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Bob Corker

Robert Phillips "Bob" Corker, Jr. is an American businessman and politician of the Republican Party. He was formerly the mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee and is a candidate for the United States Senate in 2006. Image File history File links Vote. ... An election is a decision making process where people vote for preferred political candidates or parties to act as representatives in government. ... Image File history File links Bobcorker. ... Image File history File links Bobcorker. ... Politics of the United States of America takes place in a framework of a federal presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of the United States is both head of state and head of government, and of a two-party legislative and electoral system. ... This article is about the modern United States Republican Party. ... Nickname: Scenic City (official), River City, Chatty, Chatt-Town, Chattavegas, The Nooga Location within the U.S. State of Tennessee Cities in Tennessee Tennessee Mayor Ron Littlefield Area    - City 370. ... Seal of the U.S. Senate The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the Congress of the United States, the other being the House of Representatives. ...

Early Life

Bob Corker moved to Tennessee at the age of 11. He attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and graduated in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management. Official language(s) English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Area  Ranked 36th  - Total 42,169 sq mi (109,247 km²)  - Width 120 miles (195 km)  - Length 440 miles (710 km)  - % water 2. ... The University of Tennessee (UT), sometimes called the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT Knoxville or UTK), is the primary institution of the statewide land-grant University of Tennessee system, Tennessees flagship public university. ... A Bachelor of Science (B.S., B.Sc. ...

Business career

After working four years as a construction superintendent, he started his own construction company, Bencor, which he sold in 1990. In 1999, he purchased the two largest real estate companies in Chattanooga, making him the largest private land owner in Hamilton County, Tennessee. He sold most of these holdings in 2006 to Henry Luken. His business successes have made Corker a multimillionare. ^[1] Hamilton County is a county located in the state of Tennessee. ...

Political career

Corker first ran for the United States Senate in 1994, losing the Republican primary to eventual winner Bill Frist.^[1] William Harrison Bill Frist (born February 22, 1952 in Nashville, Tennessee) is a Republican U.S. Senator from Tennessee. ...

In 1995, Corker was appointed Commissioner of Finance and Administration for the State of Tennessee, working for Governor Don Sundquist. Donald Kenneth Sundquist (born March 15, 1936) was Governor of Tennessee from 1995 to 2003. ...

As mayor of Chattanooga from 2001 to 2005, Corker oversaw a $120 million renovation project, including an expansion of the Hunter Museum, a renovation of the Creative Discovery Museum, an expansion of Chattanooga's River Walk, and the addition of a new salt water building to the Tennessee Aquarium. After announcing his intent to run for Senate, some of his actions in office as Mayor of Chattanooga have been scrutinized.^[a] 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Hunter Museum of American Art is an art museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee. ... The Creative Discovery Museum is a childrens museum located in downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee. ... Salt water may refer to: Saltwater, the name of a single released by UK electronic musician Chicane For information on water from a sea or ocean, see sea water For information on the concept of saltiness of a body of water, see salinity For information on salt water aquariums, see... The Tennessee Aquarium is a public aquarium in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA, that opened its first exhibit in 1992. ... Bob Corker Robert Phillips Bob Corker, Jr. ...

2006 United States Senate race

Main article: Tennessee United States Senate election, 2006

In 2004, Corker announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Senator Bill Frist, who is stepping down in 2007 after two terms. Corker faced two other Republicans in the August primary, Ed Bryant and Van Hilleary, which he won with 48% of the vote to Bryant's 34% and Hilleary's 17%. Corker invested $4.2 million in television advertising in the course of the primary, especially in the western portion of the state, where he was relatively unknown before the primary.^[1] Not long after Corker's primary victory was assured, his Democratic opponent, Harold Ford, Jr., challenged Corker to seven televised debates across the state. In response, Corker said he will debate Ford, though he did not agree to seven debates.^[2] The Tennessee United States Senate election of 2006 will be held on November 7, 2006. ... William Harrison Bill Frist (born February 22, 1952 in Nashville, Tennessee) is a Republican U.S. Senator from Tennessee. ... Ed Bryant (born September 7, 1948), American politician, is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Tennessee (1995 - 2003). ... Van Hilleary (born June 20, 1959) is a Tennessee Republican politician. ... Harold Ford redirects here. ...

President Bush hosted a campaign fund-raiser for Corker on August 30, 2006. The $2,100-per-person dinner, which was held in a "glitzy Nashville hotel with 500 contributors", raised over a million dollars for Corker's campaign.^[3] George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American businessman and politician, was elected in 2000 as the 43rd President of the United States of America, re-elected in 2004, and is currently serving his second term in that office. ... August 30 is the 242nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (243rd in leap years), with 123 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other cities named Nashville, see Nashville (disambiguation). ...

Corker and Ford participated in a televised debate in Memphis on October 7^[4] and in Chattanooga on October 10^[5] and will debate again in Nashville on October 28.^[6] NBC's Meet the Press extended an invitation for the candidates to debate on the nationally-televised show in January 2006. Ford accepted the invitation, stating that "any weekend would work for him." The Corker campaign, however, "has thus far not given [Meet the Press] a date they wanted to do it and have not said they want to do it for sure... nine months after the invitations have gone out."^[6] Flag Seal Nickname: The River City, The Bluff City, M-Town Location Location in Shelby County and the state of Tennessee Coordinates , Government Country State Counties United States Tennessee Shelby County Mayor W. W. Herenton (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 294. ... October 7 is the 280th day of the year (281st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: Music City Location in Davidson County and the state of Tennessee Coordinates: Country United States State Tennessee Counties Davidson County Founded: 1779 Incorporated: 1806 Mayor Bill Purcell (D) Area    - City 526. ... NBC, (Formerly an acronym for the National Broadcasting Company until 2004), is an American television and radio network based in New York Citys Rockefeller Center. ... Meet the Press (MTP) is a weekly television news show produced by NBC. It started as a radio show in 1945 as American Mercury Presents: Meet the Press, originating from WRC-AM in Washington. ...

In the general election, recent polls have yielded mixed results, demonstrating that the race is very close. As of October 25, 2006, the most recent poll conducted by SurveyUSA has the race exactly tied, with both candidates recieving 48% of the vote.^[7] October 25 is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... SurveyUSA is a major polling firm in the United States. ...

Issue positions & ideology

In the 2006 Senate race, Corker has, through television advertisements, his campaign website, and in debates with his primary opponents, positioned himself as a conservative on most social and economic issues. Corker supports broad Second Amendment rights, "appointing Federal judges who practice judicial restraint," making the 2001 tax cut and the 2003 tax cut permanent, and increasing security on U.S. borders by hiring more border agents and constructing barriers in high traffic areas.^[8] American conservatism is a political mindset within the United States that incorporates many different ideologies under the blanket heading of conservative. ... Amendment II (the Second Amendment) of the United States Constitution, which is part of the Bill of Rights, declares the necessity for a well regulated militia, and prohibits infringement of the right of the people to keep and bear arms. // [edit] Text The Second Amendment, as passed by the House... The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 was a sweeping piece of tax legislation in the United States. ... The Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 was passed by the United States Congress on May 23, 2003 and signed by President Bush five days later. ...

Corker has expressed skepticism regarding the existence of global warming and the validity of a recent publication of scientific consensus on the issue; supports continued American involvement in Iraq; and has showed interest in replacing the federal progressive income tax with a flat tax.^[9] Global mean surface temperatures 1856 to 2005 Mean surface temperature anomalies during the period 1995 to 2004 with respect to the average temperatures from 1940 to 1980 Global warming is the observed increase in the average temperature of the Earths atmosphere and oceans in recent decades. ... A progressive tax, or graduated tax, is a tax that is larger as a percentage of income for those with larger incomes. ...

In the primary campaign, Corker's opponents pointed out that Corker has changed his view on abortion since his first Senate campaign in 1994.^[10] Corker responded that he "was wrong in 1994" when he said that the government should not interfere with an individual's right to an abortion, stating that he now believes that life begins at conception.^[10] Corker now says he opposes abortion rights except when the life of the mother is endangered or in cases of rape and incest.^[10]

In the general election, Corker has received the endorsement of the National Right to Life Committee, but the state branch of the group, Tennessee Right to Life, refused to endorse Corker, calling him a "pro-abortion" politician.^[11] The National Right to Life Committee is a right to life/pro-life organization, that was founded in in Detroit as a non-sectarian, non-partisan group, opposed to abortion, euthanasia and infanticide. ...

Controversy and criticism

The sale of protected wetlands

In 2003, Corker's real estate company sold protected wetlands near South Chickamauga Creek in Chattanooga to Wal-Mart for $4.6 million while he was mayor of Chattanooga.^[12] According to Joe Prochaska, an attorney representing the Tennessee Environmental Council, "What they did was outrageous. They just ran roughshod over this public property for private gain."^[12] Environmental educator Sandy Kurtz filed suit in 2003 to stop the land deal, but the lawsuit was dismissed.^[12] A subtropical wetland in Florida, USA, with an endangered American Crocodile. ... Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. ...

New allegations, however, surfaced in August 2006, and a suit was filed by Kurtz and the Tennessee Environmental Council over the alleged encroachment of Wal-Mart onto an adjacent protected nature area which is also held by a company owned by Corker.^[12] The suit alleges that Corker did not fully disclose his interest in the property where the Wal-Mart was built or in the adjacent nature area at the time the deal was made.^[12] The Corker campaign has countered that Corker's company filed papers to develop the wetlands in 2000, before Corker became mayor, and that it was widely known that Corker had an interest in the property.^[12]

On September 18, 2006 a Memphis, Tennesse newspaper, The Commercial Appeal, reported that Corker's attorneys acquired city authorization to cut a road through the protected property owned by Corker in July 2003 while Corker was mayor.^[13] City records show that Corker's attorneys won concessions from the city as details of the deal were worked out, much of which was done in private.^[13] September 18 is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Commercial Appeal is the predominant daily newspaper of Memphis, Tennessee. ...

Corker's campaign manager has said that a blind trust kept Corker from the details of the project.^[13] A Blind trust is a trust in which the executors or those who have been given power of attorney have full discretion over the assets, and the trust beneficiaries have no knowledge of the holdings of the trust. ...

On October 13, 2006, lawyers involved in the case announced a settlement agreement. Details of the settlement were not announced, but court records indicate that a portion of the settlement involved a 45 day option for the Tennessee Environmental Council to purchase over thirteen acres of the land in dispute that the Council hopes to dedicate for public use.^[14] October 13 is the 286th day of the year (287th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Missing papers

On September 9, 2006 The Commercial Appeal reported that official records from both Corker's 2001 to 2005 service as mayor and his 1996 service as state finance commissioner are missing.^[15] The missing records include letters written and received by Corker during a six month period in 1996 and e-mails written and received by Corker in his official capacity as mayor between 2001 and 2005.^[15] September 9 is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Commercial Appeal is the predominant daily newspaper of Memphis, Tennessee. ...

Some of the e-mails were discovered on his former assistant's computer by The Commercial Appeal in October.^[16]

Blind trust

On October 11, 2006, The Commercial Appeal reported that the blind trust that Corker set up to run his businesses to avoid conflicts of interest while he was mayor "may not have been all that blind".^[16] According to e-mails discovered by the Appeal (some of which had previously presumed to be lost): A Blind trust is a trust in which the executors or those who have been given power of attorney have full discretion over the assets, and the trust beneficiaries have no knowledge of the holdings of the trust. ...

"Corker met often with employees from his private companies while mayor from 2001 to 2005, and he shared business tips with others. Corker also got help organizing his 2001 mayoral campaign from City Hall, where a government secretary passed on voting lists and set up meetings for the millionaire commercial real estate developer."^[16]

The e-mails show that Corker often met with officials from his private company, the Corker Group, which was part of the blind trust, while he was mayor.^[16] When asked about these e-mails by the Appeal, Corker said that he thought the blind trust had "worked very well" and that he had sold most of his business holdings so that he could avoid the appearance of conflicts of interest in the Senate.^[16]

References

The Knoxville News Sentinel is a newspaper in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA covering general news. ... The Commercial Appeal is the predominant daily newspaper of Memphis, Tennessee. ... Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ... September 7 is the 250th day of the year (251st in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ... August 8 is the 220th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (221st in leap years), with 145 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... August 20 is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... September 18 is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Official Senate campaign website
• Blogging For Corker -- Unofficial Campaign Blog
• Ford Campaign Hits "Shady Corker Land Deal" At Eastgate, Chattanoogan September 19, 2006
• Part 1 of Corker interview with WGOW radio in Chattanooga
  • Part 2