Tennessean: Senator discloses AT&T link after vote

What Ketron didn't mention then was that his wife, Theresa, works for AT&T Mobility, the company's wireless unit, which he had noted on his ethics disclosures this year. Nor did Ketron mention the tie when he acted as an unofficial spokesman for behind-the-scenes wrangling over the bill earlier this year.

[..] Ketron said beforehand that he planned to invoke the rule, and he did, though not from the floor. He declared it after the vote with the Senate clerk's office. Ketron said he forgot to declare Rule 13 earlier amid his excitement over passing the bill.

The article lists other legislators with ties to AT&T, some of whom recused themselves from the vote.

But all that sounds somewhat sounds trivial compared with AT&T's connections to Bredesen and Jimmy Naifeh, who shepherded the bill through. From WBIR:

AT&T has a small army of registered lobbyists -- 28 in all, according to Tennessee Ethics Commission records. Among them is Naifeh's wife, Betty Anderson. Though registered with the state, Anderson cannot lobby for the franchising legislation, according to AT&T.

The company has also enlisted Randy Camp, a former state court administrator and personnel commissioner to Bredesen; Beth Winstead, Naifeh's former assistant chief clerk and Bredesen's former chief lobbyist when he was Nashville mayor; and Anna Windrow, Bredesen's former senior adviser.

AT&T also employs Bob Corney, Bredesen's former communications chief, as a spokesman, and Dave Cooley, Bredesen's former deputy governor, as a consultant.

The article also talks about nine lobbyists for the cable companies, some of whom also have Bredesen ties.

At any rate, AT&T has been pretty successful doing business in Tennessee. Does this mean I might get DSL soon? I've been waiting four years.