Day: February 3, 2021

After Around 25K Truant and 6K Transferred Students, Metro Nashville Public Schools Announces It Will Resume In-Person Learning

Corinne Murdock

Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) announced Monday that phased in-person learning would begin this week. The news was presented at a press conference on Monday. MNPS Board Chair Christiane Buggs, MNPS Director Dr. Adrienne Battle, Meharry Medical College President and CEO Dr. James Hildreth, Meharry Medical College Senior Vice President for Institutional Advancement Patrick Johnson, and Nashville Mayor John Cooper were present.

According to the reopening plan, special needs students at Genesis Academy and High Roads School of Nashville will return to classrooms on Thursday. Then, preschoolers, K-4 students, and those with exceptional needs may return starting February 9. Grades 5 and 9 may return on February 18, followed by grades 6, 7, and 8 on February 25. The last to return will be the remainder of high schoolers – grades 10-12 – on March 3. 

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Commentary: Pitchfork Populists v. Wall Street?

Admin

As a long-time financial services executive, every so often I am called upon by friends and family from other walks of life to comment on a story related to the stock market. Such is the case with the GameStop saga.

Given that few of them are well-versed in the ways of Wall Street, that I hail from an investment banking pedigree and not a securities trading — particularly stock trading — background seems to them a distinction without a difference, and I offer my insights as best as I am able. As such, I’ve given more thought to GameStop than I may have otherwise.

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Rumors About Lincoln Project John Weaver’s Predatory Behavior Have Swirled for Decades

Admin

The anti-Trump group Lincoln Project claims to be “shocked and sickened” by allegations that co-founder John Weaver sexually harassed young men, but specific accusations have reportedly been known to them since last summer, and rumors about Weaver’s alleged predatory behavior have been simmering for decades. Among the political elite, Weaver’s perverted predilections may well have been an open secret.

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State Representative Warner Introduces ‘Tennessee Firearm Protection Act’

Corinne Murdock

Freshman State Representative Todd Warner’s (R-Chapel Hill) bill would limit government interference with the sale of firearms and ammunition. Under the “Tennessee Firearm Protection Act,” neither state or local governments may use funds, property, or personnel to implement, regulate, or enforce federal laws or executive orders regulating the sale of firearms, ammunition, or firearm accessories.

The legislation also clarified that the prohibition would only apply to resource usage if it violates a state law or the state constitution. Warner introduced the bill on Monday.

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Commentary: The Lincoln Project Lowlifes and Their Enablers

Admin
The Lincoln Project

The Trump era has spawned an abundance of show clowns clowning either for or against the president. One can’t help but wonder what the country did to deserve the likes of Anthony Scaramucci, Michael Avenatti, and Ana Navarro all foisted upon us at the same time.

Not since the days of James Carville and Mary Matalin has a power couple like the Conways and, unfortunately at least one of their children, epitomized the political war tearing families, friendships, businesses, and the overall country apart.

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Commentary: Welcome to Soviet America

Admin

America is changing in bewildering ways since Donald Trump left office. For the first time in our nation’s history, the president of the United States, out in the open and for all to see, is a demented, senile figurehead. With the support of a media class, ostensibly charged with keeping him in check but instead behaving like the old Soviet Pravda, Biden is able to cover up his otherwise obvious physical, mental, and moral infirmities.

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A Study Touted as a Blow to Conservatives’ Complaints About Big Tech Censorship Was Funded by a Major Biden Donor

Admin

A study from New York University released on Monday that dismisses conservative allegations of Big Tech bias and calls for President Joe Biden to establish a Digital Regulatory Agency was funded by Craig Newmark, a billionaire tech titan who donated $100,000 to Biden’s campaign victory fund.

The study, entitled “False Accusation: The Unfounded Claim that Social Media Companies Censor Conservatives,” also defends decisions by Facebook and Twitter to both ban President Donald Trump from their platforms last month, and to limit circulation of a story from The New York Post weeks before the election about emails from Hunter Biden’s laptop.

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Legal Coalition to Sue to Stop Feds’ Critical Race Theory Training

Admin

One of President Joe Biden’s new executive actions is in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, according to a coalition of legal foundations and lawyers, which is planning to take legal action to stop it.

On his first day in office, Biden signed an executive order reversing former President Donald Trump’s ban on critical race theory training programs within the federal government.

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Ex-Colleague of Hunter Biden’s Criminal Defense Attorney Partner Lands Top DOJ Gig

Admin

President Joe Biden’s administration appointed a former business partner of Hunter Biden’s criminal defense attorney to serve as acting chief of the Justice Department’s criminal division, which is reportedly investigating the younger Biden over allegations of money laundering.

The Justice Department official, Nicholas McQuaid, was a close associate with Chris Clark, a partner at the law firm Latham & Watkins who is assisting Hunter Biden with the federal criminal investigation into his foreign business dealings. McQuaid worked closely with Clark at the law firm up until Jan. 20 when he was appointed to lead the Justice Department’s criminal division.

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New Bill Would Allow Tennessee’s Government Employees to Opt Out from Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Trainings

Corinne Murdock

Tennessee’s government employees may be entitled to opt out of certain trainings, seminars, or educational courses if it violates their morals, ethics, values, or religious beliefs. According to a set of companion bills introduced last month, the exemption would be enforced across all levels of government throughout the state.

Senator Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma) issued the first version of the bill, followed less than a week later by Representative Glen Casada (R-Franklin) issuing a companion bill.

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Black Lives Matter Backs Effort to Expel over 100 GOP Members from Congress

Admin

The official Black Lives Matter organization has announced its support for a radical effort to expel over 100 Republicans from Congress, as reported by Fox News.

The far-left group, which was responsible for burning cities all across America last summer, causing over $2 billion in damages and leading to at least 25 deaths, wrote on its website that it supported the effort led by Congresswoman Cori Bush (D-Mo.) to expel every Republican member of Congress who voted against the certification of the 2020 electoral results.

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Tennessee Government Officials Want Funding for More Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Chris Butler

Officials with the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation are scheduled to unveil a plan Wednesday to develop and fund more charging networks across the state to power electric vehicles. The Tennessee Star on Tuesday asked officials with both agencies if enough Tennessee residents are driving electric vehicles to justify investing public resources into this infrastructure.

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Virginia State Senator Amanda Chase Files Lawsuit to Remove Censure

Jacob Taylor

After the Senate of Virginia voted to censure Sen. Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield) last week, the lawmaker filed a lawsuit in federal court on Monday seeking to have the public rebuke expunged.

Chase filed the suit against the Senate, naming Clerk Susan Schaar as a defendant, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia over alleged violations of the First and 14th Amendments as well as the legislative body’s own rules.

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Ohio GOP List of Replacements for Sen. Portman Long but Narrowing

Jack Windsor

Rob Portman’s U.S. Senate seat is up for grabs after the establishment Republican announced he would not run for re-election in 2022. Portman cited gridlock and more time with family as primary reasons driving his decision to step away from federal politics – ending his 33 year career since his first political job as a legal aid to President George H.W. Bush in 1989.

Following the announcement, the Ohio rumor mill swirled with talk about many prospective Republican replacements.

Jim Jordan (R-OH-4) is a strong Trump advocate and member of the House Freedom Caucus who has represented Ohio in D.C. since 2007. His spokesperson said the congressman was honored by the overwhelming support to run for U.S. Senate but is solely focused on representing Ohio’s Fourth District and would not be running.

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Michigan Gov. Whitmer Wants Lawyers Who Challenged Election Results Disbarred

Peter D'Abrosca

Michigan’s Democrat governor is once again tip-toeing towards authoritarianism, this time seeking the disbarment of attorneys who happen to be political opponents. 

“Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, three Democrats who are lawyers themselves, filed complaints Monday with the Attorney Grievance Commission in Michigan and the State Bar of Texas,” according to The Detroit News. “Their filings ask that Michigan attorneys Greg Rohl, Scott Hagerstrom and Stefanie Junttila and Texas attorney Sidney Powell be disbarred and lose the ability to practice law in their states.”

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Senator: Seniors Account for 90 Percent of Minnesota Deaths, Allocated 25 Percent of Vaccine Doses

Admin

Gov. Tim Walz announced a plan Monday to get more COVID-19 vaccine doses into the arms of senior citizens, but some Republican senators think the proposal comes up short.

State Sen. Karin Housley, R-Stillwater, chair of the Senate’s Committee on Aging and Long-Term Care, called a press conference Monday to unveil her “seniors first” vaccine plan.

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Ohio Democrat Admits Party ‘Can’t Understand’ Working Class Americans

Peter D'Abrosca

A Democrat member of Congress from Ohio admitted in an interview published Tuesday that her party is out of touch with working class Americans. 

“They just can’t understand,” Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09) told The Hill. “They can’t understand a family that sticks together because that’s what they have. Their loved ones are what they have, their little town, their home, as humble as it is — that’s what they have. Respect it. It was so insensitive.”

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Cleveland.com Praises DeWine Fundraising ‘Haul,’ Forgets About Campaign Debt

Peter D'Abrosca

At the end of January, Cleveland.com praised Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) for a “record fundraising haul,” but buried an important part of the story in the process.

“As of Friday, DeWine’s campaign reported having more than $3.6 million in the bank after receiving more than $1.6 million since July 9, 2020, according to a filing with the Ohio secretary of state’s office,” the site said in a January 29 report, which was updated on January 31.

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Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp Unveils New Plan He Says Will Upgrade Public Schools

Chris Butler

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Tuesday proposed a plan that he said will “recruit, prepare, mentor, and retain the best educators” and give teachers more power to influence the state board of education. Kemp unveiled his proposal at the Georgia State Capitol. Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan (R-Cumming) and Speaker Pro-Tempore Jan Jones (R-Milton) stood alongside Kemp to show their support.

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Legislation Prohibiting Firearms, Other Weapons on Capitol Grounds Passes Virginia Senate

Jacob Taylor
Virginia State Senator Adam Ebbin

Legislation prohibiting the possession and transportation of firearms and other weapons within Richmond’s Capitol Square as well as inside any buildings owned or leased by the state passed the Virginia Senate Tuesday afternoon.

The legislation, Senate Bill 1381, advanced out of the Senate by a 21-18 straight party-line vote with every Democrat in support and all Republicans opposing.

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