Tennessee Rep. Ford, Butcher Indicted on Fraud Charges

Rep. Harold E. Ford (D-Tenn.), C. H. Butcher Jr. and three other people were indicted today by a federal grand jury on charges of bank, mail and tax fraud.

The 19-count indictment alleges that Butcher used loans from his banks to buy political influence from Ford, a Memphis Democrat known for turning out the city’s black vote.

The indictment said loans from Butcher’s financial institutions were diverted from legitimate business enterprises to the personal uses of Ford.

Also indicted were David Crabtree, a former Butcher accountant and business associate; Karl Schledwitz, a Memphis attorney and Butcher associate, and Douglas R. Beaty, a lawyer retained by Butcher and Crabtree.