Author: Kaitlin Housler

Ohio Supreme Court Dismisses Motion Challenging House Bill 68

Kaitlin Housler
Girls Basketball

The Ohio Supreme Court released a decision on Wednesday dismissing an emergency motion filed by Attorney General Dave Yost asking the state’s highest court to narrow a temporary restraining order issued by Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Michael J. Holbrook to block the state from enforcing House Bill 68.

On April 16, Judge Holbrook issued a temporary restraining order to prevent House Bill 68 – which includes the SAFE Act and the Save Women’s Sports Act – from taking immediate effect.

Read the full story

Rachel Alexander Recounts Personal Experience as a Target of the Left’s Lawfare

Kaitlin Housler

Rachel Alexander, lead reporter at The Arizona Sun Times, attended the Get Trump virtual lawfare conference on Tuesday, which was hosted by the anti-globalist movement Davos in the Desert.

Alexander, who spoke at the event, said the conference was a “really exciting, up-to-date look at everything going on” in regards to lawfare targeting conservatives, including former President Donald Trump and January 6 defendants.

Read the full story

U.S. Marshals, Memphis Police Capture 18-Year-Old Murder Suspect Out on Bond for Previous Vehicle Thefts

Kaitlin Housler
DeMario Wilson

An 18-year-old man wanted for a deadly shooting and robbery that took place in an apartment complex in the Raleigh area of Memphis last month was captured on Tuesday by U.S. Marshals and Memphis Police Department (MPD) officers.

The suspect, Demario Wilson, was taken into custody at a residence in the 2200 block of Eldridge Avenue in Memphis, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.

Read the full story

Democrat Tennessee U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen Introduces Resolution to Censure Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Alito

Kaitlin Housler
Justice Sam Alito

Tennessee U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) introduced a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday that would censure U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Alito and remove him from litigation related to the 2020 election or the January 6 Capitol riots.

Last week, The New York Times reported that an inverted U.S. flag was photographed flying from the front lawn of Alito’s residence on January 17, 2021.

Read the full story

Exclusive: Israeli-American Journalist Caroline Glick Attends Israel Summit in Nashville, Says Standing with Israel is Being on the ‘Right Side of Human History’

Kaitlin Housler
Caroline Glick

Caroline Glick, senior contributing editor at Jewish News Syndicate, sat down for an exclusive interview with The Michael Patrick Leahy Show on Monday during the first day of the 2024 Israel Summit at the Ramsey Event Center in Franklin.

Glick said she attended the Israel Summit to show “appreciation” for those “willing to stand up and make themselves heard” regarding supporting Israel.

Read the full story

Foreign Policy Expert Lisa Daftari Details Grim Outlook on U.S. Relations with Iran, Says Middle Eastern Nation is ‘Emboldened’ by the Biden Administration

Kaitlin Housler
Lisa Daftari

Lisa Daftari, Editor-in-Chief of The Foreign Desk, said the deaths of Iran’s Islamic Republican President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and other regime officials “won’t move the needle too much” when it comes to sparking reform in the Middle East County.

Read the full story

Expert Details How Biden Administration is ‘Ignoring’ Congressional Statutes in Attempt to Cover Up Illegal Immigration Crisis

Kaitlin Housler
Illegal Immigrants

Todd Bensman, senior national security fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, said the Biden Administration is desperately trying to escape the press coverage of migrants illegally crossing the southern border by ignoring congressional statutes to allow for the abuse of the parole authority to take place.

Read the full story

One Month After Announcing Transportation Plan Focused on More Busses, Nashville Mayor Requests Full Safety Review of City’s Public Bus Service Following Shooting

Kaitlin Housler
Freddie O'Connell

One month after announcing a transportation plan focused on more busses, Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell reportedly requested a full safety review of the city’s public transportation service, WeGo, after a man was shot six times on the steps of the bus station located at Rep John Lewis Way & MLK Jr Blvd, according to WSMV.

On Thursday, the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) announced that a 31-year-old convicted felon was arrested for the shooting of an 18-year-old at the bus stop earlier in the day.

Read the full story

Ohio Governor Signs Bill Requiring Schools to Implement Official Policy Limiting Use of Cellphones by Students

Kaitlin Housler
Cellphones students

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill 250 on Wednesday, requiring schools to implement official policy governing students’ use of cellphones during school hours.

The bill aims to “minimize student use of cellphones in K-12 schools” by requiring school districts to create a policy that reduces cellphone-related distractions in classroom settings.

Read the full story

Sonesta Hotel Apologizes, Reaches Resolution with Organizer of Israel Summit Over Cancelation of Nashville Event

Kaitlin Housler
Sonesta Nashville Airport

Sonesta International Hotels Corporation and HaYovel, one of the organizers of the 2024 Israel Summit, have reportedly reached a “resolution” following the Sonesta Nashville Airport Hotel’s decision last week to breach its contract and withdraw from hosting the summit.

Sonesta and HaYovel released a joint statement on Friday announcing the update.

Read the full story

Tennessee U.S. Reps. Andy Ogles and Diana Harshbarger Travel to New York to Support Former President Trump in Hush Money Trial

Kaitlin Housler
House Reps Courtroom Trump

Tennessee U.S. Representatives Diana Harshbarger (R-TN-01) and Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) were among 11 Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives who traveled to New York on Thursday to support former President Donald Trump in his hush money trial.

While speaking to reporters outside of the Manhattan courthouse, Harshbarger called the trial involving Trump “the persecution of a patriot,” saying, “We’re watching in real time the Biden Administration’s Department of Justice interfere in a case that should have never been brought in the first place.”

Read the full story

Aaron Gulbransen Says Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s Universal School Choice Bill Will Be First Order of Business in January

Kaitlin Housler
School Work

Aaron Gulbransen, executive director of the Tennessee Faith and Freedom Coalition, said he believes state lawmakers will craft a final bill for Governor Bill Lee’s universal school choice proposal before the General Assembly convenes in January.

Lee’s school choice bill, the Education Freedom Scholarship Act, failed to pass the General Assembly during its recent convened session.

Read the full story

Ben Cunningham Says Nashville’s Proposed Transit Plan Is an ‘Absolute Ripoff of the Taxpayer’

Kaitlin Housler
Freddie O'Connell

Ben Cunningham, founder of the Nashville Tea Party, said the Nashville Mayor’s $3.1 billion transit referendum is a “ripoff” of the taxpayers who are not given a proper voice in the media to express opposition to the transportation plan.

Mayor Freddie O’Connell unveiled his $3.1 billion transit plan, “Choose How You Move: An All-Access Pass to Sidewalks, Signals, Service, and Safety,” last month.

Read the full story

Legal Counsel for Sponsors of Israel Summit Raises Questions on Sonesta Hotel’s Reasoning to Cancel Event

Kaitlin Housler
Sonesta Nashville Airport

First Liberty Institute, the legal counsel for the organizing groups of the 2024 Israel Summit, raised questions to the Sonesta Nashville Airport Hotel’s reasoning behind its decision to break its contractual obligation to host the event next week.

The Israel Summit was expected to be hosted next week at the Sonesta Hotel until hotel leadership contacted one of the summit’s sponsors, notifying the group that it was dropping its contract to host the event, citing “threatening” calls and messages.

Read the full story

Reporter Tom Pappert Discusses Latest Developments in Case Involving Transgender Arrested on Stalking Charges

Kaitlin Housler
McKenzie McClure

Tom Pappert, lead reporter at The Tennessee Star, pointed out that McKenzie McClure, the biological female and former Christ Presbyterian Academy (CPA) student arrested by federal authorities on cyberstalking charges, may have been subject to a 30-day mental hold as she awaits a detention hearing scheduled for June 3.

McClure, who identifies as a transgender man and prefers the name “Kalvin,” was arrested on cyberstalking charges on April 29 after making a public threat against Governor Bill Lee and leaving a concerning voicemail to CPA in March, which caused two schools to shut down the following day.

Read the full story

Ramsey Event Center in Franklin to Host Israel Summit

Kaitlin Housler
Ramsey Event Center

The Ramsey Event Center in Franklin will hold the 2024 Israel Summit next week after the event’s original venue, the Sonesta Nashville Airport Hotel, broke its contractual obligation to host the summit.

“God is doing amazing things in Tennessee, and we are even more excited about the upcoming Israel Summit,” two of the summit’s sponsors, HaYovel and The Israel Guys, announced Tuesday. “Dave Ramsey stepped in TODAY and offered his state-of-the-art event center for the Israel Summit!”

Read the full story

Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Confirms Transgender Arrested for Alleged Cyberstalking Will Remain in Custody Leading up to June 3 Hearing

Kaitlin Housler
US Atty Mark H. Wildasin, McKenzie McClure

An executive assistant attorney with the Middle District of Tennessee U.S. Attorney’s Office confirmed to The Tennessee Star that McKenzie McClure, the biological female and former Christ Presbyterian Academy (CPA) student arrested by federal authorities on cyberstalking charges, will remain in custody leading up to a June 3 detention hearing.

Read the full story

Tennessee Court of Appeals Rules That State Statute Allowing TWRA Game Wardens to Enter Private Property Without a Search Warrant Is Unconstitutional

Kaitlin Housler
TWRA Worker

The Tennessee Court of Appeals released a decision in Terry Rainwaters, et al. v. Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, et al. on Thursday, holding a previous ruling that found a state statute that allows TWRA to patrol private properties without warrants or consent to be unconstitutional.

Read the full story

State Senator Brent Taylor Says Memphis Will Be ‘Hollowed Out’ If Crime is Not Addressed

Kaitlin Housler
Brent Taylor

State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) warned that Memphis will be ‘hollowed out’ if its crime problem is not addressed.

Taylor, who sponsored several crime-related bills in the recently-adjourned legislative session of the General Assembly, said the response he has received from the community in Memphis for his work to crackdown on crime has been positive.

Read the full story

TN-18 State Senate GOP Primary Challenger Chris Spencer Refuses to Answer If He’d Vote for Governor’s School Choice Bill If Elected

Kaitlin Housler
Chris Spencer

Chris Spencer, a Republican candidate challenging incumbent Tennessee State Senator Ferrell Haile (R-Gallatin) in the August 1 TN-18 GOP primary, refused to answer whether he’d vote for or against Governor Bill Lee’s universal school choice bill during the next legislative session of the General Assembly if elected.

The governor’s school choice bill, called the Education Freedom Scholarship Act, failed to pass the General Assembly during the most recently convened session of the General Assembly.

Read the full story

Report: Late Coffee County Mayor Judd Matheny’s Death Ruled Accidental, Caused by Drug Overdose

Kaitlin Housler
Judd Matheny

The late Coffee County Mayor Judd Matheny’s April 2 death was caused by drugs present in his system, compounded by heart conditions, according to an autopsy report conducted by the Center for Forensic Medicine in Nashville.

The report, first obtained by The Tullahoma News, concluded that Matheny’s death was accidental, with the cause of death “ascribed to mixed cocaine, ethanol, mitragynine toxicity with hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease as a significant contributing factor.”

Read the full story

Tennessee Republican Delegation Members Vote to Advance Bill Requiring Citizenship Question on the U.S. Census

Kaitlin Housler
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

All eight Republicans representing Tennessee in the U.S. House of Representatives voted with the majority of members to pass a bill requiring the U.S. Census to include a question asking if the person is a United States citizen.

The Census determines how many congressional districts and electoral college votes each state gets to help ensure American votes are equally represented in Congress.

Read the full story

Tennessee AG Skrmetti Leads Coalition of States in Pushing Back on New Department of Energy Rule Targeting Household Refrigerators, Freezers

Kaitlin Housler
Jonathan Skrmetti

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti led a coalition of 17 state attorneys general in a comment letter opposing the Department of Energy’s direct final rule regulating consumer refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers.

The DOE’s rule, scheduled to be implemented on May 16, imposes new energy conservation standards for these consumer items.

Read the full story

Tennessee GOP Chairman Confident in Security Measures Taken for Republican National Convention in Milwaukee

Kaitlin Housler

Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Scott Golden said he is confident in the security measures being taken for attendees of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

Milwaukee will host the Republican National Convention from July 15-18, during which tens of thousands of delegates, guests, and press members will gather to officially nominate Donald Trump for president and his yet-to-be-announced running mate for vice president.

Read the full story

Federal Court Case in Ohio Could Reverse SCOTUS Precedent That Expanded Commerce Clause

Kaitlin Housler
Brewing

Michael Patrick Leahy, CEO and editor-in-chief of The Tennessee Star, said he believes an Ohio court case, Ream v. U.S. Department of Treasury, may succeed in rolling back federal overreach regarding Congress’ power to regulate interstate commerce under the U.S. Constitution’s Commerce Clause.

The Buckeye Institute, an Ohio think tank, filed Ream v. U.S. Department of Treasury in January on behalf of John Ream of Licking County, Ohio.

Read the full story