Day: May 18, 2018

Early Voting Turnout in Nashville Special Mayoral Election Jumped to More Than 5,000 on Thursday

Tennessee Star Staff

Early voting turnout in the May 24 Nashville special mayoral election jumped to 5,194 on Thursday, the largest single day early voting turnout so far. As was the case on Tuesday, when the previous one day high of 3,537 was set, all 11 early voting locations were open until 7 pm. But with just two more days of early voting left, total turnout is still on track to come in at less than half of the early voting turnout for the May 1 transit plan referendum election, where voters overwhelmingly rejected the $9 billion plan by a 64 percent to 36 percent margin. In 12 days of early voting so far, just more than 20,000 residents of Nashville/Davidson County have cast their ballots. But on the last two days of early voting all 11 early voting poll locations will close at 5:30 pm today and 4:30 pm on Saturday. The loss of those extra hours means it is unlikely that turnout on either day will exceed Thursday’s one day high of 5,194. The last three days of early voting in the 14 day early voting period of the May 1 transit plan referendum election saw the heaviest turnout–37 percent of…

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Mueller Says He Won’t Indict Trump. Here’s Three Things You NEED To Know

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FBI Mueller and President Trump

by Kevin Daley   Rudy Giuliani told CNN Wednesday that special counsel Robert Mueller informed President Donald Trump’s legal team that his office concluded a sitting chief executive cannot be indicted. Here are three things you need to know about this revelation. 1. The special counsel could still recommend action against Trump As most news accounts noted, Mueller still has other options with respect to Trump. Should he find compelling evidence of criminal behavior on the president’s part, he can make an impeachment referral to the House of Representatives. Congress has always been the most appropriate venue for a criminal complaint against Trump, and that alternative (dramatic though it may be) remains available. Should Democrats assume control of the lower chamber in the November elections, such a referral would provide the perfect pretext for an impeachment vote many progressives have agitated for since Mueller’s appointment. 2. Trump might still be named as an unindicted co-conspirator On occasion, prosecutors name individuals involved in a criminal conspiracy as unindicted co-conspirators, though these individuals are never subject to criminal charges. There aren’t categorical rules in this area. Individuals are most often made to accept such designations in exchange for immunity. The U.S. attorney’s manual advises…

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Potential Haslam Veto of Sanctuary Bill Hurts Boyd But ‘Could Ignite’ Harwell’s Campaign

Chris Alto
Randy Boyd and Bill Haslam

Open borders and leftist groups are demanding Governor Haslam veto the sanctuary city bill. Proponents of the bill who don’t want criminal illegal aliens released into their communities, want the bill to become law – with or without the Governor’s signature. Putting HB2315 into state law helps Haslam make good on his own campaign promises. As to a potential Haslam veto, Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill says it hurts Boyd but could be just the antidote for Harwell’s anemic campaign: A veto of the anti-sanctuary city bill by Governor Haslam could create a backlash against Randy Boyd due to his close political and personal relationship with him. But the downside to Boyd would be small in comparison to the benefit to Speaker Beth Harwell who could immediately lead a highly visible and popular legislative effort to overturn the veto which would almost certainly be successful. A veto would be the best campaign contribution that Haslam could give her, and it could ignite her struggling campaign. If Governor Haslam doesn’t veto or sign the bill by Tuesday, May 22nd, it will become law without his signature.  

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Judge Recuses After Suppressing Campaign Ad Blasting His Own Associates And Donors

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by Kevin Daley   Circuit Judge Doug Martin, an Arkansas judge who issued a restraining order barring broadcast of a political ad attacking his own associates and campaign donors, has recused himself after The Daily Caller News Foundation first revealed his conflicts of interest. The ad in question criticized Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Courtney Goodson for accepting gifts from an attorney who argues before her. Her defamation case against the ad’s creators will be assigned to another judge, though the restraining order remains in effect. Goodson is standing for reelection to the state Supreme Court on May 22. She drew two challengers. Judicial elections in Arkansas are nonpartisan. The piece was produced by the Judicial Crisis Network (JCN), a Washington-based conservative advocacy group. The justice brought a defamation suit against JCN, and asked the Washington County Circuit Court to enjoin its broadcast. Martin issued a restraining order, known as a TRO, forbidding dissemination of the ad on several television stations. TheDCNF reported Tuesday night that Martin accepted campaign contributions from individuals referenced in the ad. In addition, his wife has substantial business connections to Goodson’s husband. Mrs. Martin owns an equity share in a consultancy Mr. Goodson owns, and the…

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Off the Record: State Rep. Ron Gant – Really? All You Got Was a Plane Ride?

Chris Alto

Freshman State Rep. Ron Gant (R-Rossville), who ran as a conservative, took a plane ride with Bill, and less than two weeks later, endorses self-described political moderate and never-Trumper Randy Boyd! Hey Ron – did you -um- forget that Fayette County elected Trump by over 71% of the vote and McNairy by 80+%? Do you have any idea what Randy meant when he said: The idea of putting my name on anything [for Trump] is anathema to me. Hey Ron – did you forget that Randy has tied himself to the guy who had to drop out of the race because even with all his money and political connections, he was a BIG flop? Yup, we’re talking about Jeb! – the guy Randy went to bat for as a delegate, and whose man-crush never waned, inviting Jeb! to fundraise for him in a state that LOVED Trump in the primary and in the general. Hey Ron – ever hear of “Tennessee Thrives” and see what they’re all about? Did Bill give you THE “talk”? You know the one where he tells you that Randy’s a really good guy who loves dogs and running and you know, “La Raza” doesn’t really…

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Jeff Obafemi Carr Opens Nashville Mayoral Campaign Headquarters, Announces ‘4th Quarter Plan’

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Mayoral hopeful jeff obafemi carr officially opened his campaign headquarters Wednesday located, ironically, at the former ‘Transit for Nashville’ field office in Northwest Nashville. “The location became available, it was right in the heart of a part of town largely forgotten by the city, and we needed a place to call home. It was a perfect fit. One condition was that we had to clean up  and repair some damage the ‘for’ team did to the place, but we figured it was a metaphor for what we’re having to do with this campaign,” carr said in a statement. “Here, in the heart of a neighborhood that means so much to me, we are working to return Nashville’s government back to the people.” The pro-transit plan group closed their offices after the initiative was resoundingly defeated by voters 64% to 36%. The campaign notes that in his roll as the Senior Advisor and Strategist for NoTax4Tracks, carr served as the consistent voice against the $9 billion boodoggle. “Our campaign office location is so fitting because the transit work is not over,” carr said; adding: The first step was defeating the proposed plan that would have over-taxed everyday Nashvillians and small businesses, while providing maximum…

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Newt Gingrich Says The ‘Trump Effect’ Has Pushed Conservative Movement To A Whole New Level

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by Nick Givas   Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said President Donald Trump’s policies have had a profound effect on the conservative movement and expects his influence to continue to grow. “I think the Trump effect has been remarkable,” Gingrich said Thursday on Fox Business’ “Varney & Co.” “The combination of conservative judges, deregulation, tax cuts, innovation, the right policies favoring work over welfare — all of that’s come together,” Gingrich continued. “Plus having an entrepreneur in the White House has sent a sort of an emotional signal to small business leaders, entrepreneurs, creative people in the economy. We’ve had the highest positives we’ve had in many, many years.” Gingrich also said there is a possibility of 4.1-percent growth for the U.S. economy for the second quarter, and it could lead to the lowest black unemployment numbers in history. “There’s one report that the second quarter maybe actually be 4.1 percent growth,” he said. “If that happens, I think you’re going to see the country look up — lowest black unemployment in history.” Editors Note: Watch Gingrich full appearance on Varney and Co. :   – – – Nick Givas is a reporter at Daily Caller news Foundation. You can Follow Nick on Twitter and Facebook. …

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Christian Parent Furious After School Instructs Children To Write Out Their Submission To Allah

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Classroom Islam

by Joshua Gill   A West Virginia school has come under fire for instructing junior high students to write the Islamic profession of faith ostensibly to practice calligraphy. Rich Penkoski, a Christian parent and founder of online ministry Warriors for Christ, raised alarms over a packet on Islam his daughter’s seventh grade social studies teacher issued to students, according to Christian Post. The packet, edited from the full version of a world religions workbook, instructed students to practice writing the Shahada, or Islamic profession of faith, in Arabic calligraphy — an assignment that, if left undone, would result in detention, according to Penkoski’s daughter. [ RELATED: ‘Continue The Momentum’ — San Diego Schools Continue Coordinating With CAIR After Rescinding Controversial Anti-Islamophobia Initiative ] The Shahada states: “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.” Penkoski called Mountain Ridge Middle School Principal Ron Branch and objected to the packet, saying it disturbed him and had misinformation about the history of calligraphy. “I saw the assignment of writing the Shahada in Arabic. Their excuse was calligraphy,” Penkoski told The Christian Post. “I was like, ‘Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!’ First of all, calligraphy was invented in China 3,000 years prior to Muhammad. The fact that…

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Middle East Forum Commentary: Don’t Work with the Southern Poverty Law Center

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by Oren Litwin   The Jewish Federation of Nashville, TN recently announced a May 23rd event with Joseph Levin, Jr., co-founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), on the subject of “Hate in the Mainstream.” While no specifics have been released, it is likely that Levin will be discussing right-wing anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim bigotry, both of which the SPLC attributes to the influence of President Trump. The SPLC should be the last organization to invite in as experts. Despite its storied legacy and claimed expertise on modern extremism, the SPLC has a long history of sensationalism, exaggerating the scope of extremist threats, and deliberately conflating political opposition with bigotry. Unfortunately, their behavior with regard to anti-Muslim bigotry (a relatively new enthusiasm of the SPLC) is simply par for the course. In 2016, with great fanfare, the SPLC published a report titled “Field Guide to Anti-Muslim Extremists.” Several of the profiled figures are clearly bigots in the traditional sense; but the SPLC slandered several legitimate activists for the apparently unforgivable offense of pointing out Islamist extremism, and working against it. Chief among these was Maajid Nawaz, a practicing Muslim and a former Islamist extremist jailed by Egypt for nearly four years.…

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Spurious Lawsuit by Infamous ‘Patent Troll’ Against Adam Corolla Defeated in Court with Help from Digital Rights Group, Electronic Frontier Foundation

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by Kyle Perisic   The Supreme Court dismissed a case on Monday involving an infamous patent troll that claimed to own podcasting and previously sued libertarian comedian Adam Carolla. Instead of producing its own goods or services, a patent troll profits off suing or threatening to sue companies or individuals for violating a usually broad and wide-reaching patent it owns. Personal Audio LLC defeated Apple in a 2011 lawsuit, according to its website. Apple had violated U.S. Patent 6,199,076, which was a patent for an “audio program player including a dynamic program selection controller,” the lawsuit found. Personal Audio LLC also owns U.S. Patent 8,112,504. That patent is a “system for disseminating media content representing episodes in a serialized sequence.” The abstract claims it is “an audio program and message distribution system in which a host system organizes and transmits program segments to client subscriber locations.” Patent troll Personal Audio LLC began suing companies, such as CNN and Samsung, for violating its patent in 2013. It was successful in its lawsuit against Adam Carolla’s podcast producers, Lotzi Digital, Inc. [ RELATED: Digital Rights Coalition Slams Facebook, Google’s ‘Secret Algorithms’ ] Rather than pony-up coercion money, Carolla raised $500,000 to fight back. The case ceased in 2014 when…

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Steve Gill Analysis: Why Does Anybody Give Any Credibility to the Vanderbilt Poll?

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Steve Gill Analysis: Vanderbilt Poll

by Steve Gill   Vanderbilt University is out with another of their “polls”, conducted by the Center for the Study of Democratic Organizations, that is being greeted with breathless reporting of the results by some media outlets across Tennessee. Keep in mind that this is the same group that conducted a poll of 800 registered Davidson County voters over a twelve day period from February 8-19 (TWELVE DAYS?) that included a question focused on support for the Megan Barry Transit Plan. The “poll” revealed that Davidson County voters supported the plan by a solid 42-28% split, with 34% undecided. Astute observers may remember that the Tennessean gleefully reported on the “edge” transit referendum supporters enjoyed, based on the poll.  However, the referendum was loudly rejected by voters 64-36%–a 28 point margin. So, the Vanderbilt poll only missed the actual results by a whopping 42 points! (The Tennessee Star poll showed a much more accurate 62-28% split in advance of the vote, with ten percent undecided.) Now, Vanderbilt is out with another poll. This time they polled 1400 registered voters (not likely voters) over a thirteen day period (April 26 – May 8), with a slight skew towards Republican voters intended…

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