(Memphis) There’s a war of words between Congressman Steve Cohen and his former right-hand man.
Tuesday, Randy Wade talked about a letter from the US House of Representatives Committee on Ethics.
It says he may have violated house rules when he endorsed a candidate last year.
Wade says he’s hurt because Cohen’s office told the committee about it.
“I think he has to get away from the paranoia of things,” said Randy Wade.
With those words Wade turned on his former boss Representative Steve Cohen saying Cohen isn’t a good representative of the district anymore.
“I don`t think he can do it effectively,” said Wade.
Wade says Cohen is representing his own interests and maintaining power not the interests of people in his district.
“He has a demeanor that is this air about himself that people think is arrogant,” said Wade.
Wade says the letter he got from the house ethics committee is proof.
Cohen’s office went to the ethics committee with the possible ethics violation because Wade endorsed GA Hardaway for state legislature last year and used his official congressional title.
Cohen had already warned him not to do.
Cohen says the problems started in 2010 when Wade lost his race for Sheriff.
“He blamed me for his losing the sheriff`s race even though I put a lot of my heart and soul into trying to help him,” said Cohen.
WREG’s Political Commentator Otis Sanford said he believes this could set the stage for next year’s congressional race.
“If it`s seen that Cohen is having a very strained relationship with a lot of elected leaders and political operatives like Randy Wade it could create an interesting scenario for next year`s election,” said Sanford.
Cohen says this all could have been handled privately, but Wade said he wanted to give the ethics letter to the media to clear his name.
