Election Chairman Resigns After Calling Reporter a Bitch

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A Nashville area politico quit, but he's not backing away from what he said.

Davidson County Election Commission Chairman Ron Buchanan resigned from his post Monday in advance of an investigative television report that showed him turn combative with a female reporter and call her a “bitch."

He quit, but he still stands by his words. Buchanan submitted a resignation before the story aired Monday evening, in which he called WSMV Reporter Alanna Autler a bitch. 

“I said it. I meant it. I still mean it,” Buchanan said. “That was the one word that I could think of that accurately conveyed what I was thinking at that time.

“I should not have used that terminology, but as the media has the freedom of press, individuals have the freedom of speech. And I can tell her what I think about her. And I did that, and I don’t apologize for it. There are people that don’t think I should have done it and that it hurts politics in this area, and so be it.”

The TV report shows a visibly angry Buchanan grabbing a television camera and ending the interview by telling Autler: "That's exactly the b ---- I thought you would be."

On multiple occasions, Autler told Buchanan that he cannot touch the camera. At one point, she said doing so is assault on a photographer.

"Wow, you want to say that again, Mr. Buchanan?" Autler said in response. "Do not touch me. Do you want to say that again for the camera?"

Here's the story that got Buchanan to quit before it even aired: