On Wednesday, the national pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List released the latest ratings for its National Pro-Life Scorecard. According to the organization, the national scorecard is “a tool for holding members of Congress accountable for their legislative records on abortion and highlighting leadership in the fight to protect unborn children and their mothers.”
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Along with 15 other governors on Wednesday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee called on President Joe Biden to work with states as partners and provide states with maximum flexibility to determine the best use of Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funds.
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Nashville Metro Council met on Tuesday and took several actions. Metro Council passed their own redistricting plans for council and school board, in addition to passing a resolution urging the General Assembly to reject the proposed congressional redistricting plans that are heading to the House and Senate floors and continuing the legislative process on license plate readers.
BL2021-1052, an ordinance on third reading, is “An ordinance approving and adopting a plan for redistricting the Councilmanic Districts of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County and revising the school districts pursuant to Article 18, Section 18.06 of the Metropolitan Charter.” The list of the new boundaries and the maps were posted on the bill’s website.
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Rutherford County Juvenile Court Judge Donna Scott Davenport announced this week she would not seek reelection in 2022. This follows backlash she received from a ProRepublica article on her court practices published in October 2021, and new legislation recently filed for consideration of her removal.
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WASHINGTON — Last week while reading the Wall Street Journal I came across an op-ed piece that for a moment led me to believe that the sober and serious Journal was opening a comics section. Why not? If the Journal executes “the funnies” as competently as it covers serious news, I can see it earning a Pulitzer Prize for its comics page. It would be a first for the Pulitzer Prize committee, but, well, in this day and age there is a first time for almost everything. The piece I have in mind was written by Douglas Schoen and Andrew Stein, two Democratic insiders, and they were intent on calling for a voice from the past to return to politics. After 30 years in which she had run up massive disapproval ratings — and only one victory — Schoen and Stein were laying out the intricacies of how Hillary could get the Democratic presidential nomination in 2024. It appeared they were serious.
They mentioned President Biden’s historically low approval ratings, 33 percent, down from 36 percent in November, and by the way Vice President Kamala Harris is not doing so well either. Schoen and Stein cited the president’s age. He is 79 now. He will be 81 if he makes it to 2024, and the Democrats most likely will have lost both the House of Representatives and the Senate by the time Biden seeks reelection. All that might grant Biden the nomination in 2024 is that no one else will want it except possibly Hillary. Schoen and Stein suggest she is plotting her course. Remember after Hillary’s defeat to Donald Trump back in 2016 she said she was “done with being a candidate.” She was ready to retire, but she has yet to retire. Richard Nixon unveiled a New Nixon in 1968 and won. Could Hillary be developing a New Hillary now?
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On Tuesday, Tennessee Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) applauded efforts by Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei to increase prison sentences for “coyote” human smugglers.
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U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw this month said that Tennessee Department of Health (TDOH) Commissioner Lisa Piercey and TDOH Chief Medical Officer Tim Jones have qualified immunity against claims from former TDOH official Michelle Fiscus. Qualified immunity protects a government official from lawsuits alleging that the official violated a plaintiff’s rights.
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On Wednesday in a press release, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced he will deliver his fourth State of the State address to the General Assembly and fellow Tennesseans on Monday, January 31 at 6 p.m. CT. The joint session will take place in the House Chamber of the Tennessee State Capitol.
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Knox County Schools (KCS) will close for the remainder of the week due to illness-related staffing shortages, according to a release from the district.
The closure, likely connected to the rise in coronavirus cases in the state, will grant students and staff members two days off, in addition to the weekend.
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Nashville Mayor John Cooper has announced additional funds are going to Nashville’s communities to “support grassroots violence reduction efforts” through his Community Safety Partnership program.
In a press release, Mayor Cooper said: “Community safety requires a community-wide effort,” Mayor Cooper said. “This work takes all of us, supporting one another and learning from each other. And it takes Metro government, championing that response and investing in the strategies that work best for our neighborhoods.”
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A woman from Sparta, Tennessee pled guilty to “Concealment of Material Support and Resources Intended to be Provided to a Foreign Terrorist Organization,” U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee announced in a Tuesday statement. Georgianna A.M. Giampietro was indicted by a federal grand jury in August of 2019 after she was charged with “attempting to provide material support to a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.”
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A bill named after a high-profile murder defendant, who was later acquitted, has been introduced in the Tennessee General Assembly.
Rep. Bruce Griffey (R-District-75) announced via press release Wednesday that he has introduced what he calls “Kyle’s Law,” named after Kyle Rittenhouse.
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Wesley Somers of Hendersonville, was supposed to be sentenced Tuesday in federal court for his role in the Nashville courthouse fire but the sentencing was delayed for a second time, to February 22, 2022.
It was previously reported that Somers’ original sentencing date was December 1st, 2021, and had been moved to January 18th, 2022. The reasons for the second postponement to February 22, 2022 are now clear.
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Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed Naitonal Political Editor for The Tennessee Star Report, Neil W. McCabe live from Washington, D.C. to weigh in on Voting Rights Act progress and the filibuster vote.
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Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed Chairperson Lisa O’Dell of Nashville SCORE to the newmakers line to talk about the mission and history of helping entreprenaurs through volunteer mentorship.
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Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leashy welcomed Congressman Chuck Fleishmann of Tennessee’s Third Congressional District to the newmakers line to talk about his background and preserving Conservative values nationwide.
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The State Department will waive fees for immigrants seeking visas to come to the U.S. if they were previously denied one because of the Trump administration’s travel ban, according to a Wednesday announcement.
“An IV applicant who is the beneficiary of a valid immigration petition may submit another visa application after being refused and in most circumstances they are required to pay again the relevant application fees,” according to a Federal Register rule published Wednesday. “The Department exempts from such fees only those IV applicants who are applying again after being refused” a visa under the travel ban.
The ban prevented immigration from Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen. President Joe Biden issued an executive order repealing the ban on his first day in office in January 2021.
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In the first few weeks of 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents in the El Paso Sector of New Mexico and West Texas arrested at least 34 known fugitives wanted on charges such as aggravated sexual assault of a child, second degree murder, sexual exploitation of a minor, kidnapping of a minor, and indecency with a child and lewd acts upon a child.
“Homeland security is our primary mission and every time a CBP officer identifies and arrests someone who is being sought by law enforcement, that makes our communities a little safer,” Hector Mancha, El Paso Director of Field Operations, said in a statement. “The vast majority of travelers CBP officers encounter pose no risk, but it is important that we identity and stop those who do.”
Agents arrested both men and women, U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and illegal immigrants. They were wanted by law enforcement officials in Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, North Carolina, and California. Once the suspects were processed by border agents, they were turned over to federal and or state authorities to face prosecution, according to CBP.
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Tennessee is set to receive over $300 million for bridge improvements and repairs, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced Friday. The allocation of taxpayer funding is a part of a $27 billion initiative dubbed the Bridge Replacement, Rehabilitation, Preservation, Protection, and Construction Program (Bridge Formula Program) – which, in turn, is part of the $2 trillion infrastructure package passed by Congress and signed by President Biden in mid-November 2021.
DOT said Tennessee has 881 bridges and over 270 miles of highway in poor condition. According to the DOT, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for Tennessee said “the American Society of Civil Engineers gave Tennessee a C on its infrastructure report card.” In all, the Volunteer State will receive $302,092,740 over the five years.
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A parents group claims that a Minnesota school district is indoctrinating toddlers about pride and other “equity” agenda items.
Saint Paul Public Schools is partnering with two organizations, AMAZE and OutFront Minnesota, to purportedly push materials discussing gender identity on children as young as three, according to a release by Parents Defending Education (PDE).
One document released by PDE from AMAZE included books aimed at preschool-age children, including “When Aidan Became a Brother,” “I Love My Colorful Nails” and “My Princess Boy.”
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The Biden administration said Wednesday it is making 400 million N95 masks available free to the American public to protect against COVID-19 infection.
President Biden is expected to formally announce the initiative in a White House press conference related to his first year in office.
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Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed all star panelist Crom Carmichael in studio for another edition of Crom’s Crommentary where he addresses human nature and the Constitution.
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Great Britain, the Czech Republic, and Israel are backing away from COVID vaccine mandates amid increasing evidence that the leaky vaccines are making the pandemic worse.
It is becoming harder to deny the glaringly obvious facts that COVID infection rates are increasing worldwide in proportion with the rate of vaccination, and that the injections have dreadful adverse side effects which may be contributing to a marked increase in all cause deaths.
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The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) disclosed to a congressional office that migrants flying without proper identification can use an arrest warrant as an alternate form of identification when presenting to airport security, according to a letter the Daily Caller News Foundation exclusively obtained.
Responding to Republican Texas Rep. Lance Gooden’s Dec. 15 inquiry about migrants flying across the country, TSA Administrator David Pekoske explained that certain Department of Homeland Security (DHS) documents may be considered acceptable forms of alternate identification for non-citizens, including a “Warrant for Arrest of Alien” and a “Warrant of Removal/Deportation.”
“TSA’s response confirms the Biden Administration is knowingly putting our national security at risk,” Gooden told the DCNF. “Unknown and unvetted immigrants shouldn’t even be in the country, much less flying without proper identification.”
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Voters have swung in favor of Congressional Republicans’ handling of key issues by a significant margin as the midterm elections draw closer, newly released polling shows.
The Politico/Morning Consult poll released Wednesday reports that surveyed voters prefer Republicans work on the economy, jobs, immigration and national security. These figures, the latest in several polls showing poor numbers for Democrats, come alongside more than two dozen Congressional Democrats opting not to run for reelection.
The poll found voters prefer Republicans’ handling of the economy to Democrats 47% to 34%, Republicans’ work on jobs 45% to 35%, immigration 45% to 37% and national security 49% to 32%.
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Jordan Peterson, a long time professor at the University of Toronto, announced on Wednesday that he will surrender his full time status, largely due to social justice initiatives of the university and higher education in general.
However, Peterson will remain at the school. He will receive the title of professor emeritus, a title normally awarded to a retired professor who wishes to remain involved in academia.
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For all the attention paid to wondrous technologies, lifesaving new treatments and drugs, medicine remains by, for and about people.
This is both a blessing and a curse.
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It’s time for Dr. Fauci to go.
That’s a tough sentence to write considering the important role he’s played in advancing crucial public health issues from advancing HIV/AIDS therapies to our battle against COVID-19. His Bobble Head was well-deserved. Please, don’t shoot the messenger.
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A bagel shop in Minneapolis made the decision to close indoor dining on Wednesday due to the COVID vaccine mandate taking effect. Rise Bagel Co., an organic artisan bagelry located in the North Loop of Minneapolis, announced in social media posts on Tuesday that they made the “tough decision” to close their indoor dining, saying that “All are welcome here.”
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RICHMOND, Virginia – The Senate General Laws and Technology Committee killed two of Senator Amanda Chase’s (R-Chesterfield) bills seeking to outlaw discrimination against those who refuse to wear masks or get COVID-19 vaccines.
“While we have many opinions about whether to wear masks or not, it should be an individual right. It should be an individual choice. I remember a period of time whenever that was not necessarily an option, and it impeded people who had disabilities from actually getting healthcare services because they could not wear a mask, not being able to go to the grocery store, shop. We cannot deny people a basic human right of being provided healthcare and basic human services,” Chase told the committee on Wednesday afternoon, arguing for her bill SB 582.
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The University of Michigan has agreed to pay $490 million to more than 1,000 athletes who were sexually assaulted by a former football team doctor.
The school will pay the victims of the late Dr. Robert Anderson, according to several reports. The agreement was reached Tuesday.
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RICHMOND, Virginia – The General Assembly continues to debate Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Executive Order One banning Critical Race Theory and “inherently divisive concepts.” On Wednesday, legislators debated the policy in the House Education Committee, on the House floor, and on the Senate floor. The newly-Republican-controlled House of Delegates has been slow to hear bills in committee, which generated another House floor back-and-forth, but although key anti-CRT bills haven’t been heard in the Education Committee yet, delegates got a jump-start on debating the topic when interviewing Youngkin nominee for Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow.
Balow previously served as Wyoming’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, where she supported anti-CRT legislation.
“I share Governor Youngkin’s priorities for education,” Balow said.
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Emergency legislation enacted at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic that changed the way municipal income taxes were handed out to cities is now in front of the Ohio Supreme Court.
The Buckeye Institute, a Columbus-based policy group, originally filed suit in July 2020, challenging the state law that requires an employee to pay income taxes in the city where an employee works instead of where they live.
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Seattle-based Starbucks announced this week that is dropping its policy requiring employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
The coffee giant’s move comes in response to last week’s United State Supreme Court ruling to block the Biden Administration from requiring businesses in the private sector to put vaccine mandates in place.
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On Wednesday in a press release, Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Renacci said students need a brick-and-mortar school, and that remote learning has devastating consequences. The Republican is urging all Cincinnati area educators to fight for in-person learning.
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Yesterday, numerous mainstream media outlets published articles claiming Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is prioritizing legislation that protects white Floridians from feeling “discomfort” when learning or discussing discrimination in the workplace or at school.
However, the bill they reference is SB 148 where individual races of people are not named.
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Wednesday, the city of Akron provided The Ohio Star with an update on the conditions of its streets after some residents found themselves unable to leave their homes three days after Sunday’s winter storm.
“We have completed all of the first, second and third priority streets as of noon today (48 hours after the snow stopped with the most event accumulation Akron’s had in the past 25 years),” Stephanie Marsh, Communications and Media Supervisor for Akron Mayor Daniel Horrigan told The Star. “All streets are open and passable.”
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Sunday submitted his own proposals for Florida’s congressional redistricting maps to Florida lawmakers. The Florida legislature is tasked with approving the congressional maps before this legislative session ends in March.
The proposed maps that DeSantis submitted includes 18 seats that Donald Trump would have won in 2020. The existing Florida Senate maps only have 16 Trump-leaning seats.
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Two Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives, Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.), have racked up nearly $150,000 in combined fines for refusing to wear masks in the House chamber.
According to The Hill, Congresswoman Greene has been fined a total of $88,000 for 36 different violations. Congressman Clyde has been fined at least $60,500 for 25 violations since September. The combined total is $148,500.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) implemented the mask mandate in the House chambers in July of 2020, with Pelosi ordering fines for members who refused to wear masks starting in January of 2021. Lawmakers who refuse to comply are fined $500 the first time, and $2,500 for each subsequent offense. Members who refuse to pay the fines will have the amounts deducted from their salaries, which is roughly $174,000 for each member, although members in leadership positions earn even more.
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Two popular school-choice programs for Pennsylvania students would get regular annual funding increases – expanding access to thousands of families – under legislation a state Senate committee approved yesterday.
Sen. Mike Regan’s (R-Dillsburg) bill would automatically raise allocations to the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) by 25 percent each year, provided at least 90 percent of obtainable scholarships have been utilized the year before. Regan estimated his funding rise would amount to $100 million more annually—about 0.3 percent of what the commonwealth spends on public education. His measure passed the Senate Education Committee by a party-line vote of seven to four and awaits a vote of the full chamber.
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Representative Bryan Steil (R-WI-01) is co-sponsoring the Open Schools Act with Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL-13), “to support students and allow parents to make the best decision for their family.” According to a press release from Davis, the Open Schools Act would provide families with up to $10,000 per student “to seek alternative forms of in-person education” if the public school that the students attend has switched to distance or online learning due to COVID.
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Fulton County commissioners on Wednesday voted four to three to extend the contract with Happy Faces, a staffing firm said to have ties to Stacey Abrams. Commissioners voted this way, despite several people turning out to protest Happy Faces and any possible contract extension. To express their displeasure with Happy Faces, those audience members held up with signs and buttons with a crossed-out smiley face.
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Multiple Michigan lawmakers are demanding answers to a report from the Michigan Office of the Auditor General that detailed thousands of additional COVID-related deaths in long-term care facilities across the state.
The analysis discovered more than 2,000 additional deaths than reported by Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Department of Health and Human Services.
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Ohio Value Voters, a large statewide conservative organization, on Tuesday endorsed GOP gubernatorial candidate Jim Renacci.
The organization selected the former congressman over incumbent Governor Mike DeWine and Joe Blystone, who is also waging a GOP primary attempt against DeWine.
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Parents trying to recall members of a northern Virginia school board were accused of racism for these actions by a local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) on Tuesday.
Michelle Thomas, a pastor and president of the Loudoun, Virginia, branch of the NAACP called the recall effort “a Jim Crow-esque effort of 2022 to suppress votes, and to silence the will of the people,” according to the Loudoun Times-Mirror. Thomas was announcing an effort to join the legal battle seeking to remove school board members Brenda Sheridan and Atoosa Reaser when she made the comment.
Thomas took aim at Fight for Schools, the parents group behind the recall effort, which began after a secret Facebook group targeting parents who opposed Critical Race Theory (CRT) in Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) came to light.
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Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) announced on Wednesday that he will support a change to eliminate the Senate filibuster, despite his campaign pledge to work as an “independent.”
In a statement, Kelly detailed his openness to give one party unilateral power in an effort to protect “the vote-by-mail system.”
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