Governor Lee Announces Passage of His Full Agenda and $52.8 Billion Budget

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee marked the close of the 2022 legislative session Friday, which included the passage of his $52.8 billion budget and full agenda as outlined during his State of the State address in February.

“Tennessee is America at Its Best, and we’ve made strategic investments to cut taxes, strengthen infrastructure and invest in education at every level to prepare our state for future growth,” Governor Lee said in a statement. “I thank Leader Johnson and Leader Lamberth for carrying key legislation, and commend the General Assembly for passing measures that will benefit Tennesseans and continue our state’s reputation for conservative fiscal management.”

Read the full story

Radical Illinois School District Curriculum Will Teach Children as Young as 4 Years Old About Ending ‘Gender Binary’ System Created by White ‘Colonizers’

The Evanston-Skokie School District 65 will teach children as young as four years of age to celebrate the transgender flag, to try on different pronouns, and that the “gender binary” created by white “colonizers,” based on male and female sex, must be broken.

Education researcher Chris Rufo obtained the curriculum documents, which he published at City Journal last week.

Read the full story

Commentary: Cleveland GON Is Another Risky Broadband Project

If the last two years have taught us anything, it’s that high-speed internet is as integral to the modern world today as electricity was 100 years ago. Still, around six percent of the country, heavily concentrated in very rural areas, lack access to the infrastructure that would bring them online. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have recognized these individuals are in danger of getting left behind and made serious efforts to make sure the remaining communities get connected quickly. Republican lawmakers have also fought hard to include language in internet infrastructure initiatives that prevents some of the typical government-waste we see with big-spending projects.

Read the full story

Americans for Limited Government Urges Congress to Defund Biden’s Plan for ‘Disinformation Governance Board’

Americans for Limited Government, an organization that supports reducing the size and scope of government, urged Congress to defund a portion of the federal code that allows President Biden to create a “Disinformation Governance Board.”

Biden created the new board under the Department of Homeland Security and claims it will focus on misinformation about the Southern border, while preparing for Russian disinformation threats.

Read the full story

Data Show Public Sector Union Membership In Decline in the United States

Data available from state and local government payroll records – not readily available to the public – show “substantially steeper declines in public-sector union membership” in the United States.

“The best data available are state- and local-government payroll records,” Daniel DiSalvo, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, wrote at City Journal Wednesday.

Read the full story

Arizona GOP Chair Kelli Ward’s Husband Michael Ward Permanently Suspended from Twitter for ‘Multiple, Severe Violations’

Twitter suspended Michael Ward, the husband of Arizona Republican Party chair Kelli Ward, Wednesday morning for “multiple, severe violations” according to his wife. She tweeted, “Weird. He’s not a terrorist or a tyrant. He’s a doctor, dad, & veteran. That must be it!”

https://twitter.com/kelliwardaz/status/1519313005174874113

Michael Ward told The Arizona Sun Times, “I want to know whether they’re targeting me because I opposed COVID-19 restrictions, or because I am a conservative physician, or because I’m a retired colonel who opposes the Biden administration.” He believes he was probably singled out because of who he’s married to. He said Twitter first suspended him on Jan. 7, 2021, his first account, @JimmyTheMole01, because he retweeted former President Donald Trump after the Jan. 6 protest at the U.S. Capitol. He was never given a warning, temporary suspension, or second chance when he tried to appeal, the account was permanently banned.

Read the full story

Carbon Reduction Bill for Connecticut’s Electric Grid Awaits Governor’s Signature

A plan to phase the Connecticut’s electric grid to zero-carbon status by 2024 is the focus of a bill that now awaits Gov. Ned Lamont’s signature.

The governor announced Senate Bill 10 focuses on a reduction on carbon emissions, which was established through an executive order in 2019, that allows state policymakers and companies in the electric sector to fully transition the grid away from natural gas and oil.

Read the full story

Pennsylvania Lawmaker Proposes ‘Office of Election Crimes and Security’

Pennsylvania State Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-Gettysburg) announced on Thursday he intends to draft legislation creating an Office of Election Crimes and Security.

The new division within the Pennsylvania Department of State would be charged with probing all alleged violations of voting laws. The proposed bill also targets “ballot harvesting,” the illegal practice of hand-delivering absentee ballots — usually by depositing them in election drop boxes — on behalf of voters other than oneself. Currently, state law treats ballot harvesting as a misdemeanor; Mastriano’s measure would make it a third-degree felony.

Read the full story

Lt. Gov. Earle-Sears Kicks Off 2022 RPV Advance with Stories from Her First General Assembly Session

HERNDON, Virginia – Republican Party of Virginia faithful are gathered at a Hilton outside Washington, D.C., to build on the momentum of their 2021 wins and help their 2022 congressional candidates. Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears kicked off the Advance on Friday at a reception held by the Virginia Federation of Republican Women.

Earle-Sears regaled the crowd with stories from the recent General Assembly session. Governor Glenn Youngkin once confused Senator Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth) with Senator Mamie Locke (D-Hampton,) leading Lucas to rib Youngkin about it on Twitter.

“And then a curious thing happened: I started mixing her up with Mamie,” Earle-Sears said to laughter. “I would call, ‘The Senator from Hampton, Senator Lucas.’ They got mad.”

Read the full story

DeSantis Teases Additional Legislation Regarding Disney’s Tax Status

Ron DeSantis

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) was a featured guest on Fox News’ Ingraham Angle hosted by Laura Ingraham and said his administration is working on additional legislation to address Disney’s tax status after the Florida Legislature repealed the 1960s-era law that established the Reedy Creek Improvement District.

The district allowed Disney to operate relatively autonomously with the ability to tax at its own rate, provide its own police, and supervise its own utilities. Florida Republicans have indicated that the repeal of the improvement district was long overdue.

Read the full story

Fifth Annual Tennessee Motorcycles and Music Revival Returns to Loretta Lynn’s Ranch

The Tennessee Motorcycles and Music Revival (TMMR) is a unique, four-day event held in central Tennessee that’s all about motorcycles, music, comradery, and the outdoors. It will be held at the majestic 3,500-acre Loretta Lynn’s ranch and campground just an hour west of Nashville on held May 19 – 22 and will be the first big event to take place at Loretta Lynn’s ranch since the catastrophic floods from last August. TMMR is presented by Harley-Davidson® and produced in partnership by the Loretta Lynn family and R&R Promotions, a specialty agency with decades of motorcycle event promotions and deep ties in the national motorcycle family.

Read the full story

Law Enforcement: Border Patrol Agents Have Lost Operational Control, Awareness at Border

While Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas claims the southern border is secure and he has a plan in place for increased surges, those in law enforcement say the opposite is true. Not only have Border Patrol agents lost operational control of the border, they’ve also lost operational awareness and have no idea who is coming through, current and former Border Patrol agents told The Center Square.

Read the full story

Ranking Oversight Republican Says GOPers Are ‘Having Discussions’ About Impeaching Joe Biden, Calls Hunter a ‘National Security Threat’

The ranking Republican on the House oversight Committee said Thursday that Hunter Biden is a “national security threat” amid mounting evidence that Joe Biden was complicit in his son’s corrupt foreign business dealings. Amid concerns that the president is dangerously compromised, Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) told Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo that Republicans are “having discussions” about impeaching him if they win the House majority in November.

Read the full story

Biden Admin Looks to Gut Chinese Tariffs in Latest Attempt to Shift Inflation Blame

The Biden administration is mulling removing U.S. tariffs on Chinese “non-strategic” goods in an effort to ease inflation, a move critics said would do little to alleviate the current crisis.

“It has absolutely nothing to do with inflation,” Nick Iacovella, senior vice president of Public Affairs and Communications at the Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA), told the Daily Caller News Foundation in an interview. “Janet Yellen is a very intelligent person and I am almost certain that she knows that removing China tariffs will have no impact on inflation.”

Read the full story

Report: Over Half of Colleges Encourage Students to Snitch on Each Other

Over half of the U.S.’s private and public colleges encourage students to snitch on each other, according to a report released Monday by a free speech non-profit.

Of the 821 higher education institutions surveyed, 56% of them are reported to have some form of a “Bias Reporting System” (BRS), according to the report from Speech First (SF), a free speech member organization. The report surveyed 441 private schools, or 23% of all private four year colleges in the U.S. and 380 public schools, or 49% of the country’s four-year public universities.

Read the full story

Federal Court Deals Another Crushing Blow to Biden Admin’s Immigration Order

A federal judge ordered the Biden administration Wednesday to fully implement Title 42 for the next 14 days, the latest setback in the administration’s efforts to end the public health policy.

Louisiana Judge Robert R. Summerhays issued the order in Arizona’s case against the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) decision to end Title 42, which is used to quickly expel certain migrants during the pandemic. The order requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to continue enforcing the policy, and prevents the agency from implementing the CDC’s order to terminate the program.

Read the full story

Commentary: Too Many Republicans Want Endless War in Ukraine

Former President Donald Trump issued a plea for peace last week. “It doesn’t make sense that Russia and Ukraine aren’t sitting down and working out some kind of an agreement,” Trump said in a statement on the war in Ukraine.

“If they don’t do it soon, there will be nothing left but death, destruction, and carnage,” he added. “This is a war that never should have happened, but it did. The solution can never be as good as it would have been before the shooting started, but there is a solution, and it should be figured out now—not later—when everyone will be DEAD!”

Read the full story

Commentary: America’s Future Depends on the Bioeconomy

If the coronavirus pandemic exposed the fragility of our supply chains, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has laid bare the precarious state of global food security. While inflation and sanctions on Russia have pushed up the price of food and fuel, the latest U.N. climate report provides a further urgent warning to change the status quo for the sake of our planet. It claims that global CO2 emissions must peak by 2025 to avoid catastrophic effects.

But there is an alternative to the uncomfortable choice between economic sacrifice, moral compromise, and ecological ruin. It’s called the bioeconomy, and it has the potential to address the existential challenges posed by climate change, global pandemics, and growing economic inequity. Imagine bio-based antiviral face masks, or carbon-neutral cement produced in facilities located in America’s former industrial hubs.

Read the full story

Maury County Mayor and U.S House Candidate Andy Ogles Wins Another TN-5 Straw Poll

Aaron Gulbransen, Political Reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network, reported from the Marshall County Republican Party Annual Dinner and Straw Poll in Lewisburg, Tennessee.

He interviewed several candidates in the Republican Primary for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District seat, including Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles, former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell, and State Senate aide Tres Wittum.

Read the full story

Michael Patrick Leahy: Breitbart Article on TN GOP Contains Major Error of Fact About SEC Members That Must Be Corrected

In the 5:50 am segment of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Thursday, host Michael Patrick Leahy called on his friend, Matt Boyle, to correct a major factual error in his Breitbart article published Wednesday about the Tennessee Republican Party’s disqualification of carpetbaggers Morgan Ortagus and Robby Starbuck, as well as Tennessean Baxter Lee, from the TN-5 GOP primary ballot.

Read the full story

Ivermectin Effective for Early Treatment of COVID-19 Now Easily Accessible in Tennessee Without Prescription

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (R) has signed a bill that makes ivermectin, an antiviral drug that has been found to be an effective early treatment for COVID-19, available in the state without a prescription.

Lee signed SB 2188, approved by the State Senate, 66-20, and the State House, 22-6, which authorizes a pharmacist to provide ivermectin to patients 18 years of age or older, “pursuant to a valid collaborative pharmacy practice agreement containing a non-patient-specific prescriptive order and standardized procedures developed and executed by one or more authorized prescribers.”

Read the full story

Senator Josh Hawley, Charlie Kirk to Join J.D. Vance on Campaign Trail in Final Days of Ohio Senate Race

Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk will join J.D. Vance on the campaign trail in the final days of the U.S. Senate primary contest in Ohio.

According to a release from the Vance campaign, the duo will make appearances across the state as a part of Vance’s “No BS Town Hall Tour” on Sunday and Monday.

Read the full story

Hernandez-Mendez Sentenced for Hit-and-Run; Victim’s Family Suspects Political Influence

Gabriel Hernandez-Mendez, an ex-son-in-law of former Pennsylvania congressman and current Republican gubernatorial candidate Lou Barletta, received a 1-2 year sentence on Tuesday for a hit-and-run.

The incident, which occurred in June, left 15-year-old bicyclist Hector Padilla dead. Padilla’s father Pedro has said that he recognizes that what happened was an accident but that he also believes a much more severe sentence was warranted insofar as the 45-year-old Hernandez-Mendez drove away from the scene and kept quiet about it for 45 days.

Read the full story

Virginia State Sen. Reeves Wants GOP Nomination to Restore Congress to Regular Order, Support Military, and Limit Spending

State Senator Bryce Reeves (R-Spotsylvania) is running for the GOP nomination for Virginia’s seventh congressional district. Reeves said his experience in the General Assembly gives him the skills needed to enact his priorities: bringing Congress back to following the traditional legislative process, limiting spending, and making sure the military has necessary resources.

“I’d like to see us get back to regular order. I think it’s important for the country that Congress get back to a regular budget, not just a continuing resolution, on funding. We’ve got to get to where we have what’s called a single object rule, which means we can’t have these three- and five-thousand page bills where everything’s stacked into one thing,” Reeves told The Virginia Star.

Read the full story

Petition to Discharge Rep. Steube’s Transgender Sports Bill Garners More than 60 Signatures in House

Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives this week are working to force a floor vote a bill authored by a Florida Congressman that would ban biological males from competing in female athletics. 

“I, Jim Banks, move to discharge the Committee on Education and Labor from the consideration of the bill (H.R. 426) entitled, a bill to provide that for purposes of determining compliance with title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 in athletics, sex shall be recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth, which was referred to said committee January 21st, 2021, in support of which motion the undersigned Members of the House of Representatives affix their signatures…” said a Discharge Petition authored by Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN-03). 

Read the full story

Commentary: The Presidential Candidate Menu for Democrats in 2024 Churns the Stomach

“I’m not sure, I think I need a couple more minutes to decide.”

We’ve all been in a restaurant scenario where, once the party is seated, the server makes repeated visits to the table and one or more members of the group equivocates and stonewalls on what to order, sending the poor waiter or waitress schlepping back to obscurity due to someone’s indecision or just plain laziness. After a couple semi-desperate attempts to pin down the holdout(s), he or she then gives up asking and doesn’t return until beckoned to do so by an impatient leader of the hungry contingent. Essentially, everyone waits while one or two souls deliberate.

Read the full story

Kemp Signs Bill to Help Parents Challenge Obscene School Library Books

In a victory for parental rights, a bill Thursday was signed into law giving Georgia’s parents the right to challenge books and other school materials that they find offensive.

“No later than January 1, 2023, each local board of education shall adopt a complaint class resolution policy for its local school system to be used to address complaints submitted by parents or permanent guardians alleging that material that is harmful to minors has been provided or is currently available to a student enrolled in the local school system who is a child of such parent or permanent guardian,” SB 226 says. 

Read the full story

Whistleblower Sarah Chambers’ Attorney Laura Mills: Joe Blystone Has Trust Issues

The lawyer representing Sarah Chambers in the defamation lawsuit filed by Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Joe Blystone against Chambers after his former co-campaign manager gave the Ohio Elections Commission a 51-page compendium of campaign finance violations she witnessed told The Ohio Star Chambers intends to defend herself with the facts.

“She obviously had concerns of about how he was handling his campaign finance, which we’ve all learned a lot more since that initial filing because there have been others that have filed,” said Laura Mills, who joined Chambers’ legal team as a litigator after the defamation suit was filed.

Read the full story