TBI Investigating After Mayor’s Affair Admission

NASHVILLE, TN -- Davidson County District Attorney General Glenn Funk asked the Tennessee. Bureau of Investigation to gather evidence to help determine if any laws were broken as a result of Mayor Megan Barry’s affair with her former security chief. In addition, the chairman of the Metro Council's powerful budget committee wants to investigate after the mayor publicly admitted to an affair.

Thirty-one-year veteran Metro Nashville Police Sgt. Rob Forrest retired suddenly Wednesday, sparking rumors that his unsuspected departure was connected to a relationship with Barry. By Wednesday afternoon, Barry admitted to the affair.

It immediately raised questions about skyrocketing overtime and travel expenses Forrest incurred during his stint leading the mayor's security team. Those expenses doubled after Barry took office compared to the last few years of her predecessor Karl Dean's term. Forrest had led the mayoral protection detail for 14 years, serving under Barry, Dean and Bill Purcell.

A spokesman for Funk told The Tennessean the DA sought a TBI investigation Thursday morning.

"District Attorney Glenn Funk has asked TBI Director Mark Gwyn to investigate whether Mayor Megan Barry and/or others, including Sgt. Rob Forrest, violated any criminal law including misappropriation of public funds and official misconduct," Steve Hayslip told the newspaper.

The TBI said it will gather evidence and turn over findings to the DA for consideration.

For its part, the Metro Nashville Police are saying there’s no evidence of criminal violations “at the present time.”

Metro Councilmember Tanaka Vercher criticized the mayor's handling of the admission. In an interview with The Tennessean, Vercher - who chairs the critical budget committee - said the council should have been given more notice about the announcement prior to the mayor's statement, which hit inboxes shortly before 5 p.m.

Vercher told the newspaper she's asked council attorney Mike Jameson what powers her committee has to investigate expenses.

“Right now the perception is — whether it’s true or not — that this affair occurred on taxpayers’ dime,” Vercher told the daily.

For her part, Barry said the expenses incurred by Forrest would have been incurred no matter who was leading the security and regardless of her relationship with that person and said she would welcome an investigation.

Barry's explanation notwithstanding, it's irrefutable that taxpayers paid for Forrest's travel with the mayor, business trips or not, and the pair have admitted to an affair.

Other city leaders have expressed concern that as the tip of the Metro pyramid, the mayor is the superior to any Metro employee, including Forrest.

"There's no way around the common-sense fact he clearly worked for the mayor," Councilmember Jon Cooper told The Tennessean. "That kind of relationship is a problem anywhere in Metro government, especially if taxpayer funds were used for their personal travel."

Photo via Office of the Mayor