Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti led a coalition of 17 other states in filing a lawsuit challenging the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) final guidance on harassment in the workplace which went into effect on April 29.
Read the full storyAuthor: Kaitlin Housler
Americans for Prosperity Action Announces Endorsements in Tennessee State House and Senate Races
Americans for Prosperity Action (AFP Action) endorsed one Tennessee Senate candidate and six candidates for the Tennessee House of Representatives in the primary elections on August 1.
Read the full storyAttorney Representing Sponsor of Israel Summit Details Why the Sonesta Hotel Must Reverse Course and Hold Event, Citing ‘Unlawful Religious Discrimination’
Hirram Sasser, Executive General Counsel for First Liberty Institute, said the Sonesta Nashville Airport Hotel’s decision to break its contractual obligation to host the 2024 Israel Summit next week is an of discrimination.
Read the full storyFirst Liberty Institute Demands Nashville Hotel Fulfill Contractual Agreement to Host 2024 Israel Summit
First Liberty Institute sent a letter to the general manager of the Sonesta Nashville Airport Hotel demanding that the hotel fulfill its contractual obligation to host the 2024 Israel Summit next week.
Read the full storyExecutive Assistant U.S. Attorney Confirms Transgender Arrested for Alleged Cyberstalking Will Remain in Custody Leading up to June 3 Hearing
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 storyIsrael Summit Set to be Held in Nashville Forced to Change Venue Amid Threats by Pro-Palestine Group: Report
The 2024 Israel Summit originally set to be held at the Sonesta Hotel in Nashville will reportedly change venues amid threats by individuals encouraged by the local pro-Palestine group Palestine Hurra Collective Nashville.
Read the full storyTennessee Court of Appeals Rules That State Statute Allowing TWRA Game Wardens to Enter Private Property Without a Search Warrant Is Unconstitutional
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 storyState Senator Brent Taylor Says Memphis Will Be ‘Hollowed Out’ If Crime is Not Addressed
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 storyTN-18 State Senate GOP Primary Challenger Chris Spencer Refuses to Answer If He’d Vote for Governor’s School Choice Bill If Elected
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 storyWyoming Secretary of State Slams Governor for Vetoing ‘Basic Election Integrity Safeguards’
Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray criticized Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon’s veto of a proposed amendment to the state’s voter registration rules that would have required Wyoming residents to provide proof of residency when registering to vote, calling the veto move “horrifying.”
Read the full storyAZGOP Chair Gina Swoboda Supports Ballot Referral to Make Illegal Entry into Arizona a State Crime
Chair of the Arizona Republican Party (AZGOP) Gina Swoboda announced her support for a ballot referral that would help secure the state’s border with Mexico introduced by Republican state lawmakers.
Read the full storyMissouri AG Demands DOJ Turn Over Communications Relating to Prosecutions of Former President Trump
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for Department of Justice records relating to the investigation or prosecutions of former President Donald Trump on Thursday.
Read the full storyLouisiana Governor Jeff Landry Announced as Keynote Speaker at TNGOP Statesmen’s Dinner
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry will serve as the keynote speaker at the Tennessee Republican Party’s (TNGOP) annual Statesmen’s Dinner, which will be held next month in Nashville.
Read the full storyVirginia Places Second in National Hospital Safety Grade Ranking
Virginia ranked second in the Spring 2024 Leapfrog Group Hospital Safety Grade state rankings for patient safety in hospitals.
The Leapfrog Group survey ranks states based on the share of hospitals that earn “A” grades.
Read the full storyReport: Late Coffee County Mayor Judd Matheny’s Death Ruled Accidental, Caused by Drug Overdose
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 storyTennessee Republican Delegation Members Vote to Advance Bill Requiring Citizenship Question on the U.S. Census
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 storyTennessee AG Skrmetti Leads Coalition of States in Pushing Back on New Department of Energy Rule Targeting Household Refrigerators, Freezers
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 storyIndependent Presidential Candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Collects Enough Signatures Needed to Gain Ballot Access in Ohio
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign announced Wednesday that it collected enough signatures to gain ballot access in Ohio.
In Ohio, candidates must submit 5,000 valid signatures from registered voters to gain ballot access.
Read the full storyTennessee GOP Chairman Confident in Security Measures Taken for Republican National Convention in Milwaukee
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 storyFederal Court Case in Ohio Could Reverse SCOTUS Precedent That Expanded Commerce Clause
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 storyNashville’s Legally Dubious $3.1 Billion Transportation Plan Sparks Debate over Future Tax Burden
Ben Cunningham, founder of the Nashville Tea Party, said not only does Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s $3.1 billion transit referendum, which is expected to be presented to Davidson County voters on the November ballot, appear illegal under the 2017 IMPROVE Act, but its implementation would inevitably raise property taxes for residents.
O’Connell unveiled his transit plan, “Choose How You Move: An All-Access Pass to Sidewalks, Signals, Service, and Safety,” last month.
Read the full storyLegal Battle Brews over Nashville Mayor’s $3.1 Billion Transportation Plan
Ben Cunningham, founder of the Nashville Tea Party, continues to scrutinize the legality of the Nashville mayor’s $3.1 billion transit referendum expected to be presented in front of Davidson County voters on the November ballot.
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. The plan would be funded through a half-cent increase in the city’s sales tax to construct miles of new sidewalks, bus stops, transit centers, parking facilities, and upgraded traffic signals.
Read the full storyMemphis Man Released on Bail Hunts Down, Shoots Witness from Trial
A Memphis man out on bond for his alleged involvement in a shooting earlier this year is behind bars once again after being accused of hunting down and shooting a witness who testified at trial for the earlier shooting case.
On Monday, ABC24 News reported that it had obtained an affidavit from Shelby County court records showing that officers with the Memphis Police Department (MPD) responded to an aggravated assault on May 2 in the area of James Road and Raleigh-Millington Road.
Read the full storyELVIS Act Set to Take Effect in Tennessee on July 1
The Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security (ELVIS) Act, which passed the Tennessee General Assembly and signed by Governor Bill Lee in March, is set to take effect on July 1.
As artificial intelligence (AI) has become more accessible to the general public, personalized generative AI cloning models and services have been used to enable human impersonation.
Read the full storyTennessee Governor Signs Bill Preventing Judges from Using ‘Ability to Pay’ Bail System
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed a bill this week that bans judges in the state from using “ability to pay” bail systems.
“Ability to pay” bail systems are bail calculators that determine a defendant’s bail based on the amount of money immediately available to them. The system was recently implemented in Memphis.
Read the full storyBernie Moreno Slams Biden Administration’s Proposal to Resettle Gazan Refugees in the U.S.
Bernie Moreno, the Republican nominee in the Ohio U.S. Senate race, condemned the Biden Administration’s consideration of importing refugees from Gaza into the U.S. for resettlement.
Read the full storySenator Marsha Blackburn Endorses Dave McCormick in Pennsylvania U.S. Senate Race
Tennessee U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) endorsed Dave McCormick in the Pennsylvania U.S. Senate race over the weekend.
Read the full storyPalestine Solidarity Encampment at Vanderbilt University Taken Down After 40 Days
The Palestine Solidarity Encampment that occupied Vanderbilt University for 40 days straight was taken down over the weekend.
Read the full storySenator Marsha Blackburn Calls on Colleges to Prohibit Pro-Palestine Group from Forming Chapters on Campus
Tennessee U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) is calling on colleges across the nation to ban chapters of the pro-Palestine group National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP) from forming on campus.
Read the full storyState Senator Ferrell Haile Says ‘There’s a lot More to Being Pro-Life than Just Being Anti-Abortion’
State Senator Ferrell Haile (R-Gallatin) reflected on his work in the Tennessee General Assembly during this year’s recent-adjourned legislative session, specifically when it comes to passing legislation protecting children and addressing the effects of illegal immigration at the state level.
Read the full storyMajority of Small Businesses Say Colleges are Failing to Prepare Gen Z for the Workplace, Survey Shows
A recent survey conducted by RedBalloon and PublicSquare found that a majority of small businesses believe colleges are failing to prepare Gen Z for the workforce and that nearly half of small businesses said that a college degree has zero value in their hiring decisions.
Read the full storyOhio U.S. Senate Candidate Bernie Moreno Says ‘Dismal’ April Jobs Report Is a ‘Consequence’ of Joe Biden and Sherrod Brown’s ‘Disastrous Economic Policies’
Bernie Moreno, the Republican nominee in the Ohio U.S. Senate race, used Friday’s jobs report for the month of April to call out his opponent, incumbent U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and President Joe Biden for their “disastrous” economic policies.
Read the full storyCarol Swain Raising Funds Towards Lawsuit Against Harvard University amid Plagiarism Battle
Dr. Carol M. Swain is actively raising money to file a federal lawsuit against Harvard University to hold the institution “accountable” for its former President Claudine Gay’s alleged plagiarism of multiple academic scholars’ work, including that of Swain’s.
In December 2023, writer and political activist Christopher Rufo accused Gay of plagiarizing “multiple sections” of her Ph.D. thesis from 1997.
Read the full storyTennessee U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett Requests ‘Full Investigation’ into the CIA Based on Claims Made in Undercover Video
Tennessee U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) sent letters to the chairmans of the House Judiciary Committee and House Oversight Committee on Thursday requesting that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) be investigated after an employee of the CIA’s Cyber Operations Division made bombshell accusations about the intel agency when it comes to its covert relationship with former President Donald Trump – both during and after his presidency.
Read the full storyCongressman Andy Ogles Among House Republicans Seeking to Prevent the Resettling of Palestinians into the U.S.
Tennessee U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) is among a group of House Republicans requesting that a provision be included in the Fiscal Year 2025 spending bill to prohibit Palestinian refugees from being imported and resettled into U.S. communities.
Ogles, along with U.S. Representatives Tom Tiffany (R-WI-07) and Scott Perry (R-PA-10), are specifically seeking a provision in the funding bill that “prohibits expenditures of any funds to issue a visa or grant parole to any alien holding a passport issued by the Palestinian Authority.”
Read the full storyAmericans for Prosperity – Tennessee Urges Nashville Mayor to Cut City Budget, Protect Residents from Property Tax Hikes Amid $3.1 Billion Transit Plan
Americans for Prosperity – Tennessee (AFP-TN) released a statement Thursday in response to Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s proposed $3.1 billion transit referendum that will be presented to Davidson County voters on the November ballot.
AFP-TN State Director Tori Venable, noting how Nashville voters rejected then-Mayor Megan Barry’s $9 billion transit plan six years ago, acknowledged the dramatic cost difference in O’Connell’s plan while also pointing out the half-cent increase in the city’s sales tax that will be used to fund the plan.
Read the full storyKnoxville Police Department Releases Body Cam Footage of Officer Shooting Suspect Armed with Two Knives
The Knoxville Police Department (KPD) released the body cam footage of an officer who shot a man armed with two knives outside the Exxon gas station at 5306 N. Broadway last month.
On April 17, just before 5:30 p.m., Officer Seth Beeler arrived at the Exxon on a report that a man, who has since been identified as William Charles McBride Jr., was “acting erratically and potentially violently inside of the store,” according to KPD.
Read the full storyKnox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs Most Proud of Not Raising Taxes During His Tenure, Says ‘We Have to Make Sure Our People Are Being Taken Care Of’
Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs said the accomplishment he’s most proud of since assuming office in 2018 is his and his team’s work to avoid raising taxes for county residents.
Jacobs said that while it is becoming “more difficult” to construct a budget amid economic challenges resulting from decisions made at the federal level, his administration is “doing everything that we can to be creative and think outside the box” to avoid raising taxes.
Read the full storyAmerica First Legal’s Gene Hamilton: We’ve Launched a New Program That Helps Train the Next Generation of Conservative Lawyers
Gene Hamilton, vice president and general counsel of America First Legal (AFL), explained why the Next Generation (NextGen) Fellowship Program through AFL is a critical tool for young conservative lawyers who seek to “advance the conservative movement in a way we haven’t seen before.”
The mission of AFL’s NextGen Fellowship Program, according to the organization’s website, is to “train and build a bench of lawyers equipped with the legal skills needed to save our nation and to effectively push forward an America First agenda in government, including in future conservative presidential administrations.”
Read the full storyTennessee U.S. Rep. Mark Green Introduces Bill to Prohibit New Firearm Export Rule from Being Implemented
Tennessee U.S. Representative Mark Green (R-TN-07) introduced a bill this week that would prohibit federal funds from being used to finalize, implement, or enforce the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) interim final rule amending the Export Administration Regulations.
Read the full storyFlorida, New York, and the District of Columbia Join Lawsuit Against the NCAA’s NIL Recruitment Ban Led by Tennessee AG Jonathan Skrmetti
The attorneys general of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia have joined Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares’ lawsuit challenging the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) name, image, and likeness (NIL) recruitment ban.
Read the full storyKentucky Man Who Operated Boat that Collided and Killed a Tennessee Child Sentenced to Eight Years in Jail
A man who pled guilty to vehicular homicide by intoxication and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon in connection with a boating collision on Norris Lake last year that resulted in the death of a child has been sentenced to eight years in prison, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).
On the evening of July 22, 2023, Norman Sturgill, 62, of Grayson, Kentucky, was operating a 19-foot Triton bass boat that collided with a 24-foot Chaparral open motorboat in front of Norris Landing Marina.
Read the full storyOhio Judge Extends Temporary Restraining Order Preventing House Bill 68 from Taking Effect
An Ohio judge has extended the temporary restraining order preventing House Bill 68 from taking effect at the request of American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio, which filed a lawsuit challenging the bill last month.
Read the full storyPennsylvania State Senator Doug Mastriano Says GOP Needs to ‘Stop Sabotaging’ Each Other, ‘Come Together’ to Elect Donald Trump in November
Pennsylvania State Senator Doug Mastriano (R-Franklin County) said that establishment Republicans need to come together during this election cycle to support and elect grassroots candidates and former President Donald Trump to office.
Mastriano, who recently detailed his personal experience of betrayal by establishment Republican organizations during his 2022 gubernatorial campaign, said “it’s going to take a lot of effort, energy, and unity” to elect strong Republicans into office this November—especially in the toss up state of Pennsylvania.
Read the full storyOhio U.S. Senate Candidate Bernie Moreno Slams Democrat Sherrod Brown for Encouraging Pro-Palestine Protests
Bernie Moreno, the Republican nominee in the Ohio U.S. Senate race, called out incumbent U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) for encouraging pro-Palestine protests on college campuses across the nation and in the Buckeye State, saying such demonstrations are “lawless and go far beyond free speech.”
Read the full storyOhio Secretary of State Frank LaRose Selected as Chairman of the Republican Secretaries of State Committee
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose was selected as chairman of the Republican Secretaries of State Committee this week as the group announced its 2024 Executive Committee Leadership Team.
Read the full storySports Journalist Jason Whitlock to Host Annual Men’s Summit Next Month at Rocketown in Nashville
Jason Whitlock, sports journalist and host of the Fearless with Jason Whitlock show, is set to hold a men’s summit at Rocketown in Nashville next month.
The summit, Fearless Army Roll Call 2.0, is a “gathering, celebration, and encouragement of men to put on the full armor of God to take a stand against the evil forces destroying American culture,” according to the event’s website.
Read the full storyNetChoice Asks Tennessee Governor Bill Lee to Veto Bill That Would Require Parental Consent for Minors to Use Social Media
NetChoice, a “trade organization fighting to protect free expression and free enterprise online,” asked Tennessee Governor Bill Lee to veto a bill that would require minors to have parental consent before downloading social media applications.
The bill, filed as HB 1891 and called the “Protecting Children from Social Media Act,” passed the Tennessee General Assembly and was sent to the governor for final action last week.
Read the full storyExclusive: Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti Calls the Biden Administration’s Overhaul of Title IX ‘Extreme’
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said the Biden administration’s finalized rule to rewrite Title IX is “extreme,” noting how the administration’s determination to rewrite anti-discrimination rules to encompass gender identity issues appears to be one of its “highest priorities.”
On Tuesday, Skrmetti led six states in suing the Biden administration’s Department of Education on Tuesday over its finalized rule to rewrite Title IX to encompass gender identity and sexual orientation.
Read the full storyPro-Palestine Rally to Be Held in Downtown Nashville on Wednesday
A pro-Palestine rally is scheduled to be held in downtown Nashville on Wednesday, the organization Palestine Hurra Collective Nashville announced on social media.
Read the full story