We’ve stayed out of the whole Megan Barry fiasco. No real reason for it – I mean, we typically, as a brand, live for this sort of stuff. But, life has been chaotic for the EIC and the rest of the staff here and it’s something we just haven’t put pen to paper on.
Don’t fret, though – the SoBros Slack has been BLOWING UP with all kinds of jokes…because that’s what we do. We make light of things that are very sensitive. Personally, my favorite joke was my own: “Mayor Barry got an appetite for some of that Nashville hot dickin'” – I know. You’re offended. I apologize. Feel free to leave now. That was just to illustrate the vulgarity of our collective sense of humor.
But, if you’re the mayor, it’s hard to dodge some of these things. The dude making $119K in overtime pay. Trips lasting longer than necessary. The guy’s daughter getting a job as an attorney in the Mayor’s office. #Yikes. Like, this is becoming increasingly less punchline material, and more legitimate mayoral scandal.
Despite previous statements from Mayor Megan Barry about needing to travel with a police officer for safety, records released Monday show the mayor routinely went on trips without security from her inauguration in September 2015 to June 2016.
Last week, Barry acknowledged the affair with Sgt. Rob Forrest, a police officer and head of her security detail. She said the affair began in the spring of 2016 and the affair is over, although she would not say when it ended.
Forrest, who formally retired Jan. 31, traveled with Barry on out-of-town trips beginning in June 2016, including nine trips in 2017 during which he was the only city employee to accompany the mayor.
Full-bodied, robust writeup there at The Tennessean, but this is the highlight. This is the keynote. And, boy it is a doozy.
So far, Barry’s been able to skirt by by assuring us that taxpayer money wasn’t used to fund these excursions. But, that hasn’t really been proven yet. Now, reports have surfaced that she didn’t even travel with a security detail prior to this affair.
Hell, that ain’t a good look, folks.
I’m going to shorten and paraphrase The Tennessean, but definitely not plagiarize it…the justification is that she was following the recommendations of the police department, despite there being no historical evidence of threats against Nashville mayors.
The city said Monday that Barry and Forrest remained a total of four extra days in those cities combined. Taxpayer money paid for Forrest’s room for the four additional nights when the mayor had no events on her schedule.
Yeah, that’s not really good either. But, look – I think we’d all be a little naive to think NONE of taxpayer money is being spent on stupid shit by politicians. Still, this isn’t exactly a PR cakewalk for the Mayor.
She already has Clay Travis calling for her resignation. It’s only a matter of time before that seat gets hotter and hotter, and no – that’s not a butt sex joke.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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