NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A former Tennessee state senator, Brian Kelsey, is now serving a 21-month sentence at FCI Ashland in Kentucky following his guilty plea in 2022 related to an illegal campaign finance scheme. Kelsey was ordered to report to the minimum-security prison on Monday.
The 47-year-old Republican pleaded guilty in November 2022 to charges arising from attempts to divert campaign funds from his state Senate seat to bolster his unsuccessful 2016 congressional campaign. After his indictment in October 2021, Kelsey criticized the investigation, labeling it a political witch hunt, but changed his stance and pleaded guilty after a co-defendant did the same.
In March 2023, Kelsey attempted to withdraw his guilty plea, arguing that personal difficulties clouded his judgment at the time. He cited the birth of his twin sons and the death of his father due to terminal pancreatic cancer. However, U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw denied this request, indicating that Kelsey, as a Georgetown University-educated attorney and former prominent state senator, should have understood the seriousness of his plea.
Kelsey faced further legal setbacks when the judge rejected his claim that prosecutors had violated his plea agreement while allowing him to appeal his conviction from outside prison until a decision was made. His challenges ultimately failed, prompting another appeal.
Reflecting on his legal situation, Kelsey’s attorneys claimed, “the law does not require a defendant to remain incarcerated while his conviction unravels under the weight of constitutional violations.”
The indictment alleges that Kelsey and others concealed the transfer of $91,000 in campaign funds to a national political organization, leading to false campaign finance reports and illegal contributions to Kelsey’s campaign. This scheme echoed a 2017 complaint to federal authorities regarding inappropriate campaign financing.
Kelsey, who was first elected to the General Assembly in 2004 and later became the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, did not seek reelection in 2022. Following his guilty plea, his law license was suspended. Kelsey continues to appeal his conviction as he confronts the aftermath of his legal troubles.
