TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Sep 9, 2016

State Rep. Joe Armstrong, D-Knoxville, gave up his seat in the General Assembly yesterday following conviction for filing a false tax return, the Tennessean reports. A federal jury found Armstrong, a 28-year veteran of the legislature, guilty of hiding profits of roughly $321,000 from a 2007 cigarette tax-stamp sale. The conviction rendered him unable to hold public office. Armstrong won re-nomination for his seat while on trial. Local Democrats have nominated Rick Staples to seek the seat in his place.