NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Earlier this week, NewsChannel 5 Investigates reported that a formal ethics complaint had been filed against Joy Kimbrough.
It claimed she had demanded half a million dollars from a Nashville businessman in order to support a project in her district.
Kimbrough refused to do an interview at the time, but she had a lot to say at Thursday night's community meeting.
The folks who turned out at the Cathedral of Praise Church on Clarksville Highway Thursday night got a free boxed dinner, updates on what's happening in District 1, and even answers to their questions about trash removal.
And then, after more than a hour, the crowd got fireworks as Metro councilwoman Kimbrough spoke publicly for first time to a very supportive audience about the allegations against her.
"I'm going to tell you right now, that liquor boy [Best Brands CEO Ryan Moses] is a liar," she said. "When someone attacks my character, I take it personally," which led to a round of applause from the audience of about a hundred people.
As NewsChannel 5 Investigates first revealed this week, Moses has filed a sworn ethics complaint against Kimbrough, claiming she demanded $500,000 from him during a cell phone conversation in April to support his company's plan to build a liquor distribution warehouse in her council district at the corner of Ashland City Highway and Briley Parkway.
Kimbrough turned down our requests for an interview in our initial reporting, but shared with us her official response to the complaint which included a lot of name calling, but no direct denial of the allegations.
Then after our story aired, she sent a scathing letter to constituents, calling our reporting biased and misleading, but again, never specifically addressing or denying what she is accused of doing.
And that's why we decided to go to her monthly community meeting Thursday night and ask her directly.
We spotted her as she walked through the parking lot, headed for the church fellowship hall entrance.
We asked Kimbrough, "Did you or did you not ask Ryan Moses for $500,000?"
She replied, "I absolutely did not."
"You did not?" we asked again.
"Absolutely," Kimbrough said.
And at the very end of the meeting, Kimbrough took the mic and spent a lot of time assuring the people in the room how much she loves District 1 and then she let loose on this project, the people supporting it, and the businessman who made the ethics claim against her.
"Never, ever have I been accused of something that sounds like extortion from a liquor store," Kimbrough told the crowd.
Note: While Kimbrough does often refer to the project as a liquor store, the proposed business will not sell directly to consumers. It will serve instead as a distribution center that will deliver liquor to grocery stores, bars and restaurants and other businesses in the area, according to Moss and his proposal.
"I've been honest with you. I've been open with you. We are family. Don't let some outside pimp come in here and turn us against each other," Kimbrough said.
She went on to say, "[Moses] is a liar. What he alleged did not happen. But those who say, 'Well, she didn't deny it,' didn't deny it, right? It did not happen. It did not happen. So I don't know how much clearer I can be."
As Kimbrough wrapped up, longtime Bordeaux resident Joe Bond approach the microphone, clearly wanting to speak and the room erupted in loud boos.
In our initial reporting earlier this week, Bond told us that he had asked Kimbrough about the ethics complaint and whether she had demanded the money or not and he maintained that she did not deny it.
Bond explained to us then, "[Kimbrough] said, 'Well I was bluffing to see whether or not he (Moses) would leave [the project] alone and just forget it.'"
We stopped him to make sure we were hearing him correctly.
"Wait, [Kimbrough] told you she said it?" we asked.
"That’s what she said. That she was bluffing him," Bond recalled.
And it was clear that Kimbrough was not going to let him speak at her meeting. She instead allowed a supporter to cut in front of Bond, grab the mic away from him and address the crowd herself.
And then when Bond tried again, Kimbrough stood back and let church pastor Jerry Maynard intervene, telling Bond, "If she wants to invite you up, she'll invite you up."
And that's when Kimbrough quickly closed out the meeting.
"Thanks everyone for coming out," she said.
Moments later, we caught up with her and asked, "Why did you not let Joe Bond speak?"
"I did not stop Joe Bond," Kimbrough insisted.
And she quickly followed that up by saying, "Next question?"
Kimbrough told us she'd said everything she'd needed to to the people who were at her community meeting, assuring them, "You don't have to worry about my integrity. You don't have to worry about that," which prompted applause and a standing ovation from the audience.
Kimbrough has insisted she has texts and emails that will clear her name, but despite our repeated requests for them, she has yet to send us anything.
Metro's Board of Ethical Conduct is tentatively set to meet on September 18 and decide whether to dismiss the complaint or hold a hearing on the matter.
PREVIOUS RELATED REPORTING:
Metro Councilwoman accused of using office for personal gain and coercion in formal ethics complaint
