About
Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018, representing Tennessee’s heavily Republican 2nd Congressional District. He won reelection in 2022 with Trump’s endorsement and 68% of the vote.
Prior to joining Congress, Burchett served as the mayor of Knox County from 2010–18, a member of the Tennessee State Senate from 1999–2010 and a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1995–99. From 1991–99 he ran his own business, the Compost Corporation of America.
In 2017, multiple Tennessee newspapers reported that the FBI was investigating Burchett, but although the articles claimed that multiple sources had been questioned, they failed to provide details. The then-mayor countered that all of the sources were unnamed (except for his ex-wife) and dismissed the reporting as politically motivated.
In 2018, Burchett also faced scrutiny as mayor for violating nepotism laws when he hired his stepson—who had been accused of rape and drug charges—for a government position.
Both before and after the 2020 presidential election, Burchett helped spread the Big Lie by casting doubt on the legitimacy of the process and making claims of voter fraud unfounded by facts. He objected to certifying President Biden’s Electoral College win and voted against both impeaching Trump for inciting the mob and establishing a special House committee to investigate the insurrection, among other measures.
January 6, 2021
- Just hours after Trump supporters attacked the Capitol, Burchett joined 146 other congressional Republicans in refusing to certify Biden’s win of the 2020 presidential election.
- The congressman voted against impeaching Trump for his role in inciting the mob, contending that the rioters stormed the Capitol of their own “free will” and “were not forced by President Trump to do what they did.” Burchett also justified his decision to vote against impeachment by reasoning that Trump would not remain a force in national politics. “I don’t see him coming back to run for president [again],” he said. “I just think the country will move on.”
- Burchett voted against establishing a House committee to investigate the violent disruption of the congressional session underway that day, but called the “rioting at the U.S. Capitol… disgusting and criminal.”
The Big Lie
- Burchett shared allegations of voter fraud raised by the far-right activist group Project Veritas before Twitter banned its account.
- After objecting to the certification of Electoral College votes on Jan. 6, Burchett stated: “This is not about President Trump. It is about the United States Constitution and upholding election integrity.” He argued that state legislatures were not given the authority to confirm their slates of electors as guaranteed in Article II of the Constitution.
- On Dec. 1, 2020, Burchett signed a letter from a group of House Republicans to Attorney General Bill Barr urging the Justice Department to investigate “irregularities in the voting and tabulation processes” and other accusations of fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
- On Dec. 10, 2020, he signed an amicus brief in a lawsuit filed by the state of Texas urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the results of the presidential election in four swing states: Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Top contributors for the 2024 election cycle.
The organizations themselves did not donate, rather the money came from the organization's PAC, its individual members or employees or owners, and those individuals' immediate families.
| Organization Name | Total | PACs | Individuals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Williams Co (Tennessee) | $14,700.00 | $0.00 | $14,700.00 |
| Clayton Homes | $13,200.00 | $0.00 | $13,200.00 |
| DeRoyal Industries | $13,200.00 | $0.00 | $13,200.00 |
| Knoxville Museum of Art | $13,200.00 | $0.00 | $13,200.00 |
| American Israel Public Affairs Cmte | $10,834.00 | $5,000.00 | $5,834.00 |
| Phillips & Jordan | $10,400.00 | $0.00 | $10,400.00 |
| Southeastern Retina Assoc | $10,090.00 | $0.00 | $10,090.00 |
| Jrf Properties LLC | $9,900.00 | $0.00 | $9,900.00 |
| South College | $9,900.00 | $0.00 | $9,900.00 |
| University of Tennessee | $8,800.00 | $0.00 | $8,800.00 |