A former Tennessee state senator was sentenced Friday to nearly two years in prison for violating campaign finance laws while running for Congress — charges the Republican once described as a “witch hunt” before he pleaded guilty to them.
Tennessee
Former Tenn. state senator sentenced to 21 months in campaign finance scheme
He was accused of concealing the transfer of $91,000 to a national political organization that supported Kelsey’s 2016 congressional campaign. The 45-year-old can no longer run for state office, according to his attorney.
Henry Leventis, the U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, said at a news conference Friday that Kelsey’s crimes were calculated, complex and multifaceted.
“And they denied Tennesseans the right to transparency, which would allow them to make informed decisions about their vote,” Leventis added.
Kelsey, whose sentence is expected to start in October, apologized for the “mistake” in a statement.
“I will always regret it,” Kelsey said. “I am sorry for letting down my constituents and the public.”
Joshua Smith, 46, who owns a Nashville social club that Kelsey belonged to and was accused of conspiring with Kelsey, was also sentenced Friday. Smith, who pleaded guilty in October to soliciting money in support of Kelsey’s campaign, was sentenced to five years of probation.
“The fact that he did not get prison time or any jail time was fair,” Phillip Georges, Smith’s attorney, said. “His involvement was lower. He did come forward; he was a substantial cooperator. And the judge still sent a pretty strong message with a serious sentence.”
Kelsey was elected to Tennessee’s General Assembly in 2004 before moving to the state Senate in 2009. He was one of several Tennessee Republicans to run for a U.S. House of Representatives seat in 2016, according to the Tennessean, but lost the nomination to Rep. David Kustoff, who remains in office.
In October 2021, a federal grand jury indicted Kelsey for conspiracy, alleging that he funneled “soft money” — or funds not subject to federal limitations or reporting regulations — to a federal campaign committee to benefit his congressional bid.
The indictment claimed Kelsey transferred $66,000 from his state Senate campaign and $25,000 from a nonprofit that advocated for legal justice issues to an organization that funded advertisements in support of Kelsey in 2016. The organization, later revealed to be the American Conservative Union, contributed $80,000 to Kelsey’s campaign, the indictment alleges.
The moves hid from voters how Kelsey raised and spent campaign money, said acting assistant attorney general Nicole Argentieri, with the Justice Department’s criminal division. She added: “The integrity of our elections is essential to democracy, and voters should know how candidates raise and spend campaign dollars.”
In 2002, Congress passed the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, which prevents political candidates from spending or soliciting “soft money” for federal elections.
A few days after he was indicted, Kelsey tweeted that the charges were a “political witch hunt” and that President Biden’s administration was “trying to take me out because I’m conservative.”
In October, Smith pleaded guilty to helping solicit and spend $25,000. The next month, Kelsey pleaded guilty to his five charges. He did not run for reelection in the state Senate. Kelsey, who was also an attorney, had his state license suspended in December.
In March, Kelsey said in court documents that he wanted to reverse his guilty plea because he had “an unsure heart and a confused mind” at the time of his decision. He claimed that his father had pancreatic cancer (he died in February) and he was caring for his twin sons, who were born in September.
But Waverly Crenshaw Jr., the court’s chief district judge, rejected Kelsey’s change-of-plea request in May.
On Friday, Kelsey told the court in Nashville that he was “truly sorry” for his actions, according to the Associated Press.
“I knew I was taking a risk,” he said, “and yet I did it anyway.”
FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — Undocumented immigrants in Middle Tennessee are rushing to prepare legal documents for their children as fear spreads following recent ICE operations that arrested nearly 200 people in Nashville and surrounding areas.
Many parents are notarizing power of attorney documents to ensure their children will be cared for if they are detained or deported.
“This is a letter of power of an attorney for care of a minor child,” reads one document being prepared by families. “Is sufficient to authorize enrollment of a minor in school and to authorize medical treatment.”
A single mother, who asked to be identified only as Andrea to protect her identity, described the anxiety of potentially being separated from her children.
“It was the fear that I would be gone and there would be no one to care for my kids,” she said.
Andrea recalled having to sit down with her 13-year-old son to explain that one day she might not come home.
“He hugged me, and said, ‘Mom, I am going to cry a lot.’ I broke down as a mom because you don’t know what to do. I can’t stay home because it’s just me,” she said.
Andrea and her two sons arrived in the US with a visa eight years ago. She said safety concerns prevented her from returning to her home country, and she decided to stay to provide better opportunities for her children as a single mother. Overstaying a visa is not considered a criminal offense, but is a civil violation of U.S. immigration law.
“Going back to my country isn’t an option, especially because of my children,” she said.
Andrea sought help from Pastor Luis Sura to complete the power of attorney paperwork. Through his nonprofit Better Options TN, Sura has assisted more than 20 families since the raids.
“They’re afraid, they’re crying, they don’t know what to do,” Sura said.
As an immigrant from Mexico himself, Sura understands their situation but notes his own path to legal status came through the most recent immigration reform signed during the Reagan administration in 1986.
“That’s why I’m here, because of the amnesty,” he said.
Sura believes current immigration policies offer few options for families like Andrea’s.
“These people will be here for 20 years. They cannot do it the right way, because there is no other way,” Sura said.
The uncertainty has changed how Andrea and her children say goodbye each day.
“So, every time we leave we hug each other and try to make it very special because there really might not be another time,” she said.
Click here to learn more about Better Options TN and power of attorney forms.
The Hispanic Foundation is also hosting a power of attorney clinic June 1, 2025. For more information: send email to vgentry@immigrationgrp.com
Andrea’s quotes have been translated from Spanish to English by bilingual reporter Patsy Montesinos.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Patsy.Montesinos@Newschannel5.com
On 150-year anniversary, YMCA of Middle Tennessee looks at its past and future
Happy Birthday to the YMCA of Middle TN. They just celebrated their 150th anniversary! A lot has changed with the Y over the years. I have personally seen some of that firsthand when I was a long-time board member at the Northwest Family Y and part of their Black Achievers Program. Forrest Sanders has a look back.
– Lelan Statom
The Nets will host Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier for a predraft workout on Friday, sources told The Post.
On the short list for the best shooter in this year’s class, Lanier could be a viable target for Brooklyn with the 36th pick. They also have the eighth, 19th, 26th and 27th picks in next month’s draft.
The Jerry West Award-winner as the best shooting guard, Lanier averaged 18.0 points last season on 43.1 percent shooting and a solid 39.5 percent from behind the arc.
Tapped to go 40th to Washington in ESPN’s latest mock draft, Lanier measured 6-foot-3 ¾ and 205.8.8 pounds at the NBA draft combine and helped his cause in Chicago.
Tennessee is in the mix to land another prospect for its 2026 football recruiting class.
The Vols made the top six schools for four-star wide receiver Craig Dandridge, along with Georgia Tech, Stanford, Georgia, Florida and Oklahoma.
The 6-foot-1, 172-pound prospect is from Cambridge High School in Milton, Georgia. 247Sports ranks Dandridge as the No. 48 wide receiver in 2026 and No. 38 player in Georgia.
Tennessee offered him a scholarship on Feb. 5. Dandridge unofficially visited Tennessee for a practice on March 14 and will officially the Vols on June 13.
Power Four programs outside of Dandridge’s top six to offer him a scholarship include Arkansas, Kansas State, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt, Kansas, West Virginia, Boston College, Duke, Cincinnati and Clemson.
Tennessee has eight commitments in its 2026 football recruiting class: quarterback Faizon Brandon, wide receiver Tyreek King, tight end Carson Sneed, offensive lineman Gabriel Osenda, wide receiver Tyran Evans, linebacker Braylon Outlaw, defensive lineman C.J. Edwards and defensive lineman Zach Groves.
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