With spines stiffened by a presidential pep talk, House Republicans easily approved a $1.4 trillion tax cut Thursday, taking the first big step toward a decades-overdue overhaul that the GOP hopes will send the economy soaring. Desperate for a legislative win, Republicans linked arms and plowed ahead, brushing aside Democratic warnings that the bill will be…
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An old video from 1994 that surfaced online this week shows just how dramatically the Democratic Party has changed its position on immigration in just 23 years. The video shows a segment on immigration from the CBS News show “Face the Nation” from that year, with a younger Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) sounding like President Donald…
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Many people in Middle Tennessee love doing things outdoors, and this winter it will be easier to stay active, thanks to a new outdoor ice skating rink set to open in Murfreesboro on Saturday. The rink is at Fountains at Gateway near Saint Thomas Rutherford. There will be holiday decorations, photos with Santa, and special events such as “Movies on Ice” film screenings, live concerts and themed skate nights. The rink will be open through Jan. 3. Fountains at Gateway is a new development that includes office buildings, stores and restaurants, with plans also for apartments and a hotel. “Winterfest” featuring the ice rink is designed to be an annual event. “We are truly delighted to introduce Winterfest at Fountains and bring outdoor ice skating to Murfreesboro,” developer Scott Graby, president of Hearthstone Properties, said in a news release. “Winterfest is the first of many community events we look forward to hosting at Fountains.” The ice rink is also available to host corporate events, holiday parties, school spirit nights, and church and youth events. For hours and other information, visit fountainswinterfest.com.
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A senior fellow with the Cato Institute is the latest expert to criticize Nashville Mayor Megan Barry’s $5.2 billion mass transit plan. The Cato Institute is a libertarian think tank based in Washington, D.C. Barry wants to raise taxes to pay for a light-rail network, improved and expanded bus service, and an underground tunnel downtown. Currently, the Music City Star connecting Lebanon and downtown Nashville is the only commuter rail service in the area. Randal O’Toole wrote an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal last week in which he criticized Barry’s plan for Davidson County, as well as mass transit proposals in San Antonio and Tampa. O’Toole wrote: These proposals are questionable at best and reckless at worst, given that transit ridership—including bus and what little rail these regions have—is down in all three jurisdictions. This is a nationwide trend: Data released this week by the Federal Transit Administration shows that ridership is falling in nearly every major urban area (with Seattle as a notable exception)… The main reason for this drop-off is that low gas prices and ride-sharing services have given people better options. Census data show that 96% of American workers live in households with at least one car,…
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One Tennessee congressman called U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen’s attempt to impeach President Donald J. Trump a “political stunt.” Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) and other House Democrats on Wednesday filed five Articles of Impeachment against the president. U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-TN-03) told the Tennessee Star, “Americans voted for Donald Trump and Republicans to improve the economy and national security. That’s what we’re working on and would be glad to have Democrats’ help. I think that’s what the country would like. “Political stunts, which might make some feel better about an election loss, only slow progress on important matters like cutting middle-class taxes and rebuilding our military. I’m focused on a positive agenda for Tennesseans.” In the Articles of Impeachment, Cohen and his co-sponsors cited allegations of Russian interference in the presidential elections, alleged links between Trump’s campaign and Russia and the firing of FBI Director James Comey. The Democrats also accused Trump of profiting off his business brand during his presidency (a process called emoluments), the pardoning of former Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Trump’s disagreements with the news media. Cohen is the ranking member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice. He called for the committee to…
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Roy Moore kicked off Wednesday by taking another shot at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who is calling on Mr. Moore to end his Republican bid for the U.S. Senate in Alabama over allegations of sexual misconduct involving minors. The former state chief justice has since made Mr. McConnell a top target of Twitter. “Mitch McConnell…
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Tennessee teachers are worn down by their workload and don’t think their school districts are doing enough to address the problem, results of an October survey by Professional Educators of Tennessee (ProEd) show. The Nashville-based organization which represents teachers surveyed 536 educators from more than 81 districts. This was the second year for the annual comprehensive survey. “I wasn’t surprised at all that teacher workload was the number one issue,” said Bethany Bowman, director of professional development for ProEd and a former teacher. Bowman said bureaucratic state and district mandates make a teacher’s job exhausting. “There’s so much more to it than just instructing a class,” she said. The survey asked teachers to rate around 20 issues as being very critical, critical, somewhat critical or not critical. After workload, the top 10 most critical issues included salary, literacy, parental engagement, instructional time, planning time, lack of respect, benefits, school safety and administrator quality. The survey also asked educators to rate how they felt their district or school addressed the issues. Only 29 percent of educators rated their districts above average with respect to workload, only 31 percent rated their districts above average for addressing salary issues, and only 37 percent…
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U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he is “very proud” of his five-nation, 12-day trip to Asia, asserting lots of progress was made on issues such as security and trade. In remarks delivered behind closed doors Tuesday at the East Asia Summit in Manila, Trump reiterated that North Korea remains a major global military threat. “North…
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The United States is on the verge of reversing an immigration court backlog that has been building for years, Attorney General Jeff Sessions testified Tuesday. Immigration hawks long have pointed to the backlog, now about 600,000 cases, as a factor in undermining enforcement. Sessions told the House Judiciary Committee that the backlog has barely grown during…
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President Trump on Tuesday nominated Tom Homan to become the permanent head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in a move that heads off what could have been a crisis of leadership at the critical agency. Mr. Trump acted with just two days left before the Vacancies Act would have kicked in, and forced Mr. Homan…
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by CHQ Staff Conservatives wondering where the Alabama Senate election is going should reflect on the despicable conduct of Mitch McConnell when a Republican primary election goes against his wishes. In the 2014 Mississippi Republican Senate primary McConnell backed 36-year incumbent establishment Senator Thad Cochran, whom Citizens Against Government Waste once named the leading pork-seeker in the Senate, against principled limited government constitutional conservative state Senator Chris McDaniel. According to Brietbart’s Matthew Boyle, Sen. Cochran and executive assistant Kay Webber “traveled eight times to France, five times to Italy, four times to Israel, and twice to Japan. The full list of countries they traveled to includes: Italy, France, Brussels, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Hungary, Russia, Norway, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Malta, Austria, and Czech Republic in Europe; Colombia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, and Chile in South America; Guatemala, and Mexico in North and Central America; Japan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, the Republic of the Philippines, and South Korea in Asia; Turkey, Jordan, Israel, Azerbaijan, Oman, and United Arab Emirates in the Middle East, to Morocco; and Egypt, Cape Verde, and South Africa in Africa. Other documents show that in 2005 and 2007, the Wine Institute, a trade…
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Former Republican Congressional candidate Dr. George Flinn, who wrote President Trump asking him to instruct the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) to amend the Obama-era regulation that were used against a beloved West Tennessee family physician, released a statement on Tuesday that he was “glad to play a small role in the restoration of Medicare billing privileges to Dr. Bryan Merrick, the family physician based in McKenzie, Tennessee: Congratulations to Dr. Merrick, his staff and the city of McKenzie. Ensuring that Dr. Merrick is able to continue serving his patients is an absolute victory, especially in a time when the patient-doctor relationship is dissolving due to government overreach and over regulation. Any help that was provided in writing a letter to President Trump, I was more than happy to do. I’m glad I was able to play a small role in doing the right thing and making sure patients continue to have access to Dr. Merrick. “Federal officials have restored Medicare billing privileges to Dr. Bryan Merrick, whose McKenzie Medical Center is located in the small West Tennessee city of McKenzie,” The Tennessee Star reported on Tuesday: The Tennessee Star led the way in reporting on the story of…
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Jimmy Haslam, CEO of Pilot Flying J, knew about a fuel rebate scheme at his company and “loved it,” according to what an executive said in a secret recording that jurors heard in court Tuesday. Haslam, brother of Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and owner of the Cleveland Browns football team, has denied knowledge of the widespread fraud scheme and has not been charged. Four former employees of the truck stop chain are currently on trial in U.S. District Court in Chattanooga. In all, 18 former employees were charged in the scheme and 14 pleaded guilty. The fraud involved shorting trucking companies on promised diesel fuel rebates. “He knew – absolutely,” John “Stick” Freeman, former Pilot Flying J vice president of sales, said of Jimmy Haslam in the recording played in court Tuesday, according to the Knoxville News-Sentinel. Federal prosecutors released a transcript of the recording after Pilot Flying J was raided by federal agents in 2013, but Tuesday was the first time the recording was heard publicly. The recording was made by Vincent Greco, then a sales director for the company, who wore a wire for investigators. Freeman said in the recording that former president Mark Hazelwood also knew about the scheme.…
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by Rick Manning You know, as a non-economist, when I received the invitation to participate in this forum, I kind of felt like a Christian being invited into the Coliseum to meet the lions for lunch. However, since this debate is largely a political and not an economic question, I am confident that the audience will find that I have some smooth stones at my disposal to take down Goliath. After listening to the affirmative, I want to remind the audience of what this debate is about. The affirmative must prove this resolution: “The U.S. government should unilaterally abolish all tariffs and duties on imports and all subsidies to exports, thereby making all reciprocal trade agreements with other countries unnecessary.” This resolution rises or falls on three words: UNILATERALLY, SHOULD and UNNECESSARY. Because ultimately, the affirmative demands that the U.S. should, in the real world, take unilateral actions, which in practical application will cause reciprocal trade agreements to become unnecessary. So, as we begin we will exam these three areas. Let’s start with the terms unilateral and reciprocal. Unilateral action is the opposite of seeking reciprocal trade agreements as a precondition to lowering tariffs and lifting subsidies. But reciprocity is not merely a negotiating…
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The Army very quietly announced in August that it will lift a ban on waivers allowing people with a history of mental health issues, as well as alcohol and drug abuse, to join their ranks. Even in normal times this should concern you greatly, let alone when the world appears to be preparing for war. Meeting…
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There’s a lot of media talk lately about all the Republicans who are leaving office, refusing to seek re-election, resigning for some new venture or another – and the talk of the town is that these pols are fleeing in some sort of mixture of disgust, horror and sadness at the direction the party’s taking, post-President…
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Filip Forsberg once again burned the organization that traded him, this time to achieve a milestone. The Nashville Predators forward scored his 100th career goal as part of his team’s four-goal second period Tuesday night in a 6-3 win over the Washington Capitals at Bridgestone Arena. Forsberg snapped a five-game goal-less drought on…
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The Jon Gruden rumors have been going strong the last few weeks and especially so this week after Butch Jones was fired from his job at Tennessee. However, Football Scoop is reporting that the former Super Bowl-winning coach is not interested in going to the college ranks. Jon Gruden has no interest in being the next…
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The Nashville Predators placed left wing Scott Hartnell and defenseman Yannick Weber on injured reserve, the team announced Tuesday. Hartnell will be out three to five weeks with a lower-body injury while Weber is expected to be sidelined two to four weeks with a lower-body ailment. Hartnell, who signed a one-year, $1 million contract in July,…
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President Donald Trump complained on Twitter on Wednesday that he was “forced” to watch the “FAKE” and “loser” CNN during his stay in the Philippines. Trump, who just returned from his 12-day, five-nation tour across Asia, ripped the network he repeatedly has dubbed “fake news” for its coverage of him and his administration. In direct contrast,…
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A small and simple handheld device with the ability to detect skin cancer has just won the International James Dyson Award for the year. Because cancerous skin tissue metabolizes more quickly than regular skin cells, the tissue regains heat faster than the rest of a person’s skin. So, when a patient’s skin is cooled down, the…
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Conservative grassroots activist Andy Ogles announced he is “ending his campaign for the U.S. Senate effective immediately,” in a statement released by his campaign Wednesday morning. “I entered this race to insure that Tennessee would have conservative representation that would reflect their values and commitment to ‘draining the swamp’ that Tennesseans expect and deserve. With Senator Corker making the decision to exit the Senate at the conclusion of his term rather than being terminated by the voters, the political landscape changed dramatically,” the former head of the Tennessee chapter of Americans for Prosperity said in the statement, which continued: “With each passing day, Senator Corker has underlined why Tennessee voters were prepared to fire him. As others hesitated, I was willing to accept the challenge and believed that once his vulnerabilities could be exposed voters would give him a pink slip. He clearly believed the same thing,” Ogles added. “Senator Corker has shown more passion attacking our President the past eleven months than he expressed in criticizing President Barack Obama during his entire 8 years in the White House. Thanks to Senators like Bob Corker, we have failed to secure our borders, still haven’t repealed and replaced Obamacare and are…
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Chase Rice to Release “Lambs and Lions” November 17 along with a “We Are Lions” school Spirit Contest.
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U.S. Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) and other House Democrats on Wednesday filed five Articles of Impeachment against President Donald J. Trump. “The time has come to make clear to the American people and to this President that his train of injuries to our Constitution must be brought to an end through impeachment,” the congressman from Tennessee’s 9th District said in a press release. “I believe there is evidence that he attempted to obstruct an investigation into Russia’s interference with the U.S. presidential election and links between between Russia and the Trump campaign, most notably the firing of FBI Director James Comey.” Cohen is the ranking member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice. The Articles of Impeachment may be read here. Other reasons given include: National Security Advisor Michael Flynn misled Vice President Pence about his discussions with the Russian Ambassador to the United States. • Donald J. Trump demanded F.B.I. Director James Comey’s loyalty, and asked Comey to let Flynn go. • Donald J. Trump fired F.B.I. Director James Comey while the F.B.I. was investigating Russian interference with the 2016 presidential election including possible collusion with the Trump campaign. Donald J. Trump admitted in a television…
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The presentation to students from Metro Nashville Meigs Middle Magnet School at the Islamic Center of Nashville (ICN) on October 17th was misleading when compared to corresponding information in a popular Islamic school textbook. ICN’s Director of Operations Dina Sirois claimed that her talk to the students was not about “trying to win you over,” presumably a disclaimer of proselytizing Islam to the students which would otherwise violate federal and state law. However, her comparisons between Islam, Christianity and Judaism, especially when considered in light of her incomplete explanations on topics such as the resurrection of Jesus and jihad, suggests that her talk was more in line with the Islamic mandate of dawa and designed to be “the seeds of Islam [that] can be sowed inside the hearts of non-Muslim students.” But a school textbook included in a video about Annoor Academy, a private Islamic school in Knoxville, shows that Sirois’s explanation of Muslims’ belief in the resurrection of Jesus is incomplete making it appear the intention was to have students think that Christian and Muslim beliefs are more alike than different. A 2013 promo YouTube video for Annoor Academy shows a row of textbooks titled What Islam Is All About. (See at the 1:04…
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Attorney General Jeff Sessions directed senior federal prosecutors to look into whether the Department of Justice should appoint a special counsel to investigate the Clinton Foundation and issues connected to the controversial Obama-era Uranium One deal, multiple news organizations reported Monday. Sessions requested that the prosecutors evaluate “certain issues” pertaining to the deal, which allowed a…
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During its annual meeting Tuesday, the Tennessee Baptist Convention voted to turn away representatives from an East Tennessee Southern Baptist church that recently hired a female senior pastor, effectively ending its ties with the church. The vote was overwhelmingly in favor of the decision to not seat “messengers,” or voting representatives, according to the Baptist and Reflector news outlet. The convention is meeting through today in Hendersonville. Tuesday’s vote confirmed a finding last month by the credentials committee that a church with a woman senior pastor cannot be considered a “cooperating church” according to convention bylaws. Article VI of the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 says that “the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.” Ellen Di Giosia has been in her position as senior pastor at First Baptist Church in Jefferson City since Aug. 1. She and six other representatives from the church attempted to register in person for the annual meeting. During a discussion before the vote, a few people spoke in support of Di Giosia and First Baptist. Tambi Swiney, a female associate pastor of Immanuel Baptist in Nashville who works under a male senior pastor, said the Jefferson City church “has a long legacy of…
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A Tennessee chancery court judge ruled on Tuesday that the opioid abuse lawsuit filed by the Shelby County Commission earlier this month against several pharmaceutical companies, pharmacies, and distributors can proceed, but gave Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell until the end of the year to intervene. “I am pleased the judge ruled that the opioid lawsuit would go forward,” Shelby County Commission Chairwoman Heidi Shafer tells The Tennessee Star in an exclusive interview. “The commission’s whole objective in this is to help the citizens of West Tennessee out of this horrible mess,” she adds. “This lawsuit is one of many actions we are taking to stop our communities being flooded with these extremely addictive drugs,” Shafer says. “The end of the year. That is the timeline that was set by a chancery court judge as to when the Shelby County Mayor’s administration needs to intervene in a lawsuit county commissioners filed against opioid makers,” WREG reported about Tuesday’s ruling. “I think he was clear he believes going forward it’s in the public’s best interest for the lawsuit to move forward,” attorney Allan Wade, who “spoke on behalf of the commission in court,” told WREG. “We’ve never objected them getting in…
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PULASKI, Tennessee – At Clay Doggett’s campaign kick-off event against incumbent District 70 State Representative Barry Doss (R-Leoma) in Pulaski on Monday evening, Roving Patriots PAC Executive Director Kevin Baigert pledged financial support of the state maximum of $7,800 to the grassroots conservative challenger. Roving Patriots PAC was founded with the purpose of its first project, Partnership for a Constitutional Tennessee, being to identify, vet and support conservative candidates in order to achieve a true conservative majority in the Tennessee House of Representatives. After Doggett made the formal announcement of his intention to run, to the group of about 100 attending the event Baigert explained that he was there representing grassroots activists and contributors from across the state who want to “drain the swamp” in Nashville Tennessee, not just Washington, D.C. Baigert made specific mention of the passage of the tax- and fee-increasing IMPROVE Act, while the state had a $2 billion budgetary surplus as a bellwether issue. While Doggett never mentioned Doss, Baigert cited the representative’s key role in passing the IMPROVE Act followed by his company’s work on state roads and his attendance at Nashville Mayor Megan Barry’s introduction of a $5.2 billion transit plan. As a first…
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Sam Moore Celebrates 50th Anniversary of His Historic Anthem “Soul Man” by releasing a new album “Sam Moore: An American Patriot.”
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Legal and military experts told lawmakers Tuesday the president does not have complete authority to launch the first strike using a nuclear weapon when the U.S. is not faced with an imminent threat. In testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee the experts grappled with what scenarios encompass “imminent” threats, when the president could order an…
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The state of Tennessee is hoping to hire a consultant by January for help in overseeing and promoting the Memphis Regional Megasite that is still without a major manufacturer more than 10 years after planning for the project began. The state is asking for $2 million to hire the consultant and make various infrastructure improvements, reports Nashville Public Radio. Toyota and Mazda passed on the site last week for a new auto manufacturing plant because it wasn’t shovel-ready. U.S. Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-6), who is running for governor, issued a statement calling the decision “a tremendous, inexcusable loss for our state.” The consultant hired by the state Department of Economic and Community Development would provide ongoing technical expertise on an as-needed basis, according to state documents. Responsibilities would include developing a site management plan, assisting with tenant negotiations and coordination of utility, transportation and railroad services, and communicating with stakeholders. Nashville Public Radio reported that the decision to hire a consultant was made before Toyota-Mazda eliminated the West Tennessee site from consideration. Another unnamed company also passed on the site in recent weeks. Other firms have also turned down the site over the years. The megasite includes 4,100 acres of land off Interstate 40 in Haywood…
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by ConservativeHQ.com Staff “I had nothing to do with this. This is a completely manufactured story meant to defraud this campaign. They’re losing. They’re 11 points behind. They don’t like my acknowledgment there is a God… They’re desperate. Sean, they’re simply desperate.” ~ Judge Roy Moore to Sean Hannity The political attacks on Judge Roy Moore – which are really more like assassination attempts – have brought the dirty tricks and smears of the Far Left to a new low. The totally unsupported charges that some 38 years ago, Moore, as a 32-year old adult, pursued some kind of a relationship with a 14-year old girl have all the hallmarks of a Leftwing political hit; a source closely tied to Democratic politicians, no physical evidence, no paper trail, and reporting by a rabidly anti-Republican, anti-Trump publication. Likewise, the allegations brought forward by serial Leftist litigator Gloria Allred lack any evidence, let alone proof. But these defamatory attacks are having two desired effects: First, it is driving Moore down in the polls; and, Second, it has manifested a new low in the disgusting cut and run by establishment Republicans, who wanted Moore defeated by any means possible in the Republican…
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Senate Judiciary Chairman Charles E. Grassley signaled this week he won’t adhere to a strict “blue-slip” policy for judicial nominees, clearing the path for Republicans to install some of President Trump’s picks over the objections of home-state Democrats. Mr. Grassley said the blue-slip tradition was intended to make sure the president consults with senators about judicial…
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VERSE OF THE DAY Be blessed and be a blessing November 15, Wednesday Proverbs 11:1 Dishonest scales are detestable to the Lord, but an accurate weight is His delight. Romans 12:6-9 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,[a] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. 9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good
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Federal officials have restored Medicare billing privileges to Dr. Bryan Merrick, whose McKenzie Medical Center is located in the small West Tennessee city of McKenzie. The Tennessee Star led the way in reporting on the story of the well respected West Tennessee family practice doctor whose Medicare billing privileges were revoked in March under an Obama-era regulation over a reported $670 in billing errors. “Dr. Bryan Merrick has received word from federal officials that they are reversing an earlier decision to block Dr. Merrick from serving Medicare patients,” according to a statement released by the Office of Attorney Roy Herron on Tuesday, which can be read here: Dr. Merrick’s attorney, former state senator Roy Herron, was called on Monday by two of the several officials that Dr. Merrick and Herron had met with last Thursday in Baltimore. On the call the officials acknowledged to Herron how easily billing for the wrong one of two identically named persons could happen. The officials asked questions about actions taken by the McKenzie Medical Center to try to minimize clerical errors. After Herron explained those numerous preventive actions, the officials and Herron exchanged multiple emails. Late Monday, the officials confirmed that the Medicate revocation definitely would…
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U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is back at work in the Senate after being attacked and seriously injured by a neighbor outside his home in Bowling Green on Nov. 3. Paul, who was hospitalized with several broken ribs and bruised lungs, returned to work Monday, tweeting that he was “still in a good deal of pain” but “ready to fight for liberty and help move forward with tax cuts in the coming days and weeks.” Kelley and I want to thank everyone once again for your thoughts and prayers for my recovery. While I’m still in a good deal of pain, I will be returning to work in the Senate today, ready to fight for liberty and help move forward with tax cuts in the coming days and weeks. — Rand Paul (@RandPaul) November 13, 2017 Paul was attacked by anesthesiologist Rene Boucher after stepping off his riding lawn mower. Initial reports suggested a landscaping dispute between the two neighbors prompted the attack, but Paul’s office has said there no such quarrel and other neighbors are casting doubt on that explanation, according to Fox News. Boucher pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge. Paul’s office has been told to also expect…
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Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates announced Monday that he is investing $50 million to fund research into treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Gates, in an entry on his blog, said he was making the investment from his personal fortune and not with his charitable Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “Of all the disorders that plague us late in…
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What is the only Da Vinci painting on the open market worth? A Russian billionaire believes he was swindled when he bought it for $127.5 million. This week he’ll find out if he was right. “Salvator Mundi,” a painting of Jesus Christ by the Renaissance polymath Leonardo da Vinci circa 1500, is the star lot in…
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A federal jury has deadlocked in the corruption case against Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), but the judge has ordered jurors to return to deliberate on Tuesday morning. Menendez is being tried on 12 counts of corruption, including bribery. The trial is in its 11th week. Menendez could face up to 20 years in prison on the…
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Two became three as a scheduled Monday morning meeting between President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was expanded to include Japan’s Shinzo Abe. The change underscored the growing three-way relationship concerning regional security, especially regarding how to respond to North Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, as well as countering China’s…
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Songwriter Lee Thomas Miller launched his campaign for the Republican nomination to represent Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District from his home in Brentwood today. “I’m a songwriter, the smallest of ‘small business.’ I’m a small town guy who grew up being taught that every decision should be rooted in common sense. That patriotism and walking with God are part of everyday life. That nobody owes me anything- it’s up to me to earn what I get,” Miller said in his announcement statement. “I’m definitely not a politician and have no desire to ever become one!” he added. The conservative champion of religious liberty explained why he decided to enter the race to succeed Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07), who is running for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Senator Bob Corker (R-TN). “I’ve been writing the stories of real Americans for as long as I can remember. Stories about life and loss. Love and regret. Songs about innocence and youth. Songs about faith and the struggle to keep it. I give a voice to those who can not find the words they are looking for. I give a voice to those who are not being heard,” Miller added in the statement…
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PULASKI, Tennessee – Grassroots conservative candidate Clay Doggett announced his run Monday for Tennessee House District 70, a seat currently held by the chief promoter of the gas-tax increasing IMPROVE Act, Barry “Boss” Doss. Doggett said of his decision to run that, like so many others before him, he was resolved “to stand up and protect the freedoms and liberties we now enjoy.” While Barry Doss’s role as champion of the IMPROVE Act, breaking rules and renaming it the Tax Cut Act of 2017, calls for an ethics investigation, and, subsequent to the passage of the Act, his provocative road work and front-row support of Nashville Mayor Megan Barry’s $5.2 billion transit plan would have been an easy target for Doggett, he instead stayed remarkably focused on his own positions and qualifications. A Giles County native, Doggett made his announcement at the Staar Theater in the county seat of downtown Pulaski after an eloquent and touching introduction by his six-year-old son, Coell. While there were about 100 people in attendance at the historic venue, one could nearly hear a pin drop as the audience listened intently to Doggett’s message. After going to Giles County public schools and graduating from the…
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Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell is now suing all thirteen Shelby County Commissioners to stop the opioid abuse lawsuit they filed earlier this month. But on Monday, the Shelby County Commission hit back, and voted “to direct Mayor Mark Luttrell to drop a lawsuit against its chairwoman over who controls an opioid lawsuit against Big Pharma,” the Commercial Appeal reported. “It’s a blatant bully tactic to try to scare commissioners into believing that they don’t have the right to vote and act as a check and balance on the executive branch,” Shelby County Commission Chairwoman Heidi Shafer told The Tennesssee Star in an exclusive interview late Monday. “I was proud of the commission for standing up to such bullying tactics,” Shafer told The Star. “The commission voted 8-5 to approve the resolution, which was added on to the agenda an hour into Monday’s meeting. The resolution also directs the administration not to file any lawsuits without prior approval from a majority of the commissioners,” as the Commercial Appeal reported, adding: Luttrell’s administration sued chairwoman Heidi Shafer and the commission on Nov. 6 for her decision to hire law firm New York-based Napoli Shkolnik, known for winning a huge class-action settlement for sick Ground Zero workers,…
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Defense attorneys for the highest-ranking Pilot Flying J executive charged in a fuel rebate scandal say former president Mark Hazelwood was too busy doing his job to be involved in the scheme, reports the Knoxville News-Sentinel. That also goes for CEO Jimmy Haslam, defense attorneys say. Jimmy Haslam, who has not been charged, is the brother of Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and owner of the Cleveland Browns football team. The truck stop giant is a Haslam family business. Gov. Haslam is no longer involved in its daily operations. The trial of Hazelwood and three others started last week on Monday in U.S. District Court in Chattanooga and is expected to last until at least late December. Former vice president of sales Scott Wombold and regional account representatives Heather Jones and Karen Mann are also standing trial in Chattanooga on charges of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud. Hazelwood and Wombold deny involvement in the scheme and Jones and Mann have said they simply followed orders. In secret recordings made by a sales employee for investigators, Hazelwood’s voice can be heard in talk of the scheme. Haslam’s voice is not heard in any recordings that have been released. Prosecutors say Pilot…
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The Tennessee Democratic Party recently passed resolutions supporting “Medicare for All,” a $15 minimum wage and medical marijuana. The resolutions reflect the state party’s lurch to the left. They were passed by the executive committee Oct. 28 and detailed in a Nov. 2 news release. “Medicare for All” is a movement led by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and other progressives that would nationalize health care. “Too many Tennessee families cannot take their children to the doctor when they are sick because they can’t afford insurance,” said Will T. Cheek, a Democratic National Committee executive committee member from Nashville, in the news release. “Eight rural hospitals have closed since 2010 in Tennessee leaving entire communities with no emergency care. Tennessee Democrats are making it clear the priority has to be solving these problems and ensuring that health care is guaranteed to everyone and ‘Medicare for All’ does exactly that.” However, Steven Rattner, a Wall Street executive who advised the treasury secretary under former President Obama, wrote an op-ed for the New York Times Oct. 24 saying that supporting “Medicare for All” would be a mistake for Democrats. Rattner wrote: As a centrist Democrat, I’m scared to see my party pulled into positions that…
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Keurig CEO Bob Gamgort apologized to employees Monday for the negative attention brought to the brand after announcing on Twitter that it had stopped running ads during Sean Hannity’s Fox News show. Fox News fans started a #BoycottKeurig hashtag and uploaded videos of them smashing and setting coffee makers on fire after the company announced on…
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Kim Jong-un If you happened to be looking for concrete examples of North Korea attempting to crush dissent this Monday morning, look no further than this story of a soldier being shot while defecting to South Korea. RELATED: Kellyanne Conway responds to Trump’s “short and fat” tweet South Korea has announced that an unnamed soldier defecting…
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U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-7) on Monday released a video in which she expressed support for President Trump’s immigration policies. Blackburn, who is running for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), says in the video: I support the president’s goals and his plan on immigration. He is right to require Congress to get in there and figure out this entry-exit program, and how our visas are issued. Forty percent of those that are illegally in the country are here because they have overstayed a visa. So, the American people for a variety of reasons have said let’s secure this southern border. Yes, part of it will be a wall, part of it is probably going to be increased surveillance. Part of it is going to be other technology. The good thing is the border patrol is leading a lot of this discussion in saying this is what we need. And we in Congress need to give the border patrol what they see they need. What they tell us they need, in order to secure the southern border. On Thursday, Fox News published an op-ed by Blackburn in which she spoke out against sanctuary cities and discussed legislation…
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The University of Tennessee-Knoxville will host a speaker this evening who will talk about Islamophobia and social justice. Amer F. Ahmed’s presentation is called “Addressing Islamophobia: Dispelling Myths to Break Down Barriers” and is part of the university’s celebration of International Education Week. The school website says that Ahmed “skillfully interweaves social justice, diversity and inclusion, and intercultural frameworks to cultivate rich and meaningful dialogue with his audiences.” “This program will benefit participants interested in learning more about Islam and Islamophobia, providing needed context to bridge divides,” the website says. Born in Ohio to Indian Muslim immigrants, Ahmed is “an intercultural diversity consultant, college administrator, facilitator, poet and Hip Hop activist,” according to his website. He has held positions at Loras College in Iowa, Concordia College in Minnesota, the University of Michigan and Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. He is currently director of intercultural teaching and faculty development at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The growing emphasis on Islamophobia in recent years has been criticized by conservatives as an effort to downplay and distort the differences between Islam and other belief systems and for becoming a factor behind people being afraid to report potential terrorist activity despite “see something, say something” campaigns. Two years…
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