COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (July 29, 2000) -- In the Putnam County Justice Center, a directory lists the chancery court's clerk and master, and directs visitors to other court offices. But one government official is listed by name. The listing reads: "Lewis Coomer's Office." If visitors were looking for the court clerk the sign wouldn't be much help, unless they knew who Lewis Coomer was; and apparently, many people know Coomer as their landlord, which may be why his name might be more useful to visitors than his title.

Coomer, who has been cited by the state auditors for using accounting software that allowed for untraceable entries and deletions,  has acquired significant real estate while in office.

Now, Coomer advertises his rental apartments on the Internet [.pdf file] and lists his office phone number as the contact, The Putnam Pit has learned.  [Click here for .html version]
The site's url is http://www.n-sites.com/ah2.shtml, and it is registered to N-sites Net Presences. According to Network Solutions, the site's Administrative Contact is "Farris, Tracy  (TF1759)  nsites@N-SITES.COM, 6655 Nashville Highway, Baxter, TN 38544."

The Herald-Citizen stalked former Assessor of Property Byron "Low Tax" Looper to discover how he was wasting time at government expense. The Herald-Citizen reported extensively when District Attorney General William Gibson charged Looper for misuse of office for sending faxes to persons outside his jurisdiction, and it runs a standing feature of links regarding Gibson's upcoming prosecution of Looper in the murder of Sen. Tommy Burks.

But it has not reported that Gibson blocked state investigations of Coomer's illegal charges to prisoners doing time in Putnam County Jail, and it has not reported that Gibson took no action in the case of altered grand jury indictments in Coomer's office.

On the contrary,  The Herald-Citizen is a sponsor of and has a link from the site on which Coomer advertises using his government office as a contact, but The Herald-Citizen has not reported on it.

The combination of selective prosecution and blind-eye journalism is a topic likely to arise when Looper's murder trial starts Aug. 14.

In the meantime, need an apartment? Call Lewis Coomer's office at 528-1508. Let us know whether one of his employees answers the phone.

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