Day: January 16, 2019

The Tennessee Star Report Talks to New GOP Caucus Chair Cameron Sexton, Who Sets Record Straight on False Claim All Meetings Will Be Closed

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 – Gill and Leahy talked to State Representative and good friend Cameron Sexton about his new role as caucus chairman for the Republican State House of Tennessee and the current misconception promoted by the failing Tennessean newspaper about open caucus meetings for Republicans. During the segment the men got further into the discussion noting that the Democrats proceeded to have an unannounced, locked door meeting claiming that it was open, however, the Tennessee media outlets somehow missed that headline. Gill: Cameron Sexton is the new caucus chairman for the Republicans in the State House. House Speaker Glen Casada moving up a step. A little bit of shuffle in the leadership. And new committee chairman including, our friend Robin Smith becoming a committee chairman as a freshman member of the state house. A lot of new things coming and more oversight of what the executive branch actually does after the legislature passes legislation. Cameron Sexton, long time friend is with us. And if you believe the mainstream media, again, there’s your first…

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Commentary: Democratic Leaders Backed in a Corner, Held Hostage by Crazed Kooks

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by Jeffrey A. Rendall   Late last week Democrats and the liberal establishment media trumpeted the fact the government shutdown had reached a milestone — at three weeks in duration, it was the longest involuntary bureaucratic work stoppage in the nation’s history. As would be expected, leaders of both parties blamed the opposition for the impasse, repeating ad nauseum the same tired arguments they’d advanced for weeks…months…years. It’s almost as though the political class didn’t study the theory of diminished marginal utility in high school or college Economics class. For those memory challenged (or perhaps zoned-out with glazed eyes when the subject was covered in the classroom), according to Wikipedia, diminished marginal utility means, “…the first unit of consumption of a good or service yields more utility than the second and subsequent units, with a continuing reduction for greater amounts. Therefore, the fall in marginal utility as consumption increases is known as diminishing marginal utility.” Where the DC swamp dwellers are concerned, diminished marginal utility means the act of mouthing the same thing over and over again has less and less effectiveness as time passes. Lord knows Americans don’t possess the greatest attention spans as it is, and coming just…

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Governor-Elect Bill Lee Appoints Commissioners of Transportation, Environment, Human Resources

Jason M. Reynolds
Bill Lee

Tennessee Gov.-elect Bill Lee on Tuesday announced three appointments to his Cabinet: for the Department of Transportation, the Department of Environment and Conservation and the Department of Human Resources. The new commissioners are: • Clay Bright – Department of Transportation • David Salyers – Department of Environment and Conservation • Juan Williams– Department of Human Resources “I am pleased to announce three additions to our cabinet who bring a high level of expertise and deep knowledge of our state,” Lee said in a statement. “I look forward to working closely with these appointments as we build forward-thinking solutions for Tennessee.” Lee has been busy filling Cabinet positions in the days leading up to his inauguration, which is Saturday. Last week he appointed Court of Appeals, Western Section Judge Brandon Gibson to serve as a Senior Advisor in the Office of the Governor. One Middle Tennessee business owner vouched for Salyers, saying, “He’s an excellent engineer who’s had mud on his boots and understands how things have to operate in the real world.” Salyers, of Madison County, serves as the executive director of the West Tennessee River Basin Authority, a division of the Department of Environment and Conservation, according to Lee’s website. Salyers…

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U.S. Rep. Mark Green Calls for Border Security in Speech on House Floor, Chastises Democrats for Partisanship

Jason M. Reynolds

U.S. Rep. Dr. Mark Green (R-TN-07) on Monday delivered an impassioned speech on the House floor calling for border security and chastising the Democrats for partisanship. The C-SPAN video clip is available here. “We could spend our time debating what a physical barrier should consist of, but let’s make one thing clear, whether it’s in the form of a wall or a fence or some barrier, combined with 21st century surveillance technology and increased border security agents, a barrier is an effective defense against entry by criminals, gang members, drug smugglers, and yes, even terrorists,” Green said. He chastised Democrats for saying physical barriers are ineffective and “immoral.” “Now this is not the position they held in the recent past,” he said, and added Democrats were willing to spend $40 billion under President Barack Obama but not $5.7 billion under President Donald Trump. “What’s changed?” He pointed out that ISIS is encouraging followers to cross over the United States’ “porous” border. “That leads me to direct some questions to my colleagues and friends across the aisle,” Green said. “Is it worth the risk?” “I’d pay 5.7 billion to stop the next 9-11.” In 2017, an estimated 72,000 Americans died of…

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LA School District Superintendent Says Day 1 of Teacher Strike Cost District $25 Million

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by Neetu Chandak   The Los Angeles Unified School District’s (LAUSD) superintendent claims the first day of teacher strikes on Monday cost the district $25 million. LAUSD superintendent Austin Beutner got this number based on student attendance, which determines the district’s funding, and the number of people not at work, according to a Tuesday conference. “So, the district, on a day like yesterday, would lose approximately $25 million in funding,” Beutner said in a LAUSD Facebook live video. He clarified $10 million of the $25 million was from wages of people not at work. “About $15 million that would have been better spent to reduce class size, to hire more nurses, counselors, librarians… Each day we should be asking ourselves, ‘Why can’t we get this solved?’ Let’s finish this contract. Let’s put that behind us. Let’s move forward. Let’s get back to Sacramento, where I was last week. Let’s keep working for more funding so we can do more at our schools,” Beutner said, according to ABC 7. Teachers represented by the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) union walked out of classes Monday to protest higher pay and smaller class sizes, among other issues. LAUSD claims UTLA’s demands are unreasonable…

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Government Shutdown Soon to Cost More Than Trump’s Border Wall

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by Hanna Bogorowski   The U.S. economy lost $3.6 billion by Jan. 11, according to an S&P Global Ratings report, which suggests that by the end of the next two weeks, the economy will have lost more than the price of President Donald Trump’s requested border wall. Having lost just over $3.5 billion by Friday, the 21st day of the partial government shutdown, the S&P says that roughly $1.2 billion a week for another two weeks would “[exceed] the $5.7 billion requested for the proposed wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.” “The longer this shutdown drags on, the more collateral damage the economy will suffer,” the agency said in a news release. As of Saturday, the partial government shutdown, which began on Dec. 22, is the longest in the country’s history. Trump and the White House have pushed to cast blame on the Democrats for not agreeing to pass legislation to fund the $5.7 billion wall. Trump reiterated this claim in a Monday tweet, saying House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer could end the shutdown “in 15 minutes.” Nancy and Cryin’ Chuck can end the Shutdown in 15 minutes. At this point it has become their, and…

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Steve Gill Commentary: Why are Public School Teachers Avoiding Public Schools for Their Own Children?

Steve Gill

Would you eat at a restaurant that the cooks and wait staff avoided themselves? Wouldn’t that tell you everything you needed to know about the quality of the food they were serving? Likewise, as public school teachers send their own children to private schools at about TWICE the rate of the general public, and at an even HIGHER rate in our urban centers, doesn’t that tell us more about the quality of our schools than a huge stack of glossy, bureaucrat-generated reports about test scores? A survey conducted by EducationNext in 2015 found that 20% of public school teachers had sent their own children to private schools at some point compared to 13% of non-teachers. Those figures don’t include public school teachers who live in another county or district to avoid the schools where they teach. In 2004, an even more comprehensive national study by the Fordham Institute revealed even more disturbing figures. According to that survey, more than 1 in 5 public school teachers sent their children to private schools, which is consistent with the EducationNext study. Nationally, 11% of non-teachers made that same choice. But the Fordham Institute dug more deeply into the choices being made by parents…

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New York Immigration Group Spending $1 Million to Convince Lawmakers to Allow Driver’s Licenses for Illegal Immigrants

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by Neetu Chandak   New York’s largest immigration advocacy group is looking to spend $1 million to convince lawmakers in the state to allow illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses as President Donald Trump cracks down on unlawful entry into the U.S. The New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) plans to increase its lobbying efforts and invest at minimum $1 million on TV, radio and targeted ads on social media, the New York Daily News reported Monday. This could be NYIC’s biggest campaign. “Our goal is to target every single legislator in New York State,” NYIC Executive Director Steven Choi said, according to the NY Daily News. Choi said allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses would make roads safer by decreasing the number of drivers without licenses. The policy would also help lower auto insurance costs for New Yorkers, though it is unclear how this would occur. Around 265,000 people would benefit from NYIC’s proposed initiative, the NY Daily News reported. “If Gov. [Andrew] Cuomo is looking to protect immigrants from Donald Trump and his administration, as he says, this is the No. 1 policy we can adopt to do that,” Choi said, according to the NY Daily News. Choi…

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Gillette Uses New Ad Buy to Lecture Men on Toxic Masculinity

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by Evie Fordham   Razor brand Gillette dropped a new ad campaign Sunday fighting against what its brand director characterized as a harmful “Boys Will Be Boys” attitude. But the ad is a risk, said brand adviser Dean Crutchfield. “It’s a risky move,” Crutchfield, CEO of branding firm Crutchfield + Partners, told The Wall Street Journal. “Does the customer want to be told they’re a naughty boy? Are you asking too much of your consumer to be having this conversation with them?” The nearly two-minute ad, titled “We Believe,” doesn’t focus on men shaving and instead shows on footage of men interacting. The ad includes two scenes in which men discourage other men from harassing women as well as a short storyline involving a father setting an example for his young son by defending a preteen from bullies. “This is an important conversation happening, and as a company that encourages men to be their best, we feel compelled to both address it and take action of our own,” said Pankaj Bhalla, Gillette brand director for North America, in an email to the WSJ. “We are taking a realistic look at what’s happening today, and aiming to inspire change by acknowledging…

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Nashville Council to Consider Three Pivotal Bills Relating to Amazon

Chris Butler

Metro Nashville Council members were scheduled to consider three bills Tuesday night related to the Amazon.com and its proposed move to Music City, according to The Nashville Business Journal. Metro Council members are considering a controversial $15 million incentive package for Amazon to locate a hub downtown. As The Business Journal went on to say, Amazon has promised to bring 5,000 jobs to Nashville in exchange, but people who don’t like the idea of more corporate incentives have pushed back. “Metro officials have agreed to pay the company $500 per new job created for seven years, or roughly $15 million,” The Business Journal reported. The mayor’s office has not yet presented that proposal to the Metro Council, though it’s expected to debut in the coming months. The first bill council members were to consider as it pertains to Amazon involves, of all things, affordable housing. As The Tennessee Star reported, Nashville would have to hand out the same amount of money for more affordable housing units as it gives to major corporations to get them to come to the city. Nashville Metro Council members Fabian Bedne and Colby Sledge are reportedly pushing the idea. But fellow council member Steve Glover said…

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Federal Judge Orders Removal of Citizenship Question From 2020 Census

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by Kevin Daley   A federal judge in New York barred the Trump administration from including a citizenship question on the 2020 census questionnaire. The decision appears to have significant implications for a related matter the Supreme Court will consider in February. “The attempts by the Trump administration to mandate a question about citizenship were not rooted in a desire to strengthen the census process and would only undermine our immigrant communities,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement. “Inciting fear in our residents is not only immoral, but also ill-conceived.” The Constitution mandates a census every 10 years to apportion seats in the House of Representatives among the states. Population is also used as a basis for rewarding federal aid. A citizenship question was included in the census until 1960. A coalition of Democratic cities, states, and interest groups challenged the addition of a citizenship question to the census questionnaire in April 2018, warning it would discourage minority participation. An incomplete survey of minority populations, the plaintiffs feared, would result in diminished federal funds and congressional representation for urban areas. The plaintiffs charged that the addition of the citizenship question violated the Constitution and the Administrative…

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The Tennessee Star Report Talks with One America News Network Reporter Neil McCabe About Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Uncertain Health Status

Julie Carr

In an interview on The Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast Wednesday on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy spoke to Leahy’s former Breitbart former colleague, now a Washington reporter for One America News Network, Neil McCabe, about the mystery of Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s current health condition.  The men also went on to discuss the lack of transparency the Supreme Court continues to show in relation to Ginsburg’s health and how the American people have a right to know the state of her condition. The segment touched upon Ginsburg’s lethal style as a Supreme Court justice when questioning conservative attorneys in the past and how, with her current state of health, conservatives may need to approach the situation. Leahy: Hey we are joined now by our good friend and my former Breitbart colleague, Neil McCabe who is the Washington reporter for One America News Network. Neil are you snowed in up there? McCabe: (Laughs) Yeah it’s really amazing what snow does to our nation’s capitol. (Leahy laughs) McCabe: I’m just glad the Russians never came up with a freezing…

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Commentary: Democratic Senators are Getting Way Too Comfortable with Religious Tests

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by Lathan Watts   This new year will quickly reveal to the American people whether some Democrats in Washington have resolved to abandon their overused—and unconstitutional—religious test for office. Two Democrats in the Senate, Sens. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Kamala Harris of California, recently objected to the nomination of Brian Buescher to a U.S. district court in Nebraska based on his membership in the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization. Their objections, premised on the organization’s affirmation of Catholic teaching, hearkens back to California Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s now-infamous criticism of the “dogma” of Judge Amy Coney Barrett and other Democratic senators who have vocally opposed religious nominees. These “extreme positions,” according to Hirono, should require Buescher to recuse himself from any future case related to the subject matter. Harris, employing the two most formidable weapons in the progressive arsenal—ignorance and audacity—asked Buescher if he was aware that the Knights of Columbus opposed abortion when he joined. Sadly, this is nothing new for judicial nominees facing their version of a secular inquisition, formerly known as “confirmation.” Catholics, Protestants, and others without any religious affiliation recoiled at the sight of a U.S. senator questioning a nominee’s fitness to serve based…

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America’s Youngest Lawmaker, WV Delegate Caleb Hanna, Wants to Help Build the Wall to Combat Drug Epidemic

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by Evie Fordham   West Virginia House of Delegates member Caleb Hanna wants to fund a southern border wall with $10 million of his state’s surplus to combat West Virginia’s drug problem, he said on “Fox and Friends” Tuesday. “West Virginia has a terrible drug problem,” Hanna said Tuesday. “I believe that a lot of those drugs and opioids are coming directly from the southern border. I spoke to local and state law enforcement, and they say these drugs are so pure they can’t be coming from anywhere other than Mexico. So I believe that the wall is a crucial part in addressing West Virginia’s drug problem.” Hanna and his fellow Republican delegates Carl “Robbie” Martin and Patrick Martin plan to introduce the bill that would transfer $10 million of the state’s $185 million surplus to the border wall that President Donald Trump has proposed, reported The Mountaineer Journal. The state surplus funds would not make much of a dent in the wall fund, though — Trump is asking for more than $5 billion. Watch the latest video at foxnews.com “So, the West Virginia Republican majority in the House has been very supportive of President Trump and his efforts to…

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Metro Nashville Basketball Round-Up

McKinley Young, Jr.

by McKinley Young Jr.   Girls Thursday 1-10-19 Bailey Leads Antioch past Republic Aniyah Bailey scored 22 points to lead the Antioch Lady Bears over the Republic Lady Blazers 60-40. Destiny Johnson had 13 points and JiKiya Morris added 10 points for the Lady Bears. Other games: Cheatham County 60- Maplewood 35 Franklin 51 – Cane Ridge 39 Friday 1-11-19 Shaw Triple-Double Helps Lead East Pass Whites Creek WHITES CREEK, Tenn.-East Nashville Lady Eagle sophomore guard Tameia Shaw recorded her second triple-double of the season with 12 points, 14 assists, and 10 steals, as the number one ranked Lady Eagles (17-1, get a district road win 73-22. Junior London Fairs lead all scorers with 29 points hitting seven three-pointers. Quentarra Mitchell notched a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. NaKiya Armstrong led Whites Creek with six points. East Nashville (73): London Fairs 29, Quentarra Mitchell 14, Tameia Shaw 12, A’Niya Young 8, Kristina Smikes 4, Jaelynn Knox 3, Mariuana Hughes 2, Zayla Jones 1 Whites Creek (22): NiKiya Armstrong 6, T. Cockrill 4, D. Boatright 4, M. Shannon 4, A. Waller 2, M. Shelton 2 McGavock Outlast Overton in a Thriller Jada Johnson scored 14 points to lead McGavock…

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GOP Slams Klobuchar for Backtracking on Promise to Complete Senate Term

Anthony Gockowski

The Minnesota Republican Party called out Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) Tuesday after she indicated that she is leaning towards launching a presidential campaign. But during her 2018 Senate reelection campaign, Klobuchar promised to finish her full six-year term if reelected. “Of course I will. I think my track record shows that. I love working in the Senate. I love representing Minnesota,” she said during a debate with opponent Jim Newberger. Klobuchar has repeatedly indicated that she’s considering a run for the White House, and during a Tuesday interview on MSNBC’s Morning Joe all but announced that she’s running. “I also said I wanted to talk to my family, so big news today—my family is on board, including my in-laws, showing some momentum. But I will make this decision on my own course, regardless of what other candidates are doing,” she said. “I think what America wants is someone that is going to make their own decisions, that’s not going to be influenced by every tweet out from the White House or what happens every single day in the news. I think they need a president that’s there for them in the long haul,” she added. The Minnesota GOP responded in…

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Audit: No Records Exist to Justify Hardeman County Employees Taking Nearly $26,000 Worth of Benefits

Chris Butler

Two employees with the Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office received more than $26,000 worth of vacation time, holiday time, and compensatory time they might not have rightfully earned, according to a state audit released Tuesday. This, of course, matters  because it’s taxpayer money. Tennessee Comptroller Justin Wilson’s audit did not name the employees, but it did say the two employees no longer work for the sheriff’s office. Wilson’s audit also said this occurred in April and May of last year. “Due to a lack of adequate documentation on file to support these payments, as well as a lack of adequate time and leave records maintained by the Sheriff’s Department, we were unable to determine the validity of these payment amounts,” Comptrollers wrote. “This deficiency was a result of a lack of management oversight and may have resulted in unauthorized compensation.” No one at Sheriff John Doolen’s department returned The Tennessee Star’s repeated requests for comment Tuesday. County officials, the audit went on to say, did not follow their own personnel policy on this matter. “Adequate payroll records and supporting documentation should be maintained to support all payments to employees,” Comptrollers wrote. “Accrued leave records should be accurately maintained to ensure proper…

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David Brock Backed Progressive Org Files Second Ethics Complaint Against North Carolina’s Tim Moore

A.P. Dillon

The Campaign for Accountability (CfA), a Washington, D.C. non-profit, filed a second ethics complaint Monday against North Carolina’s Speaker of the House Tim Moore after their first one was dismissed. The first complaint filed by CfA was dismissed on December 28, 2018, mainly because it failed to prove Moore knowingly used his position to leverage financial gain. The second CfA complaint claims to contain “new documents” and questions the findings of the North Carolina Ethics Commission. CfA’s hints at impropriety by one of Speaker Moore’s legislative aides, Mitch Gillespie, who “intervened” in the case by seeking a status report about tank cleanup issues. “New documents obtained by Campaign for Accountability reveal that one of Speaker Moore’s legislative aides inquired with DEQ officials about Speaker Moore’s company after it apparently violated several environmental regulations,” CfA Executive Director Daniel E. Stevens said in a statement. “The documents indicate that yet again Speaker Moore appears to have attempted to use his official position to enrich himself. North Carolina officials should immediately investigate whether Speaker Moore directed his aide, a former DEQ official, to contact the agency on his behalf,” Stevens’ statement said. These new documents, according to CfA, were obtained on November 29,…

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Ohio Officially Opens Three Marijuana Dispensaries, But Most Doctors Aren’t Prescribing Just Yet

Andrew Shirley

After being delayed by more than a year, legal medicinal marijuana will finally be available in Ohio. Medicinal marijuana prescriptions, however, will be much harder to come by. 80 percent of doctors who are eligible to prescribe the drug have yet to register in the program. Of the few that did register, many only did so to stay abreast of new developments and not necessarily to prescribe. In addition, the overwhelming majority of hospitals have refused to participate in the program and have barred their physicians from prescribing the controversial drug. A majority of the 300 physicians who are registered to prescribe the drug operate private practices and are not attached to hospitals. Marijuana is still a Schedule I drug in the eyes of the federal government. This classification means, as far as the government is concerned: There is no accepted medical use, It has a high potential for abuse, It is among “the most dangerous drugs of all the drug schedules with potentially severe psychological or physical dependence.” For all the success medicinal marijuana has found with state legalization, this classification makes many hospitals fearful that, should laws change or the federal government crackdown on state legalization, they could find themselves facing severe fines, prison, and even the loss of…

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Keith Ellison Says Minnesota Attorney General’s Office Prepared to Take ‘Legal Action’ in Response to Shutdown

Anthony Gockowski

Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) was joined by a large cohort of bipartisan lawmakers, top administrative officials, and local faith leaders Tuesday to discuss the impact of the partial government shutdown on Minnesota. According to Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Myron Frans, the state receives roughly $1 billion in federal funding per month, and about a quarter of state agencies are currently affected by the shutdown. The group of state leaders stressed in particular the impact the shutdown is having on programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), veterans health care, and Medicaid. The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a one-month extension for SNAP benefits that will last through mid-February, and Walz has directed the Minnesota Department of Human Services to ensure recipients “are informed about any changes to their SNAP food benefits.” Attorney General Keith Ellison spoke at Tuesday’s press conference and argued that the “literally hundreds of federal streams of income” are “contractually obligated to flow.” “From the attorney general’s standpoint, we’re here and we are busy working to make sure that these promises are kept. And we’re exploring the remedies that we have available to us to make sure the federal government meets its obligations,” he said.…

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Vanderbilt to Host Never-Trumper, Former Senator Jeff Flake, in Liberal Love Fest Lecture Series Thursday

Jason M. Reynolds

Never-Trumper and now former U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) is bringing his show Thursday to liberal Vanderbilt University to preach his agenda to a friendly audience at the Chancellor’s Lecture Series. Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill said, “It certainly hasn’t taken former Senator Flake long to move from criticizing Republicans on the taxpayer’s dime to doing the same thing for even larger payoffs from the #fakenews media and liberal academic institutions. Their favorite Republicans are the ones who attack Republicans, and Flake is only too happy to fill that role. Do they pay him with 30 pieces of silver for each appearance? Based on the overwhelmingly leftwing list of previous speakers at the Vanderbilt Chancellor’s Lectures, Flake is a perfect fit.” Vanderbilt is touting Flake’s anti-Trump record to promote the event, which starts at 6:30 p.m. in Langford Auditorium. The university’s press release says, “Fresh from a term that included several highly publicized ideological clashes with the president, former Sen. Jeff Flake will visit Vanderbilt University to explain his hopes for American politics going forward.” Flake is being joined by Zoe Chace, producer of “This American Life,” whom the university says produced a show highlighting his work before he…

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