Month: January 2019

House Subcommittee Chairman Issues Warning to Colleagues About Bureaucrats Undermining the Legislative Process

Laura Baigert

The chairman of a State House Subcommittee issued a letter warning his colleagues that the undermining of the legislative process by unelected bureaucrats in Tennessee is a reality. Representative Micah Van Huss (R-Jonesborough) wrote the letter dated January 30, 2019. Van Huss is a member of the House Health Committee, Judiciary Committee and Public Health Committee and is the Chairman of the newly-formed Constitutional Protections and Sentencing Subcommittee. It was as the chairman of that subcommittee that Van Huss found himself in a meeting with a department director, after which he felt compelled to issue his written warning. Van Huss explained, “a department director met with me to discuss how they could be of service to me and our Constitutional Protections and Sentencing Committee this year.” “One of the very first things this person said to me was that they would be of great help this year and that if there is a bad bill they will be able to put a big fiscal note on it,” he wrote. “During the course of the meeting,” Van Huss added, “a similar statement was made a second time.” Van Huss chose not to mention the bureaucrat by name, but did state that…

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Scott DesJarlais to Serve on House Armed Services and Agriculture Committees

Chris Butler

U.S. Republican Congressman Scott DesJarlais of Tennessee will join the subcommittees on Strategic Forces, as well as Intelligence, Emerging Threats and Capabilities, according to a press release Wednesday. The Strategic Forces Subcommittee oversees nuclear weapons, missile defense and space programs.  The Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee oversees counter-terrorism, special operations, military intelligence and cyber issues, among other things, according to the press release. Texas Republican Congressman Mac Thornberry, the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, announced subcommittee assignments for the new 116th Congress, according to the press release. DesJarlais will also serve on the House Agriculture Committee, per an announcement last week from Texas Republican Congressman Mike Conaway, the ranking member. In a statement, DesJarlais said this new assignment helps Tennessee. “Tennessee, especially the Fourth District, is a top producer of agriculture staples. It’s a major farming and ranching state, where the Walking Horse industry is prominent. Rural areas are also experiencing manufacturing growth, making demands on infrastructure,” DesJarlais said. “On the Agriculture Committee, I will have the opportunity to promote rural broadband and workforce development, because important skills are in short supply, and on the Armed Services Committee, I will be able to assist our many military members,…

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Gov. Lee Says He Would Support Efforts to Ban Abortions Following Detection of Fetal Heartbeat

Jason M. Reynolds

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee says he will support efforts to ban abortions once a fetal heartbeat has been detected, which is about six weeks into a pregnancy. Lee’s comments join those of senior lawmakers in the Legislature, NewsChannel 9 said. Generally speaking, the new governor told reporters Wednesday he will look at individual bills and decide if he favors them, and “the courts will have to decide for themselves whether it’s constitutional or not.” “I would support any bill that reduces the number of abortions in the state,” said Lee, who campaigned heavily on his Christian faith. NewsChannel 9 said House Speaker Glen Casada and Senate Speaker Randy McNally had voiced support Tuesday for banning abortions following detection of a heartbeat. A fetal heartbeat bill was introduced this term in the Tennessee General Assembly by Rep. James (Micah) Van Huss (R-TN-06). The bill prohibits abortions from the point a fetal heartbeat is detected and requires fetal heartbeat testing prior to an abortion. Lee’s “Ten for Tenn” campaign platform last summer said he was pro-lift and would sign legislation to reduce abortions,such as the heartbeat bill, and enforce the law to ensure Planned Parenthood doesn’t get state money. Bans on abortions…

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North Carolina Elections Committee ‘Disturbed’ by State Justice Department Missing Fed Subpoena Deadlines, Urges Compliance

A.P. Dillon

North Carolina lawmakers on the state’s Elections and Ethics Committee sent a letter to the state’s Attorney General urging him to comply with two federal subpoenas. Earlier this month, the North Carolina Department of Justice missed the deadline to respond to two federal grand jury subpoenas issued in September 2018 and which requested five years worth of voter and ballot data from 44 counties. In addition, the subpoenas requested eight years of data for voters statewide and eight years of data from the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. North Carolina House Elections Committee co-chairs Representative Holly Grange (R-D20) and Representative Destin Hall (R-D87) sent a letter on Tuesday to the State Board of Elections and Attorney General Josh Stein. Representatives Grange and Hall were recently appointed co-chairs of the North Carolina House Committee on Elections and Ethics Law by Speaker Tim Moore (R-D111). The letter, which was included in a press release put out by Speaker Moore, urges the agencies to comply with the federal grand jury subpoenas. “We are disturbed that the State Board declined to comply with grand jury subpoenas which seek to discover potential election fraud in North Carolina,” wrote Representatives Grange and Hall in the letter.…

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Phil Berger, Jr. to Run for North Carolina Supreme Court Seat

A.P. Dillon

North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge Phil Berger, Jr., announced that he would like to run for a seat on North Carolina Supreme Court in 2020. Phil Berger, Jr. is the son of one of the most powerful lawmakers in the state, Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger (R-D30). Judge Berger made the announcement on his Facebook page Monday morning and specifically mentioned Associate Justice Paul Newby’s seat. “The purpose of this letter is [to] let you know that I am interested in running for Justice Newby’s seat on the Supreme Court,” wrote Judge Berger in the post. The full text of Berger’s Facebook post is below: Dear Friends, I am sure you have heard that Chief Justice Mark Martin, a faithful North Carolina servant, will be resigning. Chief Justice Martin’s departure will leave a noticeable void on our Supreme Court. We are fortunate that Senior Associate Justice Paul Newby has already indicated his willingness to be our next Chief Justice. Justice Newby’s seat will now be an open seat for the 2020 election. The purpose of this letter is let you know that I am interested in running for Justice Newby’s seat on the Supreme Court. In 2016, thanks…

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Commentary: It’s Time to Get Real About Our Enemies

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by Karin McQuillan   Out here in Realville, to borrow from Rush Limbaugh, Donald Trump’s supporters could be very happy. For ordinary Americans – from the top to the bottom of the economic spectrum, black, white and brown – President Trump has brought good times. Except for the screeching drama queens in the Democratic Party and among #TheResistance – and our serious mass immigration problems – life is good and the country is secure. In a sensible world, we would be basking in this period of unprecedented prosperity and peace. The country should be unified and full of bonhomie. The whole world has advanced to inconceivable levels of global peace and prosperity. Life is easier, healthier, and more comfortable for more people than ever before in history. Socialism and Communism – those tragic sisters from the 1800s that led to the greatest human suffering, poverty, and mass starvation in human history – should barely be remembered. Instead, they are ascendant in the Democrat Party. Cultural Marxism and socialism are the new Democrat chic. The entire country is in an uproar. Everyone feels a sense of doom and gloom. There is more to #TheResistance than the political panic inspired by the likes…

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Crockett County Official Pocketed $100,000 in Taxpayer Money by Selling School’s Tech Equipment

Chris Butler

The former technology director for the Crockett County School Department used taxpayer money to buy electronic equipment for either his own personal use or to sell for profit, according to a new state audit. Because of this, the school system had a cash shortage of more than $114,000, Tennessee Comptrollers said in a press release. Grand jurors indicted the accused man, Michael Maness, last week on one count of theft over $60,000 and four counts of official misconduct, the press release went on to say. Investigators said they found multiple improprieties. Maness, for instance, used school district funds to purchase 267 Samsung solid state drives for $78,097.29, according to the audit. “He sold 265 of the SSDs mostly using online websites at discounted prices for personal gain. These hard drives had storage capacities of 500GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB, and were purchased strictly for resale by Mr. Maness,” Comptrollers wrote in their audit. “According to the current technology director, Mr. Keith Eason, these SSDs were not installed on any computers in the school district and served no useful purpose for the district.” Comptrollers said they confirmed some of what Maness allegedly did by contacting eBay, according to their report. Maness…

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Trump Assails Intelligence Chiefs as ‘Extremely Passive and Naive’

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U.S. President Donald Trump assailed his intelligence chiefs Wednesday, calling them “extremely passive and naive when it comes to the dangers of Iran. They are wrong!” He added, “Perhaps Intelligence should go back to school!” Trump’s unusual broadside on Twitter against the heads of the country’s intelligence agencies came a day after they disputed some of his views on Iran and world trouble spots in testimony before a congressional hearing on global threats. Central Intelligence Agency Director Gina Haspel said Iran was “technically” in compliance with the 2015 deal between it and world powers to curtail its nuclear weapons development and at least a year away from developing such a weapon. Trump tweeted that since the U.S. withdrew from the pact, Iran is “MUCH different, but a source of potential danger and conflict.They are testing Rockets (last week) and more, and are coming very close to the edge. There economy is now crashing, which is the only thing holding them back. Be careful of Iran.” The Intelligence people seem to be extremely passive and naive when it comes to the dangers of Iran. They are wrong! When I became President Iran was making trouble all over the Middle East, and…

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East Nashville Eagles Slide Past Stratford Spartans to Nab Top Spot as District Tournament Nears

Scott Wallace

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The East Nashville Magnet Eagles (21-3 overall, 10-0 District 10-0) clinched the top spot in the district as they outlasted the Stratford Spartans (8-12, 3-6) 65-60 Tuesday at Stratford. The Spartans, playing without four of their top players stayed close throughout. East took a four-point lead into the half, but the Spartans started the third quarter on an 8-1 run to take a 41-38 lead with 5:20 left in the stanza. East then went on a 6-0 run to retake the lead. Stratford matched that run scoring six straight as well. The Eagles then went on a mini 4-0 run to close the quarter with the game tied at 48. “They wouldn’t let us get away from them,” said East head coach Jim Fey. “We made mistakes and missed free throws. Their effort was better than ours.” East took a five-point lead at 55-50 midway through the fourth quarter. A conventional three-point play by Startford senior guard Quanie Clendening (20 points) cut the lead to 55-53. The Eagles struggled from the free throw line but kept the Spartans at bay. With 50 seconds left, Eagle senior guard Caleb Grimes (19 points) blocked a three-point attempt by Greg…

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Pentagon Is Sending Thousands of More Troops to the Southern Border

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by Jason Hopkins   The Pentagon is sending several thousand more troops to the southwestern border, fulfilling a request made by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Currently, there are about 2,300 troops stationed at the southwestern border. Pentagon officials revealed Tuesday that they will be deploying an additional 2,000 troops as part of the DHS’ request for the military to extend its mission there. Originally intended to last until Dec. 15, the military’s mission will now be extended to Sept. 30. The entire operation is estimated to cost $132 million by the end of January, and over $600 million by the close of the fiscal year in September. “We are supporting our federal partners on the border, and that mission has been extended until September,” stated Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Jamie Davis. “We are currently sourcing the units involved and there will be an increase of a few thousand troops.” Beyond maintaining a troop presence, the Pentagon will also aid DHS officials with infrastructure development. Military troops will help set up more concertina wire and expand surveillance capabilities along the border. “Most recently DHS has asked us to support them in additional concertina wire and then expanded surveillance capability,…

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Senate GOP Considers Ending 30-Hour Debate Rule to Confirm More Judges

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by Richard McCarty   Republicans led by Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) are considering changing Senate rules to speed up the process of confirming nominees, and they should do so as soon as possible. In spite of continual Democrat obstruction, Republicans have done a good job of confirming judges. In fact, a total of 85 judges have been confirmed so far: two Supreme Court justices, 30 appellate court judges, and 53 district court judges. After two years in office for President Donald Trump, that puts him at above the average of 163 confirmed every four-year term. Still, there are now more judicial vacancies than when Trump took office, and over 50 judicial nominees are awaiting confirmation. When Trump took office, there were 125 judicial vacancies. Currently, there are 146 vacancies; and the Judicial Conference deems 70 of these vacancies to be judicial emergencies. In addition, there are 20 future vacancies due to judges planning to retire or take senior status. While conservatives have a narrow 5-4 majority on the Supreme Court, liberals have control of most of the appellate courts. Of the 13 circuit courts of appeal, Republican-nominated judges make up the majority in four circuits, Democrat-nominated judges have the majority…

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Virginia Democrat Proposes Bill Legalizing Abortion Until Birth

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by Grace Carr   Virginia is considering a bill allowing women to abort their unborn child until the moment the baby is born. Democratic Delegate Kathy Tran introduced HB2491, or the Repeal Act, which seeks to repeal the state’s current restrictions on late-term abortions. If passed, the measure will do away with the state’s requirement that second and third-trimester abortions be performed only to preserve the health or life of the woman. A woman seeking to abort would no longer need to obtain an ultrasound before having an abortion, under the proposed law. Currently, three physicians must conclude that a third-trimester abortion is necessary to preserve the health or life of the woman. Those requirements are stripped under the proposed legislation, which also removes the state’s mandate that second and third-trimester abortions be performed in hospitals. “The third trimester goes all the way up to forty weeks,” according to Tran, The Republican Standard reported. The bill would allow a doctor to perform an abortion when a woman is dilating, meaning she is about to give birth. Virginia House Democrats propose legislation to allow abortions up until the moment of birth Todd Gilbert (R): Where it’s obvious a woman is about…

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Commentary: Trump Offered Compromise, Pelosi Offered Nothing

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by Harlan Hill   In the 35 days of the longest federal government shutdown in history, President Trump again showed himself to be the only one interested in compromising, the only one interested in securing the border, and the only one trying to make a deal. In the last of his major national addresses on the Democrat-created border impasse, the president offered the opposing party big wins on immigration that they’ve been seeking for years. In exchange, he asked for common sense border security measures, many of which Democrats themselves supported at various times in the recent past. That’s how serious the president was about getting the humanitarian and security crisis at the border resolved. But as she did with every offer from him, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) scornfully rejected President Trump’s attempt at compromise. This time she did it before he even spoke. As the effective leader of one of the country’s major parties, that’s her right. But she can’t then claim to be interested in compromise or solutions. Her refusal to consider the president’s proposals, especially in the absence of any counter-offer, increasingly appears calculated solely to deny President Trump a political victory, but it has very…

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Alarming Registration Surprise in Texas Raises Questions About Mass Voter Fraud, Voter Roll Maintenance

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by Jason Snead and Caleb Morrison   The man in charge of elections in Texas made a surprise announcement last week: As many as 95,000 noncitizens had registered to vote, and 58,000 of them may have voted in at least one election between 1996 and 2018. The finding announced by Texas Secretary of State David Whitley is serious, and almost immediately the news became the subject of sensational statements. Some, such as President Donald Trump, assert that this constitutes proof that 58,000 individuals unlawfully voted in Texas. Activists on the left, meanwhile, dismiss the findings altogether as merely setting the stage for voter purges and disenfranchisement. In this case, neither side is getting it right. Here’s what is actually happening. In Texas, individuals – including noncitizens – are required to present documents establishing their residency and identity when obtaining a driver’s license or state-issued personal identification card. When a person presents a valid document such as a green card, indicating he or she is lawfully present but not a U.S. citizen, that record is preserved by the Texas Department of Public Safety. This sort of information can be quite useful for elections officials responsible for maintaining voter rolls. Simply put,…

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Trump, Guaido to Collaborate on Efforts to Restore Democracy to Venezuela

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The White House says President Donald Trump reinforced his “strong support” for efforts to restore democracy in Venezuela during a conversation Wednesday with opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has proclaimed himself as the country’s president. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Trump and Guaido also committed to maintaining “regular communication to support Venezuela’s path back to stability, and to rebuild the bilateral relationship” between the two countries. Trump said earlier Wednesday that embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is willing to negotiate with representatives of Guaido’s opposition movement to solve the political crisis in the South American nation, but warned Americans not to travel to Venezuela “until further notice.” Trump’s early morning tweet referred to Maduro’s offer to hold talks with the country’s opposition forces and hold early legislative elections. He added the threat of U.S. sanctions, including cutting off Venezuelan oil revenues, contributed to the apparent softening of Maduro’s stance. Maduro made the offer earlier Wednesday during an interview with Russia’s RIA news agency, saying he is willing to sit down at the negotiating table “for the good of Venezuela.” But he said there will not be a new presidential election until 2025, rejecting a demand by Guaido, president…

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Indiana Attorney General: New York’s Abortion Law Is ‘Backward and Barbaric’

Anthony Gockowski

Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill is speaking out against New York’s radical new abortion law, which allows abortions “up until the very moment before the child’s birth.” Hill explains that late-term abortions are now permissible so long as they are deemed “necessary” to protect the mother’s health, including her emotional health. “New York’s extreme new pro-abortion law is backward and barbaric,” Hill writes in an op-ed for Fox News. “Because an unwanted child will always impact the mother’s emotional health, the law permits killing a child – who otherwise could survive outside the womb – based solely on the mother’s preferences at the moment.” Up until now, Hill notes, the viability of a child has “largely been regarded as a sacrosanct barrier against pure utilitarian calculus,” but in New York that is “no more.” “Everyone should support the health and equality of women, but New York has removed physician-only health protections and now permits killing viable babies even if only because they are girls. And while allowing unfettered decisions about abortion sounds like a liberationist dream, it leads to sickening and decidedly anti-woman outcomes,” Hill continues. “In some countries, eugenic abortions are eliminating the down syndrome population; elsewhere they are…

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Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown’s ‘Dignity of Work’ Tour Slammed by RNC

Andrew Shirley

Republican National Committee Spokesperson Mandi Merritt issued a blistering broadside Wednesday against Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and his “Dignity of Work” tour. She stated: As Sherrod Brown takes his phony pro-workers’ agenda to the early primary states, he risks abandoning his own Ohio constituents. Ohio didn’t sign up for a part-time Senator, and by partaking in the Democrats’ turbocharged race to the left, Brown is bound to leave Ohio voters in the dust. Brown’s ‘Dignity of Work’ tour has nothing to do with fighting for hard-working families, and everything to do with Brown’s own political ambitions. Senator Brown’s “Dignity of Work” tour is scheduled to take him from Iowa, to New Hampshire, South Carolina, and then Nevada. As previously reported, much of his political platform hinges appealing to the populist blue-collar, politically moderate, working class and far-left democratic-socialist progressives. He intends to see if his many democratic-socialist positions will appeal to voters in these key battleground states. In 2016, many of those blue-collar moderates ended up siding with President Trump. In 2018, Brown was the only Democratic legislator in the Buckeye State to win or maintain his seat. Next year in what promises to be a highly-charged (and very crowded) presidential election cycle, Brown will be in…

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Ilhan Omar Floats 90 Percent Tax Rate on America’s Wealthiest

Anthony Gockowski

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) recently floated the idea of taxing America’s wealthiest citizens up to 90 percent in an interview with Yahoo News. “So there are a few things that we could do. One of them is that we could increase the taxes that people are paying who are the extremely wealthy in our communities” Omar said. “Seventy percent, 80 percent, we’ve had it as high as 90 percent.” The comments came in the context of a discussion about Omar’s support for the Green New Deal, a progressive climate change proposal put forward by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-NY-14). The proposal would convert the U.S. economy entirely to renewable sources of energy in 12 years and establish a universal basic income. It would, of course, require radical tax hikes on America’s wealthiest. During a recent 60 Minutes interview, Ocasio-Cortez welcomed the “radical” label, telling host Anderson Cooper that “if that’s what radical means, [then] call me a radical.” “There’s an element where, yeah, people are going to have to start paying their fair share in taxes,” she said. “You know, you look at our tax rates back in the ‘60s, and when you have a progressive tax rate system, your…

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North Carolina Lt. Governor, State Senators Unveil Bill to Prevent Female Genital Mutilation

A.P. Dillon

North Carolina state Senator Joyce Krawiec (R-D31) alongside Lt. Governor Dan Forest and state Senator Sawyer (R-D34) held a press conference Wednesday introducing a bill to prevent Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in North Carolina. FGM is a barbaric procedure to remove the clitoris entirely or in part, and is usually performed on female infants and on girls up to the age of fifteen – often without anesthesia. Joining Senators Joyce Krawiec & Vickie Sawyer at 1245PM to announce the filing of #FGM Legislation for North Carolina – we will be streaming press conference on FB Live #ncpol @AHAFoundation https://t.co/HGpJwNRVZY — Lt. Gov. Dan Forest (@LtGovDanForest) January 30, 2019 The background information provided in a press release by the Lt. Governor’s office states that North Carolina is “one of only 22 States that does not criminalize this act.” The CDC estimates that 500,000 women in the United States who have been a victim or are at risk of being a victim,” said Senator Krawiec. “One-third of those are girls. We want to make sure we protect our underage girls in North Carolina.” Materials provided in the press release state that health organizations believe “approximately 10,000 girls are at risk” in North Carolina.…

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Former Wilson County Sheriff Terry Ashe, with Past Federal Allegations of Prisoner Mistreatment, Takes Assistant Director Job at Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security

Jason M. Reynolds

Terry Ashe, the former 30-year-long Wilson County sheriff, reportedly has accepted a job with Gov. Bill Lee’s office. Ashe took a job as deputy commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security in mid-January, according to a story by The Lebanon Democrat. Ashe also works as a Wilson County commissioner, and he told The Democrat he does not believe that is a conflict of interest. He was sheriff from 1982-2012. Gov. Bill Lee’s office has not issued any announcements about the appointment, and Ashe is not listed on the department’s website. Ashe most recently served as executive director of the Tennessee Sheriff’s Association. His biography at the group’s website says he served there since fall 2012 after retiring as sheriff of Wilson County. He was the second-longest serving sheriff in state history and the longest-serving sheriff in Wilson County history. The sheriff’s association said in a Jan. 19 Facebook post, “Our Executive Director and friend, Sheriff Terry Ashe, Ret., has been appointed as the new Deputy Commissioner of the TN Department of Safety & Homeland Security. He has been a great leader and advocate for our Association and our TSA Family across the State. We will all miss…

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Bill Lee Delivers First of Many Planned Video Addresses From Family’s Franklin Ranch to Summarize His Work as Governor

Jason M. Reynolds

Last week, Gov. Bill Lee gave what he called a “Friday Afternoon on the Farm” video address on Twitter to celebrate his first week in office and provide a brief update on his work. The video, just over a minute in length, is available here on his official governor’s Twitter page. We’ve had a great first week in office. I issued my first executive order focused on rural Tennessee and we began work on the budget. We’ll be posting regular Fridays from the Farm videos, and I’m excited to post my first one here on my new, official Twitter page: pic.twitter.com/VFuaF1qx3X — Gov. Bill Lee (@GovBillLee) January 26, 2019 In the video’s post, Lee says, “We’ve had a great first week in office. I issued my first executive order focused on rural Tennessee and we began work on the budget. We’ll be posting regular Fridays from the Farm videos, and I’m excited to post my first one here on my new, official Twitter page.” While he and wife Maria are living in the Governor’s Mansion in Nashville, they were spending a three-day weekend on “the farm,” he said. The farm to which Lee refers is his family’s Triple L Ranch…

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Commentary: Today’s Venezuela Is Where Socialism Meets Authoritarianism

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by Anthony B. Kim and Ana Quintana   Many on the left have for years cheered Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chavez, as heroes of “21st-century socialism.” Ironically, however, the undeniable downward spiral of Venezuela’s economic freedom and the far-reaching suffering of its people have put the true meaning to those “hero” claims: Socialism and corruption have destroyed Venezuela. In a Jan. 22 Wall Street Journal op-ed, “Venezuela, America Stands With You,” Vice President Mike Pence noted: As I have heard many times from Venezuelans over the past [two] years, Mr. Maduro has exacerbated the country’s corruption and socialist policies, accelerating its descent from one of the richest countries in the Western Hemisphere to one of the poorest and most despotic,” Pence wrote. “He promised prosperity, but his actions have caused Venezuela’s economy to shrink by nearly 50 [percent]. The vice president added, “For the sake of our vital interests, and for the sake of the Venezuelan people, the U.S. will not stand by as Venezuela crumbles.” Indeed, Venezuela’s decline over the past 25 years, exacerbated by the combined ills of socialism and authoritarianism, is well-documented in The Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom, a data-driven benchmark study…

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Miss Tennessee Scholarship Competition Schedules First Professional Development

Chris Butler

The Miss Tennessee Scholarship Competition has scheduled its first Professional Development for the 2019 Miss Tennessee and Outstanding Teen class for this coming Saturday, Feb. 2, at Iberia Bank Mortgage in Murfreesboro. Miss Candidates ages 18-25 are scheduled for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., according to a press release. The same press release went on to say Outstanding Teen Candidates ages 13-17 are scheduled from 1:30 p.m. to 5p.m. People in Tennessee should take interest in the organization and its benefits to young women, said Foundation Board Chair Eddie Smith. “Look at the costs of higher education and how it’s been  climbing over the last few years. The one constant through all of that has been the Miss Tennessee and Miss America competitions,” Smith told The Tennessee Star. “Miss America in and of itself has been the largest provider of scholarships for women and Miss Tennessee over the last decade and has given away over a million dollars in scholarship moneys for these candidates to be able to use to help further their education.” This year’s professional development will include experts in the pageant world to help prepare the candidate for the Miss Tennessee and Outstanding Teen competition, according to…

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Tennessee Star Report Speaks With One America News Network’s Neil McCabe as He Explains the ‘Dynamic’ at the McAllen, Texas Border

Julie Carr

On Tuesday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Steve Gill talked to Neil McCabe of One America News Network while he is visiting the McAllen, Texas border about the absence of a border wall and the interesting dynamic surrounding the area. Further into the conversation McCabe disclosed how the current laws as created under the Obama Administration were designed for failure and provided a deliberate loophole for illegals of all backgrounds to enter the United States. Gill: And our on the spot correspondent from One America News, Neil McCabe is down in McAllen, Texas, right on the border. I guess is there a border wall there or is that one of those areas where there is nothing keeping somebody from coming across the border, Neil? McCabe: Well there’s some wall and then there are places where you can sort of walk around the wall. And so there are sections of wall. But it’s a very interesting dynamic down here. This is my first time actually on the border, so very exciting Steve. Gill: More members of Congress should…

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Trump Just Secured Another Major Trade Victory

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by Jason Hopkins   The European Commission approved U.S. soybeans to be used in the production of biofuels, a decision that will fulfill President Donald Trump’s demand that the European Union buy more of the product. “Today’s decision is new proof that the European Union is delivering on our commitments,” EU Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said Tuesday. “[T]his means that as of today it will be easier for U.S. soybeans to enter the EU market.” The EU currently imports around 14 million tonnes of soybeans annually for animal feed. The U.S. already holds a commanding share of the market. However, the commission’s decision to allow U.S. soybeans to be used in the making of biofuels — an agriculture-based energy alternative to fossil fuels — is expected to dramatically increase demand in Europe. The approval follows months-long negotiations between the White House and EU leaders. Trump agreed in July not to slap tariffs on European vehicles in exchange for promises that EU member countries would purchase more U.S. natural gas and soybeans. That original agreement already helped pave the way for a 112 percent increase in U.S. soybean imports in the second half of 2018. “We agreed first of all to…

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Roger Stone Pleads ‘Not Guilty’

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President Donald Trump’s longtime ally Roger Stone pleaded ‘not guilty’ Tuesday to seven charges linked to the release of damaging hacked emails about Trump’s 2016 Democratic opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in the midst of the presidential campaign. The 66-year-old Stone, arrested last week at his Florida home in an audacious pre-dawn FBI raid, was arraigned in a federal court in Washington on five counts of lying to Congress about his role in the WikiLeaks release of the emails, and single counts of witness tampering and obstructing a congressional investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. Stone has vocally asserted his innocence in recent days but said nothing as he left court. Some onlookers outside court chanted, “Lock him up,” and carried signs calling him a “dirty traitor.” But supporters nearby said he did nothing wrong and held up photos of him. Unlike most defendants in U.S. criminal cases, Stone since his arrest has made the rounds of television news shows, to belittle the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and special counsel Robert Mueller, who brought the charges against him. On his Instagram account, Stone, a long-time self-proclaimed “dirty trickster” whose hero…

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Hacks and Facts: 10 Things to Know About Data Privacy

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Reuters   From hackers exposing private information online to the handling of users’ data by internet giants, online privacy has become a matter of growing concern for countries, companies and people alike. On Monday, countries around the world marked Data Privacy Day, also known as Data Protection Day — an initiative to raise awareness of internet safety issues. Here are 10 facts about online privacy: (1) Less than 60 percent of countries have laws to secure the protection of data and privacy. (2) Europe’s data protection regulators have received more than 95,000 complaints about possible data breaches since the adoption of a landmark EU privacy law in May. (3) More than one in two respondents to a 2018 global survey by pollster CIGI-Ipsos said they had grown more concerned about their online privacy compared to the previous year. (4) Almost 40 percent of respondents to another survey by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab said they did not know how to protect themselves from cybercrime. (5) A survey of tech professionals by security key maker Yubico suggested experts might not live up to safety standards. It found almost 70 percent of respondents shared passwords with colleagues. (6) More than half reused an…

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Commentary: Look to the States – Not SCOTUS – for Real Asset Forfeiture Reform

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by Tate Fegley   There is a case – Timbs v. Indiana – currently before the United States Supreme Court regarding civil asset forfeiture and whether the excessive fines clause of the 8th Amendment also applies to the states due to the 14th Amendment’s incorporation clause. The petitioner is Tyson Timbs, who became addicted to the opioid hydrocodone after having received a prescription for his foot pain. After his prescription had run out, he bought it from a dealer. After his dealer had run out, he was persuaded to try heroin as a substitute and became addicted. He eventually overcame his addiction but relapsed around the time of his father’s death. Timbs received $73,000 from his father’s life insurance policy and used $42,000 of it to buy a 2012 Land Rover. Wanting to make money to fund his habit, he was convinced by a confidential informant to deal heroin. He made two deals with undercover narcotics agents (each deal for two grams) and, on his way to the third deal, was pulled over and arrested. His Land Rover was seized on the spot. Timbs was charged with two counts of dealing in a controlled substance and one count of conspiracy…

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Wake County D.A. Clears North Carolina House Speaker Moore in Inquiry of Bail Group, Durham Business

A.P. Dillon

The Wake County District Attorney has dismissed a complaint against the North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore as well as allegations made against the speaker in an anonymous letter. “Over the past few months the State Bureau of Investigation, at the request of the Wake County District Attorney, has conducted an inquiry into payments made by the NC Bail Association and pharmaceutical company KNOWBio to North Carolina Speaker Tim Moore,” Freeman said Monday in a statement. “Following this review, we have determined that these fees were for legal services paid to Mr. Moore in his capacity as an attorney,” said Freeman. “This review found no misuse of public office for private gain or other wrongdoing as to these payments and we, therefore, are closing the inquiry into this matter without further action,” Freeman said. “Unfortunately, deceptive and politically motivated criticisms seem to be the norm in our current political climate,” Speaker Moore said in response to the end of the inquiry. “I appreciate the careful and professional way the District Attorney and the SBI handled the anonymous allegations that were made against me,” said Speaker Moore. I appreciate the confidence that North Carolina voters have placed in me and I…

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US Intel Chief: Russia, China Biggest Espionage, Cyber Threats

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Reuters   Russia and China pose the biggest espionage and cyber-attack threats to the United States and are more aligned than they have been in decades, the leader of the U.S. intelligence community told U.S. senators on Tuesday. While the two countries seek to expand their global reach, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said, some American allies are pulling away from Washington in reaction to changing U.S. policies on security and trade. “China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea increasingly use cyber operations to threaten both minds and machines in an expanding number of ways – to steal information, to influence our citizens, or to disrupt critical infrastructure,” Coats said. “Moscow’s relationship with Beijing is closer than it’s been in many decades,” Coats told the Senate Intelligence Committee’s annual hearing on worldwide threats, where he testified with the director of the CIA, FBI and other top intelligence officials. He also said some U.S. allies are seeking more independence, responding to their perceptions of changing policies on security and trade and “are becoming more open” to new partnerships. “The post-World War Two international system is coming under increasing strain amid continuing cyber and WMD proliferation threats, competition in space and regional…

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North Carolina Rape Kit Backlog Continues to Plague State’s Department of Justice

A.P. Dillon

A massive backlog of untested rape kits continues to plague North Carolina’s Attorney General Josh Stein and the state’s Department of Justice. Attorney General Stein held a press conference Tuesday announcing proposed legislation that will help address the backlog. The press conference was broadcast live via the North Carolina Department of Justice’s Facebook page. The proposed legislation is called the Standing Up for Rape Victims Act, or Survivor Act. The act, if passed, will mandate submitting sexual assault kits for testing to an accredited lab for local law enforcement agencies and will provide $6 million in funding over the next two years. In addition, the act includes $800,000 in recurring funds to hire additional forensic scientists for testing the kits. The proposed Survivor act is sponsored by sponsors Senator Warren Daniel (R-D46) and Representatives Mary Belk (D-D88), Jamie Boles (R-D52), Billy Richardson (D-D44), and Carson Smith (R-D16). Stein also said that the Governor’s Crime Commission was giving the Department of Justice $2 million for processing around 3,000 rape kits. Stein, however, said the $2 million was “nowhere near enough money” and that the legislature has to provide even more funding. “The untested sexual assault kits sitting on law enforcement shelves…

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Houston County Commissioners Say No to School Vouchers

Chris Butler

Houston County commissioners voted in favor of a resolution Monday night opposing school vouchers. They did so resoundingly, said Commissioner Ann Fielder. Twelve commissioners voted yes on the resolution, but one commissioner abstained from voting, Fielder told The Tennessee Star Tuesday. Fielder said she was one of the 12 to vote yes. The commissioner who abstained — Vickie Reedy — is the wife of Tennessee State Rep. Jay D. Reedy, R-Erin. Fielder said she and other commissioners voted as they did at the behest of Houston County Director of Schools Kris McAskill. “Our superintendent of schools was there. She got up and said that this (school vouchers) would take state money and give it to private schools,” Fielder said. “She said this even though we don’t have any private schools currently in our county. But she said if the private schools begin to get state money then we could have some pop up. She also said she didn’t want to lose any of our students (to this).” McAskill presented no empirical studies or other research to back up her assertions, Fielder told The Star. Commissioners plan to submit a letter to state legislators notifying them that they oppose school vouchers,…

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Rashida Tlaib’s Ties to Anti-Semitism Run Deeper Than Previously Known

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by Peter Hasson   Democratic Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s ties to anti-Semitism run deeper than previously known, a Daily Caller News Foundation investigation found. Tlaib, part of a heralded freshman class of House Democrats, has already come under scrutiny over her positions on Israel and ties to fringe figures. But TheDCNF’s investigation uncovered additional ties to anti-Semitism. Tlaib is a member of the Facebook group “Palestinian American Congress,” where members often demonize Jews. The group’s founder, Palestinian activist Maher Abdel-qader, was a key fundraiser for Tlaib and organized campaign events for her around the country. In January 2018, Abdel-qader shared an anti-Semitic video that claimed Jews aren’t actually Jewish, and invented their historical claim to Israel and secretly control the media. The video, which described Jews as “satanic,” also questioned whether 6 million Jews actually died in the Holocaust. “Research the truth about the Holocaust, and you’ll definitely start to question what you thought you knew,” the video’s narrator says. Abdel-qader shared the video both on his personal Facebook page and within the group that now includes Tlaib. The anti-Semitic video Abdel-qader shared multiple times doesn’t appear to have been a one-off occasion. In several other posts to the group,…

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Georgia Gubernatorial Loser Stacey Abrams Will Deliver Democratic SOTU Response

Anthony Gockowski

National Democratic leadership revealed Tuesday that failed Georgia gubernatorial hopeful Stacey Abrams will deliver the party’s response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address. MSNBC’s Chris Hayes claimed Tuesday morning that a “reliable source” told him that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called Abrams three weeks ago to request that she deliver the Democratic response. 🚨NEWS🚨 A reliable source tells me that Chuck Schumer called STACEY ABRAMS three weeks ago to ask her to deliver the Democratic response to the State of the Union. — Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) January 29, 2019 National Journal Senate correspondent Zach Cohen later confirmed the news, reporting that Schumer told him he was “very delighted when [Abrams] agreed.” Schumer confirms. “I was very delighted when she agreed.” https://t.co/WLuXgMlHqC — Zach C. Cohen (@Zachary_Cohen) January 29, 2019 “Speaker Pelosi and I are going to issue an official statement shortly. But yes, three weeks ago I called Stacey Abrams and asked her to deliver the response to the State of the Union,” Schumer told reporters Tuesday afternoon. “She is just a great spokesperson, she’s an incredible leader, she has led the charge for voting rights, which is at the root of just about everything…

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St. Paul Public Safety Official Cites Mayor’s Support of Keith Ellison in Resignation Letter

Anthony Gockowski

St. Paul’s first ever “Community-First Public Safety Initiatives Director” recently resigned over a number of disputes with Mayor Melvin Carter, including Carter’s support of now Attorney General Keith Ellison. “You chose to support Keith Ellison while I chose to support my friend Karen Monahan. I was more ostracized after our conversation,” Jason Sole wrote in his January 21 resignation letter, a copy of which was recently obtained by Fox 9. Some believe that Sole’s resignation was forced by Carter’s office, since Sole publicly refused to support programs such as the Joint Powers Agreement for Data Sharing of Youth Information, which was ultimately canceled on Monday. That three-way agreement between St. Paul, Ramsey County, and St. Paul Public Schools would have allowed for cross-sharing of youth zip codes, incomes, truancy numbers, race, and the like to better identify at-risk youth. “During my first week, I was asked to support the Joint Powers Agreement for Data Sharing of Youth Information. I refused and you disregarded (and continue to disregard) my recommendation with your continued support of [that] harmful agreement,” Sole wrote in his letter. Sole’s position was established to help the city transition away from over-policing and towards community-led public safety efforts,…

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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine Delays All State Executions Amid Concerns of Drug Effectiveness

Andrew Shirley

In a surprise decision, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has ordered a moratorium on all executions in the state of Ohio following concerns that the currently approved practice could be considered a violation of the Eighth Amendment. Warren Keith Henness was convicted and found guilty of the kidnapping and murder of Richard Myers. He has never admitted to the crime and continues to plead innocence. He has been on death row since January 27, 1994. As his date drew near, his legal defense proposed alternatives to the currently accepted form of lethal injection. A 2015 Supreme Court case grants inmates this right. The presiding judge refused the proposed alternative and said he must use the state approved means, though he conceded that it was almost a form of torture. Following this, DeWine decided the state’s approach to lethal injection must be reexamined before any more are carried out. He noted: In 2017, the Court heard extensive evidence that midazolam was not achieving the intended result of blocking the severe pain caused by the second and third drugs…we have good evidence that midazolam will cause the ‘waterboarding’ effects of pulmonary edema. If Ohio executes Warren Hennes under its present protocol, it will almost certainly subject…

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The Influential Appointment of Dark Money Group Founder’s Daughter in North Carolina Governor’s Office Raises Questions

A.P. Dillon

The daughter of the man behind a dark money group supporting North Carolina Democratic Governor Roy Cooper was hired into an influential role just weeks after Cooper took office. Tom Hendrickson is the main figure behind the dark money 501(c)4 non-profit called “Moving NC Forward.” The group was first reported on by WRAL for promising ‘access to Cooper and his staff’. Tom Hendrickson, Stella Adams, and Jewell Wilson are the trio listed on most of the documents on file with the North Carolina Secretary of state. All three are high level, long-time NC Democratic Party donors. Kathryn Hendrickson (pictured, left), daughter of Tom Hendrickson (pictured with Kathryn, above), was hired to the influential post of Deputy Director of Boards and Commissions under the Office of Governor Roy Cooper. Prior to being hired at Boards and Commissions, Kathryn Hendrickson worked for the Governor-Elect Transition Office as a ‘transition aide’, the Hillary for America campaign, and her father’s business, Lookout Ventures, Inc. Hendrickson was hired on January 23, 2017, at an annual rate of $46,000 and received a $920 legislative increase in August 2018. According to her LinkedIn bio, her current position of Deputy Director of Boards and Commissions ‘identifies and vets…

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Sen. Kamala Harris’ Medicare for All Plan Is ‘Insane,’ Rep. Mark Green Says

Jason M. Reynolds

A plan put forth by U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) to pay “Medicare for All” is “insane,” said U.S. Rep. Dr. Mark Green (R-TN-07), who added, “Earth to Senator Harris. Earth to Senator Harris.” Green made the remarks on Fox News’ Outnumbered Overtime. The video is available here. During a townhall meeting Monday in Iowa, Harris, a 2020 presidential candidate, vowed to eliminate private health insurance in order to enact “Medicare for all,” or a single-payer system, Outnumbered Overtime host Harris Faulkner said. That would eliminate the private insurance system for about 150 million Americans. Faulkner played a clip of Harris saying medical care takes too long because doctors have to get approval from insurance companies and because of all the paperwork. “Let’s eliminate all of that,” Harris said. Green, who previously ran a medical staffing company, said Obamacare and Harris’ plan were “attacks” on the insurance market that would take away choices for the middle class. Obamacare has shifted higher costs onto the backs of small businesses. The nation cannot afford to eliminate the third-party payer system. Green cited a study by Dr. Charles Blahous of the Mercatus Center of George Mason University showing that a single-payer system would…

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Despite Perceived Ethical Problems, Hamilton County Commissioners Allowed to Use Taxpayer Money on Generous Meals

Chris Butler

People in Hamilton County might not like it, but there are rules in place that allow county commissioners to spend generous sums of taxpayer money taking constituents out to eat. A local TV station, News Channel 9, seemed to demand a formal investigation into some of these expenditures, especially those involving Commissioner Warren Mackey. But, as Commission Chairwoman Sabrena Smedley told The Tennessee Star, you cannot investigate a commissioner for doing something the rules allow him or her to do. Smedley, though, said she is unhappy commissioners can spend vast sums of taxpayer money on these luxuries. She said she’s willing to discuss changes. As reported, Mackey spent nearly $2,000 in taxpayer money taking constituents out to various meals. “I have spoken to our county’s finance department when this story broke, and they have guidelines they adhere to, very strict IRS regulations and restrictions. Then we have policies in place that set the guidelines for how we can get reimbursed for expenses,” Smedley said. “They (members of the finance department) shared with me that Commissioner Mackey really can turn those in as expenses. They were reimbursing him because, according to them, there was nothing wrong.” Mackey did not respond to…

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Governor Bill Lee: Request For Budget Cuts Means Finding Efficiencies So Funding Can Be Redirected Towards Things That Are Really Important

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – In the second of four days of cabinet budget meetings for the 2019-2020 fiscal year, Governor Bill Lee explained that his request for budget cuts  is a signal that what they are looking in his new administration is ways to find efficiencies, so that funding can be redirected towards things that are really important. Lee went into the budget process in his first week as the 50th Governor of Tennessee with meetings scheduled with 25 departments between Friday, January 25, and Wednesday, January 30, and a request for departments to cut two percent from their budgets. Joining him for the budget presentations was his Chief Operating Officer, Butch Eley; Commissioner of Finance and Administration, Stuart McWhorter; as well as Finance and Administration’s David Thurman. After hearing from nine departments on Monday, which represents more than half of the state’s appropriations, Governor Lee clarified for the press that the cuts are not to cut services. Rather, “It’s to be better stewards of the taxpayer money itself.” The cuts from inefficiencies would then be applied to “the places that are really important.” Governor Lee said that the budget process “allows us to think through what we need versus what…

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Commentary: Media Says Trump Caved on The Wall, but It’s Democrats in the Dark

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by Jeffery Rendall   Friday started off with the blockbuster news that longtime associate and occasional Trump political advisor Roger Stone was ensnared (for process crimes, no less) in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s ever-widening “Russian collusion” net, which to the liberal establishment media meant that the long-anticipated “smoking gun” had been located and House Democrats’ impeachment proceedings could commence at their earliest convenience. Later in the day word leaked out that President Trump would make a statement concerning the government shutdown, which had completed its fifth week with neither side appearing likely to concede anytime soon. At that point no one was talking about Stone anymore. Trump shocked some conservatives by announcing the government would reopen for three weeks in hopes a bipartisan congressional commission would hammer out a solution to the wall funding standoff in the meantime. The president acknowledged he was going against his vow not to throw open the government’s doors until Democrats produced money for border security – but insisted afterwards it wasn’t a concession. Caitlin Yilek reported at The Washington Examiner, “President Trump told his supporters that he was not caving to Democrats on his promised border wall after he agreed to end the partial government…

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No Comment from Bill Lee on Case of Illegal Immigrant Who Allegedly Killed Son of Knoxville Firefighter

Chris Butler

Staff for Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee would not say Monday if he plans to act in the case of Francisco Eduardo Franco-Cambrany, charged with killing a Knoxville firefighter’s son. No one in Lee’s office returned The Tennessee Star’s repeated requests for comment Monday. As reported, a judge reinstated bond for Franco-Cambrany last week, which could enable him to walk out of jail. That is, of course, unless federal immigration agents don’t get him first. Franco-Cambrany allegedly killed Pierce Corcoran, who was only 22. Prosecutors say Franco-Cambrany is an illegal immigrant. As The Star reported, Knoxville Police said Franco-Cambrany’s Chevy pickup, heading north, crossed into the opposite lanes of traffic and hit Corcoran’s Honda Civic, causing a chain reaction. According to Knoxnews.com, he swerved to the left — but not the right — because two cars in front of him suddenly braked while trying to make a right turn. Prosecutors say that swerve equals criminal negligence. But the defense claimed police didn’t talk to any of the drivers on Franco-Cambrany’s side of the road and thus can’t prove the right-hand lane was empty. According to the website Justice for Pierce Corcoran, the defense’s claim is false and video footage proves it. Lee has addressed…

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Judson Phillips Commentary: Conservatives Need to Unite and Promote Our Agenda at the Tennessee General Assembly

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by Judson Phillips   Conservatives love to rail against the Republicans who control the Tennessee General Assembly. And why not? These Republicans go out every two years (or four if they are in the Senate) and tell the voters how conservative they are. Then, once they have been given their next two year, no-cut contract, they proceed to vote the way the lobbyists want them to. Since the Republicans took control of the General Assembly in 2008, they have not met a spending plan they did not like.  The state budget has skyrocketed. And what do conservatives do? They get on Facebook and complain. Recently some of my Facebook friends were shocked to discover that American Muslim Advisory Council has a “Muslim Day” on Capitol Hill. Activists go and push their agenda to legislators.   The Muslims are not the only group that does that.  All kinds of groups do it. They range from farmers to the bat-guano crazy left. And there are a couple of center right groups that go up there. When is there a conservative day on Capitol Hill? The answer is, there isn’t. There is not a day when conservatives go to Capitol Hill and tell legislators…

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DFL Lawmakers Introduce House Bill 420 to Legalize Marijuana in Minnesota

Anthony Gockowski

DFL lawmakers took the first concrete steps to legalize recreational marijuana in Minnesota Monday by introducing companion bills in the Minnesota House and Senate. House File (HF) 420, sponsored by Rep. Mike Freiberg (D-Golden Valley), and Senate File (619), sponsored by Sen. Melissa Franzen (D-Edina), would make it legal in the state of Minnesota for a person “ 21 years of age or older” to “cultivate, possess, purchase, transfer, use, and consume cannabis, cannabis products, and cannabis accessories.” The House version of the bill already has 15 co-sponsors, while the Senate version has just two, though one is Republican Sen. Scott Jensen (R-Chaska). The bills would allow employers to adopt a policy that “prohibits the consumption of cannabis or cannabis products in the workplace” or working “while under the influence of cannabis.” They would not, however, allow an employer to “discipline or discriminate against an employee or prospective employee because the employee or prospective employee has metabolites of cannabis in the employee’s or prospective employee’s blood.” Additionally, with some exceptions, residential landlords would not be allowed to prohibit “the possession of cannabis or cannabis products or the consumption of cannabis or cannabis products by nonsmoking means by a tenant who…

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Half Of America Doesn’t Have Confidence Mueller’s Report Will Be Fair

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FBI Mueller and President Trump

by Hanna Bogorowski   The majority of Americans support congressional Democrats’ calls to investigate President Donald Trump’s past communication and financial ties with Russia, but half of them lack confidence that special counsel Robert Mueller’s report will be fair and even-handed. A Washington Post-ABC News poll released Sunday showed that 50 percent of Americans surveyed don’t believe Mueller’s probe, which is currently investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, will result in an unbiased, fair report. A random sample of 1,001 U.S. adults were asked between Jan. 21-24 how much confidence they have that Mueller’s report will be even-handed, to which 28 percent responded “Just some” and another 22 percent responded “None at all.” Just 24 percent said they have “A great deal” of confidence in the report, which stands in contrast to the large public support for such investigations. The poll, which had a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points, showed that 57 percent of respondents support a Democratic investigation into potential collusion between Trump’s campaign and Russia, 61 percent support investigations of suspected financial ties between Trump and foreign governments, and 59 percent support investigations into Trump’s relationship and communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin. At the same time, a plurality…

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Big Donors Staying on Sidelines in Early Days of 2020 Primary

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The presidential primary is jolting to life without a traditional mainstay: the big money donor class. More specifically, their contribution checks. With as many as two dozen Democrats potentially running for the White House and no immediate front-runner, the money race in the early days of the primary is largely frozen, according to fundraisers. Though some donors have a preferred candidate, others who are spending are spreading their money across the field to hedge their bets. More often, donors are staying on the sidelines until the contours of the primary take shape. “I’m not aware of anyone who is giving now,” said Andy Spahn, a Los Angeles-based fundraiser and conduit to Hollywood wealth who has been courted by multiple contenders. “People first want to know who will actually be in the race.” The slow flow of campaign cash from the big money donor class coincides with a seismic shift in Democratic fundraising. Driven by a restive base that turned opposition to President Donald Trump into an unprecedented flood of small-dollar online contributions, some now question whether big money donors will continue to hold the same sway. Take California Sen. Kamala Harris, who announced her presidential candidacy last week. In just…

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White House Eyes Reducing Capital Gains Taxes Without Congress

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by Fred Lucas   The White House is having internal discussions about the prospect of executive action by President Donald Trump to hold down capital gains taxes, said Larry Kudlow, director of the president’s National Economic Council. “I personally have campaigned for inflation indexing of capital gains for at least three decades,” Kudlow told The Daily Signal during a press gaggle Thursday at the White House. The Trump administration’s goal, in theory, would be to end unfair taxation on income from stocks, real estate, or other investments that come from inflationary gains. “I still strongly support it and I know the president has a very positive view about it,” Kudlow said of indexing. “We are talking about it internally. We are still talking about it internally.” [ The liberal Left continue to push their radical agenda against American values. The good news is there is a solution. Find out more ] The development comes after 51 leaders of conservative groups  asked for the executive action in a Jan. 22 letter to Trump. Among the groups are Americans for Tax Reform, Citizens Against Government Waste, and the American Legislative Exchange Council. The Daily Signal asked Kudlow whether the law allows the president to…

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The Destruction of Venice Beach Epitomizes California’s Idiocracy

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by Edward Ring   Venice Beach, California, used to be one of California’s great places. A Bohemian gem, nestled against the sand between big Los Angeles and the vast Pacific Ocean. Rents used to be a little lower in Venice compared to other coastal neighborhoods. The locals mingled with surfers, artists, street performers, and tourists. People from suburbs further inland migrated to Venice’s beaches on sunny weekends year-round. Venice was affordable, inviting, inclusive. That was then. Today, Venice Beach is off limits to families who used to spend their Saturdays on the sand. It’s too dangerous. On the sand, beached seaweed now mingles with syringes, feces, broken glass, and other trash, and the ocean has become the biggest outdoor toilet in the city. More than 1,000 vagrants now consider Venice Beach their permanent home. At the same time as real estate values exploded all along the California coast, the homeless population soared. In Venice, where the median price of a home is $2.1 million, makeshift shelters line the streets and alleys, as the affluent and the indigent fitfully coexist. What has happened in Venice is representative of what’s happened to California. If progressives take back the White House in 2020, it will…

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Border Patrol Wives Who Rebuked Nancy Pelosi Speak Out

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by Nick Givas   Two wives of border patrol agents who rebuked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appeared on “Fox & Friends” Monday to explain the letter they wrote to her. “I just felt that it was really important that our leaders come here and see what’s happening firsthand. It’s important for them to meet with the people that are here on a daily basis,” Jill Demanski said. “What they witnessing and the effects that it has on our country. And we want them to come here and make an informed decision and to see what’s really going on.” The letter invited Pelosi to McAllen, Texas, to get a firsthand look at the border and asked the speaker to “stop pretending” that she cares about federal workers. “If you did [care], you would care for their safety, not just their paychecks,” the letter read. Renea Perez said her husband feels overwhelmed at the border because they lack the adequate backup and technology to do a sufficient job. “It can be overwhelming. I mean, they do a fabulous job of protecting us. We feel safe in the valley because of them. But they definitely need a wall or a barrier in the high traffic areas,” Perez…

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