schelzig, two veteran reporters of Tennessee government and politics to discuss their book."
"The book...compiles archival research, new interviews and files pried free from the feds, who might as well lease office space at the Capitol. The authors want the book to serve as a guide for anyone getting involved in Tennessee politics — on what not to do."
"A fun little travel through state scandals and some stuff that's been forgotten."
"Veteran political reporters Joel Ebert and Eric Schelzig review decades of corrupt and sordid behavior in state politics, from bribery to sexual harassment and assault."
"Joel Ebert and Erik Schelzig reveal that Tennessee has had more than its fair share of political scandals over the last 50 years."
"The wrongdoing the book documents spans all three of the state’s grand divisions and both of its dominant political parties."
"Ebert and Schelzig provide a well-done narrative of the various bribes, scandals, and misconduct in Tennessee political life over the last half century. The book is a recommended purchase for institutions with programs in public administration and political science. General readers will also be interested in these cautionary tales of those entrusted with the public good."
Talk Radio 98.3 - The Tennessee Star Report (July 2023)