Charlane Oliver launches campaign against corporate money in politics

State Sen. Charlane Oliver (D-Nashville) is running two campaigns this fall. One should be very easy — Oliver has no Republican challenger in Tennessee's Senate District 19, which includes North Nashville, East Nashville and Antioch.  The other campaign, a quest to eliminate corporate spending in Tennessee elections, will be much more difficult. 

Oliver rallied supporters outside the Cordell Hull State Office Building Monday morning to announce legislation to end corporate electioneering in Tennessee races. With several months left before the next state legislative session, details are scarce about any forthcoming bills. While it’s technically too early to file legislation, it’s not too early to promote it — materials online indicate that Oliver will make powers granted to corporations by Tennessee contingent on no political spending. At Monday’s rally, Oliver cast corporate spending — and the private interests it advances — as the upstream source of many Tennessee problems.