State investigation into Hargett’s use of car during DUI arrest on hold

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - A state investigation into whether Secretary of State Tre Hargett misused his state vehicle when he was arrested for DUI is on hold, despite a state policy that reads it should have been completed by Monday, July 18.

Hargett was arrested on June 18th while driving the state vehicle in Coffee County.

https://www.wsmv.com/2022/06/18/report-tennessee-secretary-state-arrested-state-issued-car/

According to a policy with Vehicle and Asset Management, a division of the state department of General Services, each state agency must investigate allegations of misuse (of a state vehicle) and report its findings within 30 days.

In this circumstance, it means staffers within the Secretary of State’s office would be investigating their own boss.

Given that the deadline was approaching, News4 Investigates asked last week if the agency had finalized its investigation but was told that the investigation was on hold.

News4 Investigates then obtained a letter, sent on July 15th by Rose Case, chief operating officer for the Secretary of State’s office, to Bob Williams, assistant commissioner of the General Services.

In that letter, Case states that Hargett instructed her to perform any investigation to his use of the state vehicle on the night of his arrest.

In the letter, Case writes, “To perform a complete investigation, we must allow the legal proceedings to move forward so that we may have all the facts and can understand what next steps should be taken. Once we determine what action, if any, our department will take based on the incident related to the June 18, 2022 charge, I will let you know.”

News4 Investigates reached out to the department of general services to find out if it is acceptable for the agency’s investigation be put on hold despite the state policy’s deadline and are awaiting their response.

News4 Investigates has also confirmed that police body camera captured Hargett’s arrest, but district attorney Craig Northcott said that footage would not be released until the case is adjudicated.

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