Jeremy Durham

Jeremy Durham was born in Jackson, Tennessee and grew up in Adamsville.{{cite web |url=http://attorneyjeremydurham.com/ |title=Attorney Jeremy Durham, Franklin, Tennessee |author= |website=attorneyjeremydurham.com |access-date=May 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160129074754/http://attorneyjeremydurham.com/ |archive-date=January 29, 2016 |url-status=dead }} He graduated from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville in 2006 and earned a J.D. from the University of Memphis Law School in 2008. From 2009 to 2011 he served as chairman of the Tennessee Young Republican Federation and founded the Tennessee Young Republicans PAC, which raised nearly $25,000 for Republican candidates in Tennessee.{{cite web |url=http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2014/11/04/jeremy-durham-district/18506673/ |title=Jeremy Durham retains District 65 seat |last1=Flagg |first1=Craig |date=November 4, 2014 |website=The Tennessean |access-date=May 3, 2016}} He was a partner in the law firm Hawkins, Durham & Associates from 2010 to 2012.

Durham was a member of the Tennessee House Insurance and Banking Committee, the House Local Government Committee, and the House Local Government Subcommittee. In December 2014, during the 109th General Assembly, he was elected House Majority Whip.{{cite web|url=http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2014/12/10/gop-nominates-harwell-ramsey-keep-leadership-posts/20218387/|title=GOP nominates Harwell, Ramsey to keep leadership posts|date=December 10, 2014|work=The Tennessean|accessdate=January 25, 2016}}

As of May 2016 Durham was the primary sponsor of 171 bills.{{cite web |url=http://openstates.org/tn/bills/?sponsor__leg_id=TNL000186 |title=Tennessee Bills |website=openstates.org |publisher=Sunlight Foundation |access-date=May 5, 2016}}

Durham was named "Freshman of the Year, Republican" in 2014 by Tom Humphrey, the Nashville Bureau Chief and primary political correspondent for the Knoxville News Sentinel.{{cite web |url=http://knoxblogs.com/humphreyhill/2014/05/04/superlative-performances-2014-legislative-session/ |title=More superlative performances in the 2014 legislative session |last1=Humphrey |first1=Tom |date=May 3, 2014 |website=Tom Humphrey's Humphrey On the Hill |publisher=Knoxville News Sentinel |access-date=May 3, 2016}}{{cite web |url=http://advertisernews.biz/news/state-rep-durham-named-%E2%80%9Cfreshman-legislator-year%E2%80%9D.html |title=State Rep. Durham Named "Freshman Legislator Of The Year" |author= |date=May 13, 2014 |website=advertisernews.biz |publisher=The Advertiser News |access-date=May 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160603061226/http://advertisernews.biz/news/state-rep-durham-named-%E2%80%9Cfreshman-legislator-year%E2%80%9D.html |archive-date=June 3, 2016 |url-status=dead }} In January 2013 he was one of the first recipients of the American Conservative Union's Tennessee House "ACU Conservative" award.{{cite web |url=http://conservative.org/acu-announces-2013-ratings-of-the-tennessee-general-assembly/ |title=ACU Announces 2013 Ratings of the Tennessee General Assembly |author= |date=January 23, 2014 |website=conservative.org |publisher=American Conservative Union |access-date=May 3, 2016}} As part of the Williamson County legislative delegation, he was awarded the 2015 ACU Award For Conservative Excellence, its highest award.{{cite web |url=http://www.williamsonherald.com/news/article_c88fbcf0-c043-11e5-b453-2b08bfb0215c.html |title=Williamson County Legislative Delegation awarded top conservative honors |author= |date=January 21, 2016 |website=The Williamson Herald |publisher=CMD Publishing |access-date=May 3, 2016}}{{cite web |url=http://jeremydurham4tn.com/rep-durham-named-top-conservative-in-tennessee/ |title=Rep. Durham Named Top Conservative In Tennessee |author= |date=January 21, 2016 |website=jeremydurham4tn.com |access-date=May 3, 2016}}

Durham wrote to a federal judge in 2014 seeking a more lenient sentence for a Bedford County Baptist youth pastor who had been convicted on a federal charge of possessing "'violent' and 'sadistic'" child pornography and state charges of statutory rape.{{cite news|title=Former Tennessee pastor gets break in child porn sentence|url=http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2014/jul/22/ex-pastor-gets-break0010in-porn-sentence/262375/|author=South, Todd|newspaper=Times Free Press|date=July 22, 2014|access-date=September 23, 2017}} Tennessee Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey called the move "poor judgment."{{Cite web|url = http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2015/12/11/ramsey-says-durham-letter-shows-poor-judgment/77151368/ |title=Ramsey: Durham letter in porn case showed 'poor judgment' |last1=Cowan |first1=Jill |date=December 11, 2015 |website=The Tennessean |access-date=May 3, 2016}}

In January 2016, Durham was accused of sexually harassing three women (by text message) who worked at the legislature. When speaking to the media about the allegations, Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the Senate Ron Ramsey said, "Obviously, we don't want the press lynching anybody. But the press didn't force anyone to send text messages after midnight asking for pictures."Ramsey added, "The press didn't force somebody to have an affair with another state rep and force them to resign." {{Cite web|url = http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2016/jan/28/lt-gov-ramsey-accuses-rep-durham-affair-fellow-lawmaker/347117/|title = Rep. Jeremy Durham denies affair with House colleague who later quit|website = timesfreepress.com| date=January 28, 2016 |access-date = 2016-03-09}} Durham resigned as House Majority Whip on January 24, 2016.{{Cite web|url = http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2016/01/24/durham-resigns-whip-after-tennessean-investigation/79267590/|title = Jeremy Durham confirms resignation as whip|website = The Tennessean|access-date = 2016-03-09}} On January 27 House Speaker Beth Harwell said she agreed with Ramsey that Durham should be expelled from the state legislature.{{cite news |url=http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2016/01/27/speaker-harwell-expel-durham-legislature/79434102/ |title=Speaker Harwell: Expel Durham from legislature |last1=Boucher |first1=Dave |date=January 27, 2016 |newspaper=The Tennessean |access-date=May 3, 2016}}{{Cite web|url = http://nashvillepublicradio.org/post/lawmakers-turn-durham-investigation-over-tennessee-attorney-general|title = Lawmakers Turn Durham Investigation Over To Tennessee Attorney General|last = Sisk|first = Chas|website = nashvillepublicradio.org|date = February 9, 2016|access-date = 2016-03-09}}{{Cite web|url = http://crooksandliars.com/2016/04/gop-anti-trans-rep-cant-stop-harassing|title = GOP Anti-Trans Rep Can't Stop Harassing Women Co-Workers}} Durham has said that he did not remember sending the texts. He told the Republican Caucus that he would seek "help", then clarified to the Williamson Herald, a newspaper in his district, that he meant he would speak to his doctor about finding ways to manage stress.

On April 1, 2016 Durham filed papers and announced his intention to run for re-election.{{Cite web|url=http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2016/04/01/jeremy-durham-run-re-election/82533542/|title=Jeremy Durham to run for re-election|website=The Tennessean |access-date=2016-07-14}} On April 7, 2016, Speaker Harwell directed that Durham's office be moved out of the Tennessee State House into a nearby building and restrictions were placed on his access to state facilities. The Tennessee Attorney General had recommended that some action be taken as his preliminary investigation indicated Durham might pose a risk to "unsuspecting women."{{cite web |url=http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2016/04/08/jeremy-durhams-office-moved-across-street-after-ag-probe/82791944/ |title=Jeremy Durham's office moved across street after AG probe |last1=Ebert |first1=Joel |date=April 8, 2016|work=The Tennessean}} On July 13, 2016, the Attorney General's special investigation found that Durham had sexually harassed at least 22 women, reportedly "...including a then-20-year-old college student who told investigators Rep. Jeremy Durham plied her with a cooler full of beer and had sex with her in his office in 2014.". On July 14, 2016 Durham announced he was suspending his re-election campaign.{{cite web |url=http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2016/07/14/rep-jeremy-durham-holds-afternoon-news-conference/87097678/ |title=Rep. Jeremy Durham suspends his campaign, doesn't resign |last1=Ebert |first1=Joel |last2=Boucher |first2=Dave |date=July 14, 2016 |website=tennessean.com |publisher=The Tennessean |access-date=July 14, 2016}}"Married politician nicknamed ‘Pants Candy’ sexually harassed at least 22 women on job"

Since the AG report, House Democrats had called for Durham's expulsion. Republicans joined in after learning he could still draw his pension even though he would not be in office for the next legislative session. An expulsion would prevent his pension from vesting.{{cite news|last1=Gervin|first1=Cari Wade|title=Special Session Will Attempt to Oust Durham|url=http://www.nashvillepost.com/politics/state-government/article/20832998/special-session-will-attempt-to-oust-durham|accessdate=14 September 2016|work=Nashville Post|date=8 September 2016}} Governor Bill Haslam called an extraordinary session of the General Assembly to convene in September 2016. This session was to address DUI laws that would cost the state $60 million in federal funding if the state was not in compliance by October 1.{{cite web|title=Haslam To Call Special Session To Prevent Loss of $60 Million in Federal Highway Funds|url=https://www.tn.gov/news/45267|website=Tennessee State Government Newsroom|publisher=Tennessee State Government|accessdate=14 September 2016|date=2 September 2016}} The expulsion of Durham was not included in the proclamation as Haslam said it was not the role of the administration to decide. Speaker Beth Harwell commented that she would push for an expulsion motion during the session. Durham's attorney raised concerns over the constitutionality of an expulsion motion in an extraordinary session as it was outside the scope of the Governor's call. However, the Speaker and the House Clerk's office stated that an expulsion motion is procedural instead of legislative and that there is also precedent for the House passing Resolutions during an extraordinary session. Republican Caucus Chairman Glen Casada pointed to the 1866 extraordinary session where the General Assembly expelled six members following the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment.{{cite news|last1=Gervin|first1=Cari Wade|title=Motion to Expel Durham Coming Tuesday|url=http://www.nashvillepost.com/politics/state-government/article/20833477/motion-to-expel-durham-coming-tuesday|accessdate=14 September 2016|work=Nashville Post|date=12 September 2016}} The expelled Members in 1866 were intentionally absent from the session in an attempt to stop the ratification through the lack of quorum.

On the second day of the extraordinary session, Representative Susan Lynn made the motion to expel Durham during the unfinished business portion of the agenda. Durham spoke from the well defending himself and criticized the lack of due process during the procedures. He also answered some questions from other Representatives during the debate before eventually leaving the Capitol abruptly.{{cite news|last1=Ebert|first1=Joel|last2=Boucher|first2=Dave|title=Jeremy Durham expelled from Tennessee House in 70-2 vote|url=http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2016/09/13/house-prepares-jeremy-durham-expulsion-vote/90127546/|accessdate=14 September 2016|work=The Tennessean|date=13 September 2016}} A motion was made to force Durham to return to the Chambers to continue answering questions; however that motion failed. Durham was then expelled from the Tennessee House of Representatives on September 13, 2016 with a vote of 70-2-16. Most of the sixteen abstaining voters sided with Durham's criticism over the lack of due process.{{cite news|last1=Associated Press|title=The Latest: Tennessee governor lauds vote to oust lawmaker|url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/1a54ac366efe44da819cc063586d7e84/latest-tennessee-house-debates-whether-oust-member|accessdate=14 September 2016|work=Associated Press: The Big Story|date=13 September 2016}}

Durham works as a small business attorney in Franklin, Tennessee. He is married to Dr. Jessica Durham, an optometrist. They reside in Franklin, Tennessee. Durham has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and has taken Adderall intermittently since 2009 to treat it.{{cite news |last1=Bartlett |first1=Kerri |title=Durham takes a step back from caucus to refocus |url=https://www.williamsonherald.com/news/article_713ed5f0-c537-11e5-9e00-9b419a7e65ce.html |access-date=July 12, 2024 |work=Williamson Herald |date=January 27, 2016 |language=en}}

On the evening October 22, 2022, Durham was charged with driving under the influence, along with resisting arrest and possession of marijuana, after he crashed at an intersection in Downtown Nashville.{{Cite web |date=2022-10-23 |title=Former TN state Rep. Jeremy Durham charged with DUI, resisting arrest |url=https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/former-tn-state-rep-jeremy-durham-charged-with-dui-resisting-arrest/ |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=WKRN News 2 |language=en-US}}

In May 2025, Jeremy Durham was found guilty of driving under the influence (DUI), Felony Reckless Endangerment, resisting arrest, and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, stemming from a 2023 arrest in Nashville, Tennessee. The charges were related to an incident in which Durham struck a parked vehicle and resisted the responding officer. The case drew public attention due to Durham's prior expulsion from the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2016.{{cite news

|title=Former Tennessee lawmaker Jeremy Durham guilty of assault, DUI in Nashville

|url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/crime/2025/05/07/nashville-jeremy-durham-dui-assault-guilty/83476908007/

|access-date=2025-05-07

|work=The Tennessean

|date=2025-05-07

|author=Craig Shoup

}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [http://www.jeremydurham4tn.com Jeremy Durham's Website]
• [http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/house/members/h65.html Jeremy Durham's Profile at the Tennessee General Assembly]

{{Tennessee House of Representatives}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Durham, Jeremy}}

Category:Living people

Category:University of Tennessee alumni

Category:University of Memphis alumni

Category:People from Franklin, Tennessee

Category:Republican Party members of the Tennessee House of Representatives

Category:Expelled members of the Tennessee General Assembly

Category:People from Jackson, Tennessee

Category:People from Adamsville, Tennessee

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Tennessee politicians convicted of crimes

Category:American politicians with disabilities

Category:People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Category:21st-century members of the Tennessee General Assembly