Month: February 2017

No Response From Sen. Paul Bailey to Dept. of Revenue Confirmation Pilot Flying J Will Benefit From Gas Tax ‘Float’

Chris Alto

State Senator Paul Bailey, Chairman of the State Senate Transportation Committee, has not responded to an inquiry from The Tennessee Star to explain the Tennessee Department of Revenue’s correction of his assertion that Pilot Flying J, the truck stop company owned and operated by Gov. Haslam’s family, will not benefit from holding on to the extra cash generated by the proposed gas tax increase for 20 to 51 days. The Tennessee Department of Revenue has corrected Sen. Paul Bailey’s statement regarding the timing of when fuel taxes must be remitted to the state.  According to the Department of Revenue’s  Communications Director, Kelly Cortesi, “The gasoline tax is imposed when the fuel is first imported into Tennessee. The diesel tax is imposed when the fuel is sold to the wholesaler. In either case, the taxpayer is the importer/supplier, and the return is due on the 20th day of the following month.” Sen. Bailey is the general manager and vice-president of Charles Bailey Trucking Company. The Department of Revenue was forwarded Sen. Bailey’s statement and was asked to confirm whether it was accurate in light of the fact that the Department’s website says that fuel taxes are not due to the state until…

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Nashville Talk Radio Led Opposition to Sundquist Income Tax But Is Split on Haslam Gas Tax

Christina Botteri
Tennessee Star - Steve Gill v Ralph Bristol

When former Gov. Don Sundquist proposed imposing a state income tax on residents of Tennessee in 1999, Nashville talk radio hosts Steve Gill and Phil Valentine led the horn-honking opposition that ultimately killed the unpopular proposal three years later in 2002. It is a different media landscape in 2017, as political controversy surrounds Gov. Haslam’s proposal to increase the gas tax to fund road construction. Like Sundquist, Haslam is a Republican. WLAC, 1510 am, is no longer in the local political talk business. 99.7 FM WWTN owns the local conservative talk market, with all local hosts,  beginning at 5 a.m. with Ralph Bristol, 9 a.m. with Michael Del Giorno, noon with Dan Mandis, and 3 to 7 p.m. with Phil Valentine. The day’s talk agenda is set by Nashville’s Morning News host Ralph Bristol, and he testified before the State Senate Transportation Committee in favor of Gov. Haslam’s plan, provided it is truly revenue neutral, which he says it currently is not. Former Nashville talk radio host Steve Gill, in contrast, came out guns a-blazing in opposition to the gas tax increase in a commentary posted today at The Tennessee Star. “17 years ago, talk radio lead the fight to stop…

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Commentary by Steve Gill: It’s Not About the Roads!

Steve Gill
Tennessee Star - Steve Gill

As Governor Bill Haslam continues to tout the need for a massive tax increase in order to fund road and bridge construction and maintenance in Tennessee it is increasingly clear that the well-funded and heavily lobbied campaign for higher taxes actually has nothing to do with roads. It is actually about spending billions in surplus and increased recurring revenue on everything EXCEPT roads! A good magician is a master of misdirection. While you are captivated by what they are doing with their right hand the real trick is happening in the left hand. Governor Haslam is using the same sort of misdirect move to hide the truth about his tax increase scheme. While Tennessee currently has a surplus of a billion dollars AND an extra billion dollars in recurring revenue the Governor is fighting against any an all efforts to spend ANY of that money on roads. He prefers to impose higher taxes on Tennessee drivers with a seven cent increase in the gasoline tax and a twelve cent increase in the diesel tax (plus additional fees and taxes) that will generate about $300 million a year more for state and local road projects. State Representative David Hawk has proposed…

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Commentary: Oppose Wednesday’s Vote to Raise Tennessee’s Gas Tax

Andrew Ogles

There’s no denying that Tennessee’s infrastructure is in need of repair. But Gov. Bill Haslam’s proposed gas tax increases to fund the projects—which the state House of Representatives will vote on this Wednesday – isn’t the right solution. Instead, lawmakers should use money already in the state budget, which is more than enough to meet our transportation needs. The key component of Gov. Haslam’s plan is to increase the state’s tax by 7 cents a gallon on gasoline and 12 cents a gallon on diesel – respective increases of 33 percent and 65 percent over what we currently pay today. Not only that, but it will also be indexed to inflation every other year. That means each time you go to the pump, you’ll pay more to the state and have less money to spend on your personal needs—and it will get worse every two years. On top of the gas tax increase, Gov. Haslam wants to nickel-and-dime us with an increase in vehicle registration fees, too. All combined, the governor’s proposal includes nearly $300 million in higher taxes every year. And that’s not all. The proposal would also give municipalities a bite at the tax apple, allowing them to hold referendums on raising local sales taxes to…

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Commentary by Richard Viguerie: Radical Democrats Rebranding Themselves into Permanent Minority

Tennessee Star Staff

By Richard A. Viguerie, CHQ Chairman February 28, 2017 In my book TAKEOVER I discussed how I apply to politics the marketing knowledge and experience I’ve gained over my 55-years in direct marketing. Over those many years, I developed what I call “Viguerie’s Four Horsemen of Marketing,” which are: Position (a hole in the marketplace) Differentiation Benefit Brand (what makes you singular or unique) Brand is really defined by a combination of the other three elements; in politics it is what makes Republicans Tom Perezunique and stand apart from Democrats. While I prefer to use that hard-earned experience to help conservatives raise money and win elections, the same concepts apply to Democrats as well. So, it was with great interest and pleasure that I observed how this past weekend – by electing former Obama Labor Secretary Tom Perez as Chairman and runner-up Congressman Keith Ellison as Deputy Chairman – the Democratic Party officially and publicly abandoned its 85-year-old brand as the party of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal to become the party of George Soros, pink kitty hats, Muslim extremism and the hardcore Far Left. This radical (pun intended) rebranding has been coming for a long time, but the election…

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Faith: Verse of the Day for Tuesday, February 28

Dana Hunsinger Gill
Tennessee Star - Verse of the Day

VERSE OF THE DAY Be blessed and be a blessing Tuesday, February 28 Psalm 34:4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. Philippians 4:6-7 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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Jeremy Hayes to Challenge State Rep. Susan Lynn in GOP Primary Over Her Support of Gas Tax

Tennessee Star Staff

In an exclusive interview with The Tennessee Star, Jeremy Hayes says he will challenge State Rep. Susan Lynn (R-Mt. Juliet) in the 2018 Republican primary because of her support for Gov. Haslam’s gas tax increase proposal. “I think it’s absolutely ridiculous. It’s the dumbest bill,” Hayes, the former co-chairman of the Trump campaign in Wilson County, told The Star’s Laura Baigert when asked his position on the governor’s IMPROVE Act, which raises the price of gas by 7 cents per gallon and the price of diesel fuel by 12 cents per gallon. “You do not need a math degree to understand that this thing does not make sense,” Hayes said: One, they’re telling us that they’re going to save half a cent in the grocery store, on your food tax. Well then, proposing raising the fuel tax 7 cents the first year, the diesel tax 12 cents the first year. What’s that going to do? . . . They’re going to pass that tax on to the consumer. “In addition they want to put it an index,” Hayes added, citing another feature of the governor’s gas tax proposal he opposes. Hayes also noted that the gas tax increase is unnecessary,…

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Democrat State Rep. Windle Files Five Obstructionist Amendments to Hawk Plan, Part of Effort to Force Gas Tax Through House

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star - Rep Windle Motion to Adjourn

State Rep. John Mark Windle (D-Livingston), who pulled the surprise move to adjourn last week at the House Transportation Subcommittee before a fair chance was given to vote on the Hawk Plan, the alternative to the governor’s gas tax increase plan that reallocates sales tax revenue, is at it again. “Windle filed five amendments to Hawk’s legislation Monday after being rebuffed last week by Weaver. Windle, of Livingston, is introducing measures to remove sales taxes on baby formula, milk, bread and baby diapers. Yet another amendment would provide a 10-year franchise tax exemption on manufacturing plants that open or expand in economically distressed counties,” the Memphis Daily News reported. Windle’s latest exercise in legislative skullduggery came two days before the House Transportation Subcommittee is scheduled to reconsider both the Hawk Plan and Gov. Haslam’s IMPROVE Act on Wednesday. Subcommittee chairman State Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver (R-Lancaster) is a strong opponent of the governor’s proposal. “My district knows it. I’m opposed because my district is opposed to it,” Weaver told the Daily News. But Windle has aligned himself with three Republican allies of Gov. Haslam on the Transportation Subcommittee who are determined to prevent the Hawk Plan from surviving the committee:…

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Shenanigans at the State Capital

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Tennessee Star Letter to the Editor - Shenanigans at the State House

  Dear Tennessee Star, Shenanigans at the State Capitol never cease. The proposed Gas Tax is a tax that will definitely affect every single Tennessee citizen in more ways than one. The Transportation House Sub Committee suddenly adjourned their meeting last week and the next meeting is at HIGH NOON, March 1 in LP Room 16.  I wonder if more time was needed in order to twist more arms in order to vote a certain way. If you like paying more taxes, pay this article no mind. But, if you realize that many politicians can’t spend enough Tennessee citizens’ money…read on and contact the House Transportation Sub Committee members below and then pass this information on to others and ask them to do the same. Haslam’s Gas Tax Proposal The governor proposes a 7 cent increase in gas tax and 12 cent increase in diesel tax Also, there is a pesky automatic index to future gas tax increases…which means this proposed gas tax will automatically increase. That means, this gas tax will keep on taking bigger bites out of your wallet as time moves on, and you, the taxpayer will have no say in the matter. Haslam says that it will be “revenue neutral.” Not buying that one. The math doesn’t add up. Keep in mind of that pesky automatic increase that…

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Showdown in Williamson County: Conservative Grassroots Debbie Deaver Vs. Establishment Tom Miller in Fight for GOP County Chair

Christina Botteri
Tennessee Star - Deaver v Miller

For some, Tuesday, Feb 28 might be just another National Chocolate Soufflé Day, but to the Williamson County Republican Party loyalists, it’s time to pick a new GOP Chair. The election in 2015 of outgoing Chairwoman Julie Hannah was a great victory for the conservative grassroots. Of the two candidates running to replace her, many activists believe Debbie Deaver represents a continuation of Hannah’s high-energy, principled leadership. Party insiders agree the choice between the two candidates emerging from the Willamson County GOP Convention earlier this year is stark:  Establishment-supporting, Moderate Tom Miller, or conservative crackerjack, Deaver. Miller served as a Franklin alderman-at-large from 1997-2003, then was elected the Mayor of Franklin for a single term in 2003. However, although Miller enjoys a nearly ubiquitous reputation as a “nice guy,” some Republican activists fear the longtime Realtor and Franklin resident will “do nothing” but take orders from the Establishment Party Leaders in Tennessee like Governor Bill Haslam, and Senators Bob Corker and Llamar Alexander. “If Tom Miller is elected to the Williamson County Chair, we will go from being a strong conservative party organization, to simply being a big-government, liberal tax-and-spend organization,” said activist and Tea Party Nation founder Judson Phillips.…

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Ralph Bristol Testifies Before State Senate Transportation Committee on Gas Tax Increase Proposal

Tennessee Star Staff

At the invitation of Chairman State Sen. Paul Bailey, 99.7 FM WWTN’s Ralph Bristol, host of Nashville’s Morning News, testified before the State Senate Transportation Committee on Monday afternoon about Gov. Haslam’s proposal to pay for additional road construction funding by increasing the state’s gas and diesel tax. Bristol provided The Tennessee Star with this summary of his prepared statement, which he authorized us to release after 1:30 p.m. today, when he was scheduled to deliver his testimony. Here is the complete final draft of his prepared statement, as provided to The Star late Monday morning: Testimony to Senate Transportation Committee (final draft) By Ralph Bristol, host, Nashville’s Morning News, 99.7 WTN (approx. 7:00) I’ll try to honor Chairman Bailey’s request to share a summation of my radio audience’s response, over the past few months, to the proposals before them, including, but not limited to the governor’s, to increase transportation funding, and to offer my own insight, however limited value that might have. First, understand that I understand my audience is not representative of all of Tennessee. Nor, might I add, are the fans of of the Tennessean or the Memphis Commercial Appeal, but I digress. People who listen to…

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Gov. Haslam Has Cut State’s Portion of Highway Fund Budget by $56 Million Annually, Compared to Predecessor

Laura Baigert
Tennessee Star - Gov Haslam

During the six years he has served as the head of Tennessee’s state government, Gov. Haslam has cut the state’s portion of the Highway Fund budget by an annual average of $56 million when compared to his predecessor, Gov. Phil Bredesen. In the last six years of Gov. Phil Bredesen’s eight-year term, between FY 2005-06 and FY 2010-11, the annual average state allocation to the Highway Fund was $833 million. While the actual dollars fluctuated from year to year, overall the Highway Fund budget grew about 12 percent in those six years. Under Gov. Haslam, the state’s portion of the Highway Fund budget shrank to an annual average of $777 million during the six years between FY 2011-12 and FY 2016-17. That is  an average annual reduction of $56 million, an overall reduction of 7 percent. The total Highway Fund grew 2 percent per year under Gov. Bredesen, and has been reduced 1.1 percent per year by Gov. Haslam. In that same six-year period, Gov. Haslam’s total state budget grew 18 percent. “The detailed breakdown of reduction in road spending under Governor Haslam is shocking but, unfortunately, not surprising,” State Sen. Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) tells The Tennessee Star. “I…

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March 4 Spirit of America Rally in Nashville to Support President Trump, Challenge ‘Deep State’

Tennessee Star Staff

America First Tennessee, in partnership with liberty-minded, grassroots groups across Tennessee, today confirmed The Spirit of America Rally will be held on Saturday, March 4th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Legislative Plaza in Nashville. “All the permits have been secured, insurance has been obtained, and safety and security precautions are in place,” rally organizer and founder of the Memphis Tea Party Mark Skoda said. “We have been working to establish this event for the purposes of celebrating President Trump and promoting his Contract with the American Voter,” he added. “The event is to give voice to the overwhelming support of the Trump Presidency by the people of Tennessee, as well as to raise awareness to the widespread problem with judicial overreach, and what citizens can do about it,” according to the statement from America First Tennessee. At least one left wing organization in Nashville has promised to “confront” those supporting President Trump’s policies, but Skoda says he and the organizing committee will not be intimidated. “We are seeing enormous support for this event. We want to showcase the grassroots support for our president while also celebrating his win! The left has shown its anger by rioting and…

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Dept. of Revenue Confirms Pilot Flying J Will Hold on to Extra Cash from Gas Tax Increase for 20 to 51 Days

Chris Alto

Last week The Tennessee Star asked State Sen. Paul Bailey, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee and general manager and vice-president of Charles Bailey Trucking Company, about the possible impact Gov. Haslam’s proposed gas tax increase will have on Pilot Flying J’s business operations and whether it would be in the public interest to have a full and open discussion in a committee hearing about this issue. Pilot Flying J, the fourteenth largest privately held company in the country, owns and operates more than 500 gas and diesel truck stops around the country, approximately 40 of which are in the state of Tennessee. The Haslam family owns Pilot Flying J, and Gov. Haslam, while not involved in the operation of the business, has a significant equity interest in the company, though he has never fully disclosed the exact amount of that interest. While supportive of discussing the general issue of whether the “float” that unremitted fuel taxes benefit a fuel supplier, Sen. Bailey raised the additional question of exactly when the taxes collected are paid to the Tennessee Department of Revenue: “The payer of these taxes remit payment to the state upon delivery to their terminals; therefore, the only ‘float’ comes to…

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Source: State Rep. Barry Doss Huddled With Gov. Haslam’s Top Staffer to Stop Hawk Plan at Subcommittee

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star - Doss Huddle during Transportation Subcommitee Meeting

Reporting by the Chattanooga Times Free Press that State Rep. Barry Doss (R-Leoma), a strong supporter of Gov. Haslam’s plan to increase gas taxes by 7 cents a gallon to fund more road construction, was the driving force behind the sudden adjournment of the Transportation Subcommittee on Wednesday prior to the expected vote on the Hawk Plan, the popular alternative to the governor’s plan, was re-enforced by photographs of the event taken by The Tennessee Star. In that photo, Doss is seen having an intense conversation with two unidentified individuals immediately before the sudden vote to adjourn was taken. According to a long-time legislative operative, the people in the photo appear to be State Rep. Barry Doss, Stephen Smith (the governor’s recently named legislative director) and an unnamed political operative with a beard. If indeed the person whose back is to the camera is Stephen Smith, it would underscore the governor’s near-panic that his gas tax was in major trouble last Wednesday. “I have seen sneaky legislative maneuvers before,” said the source. “And the presence of Stephen Smith huddled together with the governor’s lackey, Rep. Doss, would be understandable. The governor sending his #1 staffer to the legislature at this…

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Faith: Verse of the Day for Monday, February 27

Dana Hunsinger Gill
Tennessee Star - Verse of the Day

VERSE OF THE DAY Be blessed and be a blessing. Monday, February 27 Mark 16:15-18 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Matthew 10:6-8 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay

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Haslam Gas Tax Hike Opponents Gather at ‘Tank the Tax’ Rally Set for Wednesday

Christina Botteri
Tennessee Star - Tank the Tax Rally March 1

As the Haslam IMPROVE Act plan to increase fuel taxes returns to the Transportation Subcommittee on Wednesday March 1, Americans for Prosperity and other activists plan to “turn up the heat” by gathering at Legislative Plaza to express opposition to the proposed tax increases. The Transportation Subcommittee, Chaired by Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver (R-Lancaster), is scheduled to meet at noon. Andy Ogles, Tennessee Director of Americans for Prosperity, said that activists will be coming from across the state to express opposition to the proposed tax increases. “Once taxpayers realize that the huge tax increases proposed by the Governor are coming when we have a TWO BILLION DOLLAR SURPLUS their reaction to the plan becomes almost a unanimous ‘NO’ and they can’t understand why their elected officials are even entertaining the idea,” Ogles noted. “The only way the Haslam Plan passes is if their supporters successfully hide the truth about what the plan actually means to the wallets of working men and women in Tennessee. To stop it, we simply need to get the truth out and encourage taxpayers to get engaged in this fight.” Ogles also expressed concern about the glaring absence of conservative leadership in the Legislature on this issue.…

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Actor Bill Paxton Dead at the Age of 61

Tennessee Star Staff

People Magazine is reporting that actor Bill Paxton is dead at the age of 61 “due to complications from surgery.” Emmy-winning actor Bill Paxton died due to complications from surgery, PEOPLE confirms. “It is with heavy hearts we share the news that Bill Paxton has passed away due to complications from surgery,” a family representative said in a statement. “A loving husband and father, Bill began his career in Hollywood working on films in the art department and went on to have an illustrious career spanning four decades as a beloved and prolific actor and filmmaker. Bill’s passion for the arts was felt by all who knew him, and his warmth and tireless energy were undeniable. We ask to please respect the family’s wish for privacy as they mourn the loss of their adored husband and father.” The Texas native, who won an Emmy for his work in the TV mini-series Hatfields and McCoys, began acting in the 1970s. His earliest acting credits include minor roles in blockbusters such as Terminator (1984) and Aliens (1986). Paxton’s notable performances include playing Morgan Earp in Tombstone (1993), Fred Haise in Apollo 13 (1995), the lead role in the 1996 hit Twister and…

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How Radical Islam Penetrated The U.S. House of Representatives

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

George Rasley, CHQ Editor Our friend Luke Rosiak, Investigative Reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation, should receive a Pulitzer Prize for his investigative reporting of the vast national security breach of the House of Representatives perpetrated by five Pakistani Muslims who were employed as information technology staff by dozens of House Democrats. In his latest report on a story that, we might add, has been completely ignored by the establishment media Rosiak documents how the five Pakistanis have been connected to the Iranian-backed terror organization Hezbollah, that has killed hundreds of Americans and Israelis. Brothers Imran, Abid and Jamal Awan, as well as their wives Natalia Sova and Hina Alvi, were all on the congressional payroll serving as IT administrators for House Democrats. Rosiak has reported that while working for Congress, the Pakistani brothers controlled a limited liability corporation called Cars International A (CIA), a car dealership with odd finances, which took–and did not repay–a $100,000 loan from Dr. Ali Al-Attar. Laundering money through used car dealerships is a known Hezbollah tactic. In 2011 the government filed a civil asset forfeiture action in New York against 30 car dealerships from Michigan to Florida. To launder the terrorist money, vehicles were moved from the US to West Africa and resold, and…

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Tennessee Latino Group Backs Trump’s Immigration Plans

Wendy Wilson

Latinos For Tennessee has issued a statement backing President Trump’s plans to crack down on illegal immigration while keeping protections for those who entered as minors. “The reality is that if we are to remain free and prosperous, no one can be above the law,” said Raul Lopez, the conservative group’s executive director. “What’s more, to rebuild trust with the American people to push for a permanent immigrant solution, our government needs to immediately expel those that have come here to our country to commit crime and be a burden on society.” Lopez noted that prior administrations have taken similar steps and that even President Obama was called “Deporter in Chief” by the National Council of La Raza for deporting millions during his administration. Lopez said his group is supportive of immigrants and that “we must discourage continued illegal immigration and work to improve the legal avenues for legal immigration.” “We are confident that President Trump understands this and we support him and his administration for doing what is necessary to ensure that we remain a country of laws, and also a country of immigrants,” Lopez said. Lopez said President Trump showed compassion in “accommodating young adults that were brought to…

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Faith: Verse of the Day for Sunday, February 26

Dana Hunsinger Gill
Tennessee Star - Verse of the Day

VERSE OF THE DAY Be blessed and be a blessing. Happy Sunday. February 26 Matthew 7:15-20 A Tree and Its Fruit Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

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Far Left Ideologue Tom Perez Elected Democratic National Committee Chair

Admin
Tom Perez, new DNC Chair

ABC is reporting that Tom Perez, Secretary of Labor and former President Barack Obama, has been named chairman of the Democratic National Committee: More than 400 party insiders gathered in Atlanta this weekend to cast their ballots. The former Obama appointee will try to rally the party of Democrats still reeling from its presidential election defeat and crippled by down-ballot losses across the country over the last decade. Many in the party’s progressive wing had rallied around Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison, expressing their frustration with the status quo of the party. They felt strongly that Ellison better identified with the grassroots movement growing across the country in opposition to Trump. Perez had fallen one short shy of victory in the first round of voting. NBC is reporting Perez has asked that his main rival, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), a Muslim Member of Congress, be named deputy chair. JUST IN: Tom Perez moves to elect Keith Ellison as deputy chair of Democratic National Committee https://t.co/piJvs5dfK9 — NBC News (@NBCNews) February 25, 2017 Earlier this week the New Republic, liberal publication of long standing, argued that “the case for Tom Perez Makes No Sense.” If Perez is like Ellison—in both his politics…

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Commentary: Tea Party Going Back to Washington

Tennessee Star Staff

Reprinted With Permission from ConservativeHQ.com CHQ Staff February 23, 2017 Jenny Beth Martin, leader of TeaPartyPatriots.org, has announced that on Wednesday, March 15, 2017 the Tea Party will be back in Washington for a rally at the U.S. Capitol. In an email to Tea Party movement activists and supporters Martin says it’s time for the Tea Party to go BACK to Washington, DC. President Trump is working to keep the promises he made on the campaign trail, but he’s Tea Party rallyrunning into opposition at every turn – from the intolerant leftist Democrats, to the mainstream media, and even some establishment Republicans. “It’s time for us to show up again in Washington and remind these politicians that it’s time to start enacting the agenda that will make America great again,” wrote Martin. Among the goals of the Washington rally will be to demand Congress confirm Judge Neil Gorsuch – repeal Obamacare – secure the border – cut taxes – and balance the budget within five years. Jenny Beth Martin’s email said: On March 15th, we’re partnering with FreedomWorks to host a grassroots lobbying day on Capitol Hill. Office visits are one of the most effective ways to make our voices…

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Commentary: The New York Post Explains Why The Tennessee Star Will Win the Local Media Battle in The Volunteer State

Tennessee Star Staff

Salena Zito of the New York Post has probably not yet heard about The Tennessee Star. But in Thursday’s column titled “Why All Your News Now Comes With a Heap of Condescension,” she explained perfectly why The Tennessee Star will soon win the local media battle in the Volunteer State: Used to be that you consumed your news from a local reporter who lived in your community and covered events from a perspective you recognized. Today, as more and more local newspapers die, that relationship has evaporated. And folks are going to be less trusting of a reporter who works and lives in a cosmopolitan culture that has no connection with them. There’s no social consequence or contract because reporters and readers don’t have much in common. And politics reflects the culture, so pols increasingly retreat to the “safe spaces” of their preferred national media organizations. “Coverage of Trump is often treated as a proxy for how the press thinks of Trump’s supporters. That might be unfair to national reporters chasing down a controversial president. But the disconnect is exacerbated by the fact that far too many Americans don’t have a local press that understands them, and thus all their…

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Texas Megachurch Withholds Funds From Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission Over Russell Moore Controversy

Wendy Wilson
Russell Moore, Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission

A Texas megachurch has decided to at least temporarily withhold funds from the Southern Baptist Convention over concerns about the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), one of its component organizations. Prestonwood Baptist Church is a 41,000-member congregation in Plano. In a statement to the Baptist Message, Executive Pastor Mike Buster spoke of “various significant positions taken by the leadership of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission that do not reflect the values of many in the Southern Baptist Convention.” The Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention, “a network of 50,000 cooperating churches and church-type missions banded together to make an impact on God’s Kingdome,” is located in Nashville, Tennessee. The decision impacts $1 million the church would give to Southern Baptist state and national causes, according to the Baptist Message. The church will escrow the funds while further discussing the matter. Russell Moore, president of the ERLC, created a controversy by signing a friend of the court brief supporting construction of a New Jersey mosque involved in a zoning dispute. The Tennessee Star reported previously that a large church in East Tennessee has also decided to escrow funds while considering future support of the ministry program that funds the ERLC.…

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Governor’s ‘Transparent Tennessee’ Does Not Apply to Fuel Tax

Chris Alto

Three years ago when the “Transparent Tennessee” website was launched, Governor Haslam said: “A state government that is accountable to Tennessee taxpayers is an important part of being customer-focused, efficient and effective. The advanced function of this website will allow citizens more access to information about how state dollars are spent.” Last year Haslam disclosed that the 2016 budget would repay the transportation fund $261 million dollars that was transferred to the general operating fund during the Sundquist and Bredesen administrations to close budget shortfalls. “We have a covenant with our citizens that the gas tax charged by the state at the pump is dedicated to transportation-related purposes and not something totally unrelated,” State Sen. Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) said several months before the 2016 legislative session began, urging that this repayment be made. This is called “dedicated funding” and according to TDOT, “[n]o money from the state’s general fund, which relies on the sales tax, is used in any of the programs of the Tennessee Department of Transportation. But it seems that not all state fuel tax monies reach TDOT before being diverted to the general fund. Issues raised after Wednesday’s Sumner County gas tax town hall call into question the transparency…

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Nashville Taxpayers Voice Skepticism of Proposed $14 Million Tax Incentive Deal for Opryland Waterpark Development

Christina Botteri
Tennessee Star - Sound Waves

Once again, powerful business interests have approached the Metro Nashville Development and Housing Agency for a tax break, and once again, the Metro Nashville Development and Housing Agency appear to be all-too-happy to grant their request. Nashville taxpayers, however, are not so eager. In a statement released by the Beacon Center of Tennessee: According to a new rapid online poll released by the Beacon Center of Tennessee and Nashville-based polling firm icitizen, a full 92% of Tennesseans are opposed to the Metro Council’s proposal to use $14 million in taxpayer money to fund a waterpark at the Opryland Hotel that only hotel guests are allowed to use. Only about 5% of respondents approve of this deal. The incentives for the waterpark are viewed extremely unfavorably by Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike. “With this tax break, [the new Opryland development, Sound Waves] are competing with other, existing water parks, with government help. And on top of that, it is not open to regular Nashville residents,” said Mark Cunningham, Beacon’s marketing and communications director, in an interview with The Tennessee Star this morning. The Beacon Center is a 501 c(3) dedicated to “empowering Tennesseans to reclaim control of their lives.” “So let’s think about this,”…

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More Unanswered Questions at Gov. Haslam’s Sumner County Gas Tax Town Hall

Laura Baigert

On Wednesday evening, Governor Haslam spoke about his proposed 7 cent gas tax and 12 cent diesel tax increase at Sumner County’s Station Camp High School to a group of about 300 people, around 100 of whom received a personal email invitation from County Executive Anthony Holt. The governor, joined by Department of Transportation Commissioner John Schroer on a stage with local elected officials, delivered an abbreviated and less energetic version of his state of the state address that he had delivered at his previous town hall style meetings. These events have afforded the opportunity to fact-check the claims the governor has been making since the launch of his IMPROVE Act at a press conference on January 18, and Wednesday’s Sumner County Town Hall showed that the number of unanswered questions has not diminished as his tour of the state has gone on. According to the governor, Tennessee does not use bond debt to fund roads, but his budgets for 2016-17 and 2017-18 included $88 million and $80 million in bond debt, respectively. The Tennessee Star’s Laura Baigert pressed the governor on claims that this year’s budget, like past budgets, keeps various funds separate. How, she asked, did the governor…

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: State Rep. Mark Pody: Protesters ‘Interested in Just Yelling for the Cameras’

Tennessee Star Staff

The Tennessee Star’s Laura Baigert sat down with State Rep. Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) for this exclusive interview on Capitol Hill Wednesday about the recent protest that disrupted a press conference he had scheduled with State Sen. Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet). Here’s the transcript: Baigert: We’re here with Rep. Pody from district 46, which is Wilson, DeKalb, and Cannon Counties. Rep. Pody, last week you were the subject of a protest, the beginning of it, that’s been going on the last week. Can you give us your take on what you’ve been seeing? State Rep. Pody: Absolutely. And it won’t even be the beginning of the protest, because I think there’s been a lot of protest going on. However, this has been maybe a focal point, with a lot of things happening with protesters. Now, they started protesting actually as soon as we got into session. So the very first day we were here they were protesting. And a couple times when we would go in to session they were protesting. It was ironic because sometimes when we got to the session, we got to actually sitting down at the desk and [State Rep.] Judd Matheny was sitting right with me…

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Commentary: Is There Voter Fraud in Our Elections?

Albert Tieche

Is there voter fraud in our elections? If you ask anyone who has been deeply involved in putting on elections, they will tell you there’s always a few ‘bad’ votes in any election. That’s why election officials prefer landslide elections because you know the will of the people was done in spite of any background level of bad votes. However, a few bad votes are NOT what President Trump is talking about. Trump is talking about large numbers of fraudulent votes – enough to change the outcome of an election. Is that actually happening? The answer is “We don’t know,” because nobody wants to look. Democrat leadership keeps saying there is no evidence of voter fraud. Mitch McConnell, the Republican Senate Majority leader says he doesn’t want to spend any federal dollars to look into possible voter fraud. Here in Tennessee, Republican state election officials have been reluctant to look into the possibility of non-citizens being registered to vote. But refusing to look makes people more suspicious. This idea that the public can be assured that all is well even though no investigations have been done is ridiculous, but that is what we have been told for quite a while.…

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Tennessee Latino Group Endorses Trump’s Labor Pick

Wendy Wilson

Latinos For Tennessee is supporting Alexander Acosta, President Trump’s new pick for labor secretary. In a statement, Raul Lopez, executive director of the conservative group, said, “We are delighted to see President Trump nominate a highly distinguished and highly qualified Latino for his cabinet. The fact is that the last eight years have been underwhelming for the Latino community as far too many Latinos are struggling to find work and have not seen a pay increase in some time.” Latinos For Tennessee, which has a presence in Nashville, Memphis and Chattanooga, promotes faith, family, freedom and fiscal responsibility. Acosta, 48, is currently dean of the law school at Florida International University. Before joining the school in 2009, he was head prosecutor for the Southern District of Florida. A Miami native, he is a first-generation university graduate, having earned his undergraduate and law degrees at Harvard. He was a law clerk for Samuel Alito when Alito was a federal appeals court judge before being named to the Supreme Court. Acosta has served as a member of the National Labor Relations Board and was the first Hispanic assistant attorney general. He is chairman of the largest domestically-owned Hispanic community bank in Florida, U.S.…

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House Transportation Subcommittee Adjourns Before Any Action Taken on Road Funding Proposals.

Tennessee Star Staff

The House Transportation Subcommittee adjourned suddenly on Wednesday after State Rep. David Hawk (R-Greeneville) presented his alternative road funding plan. A report late Wednesday in The Chattanooga Times Free Press makes it clear that State Rep. Barry Doss (R-Leoma) (pictured in the headline image), a member of the subcommittee, “who is chairman of the full House Transportation Committee and who is carrying the governor’s bill” is the force behind the surprise adjournment. “[W]e were about to get the governor’s bill out today. But evidently there were some people who were uncomfortable, maybe, with the Hawk plan. And they weren’t ready to vote on the Hawk plan,” Doss told The Times Free Press: Doss said he sees the adjournment vote as a response to the Hawk bill. “And I think there’s a lot of people uncomfortable with that bill,” Doss said. “We come back next week and I think more people are comfortable with the governor’s plan.” The “Hawk Plan” increases road funding in Tennessee without increasing taxes and has been embraced by conservative legislators seeking an alternative to the plan presented by Governor Haslam which dramatically increases gasoline and diesel fuel taxes for Tennessee drivers and guarantees automatic future increases through “indexing”. Immediately…

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House Transportation Subcommittee Vote on Haslam Gas Tax Scheduled Today, No Representative from Pilot Flying J Has Yet Been Called to Testify

Chris Alto

The first test of Gov. Haslam’s proposal to increase the gas tax to fund road construction is scheduled to take place when the House Subcommittee on Transportation votes today on whether to move the bill to the full Transportation Committee. The Subcommittee has heard testimony from various supporters and opponents of the bill, but to date has not yet heard testimony from representatives of one private corporation that will be impacted by the proposed gas tax increase: Pilot Flying J, the company owned and operated by Gov. Haslam’s family. Questions have been raised by opponents about the potential conflict of interest posed by Governor Haslam’s proposed fuel tax increase if it benefits the privately held, family owned business Pilot Flying J, a distributor and a retailer of gas and diesel fuel. Critics of any fuel tax increase, whether it is the governor’s plan or the alternative Hawk plan, have questioned whether cash flow increases on the distribution side from collecting and holding the increased tax and/or increased profits on the retail side, could aid Pilot’s recovery from its $162 million payout related to the company’s rebate fraud case. The Tennessee Star asked committee members whether a representative from the ranks…

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Pure Foods Goes Bankrupt After Benefiting From $1.2 Million in Tennessee State Economic Development Funds

Laura Baigert

Less than two weeks before Governor Haslam introduced his IMPROVE Act centered on a gas tax increase for road funding, Pure Foods, Inc., a recipient of $1.2 million in state economic development funds, filed for bankruptcy.   The $1. 2 million from the state’s FastTrack Economic Development (ED) Fund did not go directly to Pure Foods. Instead, it was allocated for use by KEDB for construction of a speculative building that Pure Foods leased for 10 years.   According to the Kingsport Tennessee Times News, in March 2015, the Canadian based gluten-free snack food company, Pure Foods, Inc., was set to establish its U.S. headquarters at the Gateway Commerce Park in Kingsport, Sullivan County.  The deal included an investment of $22 million, an 80,000-plus square foot facility, and the creation of 273 new jobs generating an annual a payroll of $8 million. The Kingsport Economic Development Board (KEDB) and the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce also supported the project by providing financial assistance and various incentives, including the purchase of 33 acres of land in the Gateway Commerce Park for $6.5 million borrowed from First Tennessee Bank. According to the Transparent Tennessee website’s FastTrack Project Database, ED grants provide additional support for…

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Protesters Storm State Senator’s Office, Intimidate Staff, State Troopers Ordered to Stand Down

Admin

State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) knew Tuesday morning could turn out to be an unpredictable one. She was told to expect an “in-office protest” this morning. Then she was told it was cancelled. Sen. Beavers and her staff – that day, a single young woman – arrived in her offices at the regular time to conduct the people’s business: meeting with constituents and fellow elected officials, answering questions about her pending legislation, and returning calls and letters from the people she represents in and around Mt. Juliet. “It was shortly after 11 a.m. when about a half-dozen people filed into my office and started demanding to see me,” Beavers said. According to Sen. Beavers, she was in a meeting with an Administration official, when the protesters’ incessant knocking on her inner office door and loud speechifying became a distraction. “When I opened my door a couple of times to ask them to quiet down, they tried to force their way into my office,”  she said. They were unsuccessful. Meanwhile, out in the reception room, Beavers’ young staffer was surrounded by the protesters. One protester, a woman, stood behind her and took several photos of the receptionist’s computer screen and work. The Administrator departed, and for the…

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Letter to the Editor: What We’re Really Up Against

Admin

Dear Tennessee Star, I Googled the definition of “liberal”. You know what it says? 1. Open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values. “they have more liberal views toward marriage and divorce than some people” 2. (of education) concerned mainly with broadening a person’s general knowledge and experience, rather than with technical or professional training So when you see these leftists at Berkeley burning and destroying property and inflicting injury on innocent people just to prevent the free exchange of ideas, or leftists calling for a ban on groups who have a different point of view than them, that’s actually the exact opposite of true liberalism. It’s Groupthink, a mandatory and absolute conformity to the collective. Anyone who dares have an independent thought or belief that runs contrary to the collective must not only be silenced and expelled, but utterly destroyed. That’s what we’re up against. Not liberals, but mindless zombies who are incapable of critical or independent thought, who will lash out with a mob mentality at anyone or anything that the collective deems outside their norm. This is a cultural war like nothing we’ve ever faced. I have no doubt that reason and virtue…

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State Rep. David Alexander Changes Mind on Gas Tax Increase After Dinner With the Governor

Tennessee Star Staff

A key member of the House Subcommittee on Transportation who has previously stated his opposition to Gov. Haslam’s gas tax increase proposal has changed his mind. In an exclusive interview with The Tennessee Star, State Rep. David Alexander (R-Winchester), who many thought would vote to kill the governor’s gas tax increase proposal in the Subcommittee on Transportation when it comes to a vote this week, now says that after having dinner with Gov. Haslam in Winchster Monday night he wants to see the bill brought to the full House for a vote by all 99 members. The Star’s Laura Baigert first asked Alexander how he thought Monday evening’s gas tax town hall in Franklin County went. You can watch the full interview below:   Alexander acknowledged that many of the questioners at the town hall opposed the gas tax increase, as The Star reported earlier on Tuesday. Alexander praised the governor’s answering of questions at the event. “For the last 15 or 18 months he’s been talking about the issue across the state of Tennessee so he’s got it well learned,” Alexander said. “It went on for about an hour,” Alexander said of the town hall meeting. “After it was…

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Gov. Haslam Gets Tough Questions From Informed Crowd at Franklin County Gas Tax Town Hall

Laura Baigert

Governor Haslam appeared nervous and off his game Monday night, as he was peppered with questions he could not answer at a “gas tax town hall” tour stop at the Franklin County Annex Building in Winchester. After giving 30 minutes of opening comments to the standing-room-only crowd of about 150 people, the governor opened the meeting up to questions and was challenged for the next 45 minutes with more than two dozen questions critical of his proposal to raise fuel taxes. The first questioner contrasted the 7 cents per gallon gas tax and 12 cents per gallon diesel tax increase with the half-percent reduction in the grocery sales tax contained in the governor’s plan. The questioner pointed out that the two things that have strapped everyone are groceries and fuel. The fuel tax increases will offset any grocery tax savings, the questioner stated. The governor then went through his math to assert that his proposal represents a 4 cent increase per $100 purchased in diesel fuel,  but the man who posed the question found that arithmetic unsatisfying. He sat down,  shaking his head. County Commissioner Dave Van Buskirk asked if the money will only go to roads. Gov. Haslam said…

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Commentary by Richard Viguerie: America’s Biggest Lawbreaker Versus Donald Trump

Tennessee Star Staff

Reprinted with permission from ConservativeHQ.com by Richard A Viguerie, CHQ Chairman and Mark Fitzgibbons February 21, 2017 Donald Trump was elected to make America great again. To do this, he knew he would need to take on America’s biggest lawbreaker. America’s biggest lawbreaker is fighting back against President Trump by doing what it knows best — violating the Constitution and other laws governing it. This lawbreaker is trying to subvert his presidency and undermine the Constitution. It is ruthless in its lawbreaking and lawlessness. RAV Nigel FarageAmerica’s biggest lawbreaker is not the collection of illegal aliens in our country. It’s not even radical Islam. As dangerous as those threats are to our safety and sovereignty, they are being aided and abetted by the actual biggest lawbreaker in America. As we wrote in 2011 in The Law That Governs Government, “Government is the oldest, largest and most pervasive lawbreaker in America.” Yes, government is America’s biggest lawbreaker — with no close second. Before Donald Trump ran for president on his campaign to make America great again we wrote, “Government lawbreaking is bringing down the greatest and fairest engine of prosperity in history — the American economy. Political establishment lawbreaking is economically…

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Commentary: Rand Paul Was Right About McCain

Tennessee Star Staff

Republished with permission from ConservativeHQ.com. By CHQ.com Staff February 20, 2017 Yesterday, our friend U.S. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky sure got it right during an appearance on ABC’s “This Week.” Paul said Senator John McCain’s comments criticizing President Trump’s comments about the press may be fueled more by personal animosity to the president than a legitimate concern about freedom of the press. McCain in an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” warned that the suppression of a free press can lead to a dictatorial regime. He made the comments after Trump tweeted on Friday that the media is “the enemy of the American people.” “This is colored by John McCain’s disagreement with President Trump,” Paul said. “Everything that he says about the president is colored by his own personal dispute he has got running with President Trump — and it should be taken with a grain of salt because John McCain is the guy that has advocated for war everywhere.” “Actually, we’re very lucky John McCain is not in charge because I think we would be in perpetual war,” Senator Paul continued. “If you look at the map, there’s probably at least six different countries where John McCain has…

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EXCLUSIVE:  Rep. Sheila Butt:  Bill Focuses On The Success of Our Students

Laura Baigert

Rep. Sheila Butt (R-Columbia) told The Tennessee Star in an exclusive interview on Capitol Hill that HB 617, a bill she has sponsored in the current session of the Tennessee General Assembly, will improve options for high school testing in math and English language arts. “HB 617 is a bill which would allow local school districts to have the option of using the ACT or the SAT suite of testing in lieu of the end of course test, the TNReady test and the TCAP test, in the State of Tennessee,” Butt told The Star’s Laura Baigert. “This is a bill that focuses on the success of our students and this is a tried and true measurement of college readiness and college success.  And all of our districts should have the option of being able to use these tests for their students,” she added. “Local Education Agencies – As introduced, authorizes LEAs to use the ACT, ACT Aspire, or SAT suites of standardized assessments instead of the TCAP, TNReady, and end-of-course exams to test the subjects of math and English language arts for grades nine through 12,” the Tennessee General Assembly website says of HB 617 (introduced in the Senate as SB…

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State Rep. Courtney Rogers Proposes Bill to Let Citizens Request Public Records Via Email

Laura Baigert

State Rep. Courtney Rogers (R-Goodlettsville) has introduced a bill, HB 58, which allows requests for public information to be submitted by all official modes of communication, including in person, via telephone, fax, email or other electronic means. “Public Records – As introduced, requires a records custodian, if that records custodian requires a request for copies of public records to be in writing, to accept a handwritten request submitted in person or by mail, an email request, or a request on an electronic form submitted online; requires a request for a records request form to be provided by the most expeditious means possible,” the Tennessee General Assembly website says of the bill. Rep. Rogers told the House State Government Subcommittee during hearings last week that her revisions seek to make it easier for the general public to make their information requests. In addition, she said, her bill will eliminate current ambiguities in the law to help prevent lawsuits in the future. The bill passed in that subcommittee on Tuesday,  but not without some controversy that could impact its passage at the full State Government Committee meeting next week. The Tennessee Public Records Act (TPRA) is a compilation of Tennessee Code Annotated…

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Ralph Bristol on March 4 Pro-Trump Rally: ‘There is No Hate in Our Position. The Media Have Manufactured the Charge of Hate Without Evidence’

Tennessee Star Staff

Nashville’s Morning News host Ralph Bristol told his listening audience on 99.7 FM WWTN Monday that his speech to the March 4 Spirit of America rally at Nashville’s Legislative Plaza will focus on an honest portrayal of American citizens who support President Donald Trump. “I’m going to use this occasion to speak to Trump’s detractors, in the media, and on the opposite side of the issues that have people so upset, about the people who are attending the rally,” Bristol said. “I’m not going to speak to the people at the rally, I’m going to speak about them,” Bristol said. “I’m going to correct the fabricated record about their hearts,” he added. Rally organizer Mark Skoda of America First Tennessee praised Bristol and his speech topic. “Ralph understands the heart of America, the people of Tennessee and the reason for our frustration with the media. He’s been the top Nashville radio talk show host for ten years, and he knows about the people of Tennessee. We are honored to have his perspective shared at our rally,” Skoda told The Tennessee Star. In his Monday morning on air monologue, Bristol pulled no punches. “Maybe to some on the Left, respect for…

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TN Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition Pushes for Sanctuary City

Chris Alto

On January 25, 2017, President Trump issued his executive order “Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States” calling for appropriate enforcement of U.S. immigration laws, including a directive to withhold non-mandatory federal funding to jurisdictions that don’t comply with deportation of illegal aliens, aka, sanctuary cities. Several days later, the TN Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC), issued a state-wide call to organize against efforts by U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement to follow the President’s orders: Last week the president shared his blueprints for mass deportation and made clear he needs state and local agencies to act as his deportation force. Join with TIRRC members in your local area to stop your city/county from collaborating with ICE and to create communities of trust where all residents feel safe. Sign up here: www.tnimmigrant.org/trust . TIRRC advocates for what they describe as “just and humane immigration reform,” using the lexicon of amnesty such as “undocumented immigrant” and “family reunification” and advancing a platform that violating immigration laws should not a bar to any benefits available to U.S. citizens. Before leaving office, then Attorney General Loretta Lynch issued guidance that city officials must be in compliance with 8 U.S.C. 1373 which:…

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EXCLUSIVE: Spirit of America Rally in Nashville on March 4 to Show Support for Trump and Call for Impeachment of ‘Out-of-Control’ Judges

Tennessee Star Staff

The Spirit of America Rally will be held at the Legislative Plaza in Nashville on Saturday March 4, beginning at 11 a.m. and continuing to 1 p.m., America First Tennessee, in partnership with liberty-minded grassroots groups across Tennessee, announced on Monday in a statement first released exclusively to The Tennessee Star. In addition to Mark Skoda, speakers at the event will include Tennessee radio heavyweight Ralph Bristol, host of Nashville’s Morning News on 99.7 FM WWTN,  Ohio Tea Party leader Tom Zawistowski, Tennessee gubernatorial candidate State Senator Mark Green (R-Clarksville), State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet), and co-sponsor of the event, Tennessee House Majority Leader State Rep. Glen Casada (R-Franklin). “People I talk with want President Trump to know that we stand with him; and that we, too, see that the Judiciary is coming off the rails. Furthermore, we are ready to do something about it,” rally organizer and Memphis Tea Party founder Mark Skoda said. “We will urge our Representatives [in the United States House of Representatives] to impeach, and for the Senate to try, convict, and remove [Federal District] Judge James Robart in Washington and [Federal District] Judge Leonie Brinkema in Virginia,” Skoda said. “They expose an allegiance not…

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