FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — This year brought one of the most bizarre political stories NewsChannel 5 has ever seen as first-term Franklin alderman Gabrielle Hanson launched a controversial campaign for mayor.
NewsChannel 5 Investigates uncovered one salacious detail after another that would get national attention and lead to record-breaking voter turnout.
Many observers thought Gabrielle Hanson actually had a good chance of being elected as Franklin's mayor in 2023.
But, as our investigation unfolded, the local realtor would face a torrent of questions, beginning with questions about a photo.
Hanson, who relished her #MAGA credentials, posted an image of a diverse group of women, expressing her "heartfelt appreciation" for their "invaluable support and encouragement" with the hashtags #FranklinTN and #VoteHanson.
But when NewsChannel 5 Investigates tracked down the women in the photo — all of them from out of state — they denied knowing her.
"I actually do not know who that is," said April, who asked us not to use her last name.
"Any message that you would have for her?" NewsChannel 5 Investigates asked.
"I would encourage her to go meet genuine friends so she can take photos with those folks if she's looking for supporters. There's no need to comb pictures on the Internet to make up a story. None of us need that," April said.
We tried to get answers from the candidate for mayor.
"Do you owe these women an apology? What does this say about your integrity? No answer from you about your integrity?" NewsChannel 5 Investigates asked.
Hanson had nothing to say.
NewsChannel 5 Investigates also dug up old criminal charges from Dallas against Laraine Gabrielle Bush, her maiden name. One was for money laundering, and a second charge for promoting prostitution and engaging in organized criminal activity.
On social media, Gabrielle Hanson posted a video claiming she had been an innocent call-taker.
NewsChannel 5 Investigates showed her statement to legal analyst Nick Leonardo.
"When you look at those charges and you hear her story that she was just answering the telephone, does it add up?" NewsChannel 5 Investigates asked.
"It doesn't add up, frankly," Leonardo said.
Hanson had also used her position as a city alderman to try to block Franklin's Pride festival from a city park.
Yet, NewsChannel 5 uncovered a photo of her husband, Tommy Hanson, in a 2008 Pride Parade in Chicago when he was running for Congress, wearing just an American flag Speedo. NewsChannel 5 Investigates caught up with him at City Hall.
"Mr. Hanson, I wanted to give you a chance to respond to this. Can you explain this photo?" NewsChannel 5 Investigates asked.
"You know, this is not the place I'm going to talk to you," Mr. Hanson said.
We showed the image to two young Franklin Democrats.
"Wow! It just, it amazes me," said Joshua Patrick, secretary of the Williamson County Young Democrats.
"Yeah, for someone to claim that they are a person of family values and to be against us, but yet here we have direct evidence of the complete opposite of what she claims to stand against. Who is she? Like what does she stand for?"
That's a question that would be raised again when Hanson showed up at a candidate forum, escorted by white supremacists.
"Gabrielle's a friend of mine, and she's had some credible threats against her. So I'm just posted up out here," Brad Lewis said.
Lewis, has described himself as "an actual literal Nazi."
NewsChannel 5 attempted to ask Hanson about the white supremacists.
"Ms. Hanson, the people you are with have described themselves as literal Nazis. Is this the type of people you should be associating with? They have said they are literal Nazis," NewsChannel 5 Investigates asked.
"Is there any time that you don't harass?" a woman near Hanson said.
We continued. "She is here with people who have described themselves as Nazis. Is that appropriate for someone who wants to be the mayor of Franklin?"
Hanson responded to the controversy by sharing a social media post from one of the hate groups, warning "there is no political solution."
At an aldermen meeting, Ward 1 Alderman Bev Burger asked Hanson, "Is it your mission to divide our city? Because you're doing a bang-up job of it right now."
Still, Hanson still refused to denounce her white supremacist friends.
"I'm not going to denounce anybody their right to be whatever it is that they want to be — whether I agree with what they do in their personal life or not," Hanson said.
The next day, Burger told NewsChannel 5 Investigates the community was outraged.
"This morning, my text messages were blowing up. People thanking me for my comments last night and people very appalled that she would not denounce the hate group that appeared here at our public forum," Burger said.
In the end, Franklin voters spoke, re-electing incumbent mayor Ken Moore and defeating Hanson by a 4-to-1 margin.
Even now, there is some speculation around Franklin that Gabrielle Hanson may try another run at another political office, leading to the question: Was 2023 the end of the story or just the end of a chapter?
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