Reformer Gentry says removing corrupt TN judge Thompson uphill battle
Absolute immunity defense rebuffs suit for denying plaintiff due process; pressure prompts legislature to reorganize judicial watchdog group, boot corrupt jurists
For many years, I have been working to have Sumner County Circuit Court Judge Joe H. Thompson impeached for crimes committed in office.
By John Gentry
In February 2016, I filed a complaint with the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct (TBJC) against Judge Thompson. My complaint was wrongfully dismissed without investigation concluding “insufficient evidence” despite the fact that I included hundreds of pages of certified court reporter transcripts proving Thompson perpetrated crimes from the bench. I did not sue Thompson for money, the relief I sought was to void his judgments and order Thompson to provide fair due process to future litigants.
In October 2106, I filed a federal lawsuit against Judge Thompson in the Middle Tennessee U.S. District Court.
Judge Thompson did not dispute my allegations, instead moving the court to dismiss my lawsuit arguing that judges have “absolute immunity” and are above the law. While that case was pending in the Supreme Court of the United States (Case No. 17-1479), two years after the fact of his crime, Thompson sent me a check for about $1,500, I suppose to say that one of his crimes didn’t happen since he returned what he stole.
In January 2019, I filed a Petition of Remonstrance announced on the floor of the Tennessee House of Representatives and Senate. In my remonstrance, I included Proposed Articles of Impeachment for Judge Thompson. It cannot be stated my remonstrance had no merit, since as a result of my remonstrance, the General Assembly abolished and reconstituted the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct, removing almost a dozen corrupt judges who had for years been protected corrupt judges like Judge Thompson.
Unfortunately, our General Assembly would not even consider the evidence of Thompson’s corruption or my Proposed Articles of Impeachment against him.
In April 2023, I petitioned the Sumner County Commission to review the evidence against Judge Joe H Thompson of crimes committed in office. I was asking the Sumner County Commission, that if warranted based on review of the evidence, for the Commissioners to recommend to the General Assembly the impeachment or removal of Judge Joe H Thompson. After almost twenty minutes discussion of my petition, 20% of the commissioners decided in my favor, and wanted to hear my testimony. Unfortunately, 80% of the commissioners did not want to hear my testimony, or consider the evidence against him.
On September 19, 2024, NewsChannel5 Nashville posted an article titled; “Conspiracy theorists threaten retaliation against Tennessee judge, district attorney, TBI agents.”
From the NewsChannel5 article
The Millersville Police Department and Shawn Taylor became the focus of a TBI investigation this summer following questions raised by NewsChannel 5 Investigates.
During the Sept. 11 podcast, Finchem accused Judge Thompson of being “involved in groups that are affiliated with the housing industry and the money-laundering scheme that has been funding everything from local races … all the way up to Letitia James and Fannie Willis and those individuals who are attacking President Trump.”
Although the NewsChannel 5 article refers to Judge Thompson’s accusers as “conspiracy theorists,” it would not surprise me that Judge Thompson is “involved in groups that are affiliated with the housing industry and the money-laundering scheme that has been funding everything from local races.”
In Sumner County there are homes ranging in value from $250,000 to $400,000 that have liens on them in the tens of millions of dollars. These houses are being bundled as collateral for multimillion dollar loans, which smacks of a money laundering scheme to me and it would not surprise me in the least if Judge Thompson were involved in that.
Judge Thompson is a corrupt judge, easily proven if someone invested with the powers of government will consider the evidence. Because of the work I have been doing to have Judge Thompson impeached, many of the victims of his corruption seek me out, tell me their stories, and provide me their evidence. Just last week, another of Judge Thompson’s victims reached out to me. Perhaps one day, I will be elected, or someone in authority will take appropriate action, and Judge Thompson can be stopped from destroying more lives.
Regardless, to Judge Thompson I am grateful. He started me on this path to reform corruption in government, and to learn about our state and federal constitutions, and the mechanisms the founders placed in our state and federal constitutions to ensure a proper and just government.
With every defeat I have suffered, and there have been many, I have learned and my knowledge increases.
Stay tuned! Follow me on Facebook, subscribe to my YouTube Channel, subscribe to my newsletter on my website. I will be running for office again soon, and I have new knowledge to teach you about our federal constitution that I hope will be a game changer, and new actions I will be taking.
John Gentry is a Tennessee legal and judicial reformer who recently ran for state senate.