$45k is a lot of money, plus an $80k a year pension, so i’d be upset too.
When she stood before the people of Nashville and admitted to having had an affair with her bodyguard, Mayor Megan Barry did her damnedest to ‘sex it down’. Little wonder.
But the truth is a sordid tale of sexts, lies, international travel and bilking the taxpayers for tens of thousands of dollars – and one which relatives of the bodyguard, Rob Forrest, 58, say has hurt him far harder than the now disgraced ex-mayor.
Barry had persistently claimed to have broken no laws and violated no codes of ethics until Tuesday, when she dramatically pleaded guilty to felony theft charges to the tune of $10,000, and stepped down.
Within hours Forrest pleaded guilty to theft too – leaving them both as felons, each ordered to repay $10,000 and sentenced to three years probation.
Forrest must also repay $45,000 in salary earned. He had claimed so much overtime for his time spent with Barry that his police department earnings were second only to the city’s Chief of Police himself.
the way in which he quit the police force ‘in good standing’ with full pension rights may now be subjected to further scrutiny.
Forrest submitted his letter of retirement ahead of the scandal breaking. He wrote his letter to the Chief on January 17 and asked for his retirement to be effective from January 31, the day the mayor – a Democrat who had campaigned as a social liberal – publicly outed their affair.
Because he retired ‘in good standing’ after 32 years service, he is currently entitled to an annual pension of $80,302.56.
Barry and Forrest traveled as a couple to Athens, Paris, San Francisco, Denver, New York, Washington DC and beyond while the city footed the bulk of the bill.
They stayed in luxury hotels, extended ‘official visits,’ by days and nights and, in what would prove damning evidence that they conducted their affair on the public dime, Forrest took pictures of Barry both nude and with her skirt hitched up to her waist, exposing the fact that she was wearing sheer panty hose and nothing else.
Security footage from Nashville City Cemetery also revealed a series of early morning visits made by Barry with Forrest to the graveyard.
Tough day at the office.
Flip the page for news video of the scandal and photos of the Mayor.