Month: February 2019

EXCLUSIVE Joe diGenova Commentary: As McCabe Seeks the Spotlight, We Can Never Forget What He Actually Did

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by Joseph diGenova   Disgraced former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe and his co-conspirators have seriously tarnished the credibility of their once-venerable institution. During a 60 Minutes interview Sunday, McCabe once again admitted that he a met with a group of high ranking, unelected, unaccountable Department of Justice personnel in May 2017 to plot President Trump’s removal from office. He wasn’t trying to admit guilt — although that’s exactly what he did — he was bragging about his role in a treasonous plot to overthrow a president duly elected by the American people. Make no mistake — this plot was an attempted political assassination, a decapitation effort, and it was undertaken by the very people responsible for upholding the rule of law in this country. McCabe’s resistance ally, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, was the one who repeatedly pitched the idea of wearing a wire into the Oval Office to secretly record sensitive conversations with the President. Highlighting the agency’s problems, Rosenstein responded to McCabe’s book saying his claims are “factually incorrect,” during a statement that was pure spin, in which he never directly denied McCabe’s wiretap claims. This is the current state of affairs within the United States Justice Department…

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Journalist Groups Alarmed by Justice Thomas’ Call to Reconsider Free Press Ruling

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by Kevin Daley   Professional journalism groups reacted with alarm after Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas urged the high court Tuesday to reconsider a landmark freedom of the press decision called New York Times v. Sullivan. The Sullivan ruling generally shields reporters and news platforms from libel or defamation lawsuits, provided they were acting in good faith. Though journalists believe that protection is essential, Thomas said the high court was wrong to usurp the role of states in regulating libel. “[Sullivan] and the Court’s decisions extending it were policy-driven decisions masquerading as constitutional law,” Thomas’s opinion reads. “We should not continue to reflexively apply this policy-driven approach to the Constitution,” Thomas added. “Instead, we should carefully examine the original meaning of the First and Fourteenth Amendments.” BakerHostetler’s Mark Bailen, who serves as outside counsel to the Society of Professional Journalists, found the timing of Thomas’s opinion unwelcome, given President Donald Trump’s adversarial relationship with the press. “It certainly strikes a nerve for journalists and news organizations at a time when some in government have called the press ‘the enemy of the people,’” Bailen told The Daily Caller News Foundation. “It’s against this backdrop that you now have a Supreme Court…

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Tennessee Star Report EXCLUSIVE: Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada Says Fetal Heartbeat Bill ‘Will Progress Quickly Through the House’

Julie Carr

In an an exclusive interview on The Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast Friday on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada made news on several fronts. Casada said that the fetal heartbeat bill “bill progress quickly through the House,” and noted he spoke with Governor Bill Lee on Thursday and expects the governor will outline the details of a proposed education savings account proposal in his State of the State address, to be delivered on March 4. Casada also described the recent efforts of social justice warrior, Justin Jones, currently out on bond for resisting arrest in an October protest of Sen. Marsha Blackburn, to instigate a confrontation at the Capitol. Gill: This week House Speaker Glen Casada has been dealing with really serious issues like, do we put more SRO’s (School Resource Officers) in schools to protect our kids from what we saw happen at Parkland about a year ago. Do we expand vocational education to create job opportunities for Tennesseans for generations to come? Do we deal with the opioid epidemic? Do we protect unborn life with a…

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Mothers in Nashville Demand Government Do Something About Their Wayward Kids

Chris Butler

This month a group of mothers reportedly assembled in Nashville to demand public officials to straighten out kids who have taken a wrong turn in life. The Nashville-based WKRN reported the story about youth violence and how pervasive it is across Middle Tennessee. “On Saturday, Mothers Over Murder as well as other anti-violence organizations called on community leaders and public officials for help to stop this concerning topic,” WKRN reported. “The groups are calling on public officials and the community to respond to violence by supporting safety net programs that rehabilitate traumatized communities and create funding opportunities for anti-violence and youth organizations that are out working in the communities. The groups say they aren’t getting enough money to make the changes that should be happening.” A man named Jay Mazon, whom WKRN identified as a “community activist,” said these organizations need more resources. “You can’t just give pennies and expect to get a million dollars’ worth of results. That just doesn’t make sense,” Mazon reportedly told the station. “So, I would challenge elected officials, but I challenge the community as well to start supporting the organizations.” The number of children committing violent crime is down. Children’s ages, however, are decreasing. Younger…

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Trump Could Appoint Billionaire Coal Exec’s Wife as UN Ambassador

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by Chris White   Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell recommended President Donald Trump choose U.S. Ambassador to Canada Kelly Craft as his next point person at the United Nations. Craft is the wife of billionaire Joe Craft, a billionaire coal executive who has campaigned against the Obama administration’s crackdown on the coal industry. The Crafts donated more than $2 million to support Trump’s presidency, media reports show. McConnell, whose office confirmed the recommendation to The Daily Caller News Foundation, called Craft a “proven advocate for our national interests,” according to a Thursday McClatchy report. He introduced Craft at her Senate confirmation hearing in July 2017 for her current position. The Senate unanimously voted to confirm her. Craft is facing competition for the spot, namely from high-profile people like U.S. ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell and John James, a former Republican senatorial candidate from Michigan. Various media reports suggested the UN ambassadorship is James’s to lose. The process was thrown into disarray Feb. 16 after former State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert dropped out of the running. Trump campaigned in 2016 on reviving a beleaguered coal industry. His administration crafted various proposals to further that mission, including a new policy directing the…

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Ohio Department Of Transportation Introduces Comprehensive Gas Tax that Could Increase Every Year

Andrew Shirley
Gas up

Friday, Ohio Department of Transportation Director Jack Marchbanks formally introduced the proposed 2020-21 Biennial Budget. House Bill 62 (HB 62), the budget’s formal designation, includes an 18-cent gas tax increase. While lower than some reports have suggested, the proposed tax will give Ohio one of the highest gas tax rates in the country. In addition, it contains a provision that could raise gas taxes even higher in the coming years. The 18 cent tax would go into effect immediately upon passage. When measured against other states, this is an exceptionally aggressive approach. When Nebraska voted to raise its takes, it did so in increments of 1.6 cents per year. A more incremental approach could ensure Ohioans don’t face “sticker shock” at the pump. The bill would also tie the gas tax rate to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). At the start of every fiscal year, the tax will be reexamined and if the CPI has increased, the tax will increase with it. While it would ensure that road repair is adequately funded, there is a significant drawback. As written, the law does not stipulate that the gas tax would decrease, should the CPI decrease. if the Ohio economy faces a sudden hardship or enters a recession, Ohioans would…

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Chattanooga May Give Taxpayer Money to Small Businesses

Chris Butler

Something known as the Neighborhood Reinvestment Fund in Chattanooga might use $500,000 in taxpayer money on the city’s small businesses, according to The Chattanooga Times Free Press. Specifically, this money will help small businesses with facility renovations, equipment and inventory acquisition, and website development and marketing. According to the paper, this is Mayor Andy Berke’s initiative to bolster existing small businesses and neighborhoods. “In the first year, Berke said he expects more than 10 companies to take advantage of the effort that could provide individual businesses with loans of up to $25,000,” The Chattanooga Times Free Press reported. Businesses would have to match a percent of the loan amount, depending on how much is borrowed, Berke told the paper. Burke also said participants will work with small business coaches such as those at SCORE, the Company Lab and the Tennessee Small Business Development Center. Patricia Wente, the SCORE chapter chairwoman, reportedly told the paper that coaches “will go through the company’s business plan.” “She said the mentoring group will sign off on that part of a company’s efforts,” according to The Chattanooga Times Free Press. Burke told the paper that “when he first ran for the mayor’s office, he heard…

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New Jersey Lawmakers Are Trying to Tax the Rain

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by Brittany Hunter   Sometimes life mimics fiction. And sometimes life is so much stranger than fiction you have to double check the headlines to ensure they aren’t satire. The latest doubletake comes from New Jersey, where, under the guise of environmentalism, local legislators have passed a new tax on—wait for it— the rain. Governments are known for a lack of creativity and an uncanny ability to think only inside the box. However, when it comes to getting creative with inventing new forms of taxation, they never disappoint. Chicago, for example, recently implemented a “PlayStation” tax on its residents as part of the city’s previously existing “amusement tax,” which, just as it sounds, taxes individuals on almost all forms of entertainment. California, on the other hand, recently tried to get away with unprecedented levels of extortion when it tried to tax residents for their drinking water and text messages. The water tax is still on the table, but luckily, the Golden State did not succumb to the new ridiculous texting tax. New Jersey, though, might not be so lucky. Blame It on the Rain To be perfectly clear, while the new tax is being referred to as the “rain tax,”…

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Minnesota Republicans Continue Pro-Life Push With Several Pieces of Legislation

Anthony Gockowski

Several pieces of pro-life legislation have been introduced by Republicans in both the Minnesota House and Senate. While they all face uphill battles against a Democratic-controlled House and a progressive in the Governor’s Mansion, pro-life leaders think that at least some of the measures should attract bipartisan support. Senate File (SF) 1168 and House File (HF) 1108, for instance, would require physicians to allow women seeking abortions to first see ultrasounds of their children. “Ultrasound imaging provides women with factual medical information,” Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL) Legislative Director Andrea Rau said of the companion bills. “When people are better informed, they make better decisions that result in fewer regrets. Women deserve the chance to decide for themselves whether or not to see their child,” Rau added. According to MCCL, the bills are “completely mainstream legislation,” since 28 other states already have similar provisions written into their informed-consent laws for abortions. The Minnesota Legislature did pass an ultrasound bill in 2018, but it was vetoed by former Gov. Mark Dayton (D-MN). A second set of companion bills would prohibit abortions from being performed after 20 weeks of pregnancy, which is when “scientific evidence shows that unborn children can feel…

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Ohio Workers Injured on the Job Will No Longer Be Prescribed Oxycontin

Anthony Gockowski

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation voted Friday to no longer prescribe the powerful opioid Oxycontin to workers injured on the job. According to a Friday press release from the BWC, Chief Medical Officer Terry Welsh recommended that the drug be phased out of the organization’s formulary (a list of drugs the BWC will cover when prescribed), and the Board of Directors voted in favor of following his directive. Oxycontin will be replaced with Xtampza ER, which Welsh called “an equally effective but harder-to-abuse drug.” “Xtampza is a sustained-release form of oxycodone, like Oxycontin, but it utilizes a unique abuse-deterrent technology that makes it difficult to manipulate—crush, snort or inject—for aberrant use,” Welsh elaborated. “Thanks to technology, this just seems like the next responsible step to protect our injured workers from potential addiction and overdose death to dangerous drugs.” Oxycontin will be phased out of BWC’s system staring July 1, a move that also follows the recommendation of BWC’s Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee. The establishment of that committee was one of several precautionary steps the BWC took to “mitigate the opioid epidemic’s impact on Ohio’s workforce,” the press release states. Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH) applauded the BWC’s decision, calling it…

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Walz’s Budget Calls for $700,000 in Additional Funding for His Own Office

Anthony Gockowski

Gov. Tim Walz’s (D-MN) proposed budget for the 2020-2021 biennium calls for a $700,000 increase in funding for his own office to help with “outreach and engagement efforts.” “The Office of Governor Tim Walz and Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan recommends a $700,000 FY 2020-2021 biennial General Fund increase to fund a new office of Public Engagement in the Governor’s Office,” the budget proposal states, noting that the funding would amount to a 9.7 percent increase. According to the proposal, the increased funding would help respond to the “large volume of mail, email, telephone calls, and constituent visits.” On average, the budget estimates that the Governor’s Office receives “over 125,000 constituent contacts per year.” “The Office does not have the current capacity to provide additional reactive and proactive outreach and engagement efforts, which are critical to Governor Walz and Lt. Governor Flanagan’s vision for One Minnesota,” the budget claims. As such, Walz’s first budget proposes creating a new “Office of Public Engagement,” whose “primary responsibility is to connect with Minnesotans across the state to make government inclusive, transparent, accountable, and responsible.” “The Office of Public Engagement helps open the two-way dialogue, ensuring that the issues impacting our state’s proud and diverse…

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Gillespie Addresses Northam Blackface Scandal

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by Fred Lucas   Ed Gillespie, the Republican candidate who lost the 2017 Virginia governor’s race to Ralph Northam, said Virginia has much healing to do. “For Virginians, this is a very painful time to see these images splashed up on television screens and newspapers, and it doesn’t reflect the Virginia that I know and fellow Virginians know,” Gillespie said Thursday while attending the second annual Jay A. Parker Lecture and Reception at The Heritage Foundation. After Northam’s medical school yearbook surfaced from 1984, showing someone in blackface standing next to someone in a Ku Klux Klan outfit on Northam’s page in the yearbook, the governor denied he was either person, after initially apologizing. However, Northam, a Democrat, admitted to once dressing up in blackface to imitate Michael Jackson in 1984. This came days after he seemed to advocate infanticide of newborn babies in certain circumstances. During the gubernatorial campaign, a liberal group ran a racially charged political ad against Gillespie, tying him to neo-Nazis. The revelation of Northam’s past blackface resulted in bipartisan calls for the Democrat to resign, including from Kay Coles James, president of The Heritage Foundation. Gillespie—in the audience for the Heritage event—didn’t address whether Northam…

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Tennessee Star Report: Laurie Cardoza-Moore Petitions for the Resignation of Anti-American Congresswoman Ilhan Omar

Julie Carr

On Friday’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 spoke with Laurie Cardoza-Moore from Proclaiming Justice to the Nations about her current petition which can be found online at PJTN.org, regarding the removal of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), the Somali Muslim who came to the United States under the Refugee Resettlement Program, for her anti-Semitic tweets and conduct. During the segment, Moore called for the removal of Omar citing her continuous anti-American views and values that she continues to promote and her recent speaking engagement on Thursday in Tampa, Florida alongside other anti-American, Islamic radicals. Gill: Also go to PJTN.org, this morning, that’s PJTN.org, Proclaiming Justice to the Nations, PJTN.org where there is a petition you can sign demanding the immediate resignation of Minnesota Congresswoman, Ilhan Omar. She’s the one who allegedly married her brother to cheat us immigration laws. Traveled apparently to Venezuela a year or so ago with an anti-American group. And Nancy Pelosi puts her on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The Chairman of PJTN, Proclaiming Justice to the Nations is Laurie Cardoza-Moore…

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Tennessee Reportedly Seeks Free Market Approach to Health Care

Chris Butler

This week Forbes profiled a bill in the Tennessee House of Representatives that takes a “patient-centered, free-market approach to transform healthcare in Tennessee.” The bill, known as the CARE Plan creates price transparency through the Right to Shop Bill and more data on healthcare prices. The legislation also promotes competition among institutions, facilities, and providers through Certificate of Need Reform — one that loosens requirements — to benefit both urban and rural access needs, said Americans for Tax Reform Vice President of State Affairs Patrick Gleason. Gleason is also a senior fellow at the Nashville-based Beacon Center of Tennessee, a free market think tank. The CARE Plan also is designed to increases rural healthcare access through Telehealth and Telemedicine alternatives. The legislation also explores options to increase access to behavioral health services, including medication-assisted therapy for substance use disorder. The bill if enacted into law, would request federal block grants to empower Tennessee to create a healthcare system that addresses our unique needs, Gleason wrote in Forbes. “This plan is an important first step in addressing the health concerns of all Tennesseans through increased competition and transparency, and once again, this plan demonstrates Tennessee’s ability to lead on an important issue…

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Rep. Cohen Spouts Conspiracy Theories on CNN, Saying President Trump is Using Attorney General Barr to Abruptly End Mueller Investigation

Jason M. Reynolds

Congressional Democrats are threatening to subpoena the report to be issued by special counsel Robert Mueller, and U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) is spouting off conspiracy theories about the new attorney general as well. The threat comes with reports that the special counsel may issue the report on so-called Russian interference in the 2016 elections next week, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said on CNN’s “New Day,” which the network posted on Twitter. AG William Barr “has to make a decision — is he going to be the people’s lawyer or is he going to be the President’s lawyer?” @SenBlumenthal says as sources tell CNN that the Justice Department is preparing for Mueller report as early as next week. https://t.co/o1rWjoIe29 pic.twitter.com/ZR9AXMOTqa — New Day (@NewDay) February 21, 2019 Attorney General William Barr was reticent recently about whether he would allow Mueller to testify before Congress, and whether he would resist a subpoena if it were issued for the report, Roll Call said. Meanwhile, Cohen, who is well known for providing colorful yet not always-appropriate soundbites, had a few things to say about Barr during an interview on CNN. The video is available here. Cohen, who serves on the House Judiciary Committee,…

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Planned Parenthood Tennessee in Partnership with Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC)

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – During welcome comments made to attendees of Planned Parenthood “Takes the Hill” day at the Tennessee legislature, Tennessee Advocates of Planned Parenthood Executive Director Francie Hunt said the organization is in partnership with Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC). Tennessee Advocates for Planned Parenthood (TAPP) arranged for a free bus Tuesday, February 19, so that advocates from Memphis and Jackson could join “a day of legislative skills training, meeting with your legislators, and attending committee hearings on behalf of Planned Parenthood.” The same day, a group of about 50 pro-life grassroots advocates visited the Capitol to show their support for the Heartbeat Bill, as reported by The Tennessee Star. Hunt told the group of about 30 that met in a Senate Hearing Room on the first floor of the Cordell Hull Building that “The timing of you being here could not be better.” Hunt was referring to the fact that “two bills that we don’t like” would be heard in the House Public Health Subcommittee the following day, saying that “We’ll have some lead time to persuade them as much as possible.” The first of the two bills they oppose, which Hunt said were talked about…

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Out on Bond Left-Wing Activist Justin Jones Instigates Confrontation at State Capitol, State Troopers Intervene

Chris Butler

A left-wing activist out on bond for allegedly disrupting a Marsha Blackburn rally in Nashville last fall apparently disturbed the Tennessee capitol building Thursday and said House Speaker Glen Casada actually pushed him. That activist, Justin Jones, has a history trying to obstruct Republican officials while they carry out their duties at the state capitol or at other Republican events. Casada’s representatives told The Tennessean their boss did nothing wrong. Jones, as reported, wants state officials to remove a bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest from the state capitol building. He has documented his efforts on his personal Facebook page, including at least one group sit-in at Casada’s office this month. Jones, on his Facebook page Thursday, uploaded a video that began with him arguing with a capitol staff member, demanding a meeting with Casada. Jones then saw Casada out of camera range and walked over to confront him. “Casada, we’ve been trying to get a meeting with you,” the camera recorded Jones saying. An unknown woman in a red coat blocked the camera’s point of view of whatever happened next between Jones and Casada, but during that time someone yelled “Don’t put your hands on him.” As Jones and others…

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Commentary: When Congress Turned On to Globalism

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by Curtis Ellis   July 1967. The Summer of Love. The Doors and Jefferson Airplane topped the charts. Young people flocked to San Francisco to turn on, tune in, and drop out. “All across the nation, there’s a whole generation with a new explanation,” the pop balladeer told us. Indeed, wild utopian ideas were not confined to San Francisco. In Washington D.C. on July 20, 1967, the Joint Economic Committee of Congress held a hearing on the future of U.S. foreign trade Policy. The hearing is memorialized in the Congressional Record and it is there we find a plan for reorganizing society as radical as any inspired by lysergic acid diethylamide in a Haight-Ashbury commune. For it is there, in those drab pages, that we find a concise and coherent explication of the ideology of globalism. Think of it as the day Congress turned on to globalism. (Credit to Matt Stoller for originally exhuming this Rosetta Stone of globalism.) We see that so-called “free-trade agreements” were never really about trade between nations. We see that the goal of U.S. “trade” policy was the erosion of independent nation-states and the vesting of power in supranational authorities. We see a distinct lack…

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Liberal Media Outlet Casts Wide Net to Unearth College Yearbook Photo From 1980 Showing Gov. Bill Lee Dressed in Confederate Uniform at Party

Jason M. Reynolds

Liberal media chain Gannett has dug up a 39-year-old university fraternity yearbook photo showing a young Bill Lee dressed in a Confederate uniform, multiple media outlets have reported. WREG reported that Gov. Bill Lee’s office told the station he has regrets and never intended to hurt anyone. The photo from 1980 is on the Kappa Alpha Order yearbook page and shows Lee in the uniform, posing with other people in period clothing at a party. A copy of the yearbook page is here. The fraternity hosted parties celebrating the Confederacy and Southern heritage during the time Lee attended Auburn, 1977-1981, WREG said. Lee’s press secretary, Laine Arnold, did not reply to an emailed request for comment by The Tennessee Star. A representative for Lee told the Associated Press on his behalf that he never wore blackface or attended parties where that happened, WRCB reported. Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill chastised Gannett, the owner of The Tennessean, for searching wide and far for a 39-year-old photo. “The amount of time that The Tennessean and other Gannett publications have devoted to scouring college yearbooks playing 30 and 40-year-old games of gotcha over costume parties explains better than anything else why their…

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Jussie Smollett Arrested After Alleged ‘MAGA’ Hoax

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by Molly Prince   “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett turned himself into police custody after he was charged on allegations related to disorderly conduct for filing a false police report, police said Thursday. “Press Briefing: Jussie Smollet is under arrest and in custody of detectives,” tweeted Anthony Guglielmi, chief communications officer for the Chicago Police Department. “At 9am at #ChicagoPolice Headquarters, Supt Eddie Johnson, Commander of Area Central Detectives Edward Wodnicki will brief reporters on the investigation prior to the defendants appearance in court.” – Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) February 21, 2019 Felony criminal charges have been approved by @CookCountySAO against Jussie Smollett for Disorderly Conduct / Filing a False Police Report. Detectives will make contact with his legal team to negotiate a reasonable surrender for his arrest. pic.twitter.com/LvBSYE2kVj — Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) February 21, 2019 Felony charges were filed against Smollett on Wednesday evening stemming from a hate crime he allegedly coordinated against himself in January. Smollett claimed two men beat him up late at night while walking in Chicago. He further claimed the men tied a noose around his neck and poured a bleach-like substance on him while shouting racist and homophobic slurs. In a follow-up interview with the Chicago…

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Commentary: How the Space Force Can Restore Our Edge Against China, Russia

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by John Venable   The U.S. just moved one step closer to creating a Space Force. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump directed the Department of Defense to draft legislation to establish the Space Force as a new branch of the military under the secretary of the Air Force. This move is an important step toward defending the space domain, which is home to critical assets that deliver everything from precision targeting and missile launch warning, to the communications and signals that allow banking, commerce, travel, and almost every other aspect of our high-tech society to function. Russia and China are aware of our near-complete reliance on space systems, and they have positioned themselves to move against them. It’s been over 11 years since China proved it is capable of destroying satellites in space using ground-based missiles, and in the years since, Russian satellites co-orbiting in close proximity with ours have been equally provocative. In 2018, an independent report emerged from a bipartisan congressional directive that recommended the U.S. establish an independent Space Force through a two-phased approach that would re-establish our dominance in the space domain. In the months since, the Trump administration has used the president’s current authorities to…

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OFF THE RECORD: Governor Stud Muffin???

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When Butch Eley, Governor Bill Lee’s Chief Operating Officer, made an embarrassing, and telling, donation of $1,350 in February 2018 to Democrat Senate candidate Phil Bredesen it showed poor judgement at the very least. (And it didn’t win any points with now-Senator Marsha Blackburn, Bredesen’s opponent in the November general election.) Not to be outdone, Eley’s executive assistant apparently wants to insure that embarrassing contributions from Team Eley will continue. But alas, what looks to be the contribution from Anna Catherine Davenport was not financial like that of her boss, Butch. Her contribution was  of the social media type. A Facebook post from the account of Anna Catherine Davenport, apparently the same person as Eley’s executive assistant, which was quickly deleted, said that the “Highlight of the Day” was “getting to tell the Governor that some lady in the photo line called him a ‘stud muffin.’ ” In a “Spoiler alert,” the now deleted Facebook post added that “he thought that was pretty great.” Governor Stud Muffin?? True, it’s not as bad as embarrassing as, say, posing for a photo in a Confederate uniform in college – but it’s up there. Maybe that explains the Governor’s passion for repealing the…

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Trump Officially Ends Fuel Economy Talks With California

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by Michael Bastasch   The Trump administration officially ended negotiations with California over a proposed rollback of Obama-era fuel economy regulations. The White House issued a joint statement with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Transportation (DOT) Thursday: “Today, officials from the White House, Department of Transportation, and Environmental Protection Agency announced that the Trump Administration has decided to discontinue discussions with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) regarding the proposed Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule. Despite the Administration’s best efforts to reach a common-sense solution, it is time to acknowledge that CARB has failed to put forward a productive alternative since the SAFE Vehicles Rule was proposed. Accordingly, the Administration is moving forward to finalize a rule later this year with the goal of promoting safer, cleaner, and more affordable vehicles.” The announcement comes as tensions flare between the White House and California over border wall and high-speed rail funding. The Daily Caller News Foundation first reported the administration’s plan to end talks. The impasse over fuel economy regulations will likely result in EPA revoking California’s ability to set its own tailpipe standards for carbon dioxide emissions. Talks between EPA and DOT officials the California Air…

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North Carolina Elections Board Unanimously Orders New Election in 9th Congressional District

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by Evie Fordham   North Carolina’s Board of Elections unanimously ordered a new election in the state’s 9th Congressional District due to “corruption” and “illegal activity… involving absentee ballots” after four days of hearings that drew to a close Thursday. The board decided that neither Republican Mark Harris nor Democrat Dan McCready gained victory in the 2018 midterm election after allegations that Harris campaign operatives illegally harvested ballots, reported Politico Thursday. The race was the only 2018 midterm election that had not been certified. Harris, a former pastor, had an unofficial lead of roughly 900 votes. The board came to a decision after Harris testified and said a new election was needed. “Through the testimony I’ve listened to over the last three days, I believe a new election should be called,” Harris said. “It has become clear to me that the public’s confidence in the 9th District seat general election has been undermined to an extent that a new election is warranted.” Harris’s son, 29-year-old John Harris, had testified Wednesday that he had warned his father about a “shady” political operative. That operative was McCrae Dowless, who worked for the Harris campaign as a contractor through the political consulting firm…

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Pompeo: American-Born Islamic State Woman Is Not US Citizen

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U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo contended Thursday that an American-born woman who defected to the Islamic State terrorist group is not a U.S. citizen and should not be allowed to return home from Syria because her father was a Yemeni diplomat. President Donald Trump said he ordered Pompeo to not let the woman, Hoda Muthana, return to the U.S., even though her lawyer says she is willing to face U.S. prosecution for willingly going to Syria and using social media to praise the killings of Westerners. “She may have been born here,” Pompeo told NBC’s “Today” show. “She is not a U.S. citizen, nor is she entitled to U.S. citizenship.” He contended that the 24-year-old woman, now with a child born in a relationship with one of her three jihadist husbands, is not an American citizen because of her father’s diplomatic status. But Muthana’s lawyer is telling U.S. news outlets that the father had ended his diplomatic service “months and months” before his daughter was born in the eastern U.S. state of New Jersey in 1994, thus making her an American citizen. The lawyer, Hassan Shibly, told CNN that Muthana “should have known better” than to leave her home…

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Signs Point to China, US Deal to Avert Further Tariff Hike

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Donald Trump, Xi Jinping

As China and the United States resume high-level talks in Washington Thursday, there are signs that the two may be closing in on a deal. Reuters news agency is reporting that top trade officials from both sides are trying to hammer out the details of six broad agreements aimed at resolving the most difficult issues from forced technology transfers, to state subsidies and cyber theft. Earlier this week, President Donald Trump said there is no “magical date” for reaching a trade deal, a comment some felt suggests that the March 1 deadline, which could trigger a steep hike in tariffs from both countries, could be postponed if progress is being made. Meanwhile, a senior Communist party adviser, speaking at a forum organized by the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, predicted Washington and Beijing would reach a trade deal in early March. He also said that Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Chinese tech giant Huawei, is likely to be released by April or May. Speaking on the sidelines of a conference hosted by the newspaper, Xie Maosong, an adjunct professor at the Central Party School, said he was confident that is what would happen because of what he called…

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Tennessee House Republicans Introduce Series of Bills to Empower Patients, Reduce Healthcare Costs, Promote Free Market

Jason M. Reynolds

State House Republicans on Thursday introduced a free-market plan that focuses on patients, nicknamed CARE, to transform healthcare in Tennessee, especially rural areas. The Tennessee House Republicans press release is available here. The legislative package is composed of 11 bills throughout the session, which the state GOP caucus said will “reshape healthcare in Tennessee through Consumerism, increasing Access, improving Rural health systems, and Empowering patients to ensure individuals and families to make all medical decisions, instead of insurance companies or the government.” The CARE Plan will generate price transparency and increased data on prices, Republicans said. A claims database will provide consumers with information to allow them to save money and improve the healthcare system’s performance. Other benefits include streamlining of billing, promotion of competition, better drug prices, use of telemedicine and more. The plan will help people even if they have pre-existing conditions, Republicans said. The move by Tennessee Republicans comes days after North Carolina’s state legislators introduced a bill to address healthcare costs, Forbes said. The publication said: Earlier this week Republican legislators who hold majorities in the North Carolina House and Senate introduced Senate Bill 86, the Small Business Healthcare Act, legislation introduced by Senators Dan Bishop…

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House Democrats to Challenge Trump’s Border Emergency Declaration

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Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives are preparing to introduce a resolution challenging President Donald Trump’s declaration of a national emergency at the country’s southern border. The resolution sponsored by Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas is set to be filed Friday, and could get a vote in the full House by mid-March. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a letter Wednesday encouraging both Democratic and Republican lawmakers to sign on as co-sponsors and said the measure would “move swiftly.” Trump declared an emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border last week after Congress passed a border security package totaling nearly $1.4 billion but without fulfilling his calls for $5.7 billion to construct a border wall. Trump says a wall is necessary to stop immigrants and drugs from illegally entering the country. Opponents say a wall is an expensive and ineffective measure, and that border security money would be better spent on more customs agents and boosting screening technology at points of entry. The House resolution has a strong chance of passing the Democrat-led House. Republicans control the Senate, so a number of members of Trump’s party would have to go against him in order for the measure to pass there. If it…

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North Carolina Attorney General Won’t Detail ‘Serious Concerns’ About Trump Border Declaration

A.P. Dillon

North Carolina’s Attorney General Josh Stein has “serious concerns” about President Trump’s National Emergency Declaration – but his office won’t detail them. Stein won’t be entering into the 16 state coalition suing President Trump over the move. Instead, a statement from Stein was tweeted by the official North Carolina Department of Justice account that said he has “serious concerns” about the declaration and are reviewing it. .@JoshStein_ : "I have serious concerns about the legality of President Trump’s emergency declaration. We are reviewing the order, and in particular any effects on North Carolina military installations. We will not hesitate to take action if we conclude it is necessary.” — NC Attorney General (@NCAGO) February 19, 2019 Battleground State News reached out to the North Carolina Department of Justice (NCDOJ) for clarification on the Attorney General’s specific “serious concerns.” In our questions to the NCDOJ, we asked about the 31 active National Emergencies that have been declared since 1979. 10 of them were enacted under President Obama. Our research found no “serious concerns” lodged by Mr. Stein as a legislator or since taking office as Attorney General, so we asked for details of what his current “serious concerns” with the Trump…

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Wisconsin Dem Stands Outside ICE HQ Asking for Response to His FOIA Request

Anthony Gockowski

Wisconsin Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI-02) recently stood outside U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) headquarters asking for answers about a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request he submitted. Pocan claims the request was filed in October 2018 and sought information on the “arrests of 83 individuals in Wisconsin,” who were presumably arrested and deported by ICE. “More than four months after submitting my request, the agency is clearly using delays as an effort to hide something. While we will not know until the agency provides the information, I have reason to believe that the data on the arrests will show that ICE has targeted immigrants with no prior criminal record to stoke fear in our community,” Pocan said in a recent press release. According to Pocan, ICE claims it has responded to his request on two occasions, but those responses were allegedly just acknowledgments of his request. “Despite multiple meetings, letters, a FOIA request, and unannounced visits to the agency’s office, ICE will not provide information regarding communication with local law enforcement officials and information about whether the arrested individuals held criminal records,” he said. Frustrated with the delay, Pocan recently stood outside ICE’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., where…

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Archbishop Joins DFL Legislators at Capitol in Push to Provide Driver’s Licenses to Illegal Immigrants

Anthony Gockowski

House DFL legislators joined community organizers Thursday for a press conference to call for providing driver’s licenses to all Minnesotans, “regardless of immigration status.” House Majority Ryan Winkler (D-Golden Valley) was accompanied by colleagues Rep. Aisha Gomez (D-Minneapolis), Rep. Rod Hamilton (D-Mountain Lake), and others in unveiling House File (HF) 1500 at the press conference. “A person is not required to demonstrate United States citizenship or lawful presence in the United States in order to obtain a noncompliant driver’s license or identification card,” that bill states, and has 31 House co-authors. At Thursday’s crowded press conference, Winkler said House Democrats are “committed to getting this done this year,” saying Minnesotans need to be “firmly on the side of decency and dignity for human lives.” Rep. Aisha Gomez, an author of the bill says “This is truly a community effort. This is a coalition. When we stand together, we do work that is more powerful. We do work that reflects the realities that Minnesotans are living with.” #mnleg pic.twitter.com/bCHnNdX4iE — Minnesota House DFL (@mnhouseDFL) February 21, 2019 “This is not a long shot. This has been an issue for far too long,” he added. Gomez called the “Freedom to Drive” push…

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OIG Report Finds FHFA Director Mel Watt of North Carolina Guilty of Sexual Misconduct

A.P. Dillon

A report released by an Inspector General’s Office (OIG) has concluded that the Federal Housing and Finance Agency’s Director Luther Melvin “Mel” Watt is guilty of the sexual misconduct complaint filed against him. “We found that the FHF A Director violated Section 702 when he attempted to coerce or induce the PMO Manager to engage in a personal relationship with him by suggesting or implying he would use his official authority to assist her in attaining an executive position with FHFA,” the report says. “We find that there are no circumstances under which it would be appropriate for the head of FHFA to induce a subordinate female employee to meet with him alone, in his apartment, for a conversation in which he professes his attraction for that employee and holds out opportunities for the employee to serve in specific executive positions over which he exercises total control.” Mel Watt, a life-long Democrat, was appointed as Director of the Federal and Finance Agency (FHFA) in 2015 by former President Barack Obama. Prior to his appointment, Watt was a Congressman for North Carolina’s 12th district for 11 terms and spent two years as a senator in the state’s legislature. Watt has denied…

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St. Paul, Minnesota’s Black Dog Cafe Regularly Hosts Trump Resistance Groups for Political Events

Anthony Gockowski

St. Paul’s popular Black Dog Cafe regularly hosts resistance groups formed in response to President Donald Trump’s 2016 election for political events. A collection of groups calling themselves “The MNLeg Coalition” meet once a month for a “Third Thursdays” event that provides the “progressive-values loving community” a chance to “come together, socialize, strategize, learn, and recharge to continue the good fight for justice and equality in Minnesota.” The coalition says that it is “made up of political resistance groups that started after the 2016 election.” According to the group’s website, at least four of these gatherings have taken place at Black Dog Cafe, including a February 21 event on “climate policy in Minnesota.” “Climate policy in Minnesota is having a moment—and not a moment too soon. Come hear from a range of experts and activists on the statewide movement to save our climate. Learn more about what’s at stake, what’s next, and what we can do locally to stop the damage being done to our climate,” a mailer for Thursday’s event states. Speakers included activists from the 100 Percent Campaign, a group seeking 100 percent renewable energy in Minnesota, as well as MN350, whose representative spoke on resisting the Enbridge…

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Taxpayer-Funded Tennessee School Board Association Lobbies State Legislature for More Money and Greater Control

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The Tennessee School Board Association, funded through membership dues paid with tax dollars allocated for school systems, lobbies the Tennessee General Assembly on various issues many of which work against taxpayers’ interests. This week, the Tennessee School Board Association (TSBA) held their annual Day on the Hill with approximately 250 attendees primarily made up of school board members from the organization’s 141 member boards around the state, although superintendents are also permitted to attend. The registration fee was $100 per person, and a block of rooms were made available at the DoubleTree Nashville Downtown at a rate of $219 per night, plus tax. The event, which started Monday evening with a program on this year’s proposed legislation and a reception, continued with Tuesday’s “Call to Action: Conquering the Hill,” during which attending school board members and superintendents broke out to meet with their legislators and attend legislative committee meetings. The packet provided to attending school board members, in addition to general logistical information like an agenda, area map and a list of legislators, included more than 20 pages of materials detailing bills that TSBA supports or opposes, TSBA’s 2019 legislative agenda and an issue brief on each…

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Rep. Green Asks Secretary of State to Designate Drug Cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations

Jason M. Reynolds

U.S. Reps. Dr. Mark Green (R-TN-07) and Chip Roy (R-TX-21) announced they will lead a group of House Republicans on sending a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to ask that drug cartels using terrorist tactics be labeled as Foreign Terrorist Organizations. A copy of the letter is available here. Green served on tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan during the War on Terror. Green and Roy said, in a press release, that their purposes for asking for a terrorist designation are: • To make it unlawful for any person who knowingly provides “material support or resources” to the cartel to enter the United States. • To prevent any member of a designated drug cartel from legally entering the United States. • To allow the Secretary of the Treasury to block all assets possessed or controlled by the drug cartels. • To further stigmatize these groups both at home and abroad. The U.N.’s Security Council has previously acknowledged the link between drug trafficking and terrorism, the congressmen said. Green said, “These cartels have utilized barbaric tactics including those adopted by ISIS and al Qaeda – murdering and torturing innocents, destabilizing countries and assassinating members of law enforcement. Moreover, they threaten our homeland…

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Commentary: Politicized Schools Are Radically Transforming Our Nation

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by Jay Schalin   If somebody wanted to fundamentally transform society to its roots, where would he or she start? The most logical starting point would be education. And if there were one part of the educational system that would produce this transformation most broadly, effectively, and efficiently, it would most likely be at our schools of education that train teachers for the K-12 classroom. That’s where ideas from the rest of academia are inserted into the curriculum for elementary and high school students, and where politically unsophisticated young people are turned into classroom teachers. Control the schools of education, and the education system will eventually be yours to forward your political agenda. Remarkably, that is just what has happened in this country. Over 100 years ago, when our education schools were just starting up or growing from two-year normal schools to university status, Progressive educators set out to transform the nation into one that was based on social science theories, collectivism, and central planning. How successful were they? Several years ago, I started an investigation into how politicized education schools have become. Today, the Martin Center is releasing the results of that investigation in a new report, titled “The…

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Controversial Pigeon Forge Principal Reportedly Steps Down

Chris Butler

A Pigeon Force principal who allowed a football coach to use a middle school teaching gig to put a former college teammate with a history of sexual misconduct on his high school coaching staff is stepping down, according to The Knoxville News Sentinel. But, according to the paper, he’ll still get a paycheck. “With parents and concerned citizens organizing a protest next week outside his school, Principal Scott Hensley announced he has decided to step down as principal of Pigeon Forge Middle School, via a statement released by Sevier County Schools,” the paper reported. “Despite what his own boss called a string of ‘mistakes’ by Hensley in the hiring of a teacher now accused of trying to lure a 13-year-old girl to his middle school office to show her naked photographs, the school system is allowing Hensley to fill an administrative job that wasn’t supposed to be filled and funded until next school year.” Hensley will serve as attendance coordinator for the remainder of the school year, Sevier County Schools’ attorney Chris McCarty told the paper. “The district had plans to add the position of attendance coordinator in next year’s budget, so Hensley’s placement (in that job) will simply provide an early…

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Elon Musk ‘Certain’ Tesla Will Be Producing Self-Driving Cars By Year’s End

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by Chris White   Tesla CEO Elon Musk predicted Tuesday that the electric vehicle automaker will begin producing purely self-driving cars by the end of 2019. The mercurial tech guru has made similar predictions in the past. Musk argued in 2015 that his company would complete a self-driving feature within two years; it never happened. He’s now doubling down on that forecast. The Silicon Valley billionaire told Cathie Wood and Tasha Keeney of ARK Invest that he is certain of this prediction. “I think we will be ‘feature complete’ on full self-driving this year, meaning the car will be able to find you in a parking lot, pick you up, take you all the way to your destination without an intervention this year,” Musk said, referring to Tesla’s long-awaited self-driving feature. “I am certain of that. That is not a question mark.” Musk did add one important caveat. The speed at which customers adopt the technology depends on the rules regulators hammer out for such vehicles, he said. “My guess as to when we would think it is safe for somebody to essentially fall asleep and wake up at their destination? Probably towards the end of next year,” Musk added.…

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Bernie Sanders Emerges As Early Frontrunner As Democrats Line Up to Announce for 2020 Race

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by Molly Prince   Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is kicking off his campaign for the presidency as the leading candidate for the Democratic ticket in 2020. Sanders announced on Tuesday that he will be officially launching a bid for the presidency to continue the “political revolution” that he began in 2016. He has been consistently polling as the top contender behind former Vice President Joe Biden, who has yet to reveal his presidential aspirations. Of the candidates who have officially entered the race, Sanders has been leading the pack for months. The self-proclaimed democratic socialist is significantly ahead in the polls compared to his fellow presidential hopefuls, according to Real Clear Politics’ average of polls. Sanders is nearly seven points ahead of Democratic California Sen. Kamala Harris on average and nine points ahead of Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Sanders unsuccessfully ran a 2016 presidential campaign as a Democrat. Although his run was initially considered a long-shot bid, Sanders won 23 primaries and caucuses. He also won more than 45 percent of pledged delegates, compared to challenger Hillary Clinton’s 54 percent. Sanders is no longer an unknown candidate; he has a ready-made network of staff and volunteers and maintains…

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The Tennessee Star Report: Congressman John Rose Talks Washington Work Relations and Urban vs. Rural Expectations

Julie Carr

In a specific discussion on Wednesday morning’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 – host Steve Gill talked in depth with in-studio guest Congressman John Rose about his impression of how Washington works as a new freshman member of Congress. The men went on to further discuss the implications of rural versus urban needs and expectations and how that creates an involuntary divide of interests. Gill: As a new Congressman, what’s been your biggest impression of what you thought it would be like versus what it’s actually like? Rose: Well it’s a good question and it’s one I get often. There is a dysfunction in Washington. There’s no doubt about it. And I think the degree to which that’s true is a little bit eye opening for me. So that’s probably been the biggest impression that I’ve seen. Its just the dysfunctionality of the way Congress operates. Gill: Well as a business guy it’s clearly not run like a business. You have to constantly be scratching your head going, “And we’re doing this, why?” Rose agreed with Gill’s statement…

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Closed Tennessee Primaries Possibly On the Way

Chris Butler

A bill in this year’s Tennessee General Assembly would, if enacted into law, require people register with a political party before they vote in any Tennessee primaries. State Rep. Andy Holt, R-Dresden, sponsors the bill. According to TNJ: On the Hill, Holt’s bill advanced on a voice vote in the Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee Wednesday. Not all Republicans, however, are reportedly keen on the idea. “Former Republican Gov. Bill Haslam called closing primaries ‘a silly proposal,’ arguing that if the change had been made earlier, it would have been much harder for Republicans to get to the position of power they’re in today,” TNJ: On the Hill reported. “Gov. Bill Lee, who won the Republican nomination amid record turnout in last year’s gubernatorial primary, was similarly dubious about the proposal, telling reporters that ‘the current system we have is working.’” According to the website, anyone in Tennessee can vote in a party primary if they are affiliated with it. In other cases, the voter must declare allegiance to that political party in a primary in which they intend to vote. “The law has been interpreted to mean that seeking a party ballot is a declaration of allegiance. In practice, many Tennesseans…

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Bill Lee Won’t Say if Lee Company Might Benefit from Amazon Deal with Tennessee

Chris Butler

The administration of Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee won’t say whether the Lee Company will receive a cent for any services it may offer Amazon before or after the latter sets up shop in Nashville. No one at the Lee Company will say anything either. Nor will anyone at Amazon. No one at either of the two companies or inside Lee’s staff would return The Tennessee Star’s repeated requests for comment on the matter Wednesday. As The Star reported, city and state officials have offered $105 million in incentives to Amazon, something certain people have called corporate welfare. In exchange, Amazon is to offer 5,000 jobs for a $230 million operations center. This all happened before Lee took office in January. Specifically, The Star wanted to know whether Amazon might offer the Lee Company even a single penny for facility management or other services for any Amazon activities in Nashville. As The Tennessean reported, Lee stepped down as chairman of the Lee Company last month, before taking the oath as governor. Lee placed his company’s holdings into a blind trust. As the Nashville-based WKRN reported this month, Lee told a Sumner County audience he met with Amazon officials about its plans…

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How Many Times Trump’s Predecessors Declared a National Emergency

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by Fred Lucas   The push for a border barrier marks President Donald Trump’s fourth declaration of a national emergency—about a third as many as his three immediate predecessors in their two terms. The number of declared emergencies puts Trump on a par with Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. President Gerald Ford, who signed the 1976 National Emergencies Act, did not declare an emergency under it. His successor, Jimmy Carter, made two such declarations during his single term—one of which is still in effect. In all, 32 presidential declarations of a national emergency remain in effect, counting Trump’s action Friday, while 21 expired or were canceled. The overwhelming majority of national emergencies involved either blocking access to U.S.-held assets for bad actors on the world stage or preventing financial transactions with those countries or with international entities and individuals. Trump’s three immediate predecessors—Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton—each served two four-year terms. Obama declared a national emergency 13 times and nine of those emergencies are still in effect, according to the Congressional Research Service. The younger Bush declared a national emergency 14 times, and 10 are still in effect. Clinton made 14 declarations, six of which…

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Al Gore Says Ralph Northam Can Atone for Blackface Scandal By Opposing Gas Pipeline

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by Michael Bastasch   Former Vice President Al Gore said Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam can fulfill his “racial reconciliation” pledge by opposing the Atlantic Coast pipeline, which he called a “racist rip-off.” “This is an ideal opportunity for him to say, ‘I’ve seen the light,’” Gore said at an anti-pipeline town hall in a historically black part of Buckingham County, Virginia, as part of an “Environmental Justice Tour,” the AP reported. Gore appeared on stage with his daughter Karenna Gore, Rev. Dr. William Barber II, environmental activists and residents of Union Hill, a historically black neighborhood, who oppose the Atlantic Coast pipeline. Gore and climate activists see Northam’s recent blackface controversy as a way to turn him against the Atlantic Coast pipeline. Northam’s political future was thrown into doubt early in 2019 after his medical school yearbook photos surfaced, showing a picture of an individual in blackface and another in a KKK hood. Northam apologized for being in the photo, but, one day later, claimed he wasn’t in the photo amid calls for his resignation. He did, however, admit to wearing shoe polish for a dance contest in 1984. The embattled Democratic governor refused to resign, and wanted to…

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Gorka Commentary: How President Trump Broke the Left

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by Sebastian Gorka   Whatever happens in the years to come, American politics can never return to what they were before Nov. 8, 2016. Why, you ask? Because a brash TV celebrity businessman from Queens broke the media, broke Washington D.C., and broke the self-appointed “elite” on both coasts. The stake he drove through their hearts will endure no matter who resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. First, they laughed at Donald Trump the candidate. At his appearance, at his demeanor, at his outré stump speeches. Then, when he wiped the floor with the 16 establishment Republican candidates they panicked. The criminal cartel that is the Clinton machine hired a former British intelligence officer—who hated Donald Trump the man—to generate a “dossier” of outlandish and false opposition research that was used by Barack Obama’s thoroughly corrupt Justice Department and FBI to gain under bogus pretenses a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance warrant to spy on her opponent’s campaign. But they failed. That is when the coup plot was hatched. I do not use that word lightly. However given that both the liberal judicial authority Alan Dershowitz, and the most preeminent conservative historian and strategist, Victor Davis Hanson, have recently used the word “coup”…

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The Number of Illegals Caught at the Southwest Border Nearly Doubles, DHS Reports

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by Jason Hopkins   Apprehensions of illegal migrants at the southwest border in January increased dramatically from the same time last year, and experts predict 2019 will experience increases in illegal migrant arrests overall. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) — a subset agency of the Department of Homeland Security — reported a total of 47,893 apprehensions of illegal migrants in January at the southwest border, a region of the U.S.-Mexico border that is the most active. The number marked an increase of nearly 22,000 arrests, or 84 percent, from January 2018. The huge uptick could suggest more illegal immigrants will try to cross the U.S.-Mexico border in 2019 than originally anticipated. Princeton Policy Advisors, a group that analyzes immigration trends, is currently forecasting 606,000 apprehensions for the entire year, but left the door open to increase this projection. “The January numbers don’t yet warrant an upward revision in our forecast of 606,000 apprehensions in 2019. But we are on notice,” Steven Kopits, president of Princeton Policy Advisors, stated to the Washington Examiner. “Buckle your seat belts: 2019 could be a wild ride at the southwest border.” The January numbers reflect a growing trend at the U.S.-Mexico border. Nearly…

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Minnesota State Rep Introduces Bill to Increase Criminal Penalties for Hate Crime Hoaxes

Anthony Gockowski

A Republican lawmaker plans to introduce legislation in the Minnesota House to increase the criminal penalties for hate-crime hoaxes in response to the ongoing controversy surrounding “Empire” star Jussie Smollett. Rep. Nick Zerwas’ (R-Elk River) proposed bill would elevate the false reporting of a hate crime to a gross misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail or a fine of up to $3,000, or both. Current Minnesota law categorizes providing false information to law enforcement officers as a misdemeanor. “Hate crimes are among society’s most heinous and despicable acts. Those that commit bias-motivated crimes deserve to be punished to the fullest extent of the law,” Zerwas said Wednesday. “Unfortunately, false claims of victimization distract from genuine episodes of violent bigotry and discrimination. My bill is a reasonable step to help deter individuals from filing false police reports and to make sure that we devote law enforcement’s limited resources to investigating and prosecuting legitimate bias-motivated crimes.” In a Wednesday press release, Zerwas said he was motivated to introduce his legislation after reports indicated that the highly-publicized hate crime against Smollett was likely a hoax. As The Minnesota Sun reported, Chicago police suspect that Smollett paid the two perpetrators to…

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Michigan Governor Costs Town 250 Jobs After Blocking Immigrant Detention Center

Anthony Gockowski
Whitmer MI Capitol overcast

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) recently blocked the sale of a former state prison set to be used as an immigrant detention center. According to The Associated Press, Whitmer prevented the sale from moving forward after Immigration Centers of America, the sole bidder for the property that has been closed since 2009, couldn’t guarantee that it wouldn’t house adults separated from their children. “The governor believes that building more detention facilities won’t solve our immigration crisis, and she also believes that separating families doesn’t reflect our Michigan values,” a Whitmer spokesperson explained. The sale of the Deerfield Correctional Facility in Ionia, Michigan was allowed to move forward under Republican Gov. Rick Snyder’s administration. Rep. Thomas Albert (R-86), whose district includes the correctional facility, has repeatedly criticized Whitmer’s decision to block the sale. “I would really like to know what the governor’s plan is to bring 250 well-paying jobs to Ionia and how she plans to clean up the long-vacant former prison property. The sale of this blighted property has been in the works for well over a year and the governor’s heavy-handed rejection came days before the sale was to be finalized,” Albert said in a statement on Facebook. “It’s obvious…

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Ohio Governor DeWine to Announce Gas Tax Hike

Andrew Shirley

At an annual forum sponsored by the Associated Press, Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine announced Wednesday he intends to formally recommend raising the current gas tax. The recommendation will come as he introduces his first two-year transportation budget Friday. Despite appointing an Advisory Committee on Transportation Infrastructure Issues specifically to explore alternative solutions to simply raising the gas tax, the governor made it clear he felt there was no real alternative. He did make a point to say the hike is “just to keep us where we are today and with the ability to do some safety projects that absolutely need to be done.” It can be inferred from this statement that his intention is to raise the gas tax enough to not let the state’s road and bridge repair funding deficit get worse than it currently is. This suggests that the tax hike would be more modest relative to addressing the full scope of road and bridge repair needed in Ohio. Currently, there is a $1 billion gap in funding. The current state tax on gas in Ohio is 28 cents per gallon. However, when combined with federal and local taxes, the total amount climbs to just about 46.5 cents per gallon.…

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