[1] In 2023, Leatherwood supported a resolution to expel three Democratic lawmakers from the legislature for violating decorum rules.

"[5] Leatherwood was the victor in the election and attributes much of the success due to his opposing of the income tax in the state.

Though he ran on defeating the state income tax, people closely involved with the movement were very skeptical of his real motives.

He was apparently one of those guys hiding in back rooms meeting with the advocates of an income tax trying to find a "middle ground" as I recall.

After leaving the Tennessee Senate in 2000, Leatherwood set his sights on the Shelby County Assessor's Office.

[8] Soon after his defeat, Leatherwood decided to run in a special election for the Shelby County Register of Deeds.

Because of the term limits, he decided to run for Shelby County Circuit Court Clerk in the 2018 election cycle.

[11] In 2019, newly elected Register of Deeds, Shelandra Ford,[3] made an unexpected announcement about the archiving of records in Shelby County.

"[12] In the same letter, Ford stated that the problem was one of "critical issue of the storage, maintenance and records retention."

[13] However, during the meeting she told those present that the Register's Office had a nearly 15-year backlog and that Leatherwood had not properly overseen the archiving.

"[15] In July 2021, the Shelby County Commission was presented with a proposal to fix the archiving problem left by Leatherwood.

[16] While Shelby County Register of Deeds, Leatherwood attempted two separate runs for the United States Congress.

Once Congressman Stephen Fincher announced his retirement, the Republican flood gates opened with potential candidates.

During that time, Speaker Casada and Governor Lee and his staff allegedly attempted to sway no-voters.

Eventually, Representative Jason Zachary (R-Knoxville) changed his vote with the promise that Knoxville Schools would be removed from the bill.

[27][28] However, a pro-public education watchdog group reports that Leatherwood received $110K for sidewalks in Bartlett and $30K for creating a cybersecurity classroom at Arlington High School.

[30] The FBI and TBI are reportedly investigating alleged bribes and kickbacks in return for voting yes on the bill.

[31][32][33][34][35][36] Several months after the controversial vote on Educational Savings Accounts, the Republican Party of Shelby County held their annual Lincoln Day Gala.

Also on that day, the Tennessee General Assembly held a special meeting to replace Speaker Glen Casada after he was embroiled in several scandals.

Only two Republican Representatives in Shelby County voted for the ESA Bill; Tom Leatherwood and Mark White (R-Germantown).

Major news outlets around the world reported that bill would allow child marriage in Tennessee.

After worldwide condemnation and backlash, Senator Janice Bowling amended SB 562 to say, "One (1) man and one (1) woman, if both have attained the age of majority, may file with the office of the county clerk in the county in which one (1) of the parties to the marital contract resides a document entitled "Record of Marital Contract at Common Law.

He inferred that since this bill allowed people to get married without a license, it also legalized bigamy and polygamy in Tennessee.