Mayor Ashe in his weekly column in the daily paper about the Knox County Commission district Fourth District and in particular the $1,500 contribution from the Republican Club that meets at the West Knoxville Red Lobster made to Garrett Holt’s opponent.

I reported in this post of the $1,600 that Holt’s opponent raised through January 15, 2024. $1,500 from the Republican Club that meets at the Red Lobster and a $100 contribution from a Food City beverage employee.

On the 2/1/2024 report (that was due on 1/31/2024) states the reporting period 7/1/2023 through 1/15/2024 although the appointment of Treasurer was filed on 11/28/2023. The filing period should have been 11/28/2023 to 1/15/2024.

On the 11/28/2023 Appointment of Treasurer filing, the signatures are Holt’s opponent and the President of the Republican Club that meets at Red Lobster.

A review of TN Campaign Finance Reports reveal that the Republican club that meets at the West Knoxville Red Lobster, has no report filed since 2013 when Christy Gentry-Gabriel was Treasurer. Gentry is currently Vice Treasurer of the Knox County Republican party.

If a club is NOT a PAC and they seek to contribute to a candidate. It has been advised for them to give the contribution to the Knox County Republican Party and earmark the money for that candidate. However, in campaign finance filing of Holt’s opponent it states it came from the club.

Certainly something the TN Bureau of Campaign Finance might want to look into, especially if a citizen were to file an inquiry.