Williamson County Commissioner Bill Petty has been fully exonerated after a baseless campaign finance complaint failed to produce any evidence of wrongdoing. Authorities dismissed the allegations entirely.
The campaign finance complaint filed by Cheryl Brown against Williamson County District 10 Commissioner Bill Petty has officially amounted to nothing—not because of political maneuvering or procedural loopholes, but because it was baseless from the start.
Despite Brown’s accusations of campaign finance violations, no governing body found any wrongdoing. The Williamson County Election Commission, State Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins, the 21st Judicial District Attorney’s Office, and the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance all independently reviewed the claims and determined there was no violation of state law.
This leaves one glaring question: If Brown knew her claims wouldn’t hold up legally, why did she file them at all?
Brown’s November 16 complaint alleged that Petty began campaigning and accepting donations before formally appointing a treasurer. However, Tennessee election law does not prohibit this, and state officials quickly shut down the idea that this was a disqualifying issue.
· State Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins dismissed the notion that this complaint could affect Petty’s election certification. In his November 18 response, Goins clarified that the Election Commission had no authority to block the certification based on Brown’s complaint.
· The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance formally dismissed the case on January 23, 2025. After reviewing all relevant statutes, the Registry found that Petty had followed the law and had not violated Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-10-105(e) or any other campaign finance rule.
· Petty provided clear documentation showing compliance. He appointed a treasurer on August 19, the same day he started accepting donations, and submitted all required financial disclosures on time. No agency found any irregularities.
· At this point, it’s not just that Brown’s complaint failed—it’s that it was never based on a legitimate legal issue to begin with.
If Brown knew this complaint wouldn’t change the election outcome, why file it at all? The timing and lack of legal standing suggest this was more about political optics than a genuine concern over election integrity.
Brown had been appointed to the District 10 seat without an election, a move that already left many questioning the legitimacy of her tenure. When the seat was finally put to a vote in the Republican caucus, Petty won in a landslide—153 to 78. The caucus vote sent a clear message that the district’s Republican voters preferred Petty’s platform of fiscal responsibility and accountability over Brown’s continuation in office.
That landslide defeat made Brown’s subsequent complaint even more suspect. Was this simply an attempt to discredit Petty after he had already won fair and square?
The answer is now clear: this complaint had no merit and no impact.
-The election was certified.
-The Registry of Election Finance dismissed the case.
-The legal system found no violation.
-Bill Petty was sworn in as District 10 Commissioner on November 19 and is already working for his constituents.
Meanwhile, Brown’s decision to file an unwinnable complaint only served to call her own motivations into question. If this was meant to cast doubt on Petty’s integrity, it failed.
Instead, it highlighted an unwillingness to accept the voters’ will and an attempt to manufacture controversy where none existed.
As District 10 moves forward with its newly elected commissioner, one thing is certain: the baseless allegations against Bill Petty have been put to rest, and the real work of governance continues.
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