Franklin Republican Jeremy Durham will keep his leadership position in the state legislature after House Republicans declined to remove him from his job as majority whip.
The decision came in a closed-door meeting of Republican legislators to discuss the fourth-year lawmaker’s behavior. Complaints have ranged from a heated temper to an investigation for prescription fraud.
Afterward, Durham blamed the “liberal media” for bringing about the vote on his leadership position. But he added he’d handled the situation poorly and said his approach to his position would be different in the future.
“We all owe the public a duty of integrity, and we all have to make sure that we’re professional when we do it,” he said. “You learn. You don’t always handle everything perfectly.”
The effort to remove Durham began soon after prosecutors in Williamson County released a transcript of the lawmaker being interviewed on suspicion of prescription fraud. Law enforcement believed Durham altered the date on an outdated prescription and tried to get it filled at a pharmacy, a violation of state law.
Durham was not indicted, but it opened the door to other questions. Durham was criticized for seeking leniency for a youth pastor convicted of statutory rape and possession of child pornography, while lobbyists complained about his temper.
House Speaker Beth Harwell told reporters she’d directed legislative staff to caution Durham about his behavior — a conversation that Durham says took place in November.
Closed discussion
Republicans spent 45 minutes behind closed doors but apparently never got around to discussing his behavior. According to accounts from lawmakers inside the meeting, most of the time was spent discussing the proper parliamentary procedures for removing a caucus leader. Finally, a motion to reconsider his election as majority whip failed on a secret ballot.
Still, Durham’s political career may have been damaged. The position of whip has little real authority, but it can be a track toward higher leadership positions. At 32, Durham had been seen as a rising star in the state legislature, and he had played a prominent role in the defeat of Gov. Bill Haslam’s plan to expand Medicaid.
Durham said tensions within the Republican caucus likely played a role in bringing about the vote to remove him.
“That’s just the nature of politics,” he said. “You always have folks that would rather see someone else there that they’re closer to. That’s just part of it. But, I can’t stay up at night thinking about that. I have to think about how I can better serve my district.”
Durham has already taken out papers to run for re-election later this year. Retired Army colonel Sam Whitson announced last week he
plans to challenge Durham in August’s Republican primary.
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