By Deborah Highland
The Tennessean
Mayor Linda Elam on Monday night asked that Wilson County Commissioner Chris Sorey resign from office because a TBI audit showed he had used a state Web site to run unauthorized background checks on her and other city workers and elected officials.
Vice Mayor Will Sellers, whose records also were checked, asked that Sorey be ousted from office and be brought up on ethics charges by his fellow county commissioners.
Sorey was elected in August to his first term on the Wilson County Commission representing District 2, which includes part of Mt. Juliet.
Elam and Sellers made the public statements after the Mt. Juliet commission met in a secret "executive" session before the public meeting.
Sorey was working as a police officer for the Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport Police when he misused the state's Criminal Justice Portal to look at private records, TBI spokeswoman Kristin Helm said last month.
The TBI found the misuse during an audit of the portal and notified Smyrna Airport police.
Helm would not identify those whose information was sought, but Mt. Juliet's city manager, Randy Robertson, confirmed that his records, along with those of Elam, Sellers, storm-water coordinator Gary Gaskin, public-works secretary Amy Rooker, assistant public-works director Shannon Joiner, public-works project manager Casey Binion and chief building inspector Gary Branham were checked.
Elam added during Monday's meeting that the records of another county commissioner also were sought through the portal. She did not name that commissioner.
"I have no idea why Commissioner Sorey would want to have any background information on me, especially my Social Security number … ," Sellers said. "I and my wife feel that Commissioner Sorey has invaded our very private lives and has compromised our identities and financial security."
Sellers called for Sorey and his former employer to be prosecuted.
The Web site is the same site fired state trooper Ronnie Shirley is accused of using to run unauthorized checks on as many as 182 private citizens and state employees.
Sorey says he is victim
Sorey said late last month that the TBI audit was "nothing more than political payback" after he raised concerns over adherence to fire codes in homebuilding in Mt. Juliet.
"There is no reason or rationale for running a background check on the mayor, who is never involved day-to-day in city business," Elam said after the Smyrna Airport police notified her that her records had been checked.
Sorey was placed on unpaid administrative leave Nov. 6, said John Black, executive director of the Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport Authority. On Nov. 13, Sorey resigned, saying he was taking a higher-paying job. He said he was no longer working in law enforcement.
No charges pending
The TBI gave its information to Rutherford County District Attorney William Whitesell, who said no charges are pending. The TBI removed the airport police department's access to the site, Helm said.
Black did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment. He said in late November that Sorey was a good employee who worked for the airport for more than two years.
The TBI audit was sparked by a request from Mt. Juliet Police Chief Andy Garrett, who had received a copy of an e-mail from Gaskin, who was concerned that his personal information had been compromised.
Gaskin sent the e-mail after he was notified through the human resources department that Sorey had asked to see his personnel records. Gaskin's job is not related to fire codes inspections.
"I was the guy who blew the lid off of the fire codes issues in Mt. Juliet," Sorey said late last month.
"Any activity that has taken place regarding the alleged misuses of the integrated criminal justice portal system was done in connection with my investigation of the past and ongoing fire code violations" in Mt. Juliet, he said then. "I am very concerned that I now seem to be the subject of the investigation instead of officials addressing any possible safety issues."
Robertson said fire code issues were brought to the city's attention last summer, and the city has been inspecting every home built between 2006 and 2008. As of Nov. 21, the city had inspected 909 homes, 49 of which were in violation of one specific code. Robertson said builders have corrected the problems in 36 homes.
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