A Roane County election official is calling for an investigation into whether 9th Judicial District Attorney General Russell Johnson violated the law by aiding the campaign of former state Rep. Dennis Ferguson for Roane County road supervisor.
"I don't think it's legal for a state employee to get involved in a partisan election using state resources," said Roane County Election Commissioner Jim Ryans.
But Johnson depicts the matter as a "lapse in judgment" in which an employee reserved a domain name for the candidate as an unpaid favor outside business hours. He said no further campaign work occurred.
According to Ryans, Roane County Administrator of Elections Charles Holiway presented evidence to state Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins last week, showing that the Internet protocol addresses for Ferguson's campaign website were registered through the district attorney's office.