Black pastors accused WTVF reporter of being racist

A group of African-American pastors says a Nashville TV reporter asked them "racist" questions about their support of Metropolitan Nashville & Davidson County District Attorney General Glenn Funk in what they believe is an attempt to keep them out of local politics.

The pastors held a community meeting last night to encourage people to keep on voting, despite what they call an attempt to intimidate them from participating in the political process. "This voter intimidation tactic is disgusting," said Reverend Enoch Fuzz of Corinthian Baptist Church.

Church pastors are pointing the finger at this NewsChannel 5 reporter Phil Williams. "They want him fired," said Fuzz. "They feel like his remarks are racist." A handful of local pastors, like Frank Stevenson, say the reporter asked them inappropriate questions.

The article Channel 5 Action Latest Media Slur printed in the Tennessee Tribune detailed their greivances.

"We were very concerned with the line of questioning relative to our participation in the political process," said Stevenson. Williams is accused of calling black pastors who contributed to Funk's campaign. They say the reporter went down this road of questioning: "I mean how could you afford that, living in this kind of house? Wouldn't that have been better spent on your community?" said Fuzz. Pastor Stevenson and his wife donated a total of $6,000 to Funk's run for office. "He won about every minority poll, every minority precinct -- he won," said Stevenson.

While the Tennessee Tribune blasted Williams as racist, NewsChannel 5 is backing its reporter saying the accusations are false. Fox 17