The State Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) held a special committee meeting this week to hear a resolution that would set up a special committee to investigate the removal of William E. Gibson from the office of District Attorney General of the Thirteenth Judicial District by the Tennessee. The Thirteenth District includes Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Overton, Pickett, Putnam and White Counties.
Sponsor of the resolution, Senator Jim Kyle (D-Memphis) told Chairman Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) and members of the committee, “improprieties have occurred. “They are clear and undisputed,” he said.
“This would create a committee and proceed with the process,” said Chairman Beavers. “They will than have an investigation and make a recommendation to the full Senate. The House will also participate as five members will be selected by each Speaker, House and Senate, to serve on the special panel. Then the report of the committee would come before both bodies for a vote.”
The Committee approved the resolution on Wednesday and sent the measure to the full Senate, where it was approved on Thursday. The resolution sets up the procedure to investigate the removal. Tennessee’s Constitution provides that attorneys for the state may be removed from office by a concurrent two-thirds vote of both Houses of the General Assembly, each House voting separately.
Gibson has been sanctioned with the temporary removal of his law license by the Board of Professional Responsibility which supervises the ethical conduct of attorneys. Kyle said the actions of the Board were due to several reasons, including Gibson “using his position to influence the outcome of a case.”
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