Anderson Busted Trying to Hide Insurance Contributions
JACKSON – Democratic candidate for Insurance Commissioner, Gary Anderson, admitted breaking his pledge not to take insurance money during an interview appearing in the October 18th edition of the Commercial Dispatch. The admission did not come until after Anderson was caught trying to conceal a contribution from insurance company owner, Douglas Horne, in his October 10th Campaign Finance Report. Anderson now says that he returned the money. However, Anderson has not filed an amended Campaign Finance Report with the Secretary of State as required by statute.
According to his October 10th Campaign Finance Report, Anderson deposited money from Mr. Horne on September 10th. Anderson reported Mr. Horne’s occupation/employer as President of Horne Properties of 412 North Cedar Bluff Road, Knoxville, TN. On October 11th, it was revealed that Mr. Horne was actually an owner of The Insurance Group of 412 North Cedar Bluff Road, Knoxville, TN. Anderson did not comment.
In subsequent interviews published in the October 16th edition of the Commercial Appeal and in the October 18th edition of the Starkville Daily News, Anderson did not comment about taking money from Mr. Horne. However, Anderson referred to his campaign pledge in both interviews stating, “What separates me from my opponent is that I have made a pledge not to accept a single dime from the insurance companies or their executives.”
In an interview published in the October 18th edition of the Commercial Dispatch when asked point-blank about taking money from Mr. Horne, Anderson admitted breaking his pledge but then claimed that he had returned the money.
“He took the money September 10th and tried to cover it up in his October 10th Finance Report. He doesn’t mention it in two subsequent news interviews – all the while maintaining that he has never taken a dime in insurance money,” said Morgan Shands, Chaney Campaign Manager. “Over a month after the fact, he admits that he lied but now claims that he returned the money. I don’t buy it.”
“If he returned the money,” questioned Shands, “why hasn’t he filed an amended Campaign Finance Report with the Secretary of State as required by law?”
Mike Chaney Campaign Release
10/19/7
Magnolia Tribune
