A complaint sent to both the Rutherford County Steering Committee and Ethics Committee accuses Mayor Joe Carr of using his power to sell honey for personal profit. He is also accused of smearing another local official. Carr has denied the allegations.

The complaint claims that Mayor Joe Carr used his office to try to sell honey for personal profit, and it also accuses him of “orchestrating a politically motivated smear campaign” against Rutherford County Property Assessor Robert Mitchell, who the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is now investigating.

Rutherford County Commissioner Craig Harris has confirmed the committee’s receipt of the ethics investigation on Wednesday. He serves as a member of the Rutherford County Steering Committee and the Ethics Committee.

The three-page complaint letter dated November 10 is signed by Jason Bennett, who identified himself as a resident of District 20. In the letter, Bennett accuses Carr of misusing county funds and resources. The resident also asks for the Rutherford County District Attorney’s Office and the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury to investigate.

The complaint also alleges that Carr used his office to sell honey for personal profit. It points to an interaction he posted on Facebook.

“In the post, a user asks, ‘Where is the best place to get it?’ Mayor Carr replies: ‘I keep some honey at my office at the Courthouse. Rachel and Carla can help you if I’m not there,’” the complaint said.
Bennett said this message points to the mayor using public property “as a retail storeroom” and that he “directs county employees… to facilitate these private sales during their work hours.”

WSMV Channel 4 in Nashville has posted the full complaint.

Carr’s week got even worse when he suffered a serious accident on his farm while training one of his horses. He has been hospitalized with broken ribs, a lacerated liver and other injuries. 

Steve Gill is editor and publisher of TriStar Daily.