Day: May 20, 2019

The Tennessee Star Report: State Rep. Robin Smith Says Censure Vote of Speaker Casada May Be Held at Today’s GOP House Caucus Meeting

Julie Carr

On Monday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am-Steve Gill spoke to State Representative Robin Smith about what she would as a freshman do to start fixing some of the ethical and cultural issues facing the Tennessee House both from the past and in the present. Later on the segment, Smith commented upon how she’s seen members that have questionable pasts accusing others of misconduct of which she found fascinating. Gill: Robin Smith is a State Representative from down in the Chattanooga area. She is former state party chairman for the Republican Party in Tennessee. She is a businesswoman. She is a former nurse. I guess you’re still technically a nurse. And she is trying to nurse the legislature into a common understanding of what ethics should entail. She’s a member of the state house ethics committee that will be among those gathered today to debate the future of House Speaker Glen Casada. On Friday, Robin announced a couple of legislative proposals to try to clean up some of the ethic issues that have not yet been cleaned up in…

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Some Former Casada Interns Are Disputing the Claims That Are Fueling Efforts to Remove Him as Speaker

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  Several of House Speaker Glen Casada’s former interns, male and female and white and black, are speaking out and disputing recent claims that he tolerated or engaged in racist or sexist comments during their time working in his office. Some of the interns have spoken WSMV Channel 4, but others claim that they have been interviewed by other media who then failed to run stories because they apparently did not support the allegations that Casada or his staff behaved badly around them. One former Casada intern, Hadley Sintic told WSMV Channel 4 in Nashville that her intern experience“just felt very comfortable, and it was a wonderful really great experience. It kind of made me want to keep working at the Legislature even after college.” Sintic says not only did she work with Casada but his former Chief of Staff Cade Cothren, who she described as always very helpful and professional. Sintic was an intern for Casada in 2016, the same time controversy surrounded former State Rep. Jeremy Durham. “All of the doors were always open, and I never felt uncomfortable,” Sintic told Channel 4. “If any open remarks or jokes would’ve been said I probably would’ve heard it.” Channel…

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Carol Swain Kicks Off Mayoral Campaign

Jason M. Reynolds

  Nashville mayoral candidate Dr. Carol Swain kicked off her campaign Sunday to a standing-room-only crowd. She posted on Facebook, “What a tremendous crowd at our Campaign Kickoff! We couldn’t do this without you. We cannot thank you all enough for your support and dedication to our campaign. The Swain Train is growing!” The former Vanderbilt professor posted photos of a standing-room-only crowd at Sunday’s event. “It was rewarding to see so many people come out on a rainy Sunday afternoon to talk about our vision for moving Nashville forward,” Swain said in an exclusive interview with The Tennessee Star. “I’ve heard from so many residents who are disappointed with the direction of the city,” she continued, adding: Nashvillians want leadership attuned to providing basic services–from safe streets to good schools to a solution to the traffic mess. Our campaign’s momentum continues to grow as we talk about real solutions and a city government that works for all people, not just the politically connected. Swain’s campaign’s Facebook page is here. Swain held the event at Swett’s Restaurant on Clifton Avenue. Her campaign page says, “Our incredible city has an incredibly broken government led by elected officials who routinely fail us.…

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Commentary: Trump Shuts China’s ‘Backdoor’ to Cyber Spying

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by Thaddeus G. McCotter   President Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order in a prescient move to defend America’s national security against Chinese cyber espionage. Invoking his powers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the president gave the Commerce Department 150 days to devise methods of implementing new rules for American companies that wish to trade with “foreign adversaries” designated as an “unacceptable risk” to U.S. national security. While not specifically named in the president’s order, the Communist Chinese telecommunications company, Huawei, and some 70 affiliates are expected to be on the Commerce Department’s risk list. The Trump Administration earlier precluded the U.S. government and its contractors from using Huawei products, for a host of reasons. The Justice Department has issued criminal charges against a top Huawei executive, the company, and several of its many subsidiaries for stealing trade secrets, as well as misleading banks in order to violate U.S. sanctions on Iran. The government further alleges that Huawei stole trade secrets from U.S. companies and competitors. Overall, Huawei is widely believed to engage economic espionage. No wonder that in 2012, the House Intelligence Committee reported that Huawei and ZTE (China’s second-largest telecommunications company) facilitate the regime’s cyberespionage…

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Report: Trump Might Be Preparing Memorial Day Pardons for Military Members

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by Evie Fordham   President Donald Trump might be preparing to pardon a handful of military members accused or convicted of war crimes, according to a Saturday report from The New York Times citing two unnamed officials. The paperwork required for such pardons was reportedly requested on an expedited timeline, meaning they could coincide with Memorial Day weekend, the officials said, according to The NYT. The report comes after Trump tweeted March 30 about the situation of a Navy SEAL awaiting trial for war crimes. Highly decorated Navy SEAL Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher is facing trial at the end of May for alleged war crimes including shooting unarmed civilians and killing an enemy captive. “In honor of his past service to our Country, Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher will soon be moved to less restrictive confinement while he awaits his day in court. Process should move quickly!” Trump wrote on Twitter. In honor of his past service to our Country, Navy Seal #EddieGallagher will soon be moved to less restrictive confinement while he awaits his day in court. Process should move quickly! @foxandfriends @RepRalphNorman — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 30, 2019 Trump also said in December 2018 he would be “reviewing the case” of a former…

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Franklin Graham Not Happy with Steve Cohen of Memphis Over Democrats’ Decision to Shun God

Chris Butler

  Evangelist Franklin Graham is unhappy with the Democrats in Congress and with Tennessee Democratic Congressman Steve Cohen for shunning God. As The Tennessee Star reported, since the Democrats took control of the U.S. House of Representatives, people no longer must say “so help me God” under oath. This reportedly delights Cohen, who represents Memphis. On his Twitter page, Graham said,“Why has the Democratic Party turned its back on God? @RepCohen of TN said, ‘I think God belongs in religious institutions: in temple, in church, in cathedral, in mosque—but not in Congress.’” Why has the Democratic Party turned its back on God? @RepCohen of TN said, “I think God belongs in religious institutions: in temple, in church, in cathedral, in mosque—but not in Congress.” 1/3 https://t.co/EbrkovjXu8 — Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) May 14, 2019 “We need more of God, not less! What @RepCohen is suggesting is what Communism did in Eastern Europe & is still doing in places around the world like Cuba. Communism only allows worship inside approved churches. God is our Creator & the maker of the universe. He is present everywhere; He is not limited to churches or temples. The root of the issue is that many politicians…

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Ex-CIA Chief Brennan to Brief House Democrats on Iran

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  House Democrats will hear from former CIA director John Brennan about the situation in Iran, inviting him to speak next week amid heightened concerns over the Trump administration’s sudden moves in the region. Brennan, an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, is scheduled to talk to House Democrats at a private weekly caucus meeting Tuesday, according to a Democratic aide and another person familiar with the private meeting. Both were granted anonymity to discuss the meeting. The invitation to Brennan and Wendy Sherman, the former State Department official and top negotiator of the Iran nuclear deal, offers counterprogramming to the Trump administration’s closed-door briefing for lawmakers also planned for Tuesday on Capitol Hill. Democratic lawmakers are likely to attend both sessions. Brennan a Trump critic The Trump administration recently sent an aircraft carrier and other military resources to the Persian Gulf region and withdrew nonessential personnel from Iraq, raising alarm among Democrats and some Republicans on Capitol Hill over the possibility of a confrontation with Iran. Trump in recent days downplayed any potential for conflict. But questions remain about what prompted the actions, and many lawmakers have demanded more information. Trump and Brennan have clashed openly, particularly over the…

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Commentary: Louis XIV Invented the Faux Etiquette of ‘Political Correctness’ to Control People – Just Like Today’s Left

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by Alexandra Hudson   Ball State University’s Bias Response Team (BRT) is one of many proliferating on college campuses across the country. Unlike some other BRTs, this office has no disciplinary authority. But such agencies do not need teeth to exert control over college social environments. Authoritarians of old understood that policing norms was a far more effective tool for social control than traditional, overtly coercive forms of power. The website of the Ball State’s Multicultural Center, houses the BRT, encourages students to “report incidents of bias immediately.” But what is “bias”? In theory, bias is fairly black and white: “a behavior or act – verbal, written, or physical – that is personally directed against or targets an individual or group based on any of the following characteristics (race, sexual orientation, disability, religious belief, ethnic origin, etc.), perceived or actual.” In practice, discerning bias is far murkier, because whether or not the bias incident occurs turns on the subjective impressions of the victim. As the U.S. Department of Justice wrote in response to concerns regarding the University of Michigan’s BRT, these murky definitions give “‘unrestricted delegation of power’ to University officials… opening the risk of ‘arbitrary, discriminatory and overzealous enforcement.’” Consolidating Power DOJ was warning…

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U.S. OKs Possible $314M Missile Deal for S. Korea

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Reuters   The U.S. State Department has cleared $314 million in possible sales of air defense missiles to South Korea, the Pentagon said,as tensions re-emerge on the Korean Peninsula. South Korea, a key Asian ally of the United States, asked to buy up to 94 SM-2 missiles used by ships against air threats, along with 12 guidance systems and technical assistance, for a total cost of $313.9 million, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said on its website. The agency, a unit of the Department of Defense, delivered certification on Thursday notifying Congress of the possible sale. The proposed sale, announced Friday by the Pentagon, comes after North Korea recently criticized South Korea’s defense purchases from the United States, including the arrival of the first F-35 stealth aircraft. With denuclearization talks stalled after a second summit between North Korea and United States broke down in Hanoi in February, North Korea went ahead with more weapons tests this month. The reclusive North and the rich, democratic South are technically still at war because their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, rather than a peace treaty. South Korea already uses SM-2 missiles developed by Raytheon Co., but is building more missile…

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Gowdy: FBI Has Papadopoulos Transcripts That Are Potential ‘Game-Changer’

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by Chuck Ross   Former Republican South Carolina Rep. Trey Gowdy said he is aware of potentially game-changing evidence in the FBI’s Russia probe regarding George Papadopoulos, the former Trump campaign adviser. During an interview on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” Gowdy indicated he has seen FBI transcripts related to Papadopoulos that contain potentially exculpatory information on the question of possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian government. “If the bureau’s going to send in an informant in, the informant’s going to be wired, and if the bureau is monitoring telephone calls, there’s going to be a transcript of that,” Gowdy told host Maria Bartiromo. Gowdy continued: “Some of us have been fortunate enough to know whether or not those transcripts exist. But they haven’t been made public, and I think one in particular is going — it has the potential to actually persuade people. Very little in this Russia probe I’m afraid is going to persuade people who hate Trump or love Trump. But there is some information in these transcripts that has the potential to be a game-changer if it’s ever made public.” The FBI officially opened its counterintelligence investigation of the Trump campaign July 31, 2016,…

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Councilman Cooper Kicks Off Nashville Mayoral Campaign

Jason M. Reynolds

  Metro Councilman John Cooper on Sunday held his kick-off event for his campaign to try to serve as Nashville’s next mayor. Cooper kicked off his campaign at Gabby’s Burgers & Fries on Humphreys Street. Saying his event was well-attended, he posted on his campaign’s Facebook page:   Cooper announced in April that he would run for mayor of Nashville after saying as early as February he would not, The Tennessee Star reported. Cooper is the brother of U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN-05) and the son of former Gov. Prentice Cooper His campaign website is here. The mayoral election will be held Aug. 1, according to Ballotpedia. – – – Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes. Photo “John Cooper Mayoral Campaign Kickoff” by John Cooper.      

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Minneapolis Wants to Ban New Drive-Thru Windows to Reduce Carbon Emissions

Anthony Gockowski

  Minneapolis wants to ban all new drive-thru windows citywide in order to cut down on carbon emissions produced by idling cars. The City Planning Commission has been considering a drive-thru ban since 2017, but the idea didn’t really start to come to fruition until the 2018 conversations surrounding the “Minneapolis 2040” comprehensive city plan. Now, according to a report prepared by the planning commission, a new ordinance wants to take language included in the comprehensive city plan and “expand the prohibition of new drive-through facilities to all zoning districts citywide.” “A text amendment that specifically addresses regulations is timely given the number of proposals for new drive-through facilities that have been considered by the City Planning Commission in the last few years and the undesirable impacts these uses have,” the report states. “Said impacts include noise, extended idling, proliferation of curb cuts, conflicts with pedestrians, and traffic generation.” The report lists seven pending proposals to build new drive-thru windows within city limits for businesses such as banks, pharmacies, coffee shops, and fast-food restaurants. Some, however, think the ban would have an adverse impact on the most vulnerable residents, such as the elderly and disabled, or even parents with young…

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Two Ohio Congressmen Cosponsor Bill to End Tax Deductions for Abortions

Anthony Gockowski

  Two Republican members of Ohio’s congressional delegation have signed on as cosponsors of a bill that would end tax deductions for abortions. The IRS currently allows residents to deduct medical and dental expenses from their taxes if they exceed 7.5 percent of a person’s adjusted gross income. Legal abortions and birth control pills are both treated as tax-deductible expenses, but a bill introduced by Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05) seeks to change that. His bill, H.R. 2742, would amend the federal tax code to “provide that amounts paid for an abortion are not taken into account for purposes of the deduction for medical expenses.” The bill currently has 22 Republican cosponsors, including Reps. Bob Gibbs (R-OH-07) (pictured, right) and Bob Latta (R-OH-05) (pictured, left). “The ending of a human life should not be a part of a taxpayer’s money-saving strategy when they file their taxes each April,” Latta said in a press release. “I’m proud to support legislation to remove financial incentives for abortions, and will continue to work with the pro-life caucus to end all federal funding streams for them.” Biggs, in a statement provided to The Daily Signal, said that the “Abortion Is Not Health Care Act” is…

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Florida Officials, Congressional Delegation Demand FBI Disclose Election-Hack Details

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by John Haughey   Russian hackers gained access to voter information files in Washington County, a sparsely populated Republican-dominated Panhandle county, where 77 percent of its 11,000 votes cast in the 2016 presidential election went to Donald Trump. The revelation was reported by The Washington Post Thursday night, citing two unnamed officials “with knowledge of the investigation,” who said Washington County was one of the two Florida counties breached by the Russian military spy agency, the GRU, in the days before the November 2016 election. The Washington Post also cites two unnamed Florida sources that the second county the FBI maintains was penetrated by the GRU in 2016 is “a mid-sized county on the East Coast of the state.” The disclosures have further inflamed already angry state officials, including Gov. Ron DeSantis, and Florida’s congressional delegation, who are demanding the FBI and the Trump Administration be more forthcoming in discussing with them and county election officials what its investigation has uncovered. “The public needs to know which counties were hacked and what steps are being taken to hold the bad actors accountable,” U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Orlando, said during a bipartisan Washington D.C. press conference staged by five of the…

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Trump Hits Back Against GOP Rep Who Took Stance On Impeachment: ‘Justin Is A Loser’

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by Evie Fordham   President Donald Trump criticized Republican Michigan Rep. Justin Amash on Twitter after the congressman said Saturday that Trump “engaged in impeachable conduct” related to the Mueller investigation. “Never a fan of Justin Amash, a total lightweight who opposes me and some of our great Republican ideas and policies just for the sake of getting his name out there through controversy,” Trump wrote Sunday. Never a fan of @justinamash, a total lightweight who opposes me and some of our great Republican ideas and policies just for the sake of getting his name out there through controversy. If he actually read the biased Mueller Report, “composed” by 18 Angry Dems who hated Trump,…. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2019 “If he actually read the biased Mueller Report, ‘composed’ by 18 Angry [Democrats] who hated Trump, he would see that it was nevertheless strong on NO COLLUSION and, ultimately, NO OBSTRUCTION… Anyway, how do you Obstruct when there is no crime and, in fact, the crimes were committed by the other side? Justin is a loser who sadly plays right into our opponents hands!” he continued. Amash took his stand on impeachment Saturday in a tweet after reading special counsel Robert Mueller’s report…

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Showdown in the Tennessee House GOP Caucus

Laura Baigert

  The stage is set for a dramatic showdown on Monday afternoon in downtown Nashville between about a dozen Republican state legislators, led by an increasingly vocal State Rep. Mike Carter (R-Ooltewah), and Tennessee Speaker of the House Glen Casada. At issue is whether the 73 member Tennessee House Republican Caucus will undertake a secret ballot vote to issue a statement on whether they continue to maintain confidence in Glen Casada as Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives. The controversies surrounding the embattled Speaker have been identified and amplified by local mainstream media outlets led by NewsChannel 5 and The Tennessean. Phil Williams of NewsChannel 5 led the attacks on the Speaker with a report earlier this month that alleged (1) the Speaker’s staff altered the date of an email sent to the Speaker by social justice warrior and Vanderbilt Divinity Student Justin Jones to “frame” him for violating a court order and (2) the Speaker exchanged offensive text messages in 2016 with Cade Cothren and an unnamed former aide. Cothren, chief of staff to Speaker Casada since January of this year, admitted to sending the offensive texts in 2016, and resigned his position. Speaker Casada subsequently confirmed that…

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