Author: Tennessee Star Staff

Report: Democrat Phil Bredesen Says He Is Running for the U.S. Senate

Tennessee Star Staff

The Nashville Post is reporting that former Gov. Phil Bredesen is running for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate in Tennessee: Former Gov. Phil Bredesen is entering the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. According to multiple sources, Bredesen began calling major donors this afternoon to confirm that he is in the race. He has been mum about a campaign since U.S. Sen. Bob Corker announced he would step down next year, only acknowledging that he was contemplating a run. A formal announcement of his intent to run has not yet been made. “Three sources confirmed the Democrat’s candidacy, as first reported by the Nashville Post, on Wednesday,” The Tennessean confirmed late Wednesday. The 74-year old Bredesen will face 44-year old James Mackler in the August 2018 Democratic primary if he gets in the race as expected. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) is considered the front runner for the Republican nomination. She faces former Rep. Stephen Fincher (R-TN-08) and Dr. Rolando Toyos in the Republican primary.  

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Lift the Vote Urges Alabama Christians to Vote in Special U.S. Senate Election Next Week

Tennessee Star Staff

Lift the Vote, a non-partisan project of Power of Liberty, Inc. (a 501 c 4 based in Tennessee), is encouraging Alabama Christian voters to pray, discern and cast their votes next Tuesday in the special U.S. Senate election that pits liberal Democrat Doug Jones against conservative Republican Roy Moore, the organization said in a statement released on Wednesday. “Christians in Alabama need to pray, discern and vote on Tuesday. Vote for what you value, vote for issues you support, like protecting the life of unborn babies, securing religious liberty, and insuring that conservative Justices like Neil Gorsuch can be appointed and confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court,” said Dana Hunsinger Gill, Co-founder and National Co-Chair of Lift the Vote, in the statement. “When Christians don’t vote, as happened in ‘08 and ‘12, we silence our own voices and allow other voices to dictate the future of our nation and for our children,” she added. The statement continued: Lift the Vote is airing thirty second radio spots on seven Alabama talk and Christian radio stations in Montgomery, Huntsville, Gadsden, Cullman, and Birmingham over the next week. “I’m a Christian, I’m voting!” stickers are also being distributed in the state. In 2016…

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Republican National Committee Resumes Support for Roy Moore in Alabama Senate Race

Tennessee Star Staff

President Donald Trump’s support for Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore emboldened the Republican National Committee to restore its endorsement for the controversial hopeful. The committee is resuming its support after cutting ties over alleged sexual misconduct accusations against Moore, Breitbart first reported today. “We can confirm our involvement in the Alabama Senate race,” a committee official…

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Steve Gill: Phil Bredesen Is Waiting to See Outcome of Alabama Senate Race Before Making a Decision About Getting Into Tennessee Race

Tennessee Star Staff

Political commentator and media consultant Steve Gill told WKRN’s Chris Bundgaard on Tuesday that former Gov. Phil Bredesen is waiting to see who wins the hotly contested Alabama U.S. Senate race next Tuesday between liberal Democrat Doug Jones and conservative Republican Roy Moore. “I think the impact on Tennessee is Phil Bredesen is waiting to see what happens in Alabama to determine whether or not to see if he gets into a Senate race in Tennessee,” Gill told Bundgaard. You can watch the video of the WKRN interview here: WKRN noted that a prominent Democrat disagrees: House Democratic Caucus Chair Mike Stewart disagrees, saying, “Governor Bredesen would be strong in Tennessee no matter what happens in Alabama. He would be a powerful candidate.” Former Northern Alabama U.S. Attorney and Democrat Doug Jones is in a tight race with Republican and former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore.   “(Trump) still has huge approval ratings in the state, and you cannot be seen as anti-Trump or not Trump enough and win a Republican Primary in Tennessee,” Gill said. “The issues are more important than the personalities, so if you have to–hold your nose and vote,” he concluded. Bredesen has long…

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Democrat Rep. John Conyers ‘Retires’ Immediately After 53 Years in Office Amid Sexual Harassment Claims

Tennessee Star Staff

DETROIT — Facing a rising chorus of voices demanding he step down because of sexual harassment claims, U.S. Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Mich., on Tuesday retired from the seat he has held for more than five decades, a swift and crushing fall from grace for a civil rights icon and the longest-serving active member of Congress.…

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Court Dismisses Individual Shelby County Commissioners as Defendants in Lawsuit Filed By Mayor Mark Luttrell

Tennessee Star Staff

Last Monday, the Chancery Court of Shelby county dismissed individual Shelby County commissioners as defendants in a lawsuit filed against the Shelby County Commission and individual commissioners by Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell, who is trying to stop an opioid abuse lawsuit filed by the Shelby County Commission. The Shelby County Commission explained the background in a press release issued on Friday, which said, in part: On Thursday, November 2, Shelby County Commissioners announced that they hired Napoli Shkolnik PLLC, a national law firm known for their expertise in filing lawsuits against opioid perpetrators, to file suit on behalf of the county against Big Pharma for their role in their opioid crisis. In response, Mayor Luttrell filed a lawsuit demanding that they cease their actions with Napoli Shkolnik with a defense that only the county mayor has the authority to hire legal counsel to sue on behalf of the county. The parties named in the suit were the Shelby County Board of Commissioners as a whole and their hired firm Napoli Skholnik, as well as each Commissioner individually. The Chancery Court’s decision on Monday dismissed the suit against each individual Commissioner. And while the Mayor’s suit will continue against both…

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Judson Phillips Commentary: Why Doesn’t the Tennessee Republican Party Expel Bob Corker?

Tennessee Star Staff

Well, he isn’t the worst. Tennessee can take some small consolation in the fact that this state does not have the worst United States Senator. Only, one of the worst. In thirteen long months, the state and the nation’s long national nightmare will be over as “Bailout” Bob Corker will finally leave the Senate. Corker is known as “Bailout Bob,” or sometimes the “Senator from Obama,” for his willingness to help Barack Obama and the Democrats. For those who need a trip down memory lane, remember it was Corker who single handedly revived Dodd-Frank from death in the Senate and led the bill until it was signed by Obama. He also spearheaded the circumvention of the Constitution to allow Obama’s Iran nuclear deal to be approved. Corker was all but begging President Trump to make him Secretary of State after the President was elected. The President had the good sense to ignore the junior Senator. But that slight has sent Corker off. Perhaps as early as January, Corker knew he could not win reelection in this state and was looking for an honorable way out. Since President Trump did not give him that, he has been at war with the…

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Richard Viguerie Commentary: Catholic Voters Hold Key To Roy Moore Victory

Tennessee Star Staff

by Richard A. Viguerie, ConservativeHQ.com Chairman   Today, I’ve launched a campaign to inform Alabama Catholics that Moore’s Democrat opponent, Doug Jones, boldly holds the most extreme, abortion-on-demand views. Alabama Catholics need to understand in no uncertain terms that a vote for Doug Jones is a vote for abortion with no exceptions. Outspent 9-1 and rejected by establishment Washington Republicans, Alabama GOP U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore remains in a dead heat with his Democrat opponent, Doug Jones. It’s now or never to educate Alabama Catholic voters about Jones’s extremist left-wing views, including abortion, and it may be the key to Roy Moore’s victory. . . . . .and to saving President Trump’s almost unprecedented chance to rescue America from anti-religious federal judges. Despite what you might think about Alabama Republican Roy Moore, one fact about that state’s December 12th special election for U.S. Senate is not in dispute: Roy Moore’s defeat would put in serious jeopardy the U.S. Senate Republican majority, an outcome which may prevent passage of tax reform, tax cuts and the confirmation of judges President Trump is naming to recapture the federal courts from decades of judges who blatantly violate the Constitution. That’s why my political…

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Based on Claims from Anonymous Sources and Ex-Wife with Criminal History, Knoxville News Sentinel Reported ‘FBI Asks Questions About Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett’

Tennessee Star Staff

Relying upon claims from an ex-wife with a criminal history, three anonymous sources, and two unproduced documents they claim to have seen but refuse to reveal, the Knoxville News Sentinel published a story written by two Nashville-based reporters on Friday titled “Sources: FBI asks questions about Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett; mayor says ‘no truth to any of it.’” Burchett, who is term-limited in his current job, is a candidate for the Republican nomination for the Second Congressional District in the election to replace retiring Rep. John “Jimmy” Duncan (R-TN-02), where he faces a hard fought battle against State Rep. Jimmy Matlock (R-Lenoir City). Friday’s article was written by Dave Boucher and Joel Ebert, two Nashville-based reporters at The Tennessean, which is part of the USA Today-Tennessee network that now includes The Knoxville News Sentinel and The Memphis Commercial Appeal. “Four people tell the USA TODAY NETWORK – Tennessee federal agents have asked them questions about Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett,” Boucher and Ebert wrote in the article, adding: Allison Burchett [Tim Burchett’s ex-wife] said she began working with the FBI in 2012 but declined further comment. “I’m sorry I cannot comment on an ongoing FBI investigation,” she said. The three other sources requested anonymity for…

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7th Congressional District GOP Candidate Lee Thomas Miller Praises Senate Passage of Tax Cuts Act

Tennessee Star Staff

Songwriter Lee Thomas Miller, a candidate for the Republican nomination for Congress in the 7th Congressional District, issued a a statement on Saturday praising the Senate’s passage of President Trump’s tax cut bill early Saturday morning by a 51 to 49 margin. “While there are still details the House and Senate have to negotiate to reconcile their two versions of the tax cut plan, this is a huge step towards the most comprehensive reform of the U.S. Tax Code since Ronald Reagan was President. These tax cuts will spur economic growth that will put America back to work, help lift the wages we earn, and keep more of what we earn in our pockets!” Miller said. “There is still work to be done as we continue to cut taxes, make the tax system easier to navigate and reduce the power of the IRS. I look forward to being part of that process in the next Congress. In the meantime, President Donald J. Trump, Vice President Mike Pence (who cast the deciding vote) and Republicans in the House and Senate deserve the thanks and gratitude of the entire nation for getting us within reach of an historic accomplishment that will benefit…

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New Poll Shows Bob Corker Unpopular Among Tennesseans, But Democrats Like Him More Than Republicans

Tennessee Star Staff
Bob Corker

Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), who was the only Republican senator to oppose President Trump’s tax cut bill that passed the Senate by a 51 to 49 margin, is not very popular with Tennesseans, according to a new poll. Corker’s continued opposition to the President Trump’s agenda appears to be one of the main causes of his plummeting popularity. “Support for Sen. Bob Corker seems to be abating as confidence in President Donald Trump and Gov. Bill Haslam remains strong, according to a new poll,” the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported on Saturday: The poll, which was conducted in November by the Mason-Dixon polling firm, found that more than 50 percent of Tennessee voters approve of how the president is handling his job, and even more approved of Haslam… Corker, R-Tenn., who in September announced he would not run for re-election, is less popular among voters. Only 40 percent of voters approve of Corker, with his popularity now significantly higher among Democrats (49 percent) versus 36 percent of Republicans. The firm’s poll notes there was speculation about Corker’s ability to win re-election in 2018, and the results show that only 32 percent of respondents said they would vote for him. Corker…

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Phil Fulmer Named Interim AD at University of Tennessee, Currie Placed on Leave With Pay

Tennessee Star Staff

Phil Fulmer has been named interim Athletic Director at the University of Tennesseem and Athletic Director John Currie “has been placed on leave with pay,” UT Chancellor Beverly Davenport said at a press conference Friday afternoon. “Phillip Fulmer has been a great representative of the university. He has been a student-athlete, a head coach, and a father of UT student-athletes. He understands our history, our rich traditions, and the importance of supporting our student-athletes,” Davenport said in a statement released on Friday. Fulmer played college football at UT and was the head coach when UT won the national championship in the 1990s. “I am confident that Phillip understands our commitment to excellence in all of our athletic programs and I appreciate his willingness to serve during this critical time,” Davenport added.

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Report: Tennessee Has Fired Athletic Director Who Botched Search for Head Football Coach

Tennessee Star Staff

WBIR-TV in Knoxville is reporting that the University of Tennessee has fired athletic director John Currie for his handling of the search for a new head football coach. According to reports, Currie attended a short meeting Friday morning at the chancellor’s office. The meeting reportedly lasted approximately eight to 10 minutes. When asked if he had been fired, Currie refused to comment on what happened during the meeting. The university has not released a statement about the situation. Due to his contract, Currie would likely be owed money from the university. Currie has been under fire after multiple attempts to hire a new head coach have failed. Former head coach Butch Jones was fired in November. The Knoxville News Sentinel is reporting that UT Chancellor Beverly Davenport “has a press conference scheduled for 4 p.m. ET Friday,” at which time it is expected Chancellor Davenport will confirm Currie has been fired. As The Tennessee Star reported, a revolt by Vol fans last Sunday on social media forced Currie to withdraw his offer to former Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano: Harsh social media reaction forced University of Tennessee Athletic Director John Currie to back off from hiring former Rutgers head coach…

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Judson Phillips Commentary: Jimmy Kimmel, Have You No Decency?

Tennessee Star Staff

Hollywood went to Alabama Wednesday night and the result was not pretty. A paid agent of Jimmy Kimmel went to an Alabama church where Judge Roy Moore was speaking and disrupted the church service. “Jake Byrd,” allegedly a comedian who works for Kimmel, began screaming during the service about the women who have made unsubstantiated or even debunked claims against Judge Moore. No one asked Byrd the famous question, “Sir have you no decency?” No one needed to. Just as asking, is ice cream good or is Hillary Clinton evil; some questions have an answer that is self-evident. Hollywood, as evidenced by Jimmy Kimmel, despises real America. Hollywood thinks real America exists merely to be a punchline in their jokes. Their attitude towards Christians in real America is simply one of contempt. They believe the people who support Roy Moore in Alabama have the IQ of a boll weevil and are entitled to as much respect as that beetle. Hollywood and the entertainment industry is totally silent today on the issue of the disruption of a church service by a TV show desperately seeking ratings. The network that ignored Matt Lauer’s sexual antics for years thinks there is absolutely nothing…

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Rep. Luis Gutierrez Mulling 2020 Presidential Bid

Tennessee Star Staff

Retiring Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) is considering launching his own 2020 presidential bid, Politico reported Wednesday. The day after the 63-year-old liberal congressman announced he would not seek reelection to his House seat, Politico spoke with him about his future political ambitions. “I will be reaching out to people across the country,” Gutierrez said. “This is…

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Shelby County Commission Overrides Mayor Luttrell’s Veto of Opioid Lawsuit

Tennessee Star Staff

The Shelby County Commission voted on Wednesday to override vetoes by Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell of two resolutions passed by the commission earlier this month. One resolution officially confirmed Commission chairwoman’ Heidi Shafer’s hiring of an out-of-state law firm to file an opioid abuse lawsuit against manufacturers and distributors on behalf of the county. The second resolution “instructed the mayor to stop suing the commission in Chancery Court for control of the lawsuit; and approved the use of taxpayer dollars to fund the commissioners’ legal defense against the mayor’s lawsuit,” the Commercial Appeal reported. “The Shelby County Commission and Shelby County sued several pharmaceutical companies in Shelby County Circuit Court on Thursday, alleging illegal abuse in their manufacture, sale, and distribution of opioids,” The Tennessee Star reported on November 6: “It’s not just the drug companies. It’s also the distributors, including pharmacies and the doctors writing the prescription that are being sued,” Heidi Shafer, chairman of the Shelby County Commission tells The Tennessee Star in an exclusive interview. “The lawsuit is very narrowly tailored only to go after those who are abusing,” Shafer adds. “About 80 counties around the country are already suing the companies involved in opioid abuse,” Shafer says.…

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Former State Rep. Billy Spivey Joins Race to Replace Former State Senator Jim Tracy in Special Election

Tennessee Star Staff

Former State Rep. Billy Spivey (R-Lewisburg) announced today that he is a candidate for the Republican nomination in the special primary election scheduled to replace former State Sen. Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) in the 14th State Senate District. “Over two terms in the Tennessee House, I took on Common Core. I took on policing for profit, I took on the Hall Tax. And I won,” Spivey said in a statement released to The Tennessee Star early Thursday morning. “Not by being a bully and not by playing the games of the Establishment. I won these battles by listening, thinking, and standing on principle,” he added. “This is the passion and record that I now hope to bring to the Tennessee Senate,” the former State Rep. continued. “These are the reasons that I humbly request the votes of the good people of District 14, and promise, if elected, to bring true conservative, anti-Establishment change to Nashville . . . where we all know it’s desperately needed,” Spivey concluded. As The Star reported on Wednesday, the Republican and Democrat primaries will be held on January 25, and the general election will be held on March 13, “according to a writ of election issued…

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NBC Fires Today Show Host Matt Lauer for ‘Inappropriate Sexual Behavior’

Tennessee Star Staff

Matt Lauer, the longtime host of NBC’s Today Show, has been fired for inappropriate sexual behavior on the job, the network announced Wednesday at the opening of the show’s broadcast. Matt Lauer has been terminated from NBC News. On Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace…

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Liberals Throw Temper Tantrum Over Trump’s Watchdog Pick

Tennessee Star Staff

Declaring President Donald Trump’s pick for acting director of a government watchdog agency an “imposter,” self-appointed leaders of “The Resistance” argued Tuesday that the president has in the executive branch, which he heads. Organized by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and featuring a parade of leftist speakers, the rally outside the headquarters of the Consumer Financial…

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CNN Guest Loses Mind After Trump Calls Fake Native American Elizabeth Warren ‘Pocahontas’

Tennessee Star Staff

President Donald Trump on Monday sparked outrage from the usual suspects, who called his “Pocahontas” taunt of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) insensitive, inappropriate or even racist. CNN commentator Angela Rye went a step further on Tuesday, arguing that it was somehow a slur against the iconic Indian princess. “Pocahontas in and of itself is not a…

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Another One: Former Staffer Says Democrat Rep. Conyers ‘Put His Hand Up Her Dress’ Against Her Wishes

Tennessee Star Staff

Another one of Michigan Democratic Rep. John Conyers’ former staffers has come forward to publicly accuse him of sexual misconduct as the embattled congressman steadfastly refuses to resign from office, The Detroit News reported on Tuesday. Deanna Maher, 77, alleged that Conyers, 88, made three unwelcome sexual advances when she worked for him as his deputy…

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Commentary: Kasich Republican Lee Busby Tries To Derail Judge Roy Moore

Tennessee Star Staff

by ConservativeHQ.com Staff   We recently pointed out that the Republican establishment was living in a fantasy world in which, less than three weeks before the December 12 Alabama special election, a non-existent candidate would mount a write-in campaign to derail the impending election of Judge Roy Moore. And in a weird replay of the failed #NeverTrump phenomenon, a phony “centrist Republican” candidate has announced that indeed he is going to run as an “independent” write-in candidate. Our friend Sean Moran of Breitbart reports that Lee Busby, a retired Marine colonel and former aide to White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, announced on Monday that he will launch a last-minute write-in campaign against Republican nominee Alabama Judge Roy Moore and Democrat Doug Jones. Bubsy, who retired from the Marine Corps in 2013, has also been an investment banker and defense contractor – in other words a prime example of the military – industrial complex that President Eisenhower warned against. Busby also admits he attended a fundraiser for Far-Left Democratic candidate Doug Jones, though he denies ever donating to the Democrat candidate reports Sean Moran. While the White House has indicated President Trump has no plans to campaign in Alabama…

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Judge Rules in Favor of White House in CFPB Battle over Leadership

Tennessee Star Staff

A federal judge Tuesday sided with the Trump administration in a dispute over control of a federal consumer agency, denying a temporary restraining order to halt President Trump’s pick for acting director. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly rejected a request by Leandra English, an employee who claimed to be acting director at the Consumer Financial Protection…

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Democrat Sen. Richard Durbin: Sen. Al Franken Acted ‘In a Responsible Way’

Tennessee Star Staff

Sen. Richard Durbin said Sunday that fellow Democratic Sen. Al Franken has acted responsibly in his reaction to allegations of sexual assault by several women. “Al Franken has acknowledged what he has done is wrong,” Mr. Durbin, Illinois Democrat, told CNN, noting that Mr. Franken has submitted his case to the ethics committee. “Let’s have a…

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100,000 People in U.S. Ordered Deported But Their Countries Won’t Take Them Back

Tennessee Star Staff

President Donald Trump has faced tough sledding in persuading uncooperative countries to take their citizens back after they’ve been ordered to be deported from the U.S. The Trump administration announced in September that it would on four small countries that have thwarted U.S. efforts to deport citizens from their nations. Representatives from the State Department and…

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Billionaire Left Wing Hedge Fund Managar Tom Steyer: We Can’t Wait To Impeach Trump

Tennessee Star Staff

Tom Steyer, a billionaire hedge fund manager and liberal mega-donor, told CNN’s Dana Bash on Sunday that President Donald Trump should be impeached as soon as possible. The San Francisco-based mega donor financed a nationwide ad campaign urging Trump’s removal from office by Congress for a variety of alleged offenses, including collusion with Russia during the…

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Robert Mueller Can’t Own Up to His Mistakes, Aides Say

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

Robert Mueller, special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russia’s alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election, is a “gruff guy” who routinely undermined his subordinates and evaded responsibility as head of the FBI, according to several former aides and investigators who worked with Mueller interviewed by the Los Angeles Times. In a lengthy profile published on…

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Inside the Beltway: Public Now Wary of ‘Unhinged’ Liberal Press

Tennessee Star Staff

Relentless, hostile media coverage of President Trump and his administration could be reaching the saturation point. The public appears weary, wary and quite possibly ready to move on – hungry, perhaps, for credible news coverage over biased caterwaul. “Unhinged coverage of Trump is hurting the media,” writes Kyle Smith, a columnist for the New York Post…

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CFPB’s ‘Acting Director,’ As Proclaimed by Outgoing Richard Cordray, Is A Pupil of Elizabeth Warren

Tennessee Star Staff
Elizabeth Warren

Leandra English, the new acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau appointed by outgoing director Richard Cordray over the Thanksgiving weekend, has filled a key role during many of the crises that have gripped the six-year agency, according to a Daily Caller News Foundation investigation. English was a key aide during the agency’s first, formative…

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Obama-Era Official Sues Trump For Control Of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Tennessee Star Staff

Leandra English, the deputy director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), sued President Donald Trump and White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney late Sunday to secure control of the agency, claiming she is the lawful interim successor to former CFPB Director Richard Cordray. Cordray’s resignation last week prompted a crisis at the CFPB, which in…

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Sen. Ted Cruz Endorses Mark Green in 7th Congressional District Race

Tennessee Star Staff
Mark Green FRC endorsement

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) endorsed State Sen. Mark Green (R-Clarksville) for the Republican nomination in the 7th Congressional District race to replace Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07), the Green campaign said in a statement released on Monday. “I’m proud to endorse State Sen. Mark Green for Congress, and am confident his business and military experience, coupled with his conservative core convictions, will equip him to quickly become a highly effective member,” Cruz said in the statement. “I know I can count on Mark to consistently promote job growth, expand freedom, and preserve security for the citizens of Tennessee and every American,” Cruz added. Cruz ran for the 2016 Republican nomination for president, but finished in second place behind nominee Donald Trump. Though he ultimately endorsed Trump, Cruz made waves when he failed to endorse him initially at the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. “As one of our country’s most principled and courageous conservative leaders, Senator Cruz has led the fight to make D.C. listen to the American people. From leading the fight to repeal Obamacare to standing up for the Constitution, Ted Cruz has inspired millions of Americans, and I look forward to joining him in the fight in Washington,”…

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Vol Fans Blow Up Social Media to Force UT Athletic Director to Bail on Greg Schiano as New Football Coach

Tennessee Star Staff

Harsh social media reaction forced University of Tennessee Athletic Director John Currie to back off from hiring former Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano as the school’s new head coach on the same day ESPN first reported the deal with Schiano had been agreed to by all parties. “Tennessee has backed out of a memorandum of understanding with Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano to be the Volunteers’ next football coach, sources told ESPN’s Chris Low,” ESPN reported Sunday night shortly after 8 p.m. eastern, adding: The memorandum of understanding was signed by both parties Sunday in Columbus, Ohio, and the school had planned to introduce Schiano at a news conference Sunday night. But when news broke that Tennessee was close to finalizing a deal with Schiano earlier Sunday, there was public outcry among Tennessee fans, with people citing his alleged connection to the Jerry Sandusky era at Penn State. About 100 people gathered on Tennessee’s campus to protest a potential Schiano hire, with many of them holding signs with various messages such as “Schia-NO.” At a rock on campus where students often paint various messages, the words “Schiano covered up child rape at Penn State” appeared Sunday. You can watch…

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President Trump Attacks Democrat Doug Jones in Alabama Senate Election as ‘Puppet’ to Party Leaders

Tennessee Star Staff

U.S. President Donald Trump sped full throttle Sunday into a special Senate election in Alabama, attacking Democrat Doug Jones as a lawmaker who would be a “puppet” to party leaders if he is elected next month. In Twitter comments, Trump did not mention Republican nominee Roy Moore, accused of sexually abusing two teenage girls four decades…

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‘Ashamed’ Democrat Sen. Al Franken Says He’ll Return to Work Monday Despite Photo Showing Him Sexually Harassing Woman

Tennessee Star Staff

MINNEAPOLIS — Sen. Al Franken broke an eight-day silence Sunday, reaching out to Minnesota media to talk about what he’s done, and what he’ll do next. “I’m embarrassed and ashamed. I’ve let a lot of people down and I’m hoping I can make it up to them and gradually regain their trust,” said Franken, who has…

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Democrat Rep. John Conyers Relinquishes House Judiciary Committee Position After Misconduct Allegations

Tennessee Star Staff

WASHINGTON — Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Mich., announced Sunday that he was relinquishing his House committee position after allegations that he sexually harassed female staffers. The announcement came shortly after House minority leader Nancy Pelosi repeatedly called on the Michigan Democrat to “do the right thing.” At the same time, she said he deserved due process.…

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Pelosi Punts: Won’t Say If Conyers Should Step Down From Congress

Tennessee Star Staff

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) refused to say during a Sunday interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” whether she believes that Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) should step down in the wake of the sexual harassment allegations leveled against him. BuzzFeed reported last week that Conyers, the longest-serving current member of the House and one…

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Trump Names Mulvaney Acting Director of CFPB, Setting up Clash with Anti-Trump Bureaucrats

Tennessee Star Staff

President Trump named the White House’s top manager to be the acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau late Friday, setting up a clash with the panel’s anti-Trump bureaucrats who have named their own person to lead the agency. Mr. Trump picked Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney to fill the CFPB role,…

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Activists Tell FCC Chairman’s Kids Their Father Is An Evil Murderer

Tennessee Star Staff

Net neutrality activists left signs at Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai’s house Saturday, telling his children that their father was an “evil” man who “murdered” democracy. The cardboard signs list Pai’s children by name, telling them that “you don’t have to be evil.” Pai’s leadership of the FCC has been fraught with criticism due…

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Driver Tries to Cut into Donald Trump’s Motorcade in Florida, Yells Expletives: Report

Tennessee Star Staff

A motorist tried to cut into President Trump’s motorcade Saturday and then yelled expletives after being pulled over by Florida police, according to a White House pool report. The incident happened shortly after the presidential motorcade departed Mr. Trump’s West Palm Beach golf club Saturday afternoon en route to his nearby Mar-a-Lago resort, a pooler reported.…

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Gubernatorial Candidate Mae Beavers Blasts Rumored Hire of Greg Schiano at Tennessee: Next Coach Should Not Be Someone ‘Potentially Complicit’ in Abuse

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

Conservative Republican gubernatorial candidate Mae Beavers blasted the rumored hire of former Rutgers head coach and Penn State assistant coachGreg Schiano as head coach of the University of Tennessee football team on Sunday. “Tennessee’s next football coach should be someone with a strong record of achieving success for our kids, both on and off the field,” Beavers said in a statement released by her campaign late Sunday. “But most importantly, the next coach should absolutely NOT be someone who was potentially complicit in the abuse of countless children by disgraced child molester and former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky,” Beavers added in the statement. The statement continued: Beavers’ comments followed reports, including by the Washington Post, that revealed testimony stemming from the Penn State abuse scandal that indicated that Schiano was aware of Sandusky’s abuse. Beavers did acknowledge that these allegations against Schiano have not been proven. Yet in response, Beavers stated that, if true, “Schiano should be behind bars and not on the sideline of any football team.” In addition, Beavers pointed to numerous other reasons that UT should concentrate their hiring efforts on other candidates, including Schiano’s lackluster career at Rutgers and with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.…

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Florida Jury’s Verdict Thrown Out Because They Weren’t Tested For Homophobia

Tennessee Star Staff

A federal court has thrown out a Florida jury’s verdict clearing police of misconduct charges, claiming the jury hadn’t been vetted for homophobia and may have been biased against the gay plaintiff. Raymond Berthiaume accused Lt. David Smith of the Key West Police Department of framing him for battery by forcing his friend to make false…

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Reports: Tennessee Finalizing Deal with Former Rutgers Head Coach Greg Schiano

Tennessee Star Staff

The University of Tennessee is finalizing a deal that would make former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Rutgers coach Greg Schiano the Volunteers’ new head coach, multiple media outlets reported Sunday. Tennessee officials hoped to announce the hiring of Schiano Sunday afternoon. Schiano became the focus of the Volunteers’ search after Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen reportedly…

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