Claudette Riley, the reporter, claimed the Tennessean "obtained" an e-mail exchange between Harkey and Kaye Schnieder. A more exact sentence would be that she was presented with the e-mails. If she, Riley, observed such e-mails on a regular basis, she would discover far more damaging exchanges involving other board members. But Riley does not have the time to sift through thousands of e-mails. These had to be called to her attention for political reasons.
Based on prior examples, Lorenda Hale, Erick Huth, Diane Long, and Harry McMackin, indexed on the home page, this shows all indications of being instigated by Pedro Garcia. David Fox, Harkey's opponent was the only school board candidate county-wide, to assert that he would vote to renew Garcia's contract. All other candidates were non-committal. So the motive for this political move is apparent.