The late State Rep. Charles Sargent’s legacy will be kept alive through the creation of a political action committee.
The Franklin Republican died of cancer last November at the age of 73. The former House Finance, Ways and Means Committee chairman had announced that fall he would not seek re-election after two decades of service.
Now, the Sargent Legacy Fund has been formed by his friends to continue his service to the community and the legislature, the Williamson Herald reports.
The Sargent Legacy Fund held a kickoff breakfast last Saturday at Columbia State Community College’s Franklin campus – inside the Charles M. Sargent Building.
According to the Herald:
The PAC reflects Sargent’s prior focus on three things: limited government, excellent education and fiscal conservatism. The Sargent Legacy Fund was “created to support local candidates who embody Charles Sargent’s character and share his political philosophy of lower taxes, limited government and support for education.”
Founders of the PAC include Erin Westrich, Sargent’s previous campaign manager and lifelong family friend; friends Helen and (attorney) Jeff Moseley; Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson; and Sargent’s wife, Nancy. Anderson will serve as treasurer of the PAC.
Two Williamson County Republicans shared their thoughts about Sargent with The Tennessee Star.
State Rep. Brandon Ogles (R-TN-61), who replaced Sargent in the Legislature, said, “Charles was extremely hard working. He poured himself into the work helping Williamson County and the state of Tennessee. He’ll be greatly missed for his contributions to the state budget.”
Debbie Deaver, the GOP chairwoman in Williamson County, said, “Charles Sargent’s leadership and dedication will be missed in the General Assembly and in Williamson County. Charles and I did not always agree on issues, but we were still able to laugh and be friends, and I will miss him.”
Deaver pointed out that the Williamson County Republican Party presented Sargent with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Ronald Reagan Day event last year.
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Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.
I am pretty tired of this canonization of Charles Sargent. The guy was nothing more than a political weasel who bid the calls of Jimmy Naifeh or Bill Haslam or Bredesen. He was the master of hijacking bills through a fiscal note in the finance committee. I remember meeting with him at a small luncheon once where he was defending bringing TN toll roads. He wasn’t used to “citizens” opposing him. I opposed him big time. Even with his normal red face we thought the man was going to implode for being challenged by a nobody. There was nothing that Sargent did that wasn’t for his own political or monetary advancement. It’s time to end this honoring of a man who doesn’t deserve it.
It might be sacrilegious to speak badly about such an “icon” of public service, however citizens beware! As Chairman of the Finance Committee CERTAINLY Charles knew about the practice of attaching large fiscal notes in order to “kill” them, detailed in the below article.
tennesseestar.com/2019/01/31/house-subcommittee-chairman-issues-warning-to-colleagues-about-bureaucrats-undermining-the-legislative-process/
Even IF doing the wrong thing, for the right reason, was the case, it silenced the voices of the majority of the peoples representatives. And that was wrong! Hopefully this new PAC will not follow in those foot steps of it’s namesake!