The TVA's inspector general has broadened an inspection linked to U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, a Western North Carolina Democrat who was re-elected to the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this month.
Shuler, a former star University of Tennessee quarterback who launched a Knoxville real estate firm under his name after playing in the National Football League, has maintained business ties in East Tennessee since his first election to Congress in November 2006.
In August, TVA Inspector General Richard Moore's office opened an inspection after the News Sentinel reported on a deal between the TVA and a firm in which Shuler has been an investor.
In June, the federal utility approved a transaction that provided 145 feet of water-access rights along the shoreline of Watts Bar Reservoir in Roane County to an entity called The Cove at Blackberry Ridge LLC.
In exchange, The Cove agreed to relinquish 150 feet of water-access rights in Rhea County and also provide about $15,000 for a bank stabilization project at a different location on Watts Bar Reservoir.
The transaction was approved under TVA's "maintain and gain" program, which allows landowners to gain water-access rights in one location by trading rights they own somewhere else on a reservoir.
Investors in The Cove at Blackberry Ridge include Shuler, who sits on the House transportation committee's Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment, one of two congressional panels that provide formal oversight of the TVA. Shortly after Moore opened his inspection, he said the inspector general's office was looking at whether TVA guidelines and policies were followed on the project or whether political pressure was involved.
On Monday, Moore said in an e-mail message that his office has broadened the scope of its review "due to issues that have surfaced regarding the design of the Maintain and Gain program and the way in which the program is administered. Consequently, we are examining all TVA records for every Maintain and Gain application which has been granted."
The Cove at Blackberry Ridge was the eighth maintain-and-gain application that had been approved since 1999, according to TVA figures provided earlier this year.
A TVA spokesman declined to comment on the broadening of the inspection. Moore said his evaluation requires a thorough examination of the operation of the program, the spectrum of applications it receives and "whether or not the program has been working within the policy of the TVA Board's Land Policy."
Moore said a report will be posted on the inspector general's Web site, but that "Given the expanded scope of our inspection, the additional materials that have to be located and reviewed, and the additional interviews conducted, we are not able to project a completion date for the report."
Shuler's congressional chief of staff declined to comment on the inspector general's announcement. According to a story published last week, Shuler told the Times-News of Hendersonville, N.C., that he has not ruled out a run for the U.S. Senate in 2010.
Business writer Josh Flory may be reached at 865-342-6994.
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Comments » 37
tnbigg writes:
Uh oh...
tnbigg writes:
The professional ranks have not been kind to Shuler...and he has played his role in the problems...too bad he can't get a do-over and stay for his senior season...
blitzshoot writes:
Can someone buy their way onto a team?
NoMoreWooAfterGoodOleRockyTop writes:
All things come back to FuLLLLLLLLLmer.
Ironcity writes:
Sounds like much ado about nothing
Major_Magilicutty writes:
^what comments did Stevens make?
blitzshoot writes:
This does not mean he is in legal trouble. It has more to do with the TVA and standard operating procedures.
bobbarbilly writes:
I once thought that when politicians were allowed to stay in office for lengthy terms that they became invincible in their own eyes and were prone to develop underhanded tendencies. No longer do I believe this. I believe now that as soon as they take their hand from the bible that the
"what is in it for me" light comes on and they become totally self-serving crooks. The words ethics, morals and integrity should be stricken from the congressional dictionary.
And, when we start electing comedians to the U.S.Senate, it says a lot about how we get ourselves into all of these crises situations.
beachvol writes:
Even reading this cryptically I don't see anything incriminating to Shuler. Perhaps something will come out, but this article says nothing! As far as someone tying this non-article to Fulmer and Crompton, get a life!
magnum44_37763#269861 writes:
one time somebody told me that if you weren't crooked before you got into politics you soon would be after getting in.
utfpmd writes:
Is Shuler smart enough to pull something like this off?
WVVOLFAN writes:
hey hiresanders,
VMI 111
u of k 103
the k stands for kan't play or koach for krap. noticed you'd been hiding out for a few days.
shoalcreekvol writes:
Notice the article did not mention anything that specifically linked Shuler (or his influence) to the transaction. There was no evidence offered that he applied pressure, asked for a political favor, or was specifically and directly involved.
I'm not saying he's clean, I'm just saying that the headline makes a boast the article doesn't back up. No shock though, KNS is not trying to accomplish some public good, they're trying to generate hits by reporting controversy.
WVVOLFAN writes:
i don't think he's far off dvol. i don't recall seeing any articles where heath came back and got his degree and i was told that he could not pass the realator exam. that's why benjie is running the real estate office.
WVVOLFAN writes:
now that's funny. i don't care who you are. LOL kingsport...
shoalcreekvol writes:
...and smiled.
Just like his beloved Kitties did when VMI came calling Friday night.
stevefrommemphis writes:
Heath Shuler - the Forrest Gump of Tennessee football. Stumbles from one successful outcome to the next....
SemperVol writes:
Uh-oh....."Covegate"
Heath....don't run for president.
Kingsport....I bet hiresanders leaves four in the peg game at Cracker Barrel everytime...... Egg-No-Ra-Moose.
jumby92 writes:
Shuler played in the NFL ??? When was that?
jumby92 writes:
Yes, I was being sarcastic in the previous post.
newtonrail writes:
I know, Peyton wouldn't sign an autograph for you instead of the reverse racism, right?
SemperVol writes:
Peyton Manning once came across a dying dvolfan....
With the touch of his hand, Manning revived the ailing dvolfan...
Then, quickly, with a karate-chop to the back of skull...he vanquished poor dvolfan....just to show what Manning giveth, Manning doth taketh away.
So it was spoken.
SomeGuy writes:
Casey played because he was a winner. He beat UF two out of four years remember. His brother played in hopes of getting the other brother Jimmy. That was a disaster and showed typical lack of judgment by Fulmer.
Crompton plays for reasons no one can explain. Fulmer seems scared of his Little League parents but really - what damage can they do to you now Phil? Tell them to stuff it and play someone who might take less than 10 minutes to read a defense and not throw the ball into the ground or into the upper deck.
tenncorncob writes:
no, because of FULMER...........
lskoncepts writes:
I remember that game very well because that was my senior year at UT. I remember going home from the game and hanging my dollar bills up to dry. I was soaked from head to toe and loved every second of that game. Also, I remember the start of the game was hot and sunny in the student section. Then, the down pour came! Wow what a game and the memories!!
pdowned writes:
Ah, how wonderful it is to watch the masses of stupidity wallow in their own ignorance and lack of education. Stick with comments about football, guys, that's about the only thing you can wrap your tiny brains around.
How did an article about TVA and Heath Shuler result in comments about Peyton Manning, Florida, Steve Spurrier, Jonathon Crompton, and Phil Fulmer?
NO_DIGGITY writes:
You will have to axe Naffy that question. (dvolfan)
serenehunter#668900 writes:
If you want to investigate something how about auditing the Athletic department? Or is that taboo?
Mr_Brownstone writes:
as Bob Segar crones, "Shake down, take down, you're busted, busted." da da
pdhuff#552644 writes:
True = audit where those 2 Mil recruiting budgets have gone to leave us without a O-line and quarterbackless.
This would be a great doldrum story. Zzzzzzz.
dfreeman writes:
He smiles when he hears banjo music too! He secretly tried for that scene only to be beat out by Ned Beatty! LOL How have you been?
dvolfan - everyone on this site is now dumber having read what you have to say about anything!
spvol writes:
Idiot!
NOLAvol writes:
Beware, all you Congressional "blue-dog Democrats"... you're about to get reined in -- Chicago-style!
This stuff doesn't come out AFTER an election, unless it's from your OWN party.
xvolx writes:
Isnt this the same guy that gave us crompton?
coach75 writes:
Shuler sure lit up Spurrier and the Gators in 1992 in a monsoon!
I can remember having sheet plastic to cover me and my two buds and throwing it off halfway through the rain and having a great time. The four hour trip home was not very fun though. Some things I can,t remember though was whether this was the game that Dale Carter returned a kickoff to begin the second half or not. Does anyone remember what Florida game that was? Tennessee won it, so it should not be hard to figure out.
cjraney writes:
...and whispered "The K-Y stands for K-Y."
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
Don't worry it's a Democrat. They almost always get away with everything they do and try !! Look at Chris Dodd and Barney Franks. The Democrats with the news media carrying the water for them are such hypocrites, they have become what they used to abhore, fat cats and war!!
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