Day: July 6, 2022

Kurt Winstead’s Democrat Lobbyist Wife Won’t Deny Reports of Campaign Influence and Lobbying in Favor of Anti-Carpetbagger Residency Bill

Aaron Gulbransen

Multiple sources tell The Tennessee Star that TN-5 candidate Kurt Winstead’s wife Beth Winstead, who many describe as a Democrat lobbyist, advocated in favor of the three-year residency law which mandates that candidates in federal race in Tennessee must be residents of the state for three years in order to qualify to be on a partisan primary ballot.

That residency law passed both the state House and state Senate overwhelming in late March and became law without Governor Lee’s signature. The Tennessee Secretary of State’s office later said that legislation would not take effect for the 2022 elections.

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Tennessee Supreme Court Yet to Announce Process of Selecting Next Attorney General

Aaron Gulbransen
Tennessee Star - Constitution Series

The Tennessee Supreme Court, which is the body that appoints the state’s attorney general, has yet to announce an official process in the search to replace Attorney General Herbert Slatery who leaves office at the end of August.

The process is expected to be conducted in a similar manner as the one that yielded Slatery. He has served as Tennessee’s attorney general since 2014 and not seeking an additional eight-year term.

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Senator Jack Johnson’s ‘Boots and Jeans, BBQ and Beans’ Event to Feature Several Tennessee Leaders

Cooper Moran

Tennessee Senator Jack Johnson’s (R-Franklin) annual “Boots and Jeans, BBQ and Beans” fundraising event will feature several prominent leaders from across Tennessee.

According to Johnson’s website, a host of political leaders will attend the event: Governor Bill Lee, Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn, U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty, and Congressman Mark Green.

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Tennessee Senate Deputy Speaker Janice Bowling Supports Special Session to Save National Guard Members’ Jobs

Aaron Gulbransen

Tennessee State Senate Deputy Speaker Janice Bowling told The Tennessee Star that she supports a special session of the General Assembly in order to save the jobs of National Guardsmen who are being fired for refusing to comply with the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

“I expressed my sentiments to the Tennessee National  Guardsmen when I joined other legislators at the Legislative Plaza last week. I will fight legislatively for their rights to be protected,” she said. “I would gladly support a Special Session. If the General Assembly makes the call, we get to determine the agenda. If the Governor makes the call, he determines the agenda.”

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Chattanooga Will Spend $80 Million on New Stadium for Minor League Baseball Team

Peter D'Abrosca

The city of Chattanooga will spend tens of millions of dollars to build a new baseball stadium for the Chattanooga Lookouts, a minor league affiliate of Major League Baseball’s Cincinnati Reds.

“For more than two decades, this 140 acres around us have sat vacant as a sad, rusting reminder of our wasted potential,” Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly said in a press conference from what used to be the US Pipe site near I-24. “There have been no less than eight studies conducted on this site since 2003, but despite that, our western gateway has remained a blighted brownfield doing absolutely nothing to increase jobs, tourism or quality of life for our residents.”

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Epoch Times and Nashville Republican Women Host Unique Debate for TN-5 Candidates on July 12

Aaron Gulbransen

The Epoch Times, the Nashville Republican Women, Williamson County Young Republicans, and Davidson County Young Republicans are scheduled to host a debate with a unique format on Tuesday July 12 for the Republican primary in the race for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District seat.

The Tuesday, July 12 debate will take place at the Landmark Auditorium located at 100 7th Ave N. #4 in Nashville, Tennessee. Doors open at 6pm and the debate will begin at 6:45pm.

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Senate GOP Leader Jack Johnson Says ‘All Options on the Table’ to ‘Save the Jobs of Our Brave Guardsmen and Women’

Aaron Gulbransen

In a statement released to The Tennessee Star, State Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson commented favorably on the idea of a special session of the Tennessee General Assembly in order to save the jobs of national guardsmen who did not comply with the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

“My hope continues to be that the Biden Administration chooses to do the right thing and reverses course on their unconscionable plan to defund the courageous men and women who serve in the Tennessee National Guard and have made the personal medical decision not to receive the Covid-19 vaccine,” he said.

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Commentary: The 2022 House Midterm by the Numbers

RealClearWire

Midterm elections involve high stakes, a great deal of groundless guessing, and lots of numbers – oddly similar to lotteries. Unlike lotteries, though, the many numbers associated with midterm elections are meaningful. The six meaningful midterm “lotto” numbers below should help historically ground your anticipation of what is likely or unlikely to happen in this year’s House elections, as well as set the eventual outcome in its historical perspective. You will have to use your imagination about the numbered ping-pong balls and the machine mixing them up. On to the all-important numbers.       

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Tennessee Unemployment Website Finally Returns After Cyberattack

Peter D'Abrosca

After being offline for more than a week due to a cyberattack, Tennessee’s unemployment benefits website appears to be back online Tuesday morning. 

“Jobs4TN is back online and operating. The system is ready for you to file new claims and complete your weekly certifications. Please follow the instructions in the link below to complete those tasks,” the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce (TDLWD) confirmed Monday afternoon.

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Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont Pitches State’s ‘Family-Friendly’ Pro-Abortion Stance to Businesses While Costs Soar Due to Diesel Tax Increase

Susan Berry, PhD

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont’s (D) recent video pitch encourages businesses to relocate to his “family friendly” state where women are welcome to end the lives of their unborn babies, but neglects to mention his now effective 23 percent tax increase in diesel fuel is crushing businesses and consumers already reeling from unprecedented inflation and high gas prices.

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Akron Maintains Curfew in Wake of Walker Shooting

Bradley Vasoli

A curfew imposed in downtown Akron, OH on Monday, July 4, continues in the aftermath of the death of Jayland Walker by police gunfire.

The curfew applies during the hours between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. It resulted in the cancellation of fireworks to celebrate July Fourth at several sites in the city. Municipal officials noted that although protests in response to the shooting were peaceful early on Monday, evening demonstrations turned violent and resulted in serious damage to businesses on Main Street.

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Minnesotans Urge Walz to Commute Kim Potter’s Sentence

Admin

A longtime friend and colleague of former Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter is leading the charge to get her released from prison.

In a Facebook post, Becky Boie, a former crime prevention specialist for the Brooklyn Center Police Department, called on Minnesotans to push Gov. Tim Walz to commute Potter’s sentence.

Boie urged people to send letters, emails, and make phone calls to Walz’s office. She also encouraged them to contact their local state lawmakers.

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City of Orlando Apologizes for Errant Independence Day Message

Grant Holcomb

The City of Orlando issued an apology for their Independence Day message saying that “we can’t blame them” if there were residents of their city who felt there was not much to celebrate. The city posted the original announcement to Twitter but has since deleted it and replaced it with an apology.

The apology stated that they “understand these words offended some” who read it.

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In Ongoing Lawsuit Miyares’ Office Argues It’s Too Late to Hold 2023 House Elections

Eric Burk

The Office of Attorney General (OAG) Jason Miyares is arguing in court that it is too late to grant 2023 House elections — a response to Thomas v. Beals, a lawsuit alleging that the 2022 elections, held on pre-redistricting lines, disenfranchised voters in areas with significant population growth. The OAG argues that plaintiff Jeff Thomas delayed in filing the lawsuit — after Thomas alleged that both Miyares and former Attorney General Mark Herring themselves tried to block the elections through delay.

“This is a case about delay,” the OAG states in a July 1 memorandum supporting a motion to dismiss. “Almost a year after the first lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the 2021 House of Delegates election, seven months after that election took place, and just over four months before the 2022 general election, Plaintiffs filed a lawsuit challenging the 2021 election.”

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Andy Biggs Speaks Against Damaging Pro-Abortion Protests, Saying They ‘Have Jeopardized Public Safety’

Neil Jones

Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05) recently spoke against the pro-abortion protests occurring across the country that have caused damage to state and public buildings, demanding that the Department of Justice (DOJ) take action against what he calls ‘domestic terrorism.’

“I am a staunch supporter of our First Amendment and peaceful protest, but the pro-abortion protests related to the Dobbs v. Jackson decision have jeopardized public safety,” Biggs told the Arizona Sun Times via email. “These types of activists have besieged state capitol buildings, pregnancy centers, homes of Supreme Court Justices, and those who support the pro-life movement. I co-sponsored Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene’s legislation to classify the recent actions of two pro-abortion groups–Jane’s Revenge and Ruth Sent Us–as domestic terrorism while also co-signing letters to Attorney General Merrick Garland that demand a response from the Department of Justice.”

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Republicans Point at Local and Federal Law Enforcement After Supreme Court Marshall Asks Youngkin to Respond to Protests at Justices’ Homes

Eric Burk

The U.S. Supreme Court marshall has asked Governor Glenn Youngkin to enforce state law in response to protesters outside justices homes, according to ABC News but Youngkin’s office placed the main responsibility on local authorities in statements to the media.

In a new statement Tuesday, Youngkin spokesperson Christian Martinez said, “Governor Youngkin has condemned picketing at the homes of the Supreme Court Justices. At the direction of the Governor, Virginia State Police have been at the ready and in constant coordination in the protest response which is led by the local primary authorities, the Fairfax County Police Department. The Governor remains in regular contact with the justices themselves and holds their safety as an utmost priority. Governor Youngkin will continue to push for every resource of federal law enforcement, including the U.S. Marshalls, to be involved while the Justices continue to be denied the right to live peacefully in their homes.”

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22 Arizonans Indicted for Drug-Related Charges After Criminal Gang Investigation

Neil Jones

The Arizona US Attorney’s Office (USAO) recently revealed that 22 Arizonians have been indicted for drug-related charges following a multi-year investigation of a South Phoenix criminal street gang.

“According to the criminal complaints filed last week, in January 2020, the Arizona Department of Public Safety (“DPS”) began an investigation targeting a drug and firearms supplier in South Phoenix. In February 2021, in conjunction with the DPS investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (“FBI”) Violent Street Gang Task Force began investigating the Lindo Park Crips (“LPC”), a criminal street gang operating in South Phoenix,” according to a press release from the USAO.

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Top Trump Nat Sec Aides Grenell, Patel Endorse Arizona GOP Senate Hopeful Blake Masters

Neil W. McCabe

Two members of President Donald J. Trump’s national security team endorsed Arizona GOP Senate hopeful Blake Masters in the Aug. 2 primary in a July 5 statement.

“We had the honor of working in President Trump’s administration. We know what America First looks like and what kind of person is needed in Washington, D.C., to fight against the swamp,” said Ric Grenell, who served as Trump’s ambassador to Germany and later the acting director of national intelligence, and Kash Patel, the former chief of staff to the defense secretary.

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Atlanta Parks Department Providing Free Meals to Children Through End of July

Peter D'Abrosca

The Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) is teaming up with another Georgia government program to provide free meals to children in the cities parks through the end of July. 

“The City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation is pleased to partner with the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning’s Bright from the Start program to feed thousands of youth this summer,” DPR said. 

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Philadelphia’s Jim Kenney: ‘I’ll Be Happy When I’m Not Mayor’

The Center Square

A moment of frustration for Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney has led to two city councilmen to call for his resignation.

Kenney’s comments came after a shooting incident where two police officers were injured during the city’s Fourth of July celebration on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. During a post-midnight press conference, he spoke about the stress and concern brought by large events in the city.

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Report: Stacey Abrams’ Campaign Spent $450K on Security Despite Backing ‘Defund Police’ Movement

Admin

Democratic Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams has doled out hundreds of thousands on private security despite her ties to the Defund the Police movement, according to Fox News.

Abrams’ campaign paid $450,000 to an Atlanta-based security firm called Executive Protection Agencies between December 2021 and April 2022, Fox News reported Tuesday. But Abrams also sits on the board of The Marguerite Casey Foundation — a nonprofit she joined in 2021 that has supported abolishing and defunding police.

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Commentary: Biden’s Liberal World Disorder

Admin

Asked how American families who can’t afford to pay $5 per gallon of gasoline can survive, Biden’s National Economic Council Director Brian Deese said, “This is about the future of the Liberal World Order and we have to stand firm.”

President Joe Biden has thrust us into a new liberal world order of high inflation, open borders, shortages of critical items such as food, and so many disasters in foreign policy that they’re too many to catalogue.

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California Adds Arizona, Other States, to No-Travel List

The Center Square

California is restricting state-funded travel to several states because its politicians disagree with political policies enacted by those states over the past several months.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that the state is restricting state-funded travel to Arizona, Indiana, Louisiana and Utah because of what it refers to as “anti-LGBTQ+ legislation recently enacted in each state.” Most states were added because they passed laws preventing biological males from competing in women’s sports.

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