NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — An Investigative Report released by the Tennessee Comptroller's Office found that a Davidson County General Sessions Judge "failed to adequately disclose business activity" and created "a potential conflict of interest" in how she used federal grant money.
The investigation does not name Judge Rachel Bell by name, but the findings mirror what NewsChannel 5 Investigates first reported about how she spent nearly $200,000 in federal grant money to set up the CARE Court in 2018.
Her grant application promised a "restorative justice" program that would initially focus on young people charged with non-violent crimes in North Nashville's 37208 zip code.
NewsChannel 5 Investigates reported that the first day after getting the grant money, before hiring any staff, she rented office space in a building owned by her parents, and she submitted invoices to a company she and her spouse own called Solutions Now.
The Comptroller's Office initiated its investigation after "receiving an allegation of a potential conflict of interest regarding a grant."
The results of the investigation were communicated with District Attorney Glenn Funk's Office and Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct.
The investigation found "the judge did not disclose materially significant information" about her ownership in a company that received grant money "thus creating a potential conflict of interest."
It also found the judge "failed to adequately disclose business activity" on a 2018 Annual Disclosure statement. She did not report ownership interest in the company the judge and her spouse owned.
The report states "the judge stated that the non-disclosure of the company on the 2018 statement was an oversight error, and that the company should have been listed on the form."
This is a developing story.
NewsChannel 5 will have more reports today.
