Corruption, Law Enforcement, News, Opinion, Politics

“Break the Public Trust—Go to Jail”: Why Senator Jack Johnson Has the Right Idea

By The Craig Bushon Show Media Team

“The truth is not hate speech. It’s a mirror—and some elected officials can’t stand the reflection. If you’re elected to serve the people and instead choose to serve yourself, your party, or your ideology above the law, you don’t deserve a slap on the wrist…”

“This isn’t an attack on democracy, it’s a necessary check on power.” And it’s exactly why Tennessee State Senator Jack Johnson introduced legislation to allow the state to criminally prosecute elected officials who intentionally break the law in the course of their duties. This isn’t some political stunt. It’s the logical next step in an age where corruption is rationalized, lawlessness is tolerated, and taxpayers are left footing the bill.

Time’s Up for Corrupt Officials

The Constitution already lays out a framework for holding elected officials accountable through impeachment or expulsion. But let’s be honest: those mechanisms have grown rusty, slow, and—thanks to partisan shielding—basically useless in many cases.

Think about what happened in other states when rogue district attorneys chose to stop enforcing certain laws for ideological reasons. Or when city council members openly violated public meeting rules, zoning laws, or ethics codes to benefit political donors or activist causes.

Where are the consequences? A “strongly worded rebuke” from the Ethics Commission? A forced resignation after public outrage?

That’s not enough anymore—and the voters know it.

What Johnson’s Bill Actually Does

Johnson’s bill (SB 1464/HB 6001) makes it a Class E felony for elected officials to willfully and knowingly violate state laws governing their duties, including releasing confidential immigration enforcement information, defying open-records laws, or misusing public funds. Conviction would also trigger automatic removal from office by the state’s Attorney General.

Read the full bill text here:
LegiScan – SB1464 Bill Tracker

Addressing the Critics: ACLU and Constitutional Alarmism

Of course, the bill hasn’t come without controversy. Predictably, groups like the ACLU of Tennessee have already pledged to challenge it in court. Their main argument? That the law violates First Amendment protections, legislative immunity, and could criminalize elected officials simply for casting a vote—particularly on sanctuary city policies.

Let’s set the record straight.

1. Voting Your Conscience Is Not a Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card
No one is being jailed for expressing an opinion. The law clearly targets knowingly illegal acts committed in office—not personal beliefs or lawful dissent. If a vote directly violates state law (such as supporting sanctuary policies that obstruct immigration enforcement), that is not protected speech it’s unlawful conduct under color of office. Voting to shield criminal aliens from ICE is not noble resistance; it’s obstruction of the law.

2. Legislative Immunity Has Limits
Legislative immunity protects deliberation not criminal conspiracy. No state constitution, no federal precedent says you can violate immigration law or misuse your office and expect immunity. Tennessee has every right to set boundaries for how far “representing your district” can go before it becomes aiding and abetting unlawful activity.

3. The Racial Profiling Argument Is a Distraction
Critics warn that this bill will lead to “racial profiling” or “wrongful detentions” because it punishes the protection of illegal aliens. But let’s be real: this bill doesn’t deputize police to ask everyone for papers. It simply says: If you’re an elected official and you help harbor those in defiance of lawful immigration orders you will face the consequences. That’s not profiling. That’s accountability.

The public understands the difference between racial discrimination and equal application of the law. The ACLU should too.

Public Office Is Not a Free Pass

Serving in office is a privilege, not a shield. You don’t get to be above the very laws you swear to uphold. That’s not how a republic functions. It’s how banana republics function. Senator Johnson is reminding Tennessee—and the rest of the country—that we still believe in the equal application of the law.

You don’t get a separate justice system because you have a title. If anything, your title should hold you to a higher standard.

Tennessee Is Once Again Leading the Way

In the past year, Tennessee has drawn national attention for holding its own elected officials accountable including unprecedented expulsions for disrupting House proceedings. While the media screamed about “partisan overreach,” most Tennesseans saw something else: a legislature with a backbone.

The SB1464 bill is a continuation of that backbone.

And it may just be what other states need to copy. Because when cities like San Francisco, Chicago, Austin, and Portland collapse under the weight of performative leadership and unchecked misgovernance, Tennessee is offering a different vision: law, order, and accountability.

Senator Jack Johnson’s bill is a warning shot to bad actors in government and a line in the sand for everyone else.
Break the law in office, and you won’t just lose your seat you’ll lose your freedom.
That’s the kind of leadership Tennessee deserves. And the rest of America should be taking notes.

Sources for Further Reading: