Author: Tennessee Star Staff

GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Bill Lee Opens Campaign Headquarters in Franklin

Tennessee Star Staff
Bill Lee

FRANKLIN, Tennessee–An overflow crowd of more than 200 supporters crowded into the new campaign headquarters of Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee in downtown Franklin on Monday night to celebrate its opening. The candidate delivered a speech to his home town supporters in which he indicated the campaign has entered a new phase. “I’m a little bit overwhelmed. When we started this… some of you were at the Cracker Barrel when we kicked off back last April,” Lee began. “This has been a remarkable journey for us. She has made it possible for me,” Lee said of his wife Maria. “This is something that we are doing together,” he added. “For us to go to 95 counties in 95 days sounded like a great idea, and then for me to drive a tractor from Mountain City to Memphis and for her to drive behind in a pickup truck giving me instructions, to just meet tens of thousands of people, and now it’s just starting to feel like, we’re having television interviews and we’re having newspaper interviews, it’s just very exciting,” Lee said. Lee continued: The more I do this the more people I meet, the further I go down this road, the…

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North Korea’s Winter Olympics ‘Charm Offensive’ Failing, Expert Says

Tennessee Star Staff

Much of the American press has swooned over Kim Yo-jong’s appearance at the Winter Olympics in South Korea, but a foreign policy expert said Monday that the public in the U.S. ally is more skeptical. Gordon Chang, a Daily Beast contributor who has studied Asia for years, said on “The Laura Ingraham Show” that ordinary South Koreans are turning away from North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un’s sister.

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Mayor Barry’s Office Attempts to Explain ‘Computer Glitch’ Authorized by COO That Allowed Chief of Staff to Approve Bodyguard Lover’s Travel Under Police Chief’s Name

Tennessee Star Staff

Three members of Mayor Barry’s staff and the department head of Information Technology Services are scrambling to explain just exactly how it came to be that travel by her security chief and lover, Sgt. Rob Forrest, was not authorized by Police Chief Steve Anderson, as documents the Mayor’s office gave to NewsChannel 5 and Fox17 on Friday purported, but was instead authorized by her Chief of Staff, Debby Mason (pictured above). “Months after Mayor Megan Barry began an extramarital affair with her bodyguard [which Mayor Barry told WSMV on Friday began in spring of 2016], one of the mayor’s top aides, [Chief Operating Officer] Rich Riebeling, made an ‘unusual’ change to security protocol,” The Tennessean reported late Monday. “Instead of following a longstanding policy that the police department pay for the travel expenses incurred by officers on Barry’s security detail, the mayor’s office began approving and paying for those expenses out of its own budget,” The Tennessean reported. “The mayor’s chief of staff Debby Dale Mason assumed the authority to approve travel expenses on October 11, 2016, for all of the mayor’s bodyguards, including Forrest,” The Tennessean added. Apparently no one in the Mayor’s office, however, informed the official who…

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Renata Soto, Chair of George Soros-Funded UnidosUS (AKA ‘LaRaza’), Featured Speaker at ‘Transit for Nashville’ Campaign Kickoff Supporting $9 Billion Transit Plan

Tennessee Star Staff

Renata Soto, the Donald Trump-bashing chairman of the board of UnidosUS (the new name adopted by the George Soros-funded National Council of LaRaza in July 2017), and founder and head of Conexion Americas, the Nashville affiliate of UnidosUS, was one of the featured speakers at Saturday’s kickoff of the Transit for Nashville campaign to support the passage of the tax increasing transit plan on the May 1 referendum before Nashville/Davidson County voters. Soto was joined by former Nashville Vice-Mayor Howard Gentry and Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN-05) as the featured speakers in the 22 minute kickoff event. Notably, embattled Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, who two weeks ago admitted to conducting a two-year-long extramarital affair with her bodyguard, was not one of the event’s featured speakers, though she was, apparently, in attendance. “My name is Renata Soto and I am with Conexion Americas, one of almost 120 coalition members who are so excited to get this campaign kicked off today,” Soto began. “Are we ready for transit?” she asked the crowd “Our coalition represents almost 300,000 Nashvillians. We have collected more than 30,000 signatures. We have hosted more than 200 community events. And we know that with your support, your enthusiasm, your…

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Trump to Unveil $1.5 Trillion Infrastructure Plan

Tennessee Star Staff

Donald Trump’s administration will sketch out more details of its plan to invest in America’s creaking infrastructure Monday, hoping it can leverage up to $1.5 trillion for the cause. Senior White House officials said the president’s budget, due to be released on Monday, will include $200 billion earmarked for projects to fix roads, bridges and other crucial infrastructure.

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Clinton Will Be Tied to All FBI Sources in Trump Probe, Solomon Says

Tennessee Star Staff

It’s likely that all four sources used by the FBI to start spying on President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign have connections to Bill and Hillary Clinton, according to a top investigative journalist. Cody Shearer and Sidney Blumenthal, both long-time political hit men for the couple, are tied to a “pipeline of Clinton-related information” that led into the Department of State, forming a second “dossier” of dirt on that was used to get spy warrants.

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The 10 Dumbest Things Nancy Pelosi Has Said (Lately)

Tennessee Star Staff

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) could be the next speaker of the House of Representatives — if she can manage her gaffes, that is, which doesn’t seem likely. The Democratic leader set a House record Wednesday for continuous speech. She talked from 10:04 a.m. to 6:11 p.m. to propound her view of why America must grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants, known as dreamers — for the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act — who were brought here as children.

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Blockbuster Investigative Report by NewsChannel 5 Adds to Mayor Barry Scandal: ‘Chief Anderson Did Not Receive Nor Approve Sgt. Forrest’s Travel Requests’

Tennessee Star Staff

Since first admitting to a two year long extramarital affair with the head of her security detail, Sgt. Rob Forrest, Nashville Mayor Megan Barry has maintained that Metro Police Chief Steve Anderson insisted that a security detail travel with her at all times, and that all of Forrest’s travel with her was approved by the Metro Nashville Police Department. But in a blockbuster report that aired on Friday, NewsChannel5’s Phil Williams revealed that documents obtained from the Mayor’s office which purport to show Chief Anderson approved Forrest’s travel with her are factually incorrect. As The Tennessee Star has reported, Mayor Barry and Sgt. Forrest traveled alone together at taxpayer expense on nine occasions in 2017 on trips to Athens, Greece, San Francisco, California, and Washington, D.C., among other places. They also traveled together when accompanied by other Metro Nashville employees to other cities, including one memorable trip from October 20 to 25 of 2017 to Paris, France. “As the city hall scandal unfolded, Police Chief Anderson insisted he never approved Sgt. Rob Forrest’s travel with Nashville Mayor Megan Barry,” NewsChannel 5 anchor Rhori Johnston began the report. “But documents released today by the Mayor’s office say he did. So what’s…

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Tennessee Star Editor-in-Chief to Guest Host for Michael DelGiorno on WTN Today

Tennessee Star Staff

Tennessee Star Editor-in-chief Michael Patrick Leahy will be guest hosting for Michael DelGiorno on Nashville’s dominant talk radio station, WTN 99.7 FM, from 9 a.m. to noon today. The 9 a.m. hour will focus on the candidates in the race for the Republican nomination in the 6th Congressional District. State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) is the scheduled guest in the first half hour (see image left), and former Tennessee Chancery Court Judge Bob Corlew (see image below) is the scheduled guest for the second half hour. Former Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture John Rose was also invited for a separate interview, but was unable to make it due to scheduling issues. In the 10 a.m. hour, a new and surprising twist in the ongoing story about Mayor Megan Barry’s extramarital affair with bodyguard Sgt. Rob Forrest will be the topic of discussion in the first half hour. “You can’t make this stuff up,” Leahy said of the surprising new twist. The Star’s own Laura Baigert will provide an update on the 2018 session of the Tennessee General Assembly in the second half hour. In the 11 a.m. the pros and cons of  Mayor Barry’s $9.2 billion transit plan, which faces a May 1 public…

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Former FBI Boss Thinks IG Will Be ‘Unsparing in His Criticism’ of Erring Agents

Tennessee Star Staff
Page Comey

High-level FBI officials who violated procedures in the investigations of 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and President Donald Trump will not escape accountability, a former supervisor at the agency said Thursday. Ron Hosko, who served as assistant director of the FBI and now is president of the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund, said on “The Laura Ingraham Show” that the Department of Justice (DOJ) inspector general, Michael Horowitz, will shoot straight in scrutinizing the conduct of the FBI and the DOJ.

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Sales Tax Increase Passes by 2-to-1 Margin in Low Turnout Williamson County Election

Tennessee Star Staff

A referendum to increase county sales taxes in Williamson County from 2.25 percent to 2.77 percent passed by a 2-to-1 margin in a low turnout election held in the dead of winter on Tuesday. “Out of the 12,365 ballots cast, 66.1 percent (or just over 8,000 voters) voted for the increase, while 33.9 percent (just over 4,000) voted against the referendum,” WSMV reported after the polls closed Tuesday and all the votes were counted. “This is an extremely low turnout so far,” Williamson County Administrator of Elections Chad Gray told WSMV before the polls closed on Tuesday. After all the votes were count, Gray’s initial comments were confirmed–only about 9 percent of the county’s registered voters ended up casting their ballots. About 6,000 participated in early voting between January 17 and February 1, and a little over 6,000 voted on the actual election day, Tuesday. Supporters of the county sales tax increase said the additional funds were needed to pay for new public schools in the Williamson County School system. Opponents decried the increase as insufficient for the claimed purpose, and the wrong mechanism for financing new school construction. But the supporters were well funded and politically clever to schedule…

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Mayor’s Office Confirms Sgt. Forrest Was Only Metro Nashville Security Officer to Travel With Megan Barry to 2016 DNC, Claims Trip Was ‘Appropriate’ City Business, Expenses Paid by Campaign

Tennessee Star Staff

Sean Braisted, Director of Communications for the Mayor’s Office, has confirmed to The Tennessee Star that Mayor Megan Barry’s lover, Sgt. Rob Forrest, was the only Metro Nashville security officer assigned to travel with the mayor when she attended the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in July 2016. Mayor Barry has previously claimed that Forrest only accompanied her out of state as a security officer when paid by Metro Nashville when she was traveling on official city business. Barry attended the Democratic National Convention not on city business, but on political and personal business as a delegate committed to Hillary Clinton. Braisted failed to respond directly to The Star’s request that he identify the specific city business Barry conducted at the Democratic National Convention. Instead, he asserted that Barry “met with many other mayors, as well as state and federal officials during the course of this trip.” He also fell back on a previous statement by Metro Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson in explaining why Forrest was assigned to accompany Mayor Barry on this trip, and presumably, was paid by Metro Nashville to do so. “As Chief Anderson has said, the mayor is the mayor wherever she is and…

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Williamson County Director of Schools Mike Looney Signs Letter Sent to Voters By Supporters of Sales Tax Increase

Tennessee Star Staff

Williamson County Director of Schools Mike Looney signed a letter sent to Williamson County voters by Citizens for School Funding, a political action committee supporting the proposed sales tax increase on the ballot in the county today its supporters say is necessary to fund increased construction of Williamson County Public Schools. The proposal, widely panned by limited government conservatives, is the only issue on the ballot, and has a chance of passing primarily because its supporters have orchestrated the vote to take place in the dead of winter. In the letter, which is clearly intended to support the sales tax increase, Looney advances the fiction that he is not taking a position on today’s vote: My position does not allow me to advocate for-or-against the election, but I can confirm WCS currently lacks the funding needed to build additional classrooms needed for students. More specifically, we need to build schools and upgrade some of our older campuses. Please use your voice to help our elected officials best determine how to provide for the school district’s needs. Time is of the essence. As always, if you have questions about our schools feel free to contact me at 615-293-0997. Presumably, both Dr.…

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Commentary: The Obama Coverup for Hillary Clinton Was Worse Than Collusion

Tennessee Star Staff

Records available through the FBI Vault prove beyond any doubt that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her inner circle of trusted aides, including Human Abedin and Cheryl Mills, were subjects of a formal investigation into mishandling of classified information, beginning July 10, 2015. Yes, you read the above correctly, a formal FBI investigation commenced…

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Trey Gowdy Says FBI Concealed Clinton Role in Steele Dossier

Tennessee Star Staff

The House’s top investigator on Sunday said the FBI failed to notify a surveillance court it was relying on material funded by Democrats and the Hillary Clinton campaign when it asked to snoop on an adviser tied to the Trump campaign. Rep. Trey Gowdy, South Carolina Republican and chairman of the House Oversight Committee, also said judges wouldn’t have authorized and repeatedly renewed a warrant to spy on the former Trump aide, Carter Page, if it hadn’t been for that very material, compiled by investigator Christopher Steele in a controversial dossier.

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Parents Furious School Canceled Father Daughter Dance Over ‘Gender Crap’

Tennessee Star Staff

A New York elementary school was forced to cancel its father daughter dance to adhere to new policies calling for “gender neutral” events. The public teacher associations for Staten Island’s Public School 65 put the father daughter dance on pause to double check whether it adheres to Department of Education new guidelines on gender practices, reports The New York Post.

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Steve Womack Selected to Replace Diane Black as House Budget Committee Chairman

Tennessee Star Staff

Rep. Steve Womack of Arkansas was chosen last month to replace a fellow Republican, Rep. Diane Black of Tennessee, as chairman of the House Budget Committee. With fiscal 2018 appropriations yet to be finalized, Womack finds himself in an uncertain position. If a deal is reached to raise the Budget Control Act caps for 2019, some of his fellow Republicans might not want to do a budget. That would be a failure. While nonbinding, the budget resolution sets out important policy initiatives and paves the way for reconciliation, a powerful tool to making meaningful reform a reality.

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Maryland to Sue Trump over New Cap on State and Local Tax Deductions

Tennessee Star Staff

Maryland will sue the Trump administration for capping state and local tax (SALT) deductions in its new federal tax law, the state’s attorney general said Thursday. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act signed by President Trump last year contains a provision capping SALT deductions at $10,000, and Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh said residents across the heavily-taxed state stand to take a hit as a result.

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‘Please Stand’: Diane Black Produces Pro-Anthem TV Spot to Run During Super Bowl Pregame Show

Tennessee Star Staff

She is a popular Tennessee Republican. Rep. Diane Black, a staunch social and fiscal conservative, also happens to be running for governor of the state. Her campaign reports that she has raised more money than any other candidate, Republican or Democrat, accruing $1.75 million in the past five months, the funds arriving from every county.

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Study Finds Massive Bias in Networks’ Nunes Memo Coverage

Tennessee Star Staff

Even before Friday’s long-awaited release of a by the FBI and the Justice Department during the 2016 campaign, Republican members of Congress had dropped a deluge of hints about its contents. But viewers of the three major television news broadcasts would hardly know it. The Big Three networks were far more interested in reporting Democrats’ arguments making the document public, according to a by the Media Research Center (MRC).

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Expert IDs Likely Reason for FBI’s Memo Objection — Embarrassment

Tennessee Star Staff

Loud objections from the Department of Justice and the FBI to release of a memo by the chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence are likely based on embarrassment, not legitimate security concerns, a defense expert said Friday. Rebecca Grant, president of IRIS Independent Research and director of the Washington Security Forum, said on “The Laura Ingraham Show” that the agency’s objections are “puzzling” and revealing.

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Texas Committee Votes to Keep Confederate Statue, but Add Anti-Slavery Plaque and Kiosks

Tennessee Star Staff

A Texas committee voted to keep a Confederate statue, but will add an anti-slavery plaque and kiosks to it, according to a Thursday report. The monument advisory committee in Denton, Texas, voted 12-3 to preserve a Confederate soldier statue but add a plaque and audiovisual interviews bashing slavery and segregation, reported the Denton Record-Chronicle.

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What Happens if Nashville Mayor Megan Barry Resigns?

Tennessee Star Staff

The scandal that has enveloped Nashville Mayor Megan Barry in the wake of her admission that she had a two year affair with the head of her security detail has many wondering how she can weather the storm. As more details emerge regarding the use of taxpayer funds for her travels with Sgt. Rob Forrest, including 9 trips where the two of them traveled alone, speculation increases that she may ultimately be forced to resign. If that happens, what happens next? A Barry resignation during the next six months would immediately elevate the current Vice Mayor to serving as acting Mayor pending a special election to fill the vacancy in the Mayor’s office. (If Mayor Barry doesn’t resign until a date within 12 months of the next election for Mayor, then there would NOT be a special election and the Vice Mayor would simply fill the role until the scheduled election occurs.) The Nashville Metro Charter specifics in Section 15.03 that: “There shall be held a special metropolitan election to fill a vacancy for the unexpired term in the office of mayor and in the office of district council member whenever such vacancy shall exist more than twelve (12) months…

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FISA Memo Released: Raises ‘Concerns With the Legitimacy and Legality of Certain DOJ and FBI Interactions With the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court’

Tennessee Star Staff

On Friday, the White House authorized the release of a controversial House Intelligence Committee memo. “Our findings, which are detailed below, (1) raise concerns with the legitimacy and legality of certain DOJ and FBI Interactions with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), and 2) represent a troubling breakdown of legal processes established to protect the American people from abuses related to the FISA process,” the memo began. “The FBI and DOJ obtained one initial FISA warrant targeting Carter Page and three FISA renewals from the FISC. As required by statute . . . a FISA order on an American citizen must by renewed by the FISC every 90 days and each renewal requires a separate finding of probable cause,” the memo noted. “Then-Director James Comey signed three FISA applications on behalf of the FBI, and Deputy Director Andrew McCabe signed one. Then-DAG Sally Yates, then-Acting DAG Dana Boente, and DAG Rod Rosenstein each signed one or more FISA applications on behalf of DOJ,” the memo continued. “In the case of Carter Page, the government had at least four independent opportunities before the FISC to accurately provide an accounting of the relevant facts. However, our findings indicate that . . .…

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Poll: Tennessee Voters Concerned About Health Care Premiums and Co-Pays, Want to End ‘Death Panels’

Tennessee Star Staff

The Tennessee Star Poll released earlier this week showed Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) leading former Gov. Phil Bredesen in a U.S. Senate general election matchup by 11 points, and all four remaining GOP candidates leading former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean in the Gubernatorial general election matchup. In addition to political candidate matchups, the January 2018 Tennessee Star Poll asked likely general election voters of both parties their views on a number of key issues. When it comes to health care, Tennessee voters view health care premiums and co-pays as the top priorities for their Member of Congress to address, while blaming the government and health insurance companies for the rising costs of their health care. By a 39 percent to 31 percent margin, Tennessee voters want to end “death panels.” These numbers, as it turns out, mirror the views of the eleven percent of  voters who are undecided in the U.S. Senate race between Blackburn and Bredesen, and the slightly higher percentage of undecideds (21 percent) in the former Rep. Stephen Fincher (R-TN-08)- Bredesen matchup, in which Bredesen holds a 3 point lead. The automated (IVR) telephone survey of 1,003 likely Tennessee voters in the November 2018 general election was conducted…

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Low Turnout As Early Voting Ends for Williamson County Sales Tax Increase Referendum

Tennessee Star Staff

FRANKLIN, Tennessee–Early voting on the proposed Williamson County sales tax increase referendum ended on Thursday, and poll workers say turnout is down so far, ending with a little more than 6,000 of the county’s estimated 130,000 registered voters casting their ballot during the two week period. As a point of comparison, 105,000 Williamson County voters cast their ballots in the 2016 Presidential Election. President Trump easily defeated Hillary Clinton in the county that election, 65 percent to 30 percent. Election day is set for this coming Tuesday, February 6. The Tennessee Star reported when early voting began on January 17 that a single issue is on the ballot, “a proposal that would increase the county’s contribution to the state sales tax by a hefty 22 percent resulting is a new tax rate of 2.75 percent:” Shall Resolution No. 11-17-15, passed by the Williamson County Commission on November 13, 2017 published in the Tennessean, Williamson A.M., newspapers of general circulations, and as authorized by and be levied and collected pursuant to the Retailer’s Sales Tax Act and the 1963 Local Option Revenue Act under Title 67, chapter 6, Tennessee Code Annotated, which will increase the local option sales and use tax…

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Mayor Megan Barry and Security Chief Lover Traveled to Athens, Greece Alone on Metro Nashville Taxpayer Funds

Tennessee Star Staff

Nashville Mayor Megan Barry and her security chief, Rob Forrest, traveled alone together to a conference in Greece in September, several Middle Tennessee media outlets reported on Wednesday. Forrest and Barry were alone in Athens, Greece for seveb days, from September 12 to September 18, 2017 attending the Athens Democracy Forum & 100RC City Leaders Advisory Committee Meeting, according to documents released by the Mayor’s Office. During this time, Forrest was paid by the taxpayers of Metro Nashville/Davidson County to provide security for Mayor Barry. Forrest’s travel and lodging expenses were paid for by Metro Nashville/Davidson County. It is not clear whether taxpayers or a private foundation paid for Mayor Barry’s travel and lodging for the Athens, Greece trip. “Documents released by her office show that from January 2017 until present, over $30,000 taxpayer dollars were spent on Barry and Sgt. Forrest’s travel expenses. Barry took 30 trips in total, 7 of which were personal to visit her son or take vacation with friends, while 9 were with Sgt. Forrest alone, including a trip to Greece, reportedly for the Athens Democracy Forum,” WKRN reported. “During 2017, travel records show Forrest traveled with the mayor to San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Denver,…

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Judson Phillips Commentary: Megan Barry Must Resign as Mayor of Nashville

Tennessee Star Staff

by Judson Phillips   On Wednesday evening, the rumors that had been percolating through downtown Nashville all day were finally shown to be true. Nashville Mayor Megan Barry admitted that she had an extramarital affair. But it was not just any extramarital affair. She was having an affair with a Nashville employee who was paid to protect her. Metro police sergeant Rob Forrest was assigned to protect the Mayor and traveled with her extensively. According to media reports, Barry traveled with Forrest at least nine times alone. According to other media reports, in the last two years alone, Forrest made $135,000 in overtime. That overtime is in addition to his regular salary and for the trips he took with the Mayor on the taxpayer’s dime. Neither Barry or Forrest are giving details, such as the time frame of the affair, presumably on the advice of their lawyers. Until there is evidence to the contrary, sane people have to assume they were having their affair while he was on duty and they were traveling together. Megan Barry used tax dollars to help pay for her affair. And she had that affair with someone who works for the city. All of this…

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Nashville Mayor Megan Barry Releases Statement on Extramarital Affair: ‘Firmly Committed to Working Hard to Serve the People of Nashville Now and into the Future’

Tennessee Star Staff

Late Wednesday, the office of Nashville Mayor Megan Barry released a statement in which she admitted she has “engaged in an extramarital affair with the former head of my security detail.” Though she apologized to the people of Nashville and her husband, Barry gave no indication she was even considering resigning, saying “I remain firmly committed to working hard to serve the people of Nashville now and into the future.” A press conference is now scheduled for 7 p.m. You can read the full statement here:   “Today, I have acknowledged publicly that I have engaged in an extramarital affair with the former head of my security detail. “I accept full responsibility for the pain I have caused my family and his. I am so sorry to my husband Bruce, who has stood by me in my darkest moments and remains committed to our marriage, just as I am committed to repairing the damage I have done. “I also must apologize to the people of Nashville who elected me to serve as your mayor. I knew my actions could cause damage to my office and the ones I loved, but I did it anyway. I must hold myself to the…

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NewsChannel 5: ‘Nashville Mayor Admits Affair with Police Bodyguard’

Tennessee Star Staff

Nashville’s NewsChannel 5 broke the story late Wednesday afternoon that Nashville Mayor Megan Barry has admitted to an extramarital affair with the former head of her security detail. “[I]n an exclusive interview with NewsChannel 5 Investigates, Barry insisted that she has not misused taxpayer funds as part of the relationship with Metro Police Sergeant Rob Forrest, NewsChannel 5’s Phill Williams reported in a broadcast that aired at 4:49 pm on Wednesday: Forrest unexpectedly retired Tuesday after 31 years with the Metro Nashville Police Department. “I’m very embarrassed, and I’m deeply ashamed, and I’m very sorry,” Barry said. “The affair was between two middle-aged consenting adults, and it was a mistake to do this. And I am deeply sorry.” She added, “I know God forgives, but the people of Nashville don’t have to — and I also want to ask for their forgiveness.” The 54-year-old mayor said the relationship with the 58-year-old sergeant began shortly after her election in September 2015.   Questions have been raised about how much Forrest was paid for overtime while guarding the mayor, and whether or not he worked all those overtime hours. A press conference is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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WSMV: ‘Questions Raised About Nashville Mayor’s Relationship With Officer in Charge of Security Detail’

Tennessee Star Staff

UPDATE 4:49 pm:  The Scene has confirmed that Barry administration staffers are confirming to council members that the mayor had a relationship with a member of her security detail and that she is not resigning. https://t.co/dpsHnZX2C6 — Nashville Scene (@NashvilleScene) January 31, 2018   WSMV is reporting that “The News 4 I-Team has uncovered questions of the relationship between Nashville Mayor Megan Barry and her head of security.” In a story that broke at 2:48 pm but added a significant update at 4:02 pm, WSMV reported: News 4 reported on Tuesday night that Sgt. Rob Forrest had abruptly resigned his position. The News 4 I-Team has heard from multiple sources – Metro Council members, former Council members and lawyers – that Forrest’s resignation from the police force after 31 years was tied to his relationship with Barry. News 4 contacted Penny Forrest, Rob Forrest’s wife, on Wednesday afternoon. She referred questions to her attorney. When asked whether her husband had a relationship with Barry, she responded, ‘You need to ask that question to Mayor Barry.” The News 4 I-Team has reached out to the Mayor’s office for several hours on Wednesday. The only response has been that she is set…

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Mike Fisher Coming Out of Retirement to Rejoin the Nashville Predators

Tennessee Star Staff

The Nashville Predators announced on Wednesday that former team captain Mike Fisher is coming out of retirement to rejoin the team. “On Wednesday morning at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Fisher took to the ice in what is the first step toward the former Predators centerman rejoining the club he captained to within two wins of a Stanley Cup last spring – with hopes of getting just a little bit further this time around,” NHL.com reported. Indeed, Fisher intends to begin skating and working out on his own before joining the entire team for practices. The ultimate goal is to sign a contract before the Feb. 26 trade deadline and return to game action and pursue the one thing every hockey player dreams of. It’s a virtually unprecedented move – only a handful of former NHLers have stepped out of retirement and back onto the ice to give it one more try. Nashville sport fans shouted their approval of the move on Twitter and local talk radio, as the Predators announcement on Twitter gained hundreds of retweets in minutes: Mike Fisher confirms he's only coming back to play in this season, nothing more. #Preds — Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) January 31, 2018…

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Congressman Jim Jordan: Strzok’s FBI Texts About Trump Were ‘Most Extreme Bias I’ve Ever Seen’

Tennessee Star Staff

Rep. Jim Jordan says text messages between former FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page telegraphed “the most extreme bias” he’s ever seen. The Ohio Republican and member of the House Oversight Committee engaged in a rhetorical sparring match Monday night with CNN’s Chris Cuomo about special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian meddling of the 2016 election, with Mr. Jordan saying he was astonished at the animosity shown against President Trump by the FBI’s former No. 2 counterintelligence official.

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Analysis: What is the Haslam Legacy?

Tennessee Star Staff

As Governor Bill Haslam delivered his final State of the State address Monday night he appropriately looked back over the accomplishments that he and the Legislature have produced since he first took office seven years ago. The Governor is clearly pretty proud of his record, and there has in fact been some notable progress in a few areas during his tenure.  The questions that remain are: 1. how much of the credit actually belongs to him; and, 2. whether his signature accomplishments in education will actually produce measurable results that justify the investment of taxpayer dollars. Let’s look at three key issues: (1) Tax Cuts Several tax cuts were implemented over the past seven years – eliminating the inheritance tax, eliminating the Hall income tax, a narrowly targeted reduction in fuel taxes for FedEx (who’s Chairman sits on the Board of the Governor’s family business), elimination of what was essentially an income tax on professional athletes in certain sports (though the Professional Privilege Tax, a flat rate income tax on a couple of dozen professions remains in place) and cutting taxes that primarily benefit a few dozen of the biggest corporate cronies of the Governor (though that one included a…

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Trey Gowdy Calls Release of Nunes’ Memo ‘Embarrassing’ to Democrat Adam Schiff

Tennessee Star Staff

Release of the controversial memo detailing partisan bias at the highest levels of the Department of Justice and FBI “would be embarrassing to Adam Schiff [D-Calif.] once people realize the extent to which he went to keep them from learning any of this,” Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) said Tuesday on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends.” “My…

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Comey ‘Was a Dirty Cop’ Who ‘Dirtied Up’ People, diGenova Tells Ingraham

Tennessee Star Staff

Former U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Joseph diGenova said Monday on Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle” that former FBI Director James Comey “was a dirty cop” who “dirtied up everybody else around him,” including departing FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. NBC News first reported Monday that McCabe was stepping down from his role in…

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Winning! Donald Trump Delivers Powerful State of the Union Address That Celebrates ‘A New American Moment’

Tennessee Star Staff

President Donald Trump delivered his first State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in a smooth and powerful delivery that focused on “a New American Moment.” “This is our New American Moment. There has never been a better time to start living the American dream,” the president said. Trump called for bipartisan support of his plan to secure the borders and reform immigration, which he called a compromise “down the middle” that consists of four pillars: 1. A 12 year path to citizenship for the 1.8 million illegal immigrants who came to the country as children. 2. Funding for a secure border wall. 3. And end to the immigration visa lottery. 4. An end to chain migration. “Americans are dreamers, too,” Trump said, to great applause. Throughout his one hour and 20 minute speech–one of the longest State of the Union addresses in history–Trump introduced and honored members of the audience who personified the American dream. A police officer and his wife who adopted the child of a woman addicted to opioids, a soldier who saved the life of his comrades, the parents of two young girls murdered by illegal immigrants, and the parents of the…

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Paul Gosar Calls On Capitol Police and Attorney General Jeff Sessions To Arrest Illegals At State of the Union Address Tonight

Tennessee Star Staff

GOP Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona asked U.S. Capitol Police and Attorney General Jeff Sessions if they would consider arresting illegal immigrants who are attending President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union address Tuesday evening. “Today, Congressman Paul Gosar contacted the U.S. Capitol Police, as well as Attorney General Jeff Sessions, asking they consider checking…

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Mae Beavers Suspends Campaign for Governor

Tennessee Star Staff

Former State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) announced via Facebook at 4 p.m. today that she is suspending her campaign for the Republican nomination for governor. You can read her Facebook post here: Beavers’ rival for the Republican nomination, Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06) issued a statement praising her minutes later. “While Mae and I don’t always agree on tactics, we have always agreed on philosophy, and I’ve always known her to be a dedicated conservative who fights for what she believes in,” Black said in a statement. “From our time in the state legislature fighting to protect the unborn and to stop a state income tax, we know the conservative movement is stronger when we are fighting for the same cause together. I wish Mae the best and hope that she will continue to be active in the fight in Tennessee,” Black concluded. Another GOP rival in the governor’s race, Williamson County businessman Bill Lee, praised Beavers in a tweet. “I’ve enjoyed getting to know @MaeBeavers and Jerry on the campaign trail over the past year. I look forward to seeing her steadfast conservative leadership be put to work in other ways in Tennessee in the months and years ahead,”…

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Obama Appointed Federal Judge Rules Illegals have Constitutional Right to ‘Say Goodbye’ to Family

Tennessee Star Staff

Illegal immigrants snared by deportation officers have “the freedom to say goodbye” to their families, a federal judge in New York ruled Monday, ordering the government to release a prominent activist to his family. Judge Katherine B. Forrest, an Obama appointee to the bench, said the government was following the law when it picked up Ravidath Lawrence Ragbir, the illegal immigrant. But she said there were “larger, more fundamental” rights at stake that were trampled on. 

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