Sen. Cory Booker plans to propose a bill to remove all Confederate statues from the United States Capitol building, he announced Wednesday. “I will be introducing a bill to remove Confederate statues from the US Capitol building,” Booker, D-N.J., tweeted. “This is just one step. We have much work to do.” He did not offer any…
Read the full story
by Jeffrey A. Rendall For the sheer amount of soap-opera quality media coverage the White House staff has prompted since President Trump was sworn-in on Inauguration Day, the most recent personnel moves in the executive mansion have created surprisingly little controversy by comparison. In a nutshell you could characterize the changes as establishment-out, outsiders-in. By all appearances the switches have worked to squelch a lot of the media’s paranoid hyperventilating over the internal workings of this unique-in-history administration. Nancy Cook of Politico reported, “Under former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, there was no formal policymaking process in the West Wing: no set protocol for meeting with the president, giving him information, or presenting various options with which to make decisions. Sometimes, multiple staffers said, disagreements broke out in the Oval Office in front of the president. “That disorganization ultimately led to a string of policy failures, including the collapse of health care reform, even though Republicans control both the White House and Congress. “Now, as President Donald Trump looks to embark on an ambitious fall policy drive that includes tax reform, an infrastructure package and maybe health care – again – his new chief of staff John Kelly is…
Read the full story
A federal grand jury Thursday indicted two former information technology (IT) aides of Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz – Pakistani-born Imran Awan and his wife Hina Alvi – on four counts of conspiracy in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The FBI arrested Awan at Dulles International Airport July 24 as he was…
Read the full story
The FBI has “reopened” a request for documents related to former President Bill Clinton’s 2016 tarmac meeting with former Attorney General Loretta Lynch. American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) President Jay Sekulow told Fox News that the FBI sent him a letter indicating officials reopened his Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) request, after initially denying…
Read the full story
A strong majority of Americans support keeping Confederate statues and monuments standing as historical symbols, a new poll by Marist College finds. The poll found 62 percent of U.S. adults favor keeping the Confederate statues up, while only 27 percent do not. For registered voters, the result is about the same: 62 percent support leaving the…
Read the full story
A Democratic Missouri State Senator openly called for the assassination of President Donald Trump Thursday. “I hope Trump is assassinated!” wrote Missouri State Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal on Facebook. Chappelle-Nadal’s comment came during an exchange with a Facebook user called Christopher Gagne, who expressed concern that his cousin in the Secret Service could be in danger due…
Read the full story
Abraham Lincoln has joined George Washington on the list of those targeted by Chicagoans in a national debate over Civil War-era monuments. Alderman Raymond Lopez took to Facebook Wednesday night to decry a defaced statue of the nation’s 16th president in the Englewood neighborhood. The giant bust appears to have been damaged after someone in the…
Read the full story
U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) sharply criticized President Trump on Thursday at a Rotary Club luncheon in Chattanooga and said “radical changes” are needed at the White House. Corker questioned Trump’s competence. “He has not demonstrated that he understands what has made this nation great and what it is today, and he’s got to demonstrate the characteristics of a president who understands that,” Corker told reporters after the luncheon, according to WRCB Channel 3. Corker’s latest criticism of Trump comes after a long string of other attacks he has made on the president that do not sit well with Republican primary voters in Tennessee. Tennessee’s junior senator is up for re-election in 2018. Local reaction from Tennessee conservatives to Corker’s comments was harshly critical of the former mayor of Chattanooga, as these comments on the Nashville Tea Party Facebook page demonstrated. “Ready to put my name on recall petition! Trump has done more for this country in six months than Corker has in his entire senatorial career. And to speak on ‘character’, Corker wouldn’t have a clue what the word means,” Carole posted. “No Bob, it is the Senate who needs a Radical Change and that includes getting you and…
Read the full story
VERSE OF THE DAY Be blessed and be a blessing August 18, Friday Jeremiah 29:7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper. II Chronicles 7:14 – if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 1 Timothy 2:1-15 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus
Read the full story
U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN-9) said Thursday that he will introduce articles of impeachment against President Trump because of Trump’s comments following violent clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday. “Instead of unequivocally condemning hateful actions by neo-Nazis, white nationalists and Klansmen following a national tragedy, the President said ‘there were very fine people on both sides.’ There are no good Nazis. There are no good Klansmen,” said Cohen, who is Jewish, in a statement. A progressive leftist whose congressional district includes Memphis, Cohen is a ranking member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice. The clashes in Charlottesville were between white supremacist demonstrators and leftist radical counterprotesters. A woman was killed and around 20 injured when a man identified as a white supremacist drove his vehicle into a crowd. There also was fighting in which both white supremacists and counterprotesters were “swinging sticks, punching and spraying chemicals,” according to the Washington Post. Bottles and rocks were also thrown back. There were injuries on both sides. On Saturday, Trump condemned the “egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides.” At a press conference Tuesday, Trump said he waited until Monday to condemn specific groups because he…
Read the full story
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam is advocating for the removal of a bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest from the Capitol in Nashville. “My position on this issue has not changed – I do not believe Nathan Bedford Forrest should be one of the individuals we honor at the Capitol. The General Assembly has established a process for addressing these matters and I strongly encourage the Capitol Commission and the Historical Commission to act,” Haslam said in a statement issued Monday. A Tennessee native, Forrest was a lieutenant general in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Also a slave trader, Forrest was known for his brutality. According to some accounts, he became a Christian later in life and distanced himself from the KKK, which he helped start. Activists in many states are calling for the removal of Confederate monuments after violent clashes between white supremacists and leftist radicals on Saturday in Charlottesville, Virginia. Dozens of protesters gathered at the Capitol Monday to demand that the bust come down, according to Nashville Public Radio. The bust was installed in the 1970s and ever since there have been calls periodically to remove it, the last time being after the Charleston church shooting in…
Read the full story
U.S. Rep. David Kustoff (R-TN-8) on Wednesday denounced white supremacy during a visit to Jackson as a small group of protesters stood outside. Speaking at a Chamber of Commerce event at the Jackson Country Club, Kustoff, who is Jewish, said: We know that our nation has had a rough several days after the events in Charlottesville this past weekend. Make no mistake – White Supremacists, the KKK, neo-Nazis and all groups that preach hate, prejudice, racism and bigotry have no place in our country and must be explicitly condemned. As a United States Attorney, I prosecuted federal hate crimes. I strongly encourage the Department of Justice to follow through on the investigation from last weekend’s events. Outside, several protesters with Indivisible Jackson held signs reading, “Racism, White Supremacy Are Not Acceptable,” “No Trump, No KKK, No Fascist USA” and “Kustoff, Call White Supremacists By Name.” In an interview in March With Jewish Insider, Kustoff expressed support for President Trump, citing measures related to national security and immigration and saying, “Everything he’s done, he promised. He’s following through on his commitment from the campaign.” Kustoff said he would give the president an “A.” When he joined Congress earlier this year, Kustoff became the…
Read the full story
Virginia State Police cleared Emancipation Park Saturday after a white nationalist demonstration turned violent, but the action forced attendees into a crowd of counter-protesters. The rally was organized as a protest to the ordered removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee in downtown Charlottesville, Va. The rally was named the “Unite the Right” rally, but…
Read the full story
Military historian and political columnist Victor Davis Hanson said the “moral smugness” of this current generation allows it to “pick and choose their type of outrage for political purposes,” all the while adhering to a “double standard,” during an interview Wednesday on “The Laura Ingraham Show.” Hanson, a Martin and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow at the…
Read the full story
No eclipse-related road closures are planned for Monday, according to a Metro Nashville Police Department press release issued this week. Authorities are cautioning people to be aware of moving traffic and not get distracted by viewing the eclipse. “Nashville has a number of places to safely watch and enjoy next Monday’s total solar eclipse. Interstates and the travel lanes of busy city streets ARE NOT among them,” the press release said. “Citizens are strongly cautioned against walking into streets or stopping on an interstate to view the eclipse.” Nashvillians and visitors are encouraged to plan where they intend to watch the eclipse and head there early. Among the local places for eclipse viewing are: Adventure Science Center, 800 Fort Negley Boulevard Nashville Zoo at Grassmere, 3777 Nolensville Pike First Tennessee Park, 19 Jr Gilliam Way Centennial Park, 2500 West End Avenue Radnor Lake, 1160 Otter Creek Road Edwin & Percy Warner Parks, located off Highway 100 Cedar Hill Park, 860 Old Hickory Boulevard in Madison Beaman Park, 5911 Old Hickory Boulevard Shelby Bottoms, 1900 Davidson Street Shelby Park, Shelby Avenue at S. 20th Street Peeler Park, off Neelys Bend Road in Madison Bells Bend Outdoor Center, 4187 Old Hickory Boulevard Bicentennial…
Read the full story
by ConservativeHQ.com Staff Steve Bannon, formerly executive chairman of Breitbart News and CEO of Donald Trump’s winning campaign for President and now President Trump’s White House Senior Advisor is the target of a vile campaign of slander for one reason and one reason only – he is an iron-willed advocate of the positions that won Donald Trump the presidency. It was through the political and marketing genius of Steve Bannon and Kellyanne Conway that the anti-Trump message that Donald Trump so effectively communicated in his rallies was forged into a winning political coalition of populists and conservatives. And it is Steve Bannon who represents the strongest and most direct link between the White House and the conservative – populist ideas and people who won Donald Trump the presidency – which is why Bannon has been under almost constant attack since the day he walked across West Exec and into his West Wing office. So, it should really come as no surprise to anyone that as the President’s National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster has been attacked for retaining dozens of Obama holdovers on the National Security Council staff and for what conservatives and populists see as his dangerous advice to…
Read the full story
President Trump’s question to reporters on Tuesday about the possibility of tearing down historical monuments has been answered by a Chicago pastor: “It’s time.” Bishop James E. Dukes of Chicago’s Liberation Christian Center made headlines in the Windy City on Wednesday for calling on Mayor Rahm Emanuel to rename Washington Park and remove a statue of…
Read the full story
A Peruvian immigrant named Margarita Del Pilar Fitzpatrick walked into a driver’s license office in Illinois and left as a registered voter — after a clerk told her that it was up to her whether or not to register. That decision led to Fitzpatrick’s eventual deportation, which she now hopes the Supreme Court will overturn. The…
Read the full story
Several days prior to releasing the story that Metro Nashville Public Schools’ (MNPS) social studies teacher in-service featured Rashed Fakhruddin from the Islamic Center of Nashville, Olivia Brown, the Director of Communications for MNPS was offered an opportunity to explain to The Tennessee Star, whether other speakers were invited or did speak to the teachers about other religions, but the question remains unanswered even though MNPS admits to having the information. Fakhruddin’s now deleted Facebook message about his talk at the in-service was posted for at least one week before The Star asked Ms. Brown who spoke at the social studies in-service. Her response was a generalized description of speakers and no mention of religious speakers: The Star: What was the agenda for the social studies in-service, who were the speakers and was it open only to teachers? Which grades? Brown: Social Studies professional development was provided primarily to teachers in middle and high school as the majority of elementary teachers were participating in training for literacy and math. The first day started with a keynote addressing the purpose for social studies and how to address social studies practices. This was followed by a number of breakout session that teachers were able to choose from based on…
Read the full story
VERSE OF THE DAY Be blessed and be a blessing August 17, Thursday Psalm 8:3-4 “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? ” Psalm 121:1-2 I lift up my eyes to the mountains where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 147:5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
Read the full story
“I mistrust all systematizers and I avoid them” ~ Friedrich Nietzsche It’s long been assumed by most fitness enthusiasts that in order to train effectively, one must follow a “program.” But is this really true? Now understand, I am a Certified Personal Trainer, and I make my living primarily by having clients follow one kind of program or another. So, yes, you can say I’m biased. Nevertheless, as in all things, we should not blindly move forward, but do so with our eyes wide open. After all, as Socrates once said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Seeing a need to have someone show us how to work a program means having the humility to admit we don’t really know how to do it on our own. There’s wisdom in that. Yet ultimately, I believe what we should seek are principles more than programs. In fact, a good program is basically a collection of principles. Principles are from God, and on a certain level, can be innately understood by human beings. They are the laws of the universe, such as gravity. When we follow natural laws, things go well for us, and when we don’t, well… Programs are…
Read the full story
MURFREESBORO, Tennessee — Americans need to turn away from identity politics and multiculturalism and embrace an American identity, conservative writer and speaker Carol Swain said Tuesday at a Rutherford County GOP luncheon. That’s the only way our country can move beyond the conflicts we’re experiencing, said Swain, echoing a message she has given in interviews on Fox News in the aftermath of violent clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday between white supremacists and radical leftist counterprotesters. On Fox, Swain defended President Trump for blaming both sides. Swain said Tuesday that the ranks of those attracted to “white identity and white consciousness” is growing, but that it’s illogical to maintain that blacks, Hispanics and Asians can promote an identity for themselves rooted in race, but that whites can’t. The solution, she believes, is to support and promote an American identity to cultivate a unifying bond. Tickets for Tuesday’s luncheon at the DoubleTree Hotel sold out. With 85 people attending, it was the largest quarterly luncheon gathering the Rutherford County GOP has hosted. Tuesday also marked Swain’s last official day as a law and political science professor at Vanderbilt University. But Swain has no plans to retire from writing and traveling to…
Read the full story
Several Obama holdovers who led initiatives at odds with President Donald Trump’s foreign policy remain on the staff of national security adviser H.R. McMaster, The Daily Caller News Foundation Investigative Group has learned. About 40 of the National Security Council’s 250 officials—nearly 1 in 6—are Obama administration holdovers, according to The Daily Caller News Foundation’s analysis.…
Read the full story
A pastor and writer in Louisiana is taking Russell Moore to task for his latest opinion piece in the Washington Post titled “White supremacy angers Jesus, but does it anger his church?” The piece was written in response to the violent clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday between white supremacists and radical leftist counterprotesters. In a blog post, Shane Kastler writes, “His latest article is classic, liberal propaganda, Russell Moore-style. He takes a minuscule segment of the white population, implies that they represent a much larger segment than they do. And then skewers, ‘the church’ for being racist. And just in case you doubt him, he takes the words of Jesus out of their scriptural context, twists them for his political ends, and uses them to justify his argument.” Kastler is pastor of Heritage Baptist, an independent Baptist church in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He is known in Tennessee for his biography of Nathan Bedford Forrest which chronicles how Forrest became a Christian later in life. Moore is president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), the public policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention. He has been criticized by conservatives for his progressive views on race and immigration, his denunciations of President Trump…
Read the full story
The upcoming Aug. 21 total solar eclipse is likely the talk of town in places that will be in the path of totality, but for those places out of the path of totality, the show won’t be as stunning. There’s a solution though, NASA is going to have four hours of coverage during the day of…
Read the full story
Two hot topics in Nashville will be discussed Saturday at the Southeast Nashville Conservatives’ Breakfast. Sanctuary cities and the proposed redevelopment plan for Ft. Negley will be addressed by guest speakers. Metro Councilman Robert Swope will speak on the council’s recent push to make Nashville more welcoming to illegal immigrants. Proposed sanctuary city ordinances received strong support from council members but faced opposition from citizens. In addition, Metro’s law director raised concerns about the legality of a provision that would have required the sheriff to get a criminal judicial warrant to detain inmates believed to be in the U.S. illegally, instead of simply following procedures established by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Other measures would have further restricted Metro employees from cooperating with immigration authorities. At the end of June, the councils’ lead sponsors of the ordinances withdrew their two bills but vowed to accomplish their goals in other ways. On Saturday, Swope, who represents District 4 and who opposed the legislation, promises to give a behind-the-scenes look at what took place and what to expect as sanctuary city proponents continue their fight. Chris Cotton, a board member of the Friends of Ft. Negley, will speak about Nashville Mayor Megan Barry’s controversial…
Read the full story
CNN wrote a piece Tuesday explaining who the radical group Antifa is without mentioning the constant violence the organization commits. In the wake of Charlottesville violence, where white nationalists, neo-Nazis and other ilk clashed with Antifa and counter-protest groups, many news outlets began to ask, “What is Antifa?” When explaining the organization – what it is,…
Read the full story
National Spokesperson for the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) Niger Innis said it is “absurd” to blame President Donald Trump for the actions of extremists who marched in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday, during an interview Tuesday on “The Laura Ingraham Show.” Innis, the son of the late civil rights pioneer Roy Innis and the executive director…
Read the full story
The Joint Legislative Committee on Rules and Regs of the Tennessee General Assembly met Tuesday, August 15 at the Legislative Plaza to consider the new bylaws of the Douglas Henry State Museum Commission. While no vote was taken, it was clear that the bipartisan committee was genuinely disturbed by what it heard. Chaired by State Rep Jeremy Faison, the committee debated for some time with Alexander Rieger from the AG’s staff and Commission Chair Tom Smith on whether these revised bylaws were simply policies or actually rules. Rieger appeared very unsure of himself and perplexed by the questions posed to him. He appeared to lack self confidence in his own legal opinions. While, this question of policy vs. rules may seem arcane to many, the practical effect is that the Museum Commission with policies may proceed on its own and with rules it must secure approval from the General Assembly to enact them. I argued that regardless of whether it is policy or rules, sound judgment and desire to listen to lawmakers would strongly suggest that the Commission should defer to the lawmakers and seek common ground. Otherwise, it is going to be a rocky and turbulent time for…
Read the full story
Radio host Rush Limbaugh has wry advice for activists targeting historical monuments to combat racism: “You’ve got to get rid of the Democrat Party.” Criticism of the Jefferson Memorial by the Rev. Al Sharpton, coupled with the tearing down of Confederate monument in North Carolina this week, prompted a race monologue by the eponymous host of…
Read the full story
On Monday night a group of predominantly left-wing protesters tore down a monument to Confederate veterans in Durham, North Carolina. The vandals claimed they were taking a stand against a symbol of evil. But while radical leftists claim that Confederate monuments must be removed because they allegedly represent and promote hatred, their apparent comfort with and…
Read the full story
Tim Herndon and Antoinette Lee were the top vote-getters in Tuesday’s nonpartisan special election to fill the District 33 Metro Council seat. But since neither received more than 50 percent of votes cast, they will face each other in a runoff election. The runoff will be held Sept. 19, reports AntiochTenn.com. Metro Council is the legislative body of the consolidated city-government of Nashville and Davidson County created in 1963. District 33 covers part of Antioch. The council has 40 members of which 35 are elected by district and five are elected at-large, or county-wide. Members are elected to four-year terms and in 1994 were limited to two terms. There are 11,267 voters in District 33 and there were 1,083 votes cast for the special election. Early voting was held July 26 through Aug. 10. Here are the unofficial results released Tuesday evening by the Davidson County Election Commission: Antoinette Lee 415 votes 39.04 percent Tim Herndon 402 votes …
Read the full story
VERSE OF THE DAY Be blessed and be a blessing August 16, Wednesday Ecclesiastes 7:9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
Read the full story
Associated Press called the Alabama GOP Senate Special Election primary at 9 p.m central for Judge Roy Moore and Senator Luther Strange (R-AL) as the two top vote getters headed to a runoff race. Neither candidate obtained the majority needed to avoid a runoff. As of 10:09 pm central, Moore was in first place with 39.5 percent of the votes and Strange was in second place with 32.3 percent of the vote. The winner of the runoff will face Democratic primary winner Doug Jones in a December general election replace former Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), now President Trump’s Attorney General. Rep. Mo Brooks finished in third place in the GOP primary and is out of the runoff. As of 10:09 pm central, the results are as follows: Roy S Moore (Republican) 39.5% 142,802 Luther Strange (Republican) 32.3% 116,649 Mo Brooks (Republican) 19.9% 71,853 Trip Pittman (Republican) 6.6% 23,898 Randy Brinson (Republican) 0.6% 2,191 Mary Maxwell (Republican) 0.4% 1,351 Bryan Peeples (Republican) 0.4% 1,321 James Beretta (Republican) 0.2% 834 Dom Gentile (Republican) 0.1% 281 Joseph F Breault (Republican) 0.1% 219 361,399 Total Votes
Read the full story
In states across the Old South, left-wing protestors targeted Confederate statues and monuments Monday in the wake of a white nationalist rally that took place Saturday in Charlottesville, Virginia. The Charlottesville rally, which saw protesters and counter-protesters violently clash and left one woman dead and 20 other people wounded, spurred the Left to redouble its efforts…
Read the full story
Butch Jones is known for his somewhat unorthodox outlook toward the way he governs his football team, including the assertion that his Tennessee program is adept at producing players with “five-star hearts” and that they are “champions of life.” Tennessee is talented once again — the Vols are 24th in the preseason coaches’ poll — but…
Read the full story
In an August 14 press release, Diane Black for Governor announced “conservative leaders” former U.S. Congressman Stephen Fincher and former Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey as co-chairmen for her campaign. Dubbed “the latest sign that conservatives across Tennessee are rallying behind Diane Black’s campaign for governor,” the duo “will play a major role in [the] campaign.” Fincher represented the West Tennessee 8th Congressional District from 2011 to 2017, the same year that Black was elected to the Middle Tennessee 6th Congressional District. During his six years in Congress, Fincher would hardly be considered a conservative, even against Black’s relatively moderate scores. Black’s FreedomWorks lifetime score is 83 percent, while Fincher’s is 75 percent. Black’s Heritage Action score is 85 percent, while Fincher’s is 73 percent or sixth of seven Republicans, trailed only by Chuck Fleischman (TN-03) at 72 percent and two Democrats. Additionally, GovTrack rated Fincher as the second most absent for votes among all 432 House of Representatives rated in the 114th Congress (2015-16), which then makes him the ninth of nine for absences among the Tennessee delegation. Ron Ramsey was the first Republican to serve as Lt. Governor and Senate Speaker since Reconstruction, and is credited with strong leadership…
Read the full story
A month ago the Douglas Henry Museum Commission met July 10 and adopted new by laws which purport to give the Commission the right to force a Commissioner to resign and which require a Commissioner to provide an advance copy of any column or article he/she might write to the Commission. No other Board or Commission in state government that I am aware of has sought such power to silence a dissenting member. If the late Senator Henry, who I knew for 49 years, was alive today I am sure he would join me in saying that robust debate and discussion is critical to all public bodies. Efforts to impose prior restraint on speech are unconstitutional and contrary to sound public policy in a democracy. I was one of the original Commission members and the first chairman of the Commission after its creation. The Joint Legislative committee on rules and regulations is holding a hearing today, August 15, to review these rules. The Commission majority takes the position that the joint committee does not have jurisdiction. I strongly disagree. An effort to force a member to resign under certain conditions is not a policy, it is a rule. I…
Read the full story
State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) announced the hiring of John Drogin, a former top Ted Cruz strategist for his campaign to win the Republican nomination for the Sixth Congressional District seat being vacated by Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06), who is running for governor. “Drogin has more than 15 years of experience working for successful, conservative campaigns. He served as campaign manager for Ted Cruz’s first Senate Campaign in 2011-2012, which was called the “biggest upset of 2012.” He then served as State Director for Cruz’s Senate office, and as a senior advisor to the main Super PACs supporting Cruz for President,” the Matheny campaign said in a statement to The Tennessee Star. He is the founder Drogin Group, a political and digital media consulting firm. “John Drogin is a great American. He has the same energy and principled conservative DNA that is part of the political souls of Tennesseans in the 6th District. He will be a great asset to a successful campaign for us,” State Rep. Matheny said. Drogin was equally enthuiastic about joining the Matheny campaign. “Judd gets it. He is the true, principled conservative in this race. Voters are hungry for someone who will change the status quo in Washington.…
Read the full story
Evangelist Franklin Graham defended President Donald Trump’s response to the Charlottesville riot, calling the violence Satanic and Trump’s critics absurd. Graham directly refuted Charlottesville Democratic Mayor Michael Signer’s claim that Trump was to blame for the violence of the white supremacists in a Sunday Facebook post. The post laid blame with the local politicians and leaders…
Read the full story
Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer declared the city the “capital of the resistance” at a rally held in January following the election of President Donald Trump. Signer organized the rally to announce his plans to “resist” the Trump administration by providing legal assistance to immigrants and directing the Charlottesville’s Human Rights Commission to address reports of xenophobia…
Read the full story
A World War II veteran celebrated his 95th birthday Saturday with a tandem skydive in Whiteville, a small town about 60 miles east of Memphis. Roy Angin lives in Hernando, Mississippi, at the Wesley Meadows Retirement Community. He attended the U.S. Army Airborne School in 1940 and served overseas as a paratrooper in the war, said Alex Coker, a skydiver instructor and DeSoto County Sheriff’s deputy, reports WREG News Channel 3. Angin and Coker flew to 14,500 feet above Tennessee for the tandem skydive. The skydive was arranged through West Tennessee Skydiving. Angin hadn’t jumped in more than 60 years, according to Karen Hill, program director at the retirement community. But Angin told her it was on his bucket list and that if former President George H.W. Bush could do it, so could he. In 2014, Bush, also a WWII veteran, celebrated his 90th birthday by skydiving. Bush also went skydiving when he turned 75, 80 and 85. Angin is already thinking about jumping again on his 100th birthday. He is currently the star of the retirement community’s Facebook page. He is pictured in the center’s profile photo wearing a t-shirt reading, “Skydiving@95.” There are also several posts featuring news coverage…
Read the full story
by Jeffrey A. Rendall Have Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s establishment chickens finally come home to roost? The answer depends on your point-of-view. If you’re a liberal you’re likely clucking at the ineptitude of the Republican Senate to pass any semblance of Obamacare repeal and replace. Similarly, if you’re a member of the Washington establishment you’re applauding the fact that a few GOP senators were willing and able to Chickens roostingbuck McConnell and join every single Democrat to prevent the repeal of even the tiniest smidgen of the crumbling Obama-era healthcare law. But if you’re a conservative proponent of a constitutionally limited and restrained efficiently-run government you’re furious that McConnell couldn’t find a way – any way – to pressure a few antagonists into lending their support for the basic concept of reforming healthcare. And if you’re President Trump you’re now up in New Jersey (on a “working vacation”) looking back on your first half year in office wondering why you should have to explain to everyone within shouting distance why none of the big agenda items from last year’s campaign have managed to make it to your desk for a signature. All fingers point to the puffy-faced…
Read the full story
Protesters in North Carolina posted a video Monday of their tearing down a Confederate memorial, calling it a response to the weekend violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. The clip shows a group of at least several dozen in Durham pulling down a statue in front of the local government building. They can be heard yelling “No KKK!…
Read the full story
Protestors assaulted a Virginia reporter during a march calling to remove Confederate statues Sunday night. The CBS 6 photojournalist attended the march, outside of his work capacity, and filmed many of the protesters as they marched down the streets of Richmond. Some of the protesters got angry with the photojournalist documenting the protest and confronted him.…
Read the full story
Since launching earlier this year, Randy Boyd’s gubernatorial campaign has sent out numerous press releases announcing the names of county mayors who are supporting him for governor. To date, 45 county mayors across Tennessee have endorsed Boyd. The state has 95 counties. In 44 of these 45 counties where Boyd has claimed the mayor’s support, President Trump won the vote overwhelmingly over Hillary Clinton in the November 2016 general election – with anywhere from 56.4 percent to 84.9 percent of the vote. (Shelby County is the lone exception) Here is the list of the 44 counties won convincingly by President Trump whose county mayors have pledged support to Boyd for Governor: Anderson, Bledsoe, Blount, Bradley, Carroll, Claiborne, Cocke, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Fentress, Franklin, Gibson, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Henry, Hickman, Humphreys, Jefferson, Johnson, Lake, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Loudon, Marshall, Monroe, Montgomery, Moore, Morgan, Obion, Overton, Pickett, Rhea, Roane, Scott, Sequatchie, Sevier, Unicoi, Union, Washington, Weakley, White. By supporting Boyd for governor, these county mayor are going against the voters on a key issue that put Trump in the White House, namely, illegal immigration. Boyd, who says he “aspire[s] to be like” failed presidential candidate Mitt Romney, aligned himself with “never-Trump”…
Read the full story
The Hillary Clinton email fiasco isn’t ending anytime soon, with State Department officials saying they have no idea when they will finish sorting though and releasing the previously hidden messages. More classified documents that the former secretary of state improperly handled keep coming to light. The Trump administration doesn’t even know if it has hunted down…
Read the full story
VERSE OF THE DAY Be blessed and be a blessing August 15, Tuesday Daniel 6:23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. Proverbs 3:5-7 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.
Read the full story
Gubernatorial candidate and Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) said at a gathering earlier in the month that after her sister sustained an injury, she has personal interest in the issue of medical marijuana. Regarding the task force she formed earlier in the year on the issue, she said, “We’re open to that, we’re looking at that.” According to an Associated Press report picked up by Connecticut-based The New Haven Register, Harwell relayed her personal story of how her sister broke her back and was prescribed opioids for the pain. The injury to her sister is the reason Harwell cited in a letter to the Rutherford County Republican Party explaining why she was unable to attend the Reagan Day dinner in May. Harwell recalled to the group that her sister, who had been prescribed opioids for her pain, “had no doubt” in her mind that if she were to “continue this opioid regimen, I will become addicted to opioids.” With Harwell’s sister living in Colorado where marijuana has been legalized, she used some for four or five days until she felt better after the initial doses of opioids, which she wanted to stop taking. The opioid crisis in Tennessee…
Read the full story
Nashville Metro Council candidate Antoinette Lee publicly thanked the Tennessee Education Association teachers union Sunday for creating a mailer for her campaign. “I want to thank the political arm of TEA (the teachers’ Union) for doing my mailer,” she wrote on her Facebook campaign page. “I think they did a good job. Unions are the backbone that made our county great and supported our workers.” Lee works as a field organizer for the TEA, making it no surprise that she has the union’s strong support. The TEA is the state affiliate of the National Education Association. Lee is one of five candidates in Tuesday’s special election to fill the District 33 seat, left vacant when Councilman Sam Coleman was sworn in as a Nashville judge to replace former Judge Casey Moreland, who resigned amid a corruption scandal. District 33 covers part of Antioch. Early voting was held July 26 through Aug. 10. Lee also has the endorsement of the AFL-CIO’s Central Labor Council of Nashville and Middle Tennessee. The National Education Association teachers union has long been controversial among conservatives because of its advocacy for liberal politics. The union endorsed Hillary Clinton for president in the last election cycle as the primary season got under way…
Read the full story