Author: Tennessee Star Staff

OFF THE RECORD: Source Says Gov. Haslam Is Using His Position as Chairman of Republican Governors Association to ‘Rig’ Primary Election for Randy Boyd

Tennessee Star Staff
Paul Bennecke, Diane Black. Bill Haslam

A high ranking source who serves on the Republican Governors Association’s (RGA) select national finance committee told The Tennessee Star that current and former RGA staff appear to be actively trying to damage the gubernatorial campaigns of Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06) and possibly Bill Lee, while promoting close Haslam ally Randy Boyd in the Republican primary. Specifically, the source said, Haslam and the RGA Executive Director Paul Bennecke (who Haslam personally hired to the RGA during his previous stint as chairman) were coordinating with at least one White House staff member in an attempt to disparage and downplay Black’s close working relationship with President Trump and with Vice President Mike Pence. Haslam was a vociferous “Never-Trumper” who just three  weeks before Trump won the 2016 election demanded Trump resign as the nominee and in so doing became the only Republican governor who said he would not be voting for Trump. The governor was particularly incensed when during his recent rally for Marsha Blackburn in Nashville, Trump took time to give Black special attention. During that rally, Trump did not mention any candidates other than Blackburn and Black, singling her out and saying “I want to recognize Diane Black, who is…

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Gas Tax Increases Another 1 Cent Per Gallon Today Thanks to Gov. Haslam, Democrats, and ‘Moderate’ Republicans

Tennessee Star Staff
Gas up

The state gas tax increased another 1 cent per gallon today, thanks to the IMPROVE Act passed by Democrats and “moderate” Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly and signed into law by Gov. Bill Haslam in May 2017. The controversial law raised state gas taxes by 6 cents per gallon and diesel taxes by 10 cents per gallon. The gas tax increases were phased in over three years. The first 4 cents per gallon increase went into effect on July 1, 2017. An additional 1 cent per gallon gas tax increase goes into effect today, and the final 1 cent per gallon gas tax increase goes into effect July 1, 2018. The law was deemed necessary to fund road construction by Haslam and his allies despite the fact the state of Tennessee had a $2 billion surplus at the time it was passed and signed into law. One under reported element of the law at the time was a provision that allowed the twelve largest counties in the state to hold local referendums to increase local taxes to fund transportation projects. It was this provision upon which former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry relied when she introduced her $9 billion transit…

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Bill Lee Donated $1,000 to Phil Bredesen in 2004, Nothing to Donald Trump in 2016

Tennessee Star Staff
Bill Lee

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee donated $1,000 to Phil Bredesen’s campaign in 2004, when the current Democrat candidate for U.S. Senator was gearing up to run for his second term as governor of Tennessee, and did not contribute to Donald Trump’s 2016 Presidential campaign, according to reports filed with the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance and the Federal Election Commission. A spokeseperson for the Lee campaign confirmed to The Tennessee Star that Lee donated $1,000 to Bredesen in 2004, but noted that Lee also donated $1,000 in 2006 to his Republican challenger that year, Jim Bryson. The spokesperson also confirmed what a review of Federal Election Commission records by The Star revealed: Lee did not contribute to Donald Trump’s 2016 Presidential campaign. The spokesperson was quick to add that Lee voted for Trump in 2016 and attended the January 2017 inaugural. Bredesen’s 2004 election finance report filed with the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance shows that William B. Lee of Franklin, Tennessee donated $1,000 to Phil Bredesen on October 5, 2004. (See image below).       This new revelation that Lee, who describes himself as an “outsider” and a “conservative,” donated $1,000 to the state’s most well-known Democrat and ultimate…

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Tennessee Star Poll: Boyd Leads Black by 5 in GOP Gubernatorial Primary, Lee Close Behind in Third Place

Tennessee Star Staff
Randy Boyd, Diane Black, Bill Lee

Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd leads Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06) by 5 points, 32 percent to 27 percent, among likely Republican gubernatorial primary voters in a Tennessee Star Poll released today. The battle for the Republican nomination for governor in Tennessee is now a three-way race, with Williamson County businessman Bill Lee surging into a strong third position, with 20 percent. Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) is no longer a factor in the Republican gubernatorial primary, coming in a distant fourth position with only 7 percent of the vote. Only 13 percent of poll respondents said they were undecided. The poll of 1,040 likely Tennessee Republican primary voters was conducted for The Tennessee Star by Triton Polling and Research over a four day period beginning Monday June 25 and ending Thursday June 28 and has a margin of error of 3.1 percent. The Tennessee Star Poll released today indicates there has been significant movement in the race since the last Tennessee Star Poll results in December 2017. At that time Diane Black had a ten point lead over Randy Boyd, with Black receiving the support of 21 percent of likely Tennessee Republican primary voters, followed by Boyd…

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Bredesen Evasive About His Prospective Role in Contentious Supreme Court Confirmation Process for President Trump’s Nominee

Tennessee Star Staff
Phil Bredesen

Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement on Wednesday has prompted an immediate confirmation battle heading into the Fall mid-terms and is already having an impact on Tennessee’s Senate race. Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07), who is running to succeed Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), issued a statement shortly after Kennedy made his plans known and indicated her intent to support President Donald Trump’s nominee. Blackburn called the confirmation of Supreme Court justices “one of the Senate’s most important responsibilities. As Tennessee’s next Senator, I will vote to confirm constitutional justices, who will follow the rule of law and do not legislate from the bench. It’s absolutely critical to confirm justices who understand the importance of upholding the Constitution, including the right to life.” Former Democrat Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen, was more equivocal about his approach to the Supreme Court vacancy, saying a candidate’s character and qualifications are more important than party lines. “I just think we have such a partisan mess in Washington right now,” Bredesen said. “This is a real chance to start unwinding that in something that is very visible and important to the country.” Bredesen also issued a statement on Twitter on Wednesday, just hours after Kennedy announced his retirement.…

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Rep. Dana Rohrbacher Endorses Judd Matheny in 6th Congressional District GOP Primary

Tennessee Star Staff
Dana Rohrbacher

NASHVILLE, TN–In an exclusive interview with The Tennessee Star on Monday, Rep. Dana Rohrbacher (R-CA), a leading member of the House Freedom Caucus and former aide to Ronald Reagan, explained why he is endorsing State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) in the Republican primary in Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District. “Our country is in trouble. There is a fight going on in Washington right now that will determine whether or not America remains the great country that our Founding Fathers invested their fortunes and their lives and their blood in order to create,” Rohrbacher said. “Judd is a patroit. Judd is courageous. Judd knows how to get things done. He’s not just a philopsher, he’s not just some guy looking for prestige,” the former Reagan speechwriter added. “He’s looking to help save our country, and he’s got the courage to do it,” he continued. “This is not an easy job. I have been there and seen people come and go in Washington. Having met Judd, having discussed his principles–deep felt principles–that I know will carry him through the Swamp Land in the District of Columbia,” Rohrbacher noted. “I am very pleased to be here to support him, to join me, because I…

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GOP Gubernatorial Debate Produces Few Sparks But Several Distinctions on Policy

Tennessee Star Staff
Bill Lee, Diane Black, Randy Boyd, Beth Harwell

The second in a series of three debates between the four candidates for the Republican nomination for governor broadcast across the state produced few fireworks on Wednesday night. However, it may have helped Bill Lee introduce himself and gain traction as voters begin to increase their focus on a race that thus far has appeared to be between the more heavily funded candidates, Diane Black and Randy Boyd. The one hour debate was broadcast live on stations in Memphis, Jackson, Nashville, Knoxville, Huntsville (Alabama), Chattanooga and Tri-Cities, with questions posed by Nashville’s WKRN News 2 anchor Bob Mueller, and Memphis anchors Katina Rankin and Richard Ransom of WATN Local 24. The debate opened with a question regarding illegal immigration and President Donald Trump’s Executive Order, signed just hours before the debate. Do your support President Trump’s Zero Tolerance Policy? Bill Lee: “It is sad and heartbreaking to see children taken away from their parents, and I’m glad that has been changed. But we have an immigration policy that is broken because of the failure of Congress for decades to deal with this challenge.” Lee pointed out that Tennessee can make the bad situation worse by offering incentives for illegal immigrants…

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Rep. Scott DesJarlais Backs President Trump’s Zero Tolerance Policy for Enforcement of Border Crossing Law

Tennessee Star Staff
Scott DesJarlais, Donald Trump

Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-TN-04) issued a resounding defense of President Trump’s commitment to enforcing our country’s immigration laws on Tuesday. “Thousands of families legally immigrate to the United States every year, following all the rules. Those who break the law risk consequences – potential detention, separation from their families and prosecution – just as any American citizen would,” DesJarlais said in a statement released by his office late Tuesday. “Democrats argue illegal immigrants should receive better treatment than our own citizens, including the vast majority who follow the law and struggle to provide for their own families. However, our country’s de-facto open borders mean that hundreds of thousands of foreign citizens, remaining behind in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, primarily, are sending their children alone into the custody of federal immigration authorities and U.S. taxpayers,” DesJarlais continued. “Drug gangs and MS-13 transport unaccompanied minors across Mexico. But they and their families could remain together, if adults would simply follow the law. The President is enforcing it, as he promised he would during a winning campaign, and in Congress, I’ve voted for a border wall and other deterrents that would dramatically reduce illegal immigration, juvenile detention and family separation,” he added.…

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Tim Burchett Airs First TV Ad in 2nd Congressional District GOP Primary Battle

Tennessee Star Staff
Tim Burchett

Republican Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett has released his first television ad in his bid to succeed retiring Congressman Jimmy Duncan in East Tennessee’s Second Congressional District. The ad is running district-wide on both cable and broadcast TV. Titled “East Tennessee Conservative,” the ad highlights Burchett’s conservative record, his commitment to East Tennessee, and his support for President Trump. You can watch the ad here: Here is the transcript of the ad: I’m Tim Burchett, and this – this is my home I’m running for Congress to help President Trump shake up Washington I’ve taken on some tough fights As mayor, I killed a huge property tax increase, and I paid down the county’s debt I fought for term limits and stopped partial birth abortion I’m proud to be pro-Trump, pro-life, pro-America And I’m proud to be from East Tennessee I’m Tim Burchett and I approve this message Because Washington D.C. needs an East Tennessee conservative Burchett has served as Mayor of Knox County since 2010. He previously served in the Tennessee State Legislature. Burchett is facing off against State Representative Jimmy Matlock, businessman Jason Emert, Hank Hamblin, and Ashley Nickloes for the Republican nomination. The primary election date in…

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$40 Million in Charity Care Plus $29 Million in Writeoffs at Nashville General Hospital Last Year

Tennessee Star Staff
Metro General Hospital

Nashville General Hospital recorded an operating loss of $41.1 million for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2017, and required $50.2 million from the Metro Nashville/Davidson County Government to stay afloat, according to its audited financial statements. A review of the income statement summary suggests that $29.8 million of that loss was due to “allowances and discounts,” or writeoffs of bad debts. Here’s a summary of what that income statement looks like: Year ended June 30, 2017 Total Patient Revenue: $ 72,250,432 Allowance & discounts (writeoffs): 29,859,449 Net Patient Revenue: 42,390,983 Operating Loss: 41,187,886 Amount Received from Metro Government: 50, 296,226 A more thorough examination of the financial statements reveals another stunning fact. Nashville General Hospital provides care without charge to those who meet certain requirements. These amounts are not reported as revenue. For the year ended June 30, 2017 the amount of “charity care” revenue not reported in revenue was $40,318,922. “The Hospital provides care to patients who meet certain criteria under its charity care policy without charges or at amounts less than its established customary rates,” page 16 of Nashville General Hospital’s FY 2017 Financial Statements says. “Since the Hospital does not pursue collection of accounts determined…

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State Rep. Jay Reedy Endorses Bill Lee for Governor

Tennessee Star Staff
Reedy Bill Lee

State Rep. Jay Reedy (R-Erin) endorsed Williamson County businessman Bill Lee for governor at a joint town hall appearance on Thursday. Reedy released a statement that same day announcing his endorsement: In 2014, I was running for State Representative of District 74, Houston, Humphreys, and part of Montgomery Counties. I was called an outsider in politics because I never held and elected office. People of district 74 was looking for change! They asked if I was a Christian, Conservative, and where I stood on the 2nd Amendment. Yes, to the first two questions and my reply for the 2nd Amendment is that I am an NRA Life Member since 1986. I passed some common-sense legislation in my first term and just completed some worthwhile legislation in my second term, with Anti-Sanctuary Cities 2018 legislation. This will protect Tennesseans and Tennessee borders from criminal illegal aliens. With my time as a non-politician outsider, I have proven that an outsider can go to Capitol Hill and make a difference for Tennessee. With my passed experience as a state representative, I believe there is more work that can been accomplished by “outsiders” and with this being said, I publicly announce my endorsement of…

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Commentary: Liberal Doctors Claim Gun Ownership Is A Disease

Tennessee Star Staff
gun ownership a disease

by George Rasley, CHQ Editor   Last week, the American Medical Association passed a series of gun-related resolutions, including calling for a ban on “assault weapons” and came out against arming teachers to fight what it claims is a public health crisis. The Associated Press reports Dr. Megan Ranney, an emergency-medicine specialist at Brown University, said Gun violence a diseaseat the meeting, “We as physicians are the witnesses to the human toll of this disease.” What exactly is the “disease” that stirred Dr. Ranney’s emotional outburst? Apparently, it is gun ownership. AMA delegates voted to adopt several of nearly a dozen gun-related proposals presented by doctor groups that are part of the AMA’s membership. AP reports they agreed to: Support any bans on the purchase or possession of guns and ammunition by people under 21. Back laws that would require licensing and safety courses for gun owners and registration of all firearms. Press for legislation that would allow relatives of suicidal people or those who have threatened imminent violence to seek court-ordered removal of guns from the home. Encourage better training for physicians in how to recognize patients at risk for suicide. Push to eliminate loopholes in laws preventing the…

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Bill Lee Wins GOP Gubernatorial Straw Poll in Robertson County

Tennessee Star Staff
Bill Lee

Williamson County businessman Bill Lee won the gubernatorial straw poll at the Robertson County Republican Party’s annual Reagan Ranch dinner on Friday. Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06) finished in second place, followed by Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd in third place and Tennessee Speaker of the House Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) in fourth place. Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill served as master of ceremonies for the evening, which had about 200 people in attendance. Though straw polls at official Republican Party functions are not necessarily a predictor of voting behavior in primaries, they are a good indication of the local organizational skills of the contending candidates. The Lee campaign considered the straw poll win significant, coming as it does less than two months before the August 2 Republican primary in a county that Black represents in Congress. Robertson County Republican Party officials announced only the order of finish of the candidates in the straw poll, not their actual vote totals. One source who attended the event who was not affiliated with the Robertson County Republican Party or on the official program provided The Tennessee Star with they claimed was the unofficial but accurate vote tally from the gubernatorial straw poll. Those results…

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Tennessee GOP Slams ‘Duplicitous Doug’ Jones of Alabama, Who Raised Money for Phil Bredesen in Lebanon Yesterday

Tennessee Star Staff
Duplicitous Doug

The Tennessee Republican Party slammed Sen. Doug Jones (D-AL), who was in Lebanon, Tennessee yesterday raising money for Phil Bredesen’s Senate campaign at the Tennessee Democratic Party’s annual Three Star Dinner. In a statement released on Saturday, the Tennessee GOP said Jones’ fundraising activities for Bredesen should not “be surprising to anyone.” “Doug Jones has been trying to hide his true liberal colors for months now. But actions speak louder than words. And Jones’ actions in Washington should be a warning to Tennesseeans listening to Bredesen’s phony bipartisan campaign pitch,” the statement continued, adding: While Tennesseans are enjoying an economic boom, Doug Jones stood with Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi in criticizing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Just like Jones, Bredesen has also criticized the middle-class tax cuts that have delivered the following benefits to Tennesseans calling its benefits “crumbs” – • $3.2 billion in wage increases at FedEx in Memphis • a $15 minimum wage at Unum in Chattanooga • $1,000 bonuses for employees at McKee foods “Under Republican leadership, Tennessee’s economy is roaring — thanks in large part to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” Tennessee Republican Party chairman Scott Golden said. “Phil Bredesen, just like Doug…

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DOJ Inspector General: Strzok and Page Texts Implied Willingness To Influence Presidential Election

Tennessee Star Staff
Page Comey

by Andrew Follett   Text messages sent by FBI agent Peter Strzok prior to the 2016 election implied a willingness to take official actions to impact the presidential election, according to a report by Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz. “We were deeply troubled by text messages sent by Strzok and Page that potentially indicated or created the appearance that investigative decisions were impacted by bias or improper considerations,” states Horowitz’s in his highly anticipated report on the FBI’s handling of the probe into Hillary Clinton’s use of a personal email server while she was secretary of state. “It is not only indicative of a bias state of mind but, even more seriously, it implies a willingness to take official action to impact the presidential candidate’s electoral prospects. This is antithetical to the core values of the FBI and the Department of Justice,” the report continues. The report details exchanges between Strzok and his mistress and FBI colleague Lisa Page that they would “stop” Donald Trump from becoming president. “(Trump’s) not ever going to become president, right? Right?!” Page wrote in a text message to Strzok. “No. No he’s not. We’ll stop it,” Strzok replied, according to the report. “Several…

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Tennessee Democrats Hold Their Annual Fundraiser Tonight with Alabama Senator Doug Jones as Featured Speaker

Tennessee Star Staff
Doug Jones

The Tennessee Democratic Party is holding their annual Three Star Dinner Saturday evening in Lebanon at the Wilson County Expo Center. The event was formerly the Jackson Day Dinner until political correctness forced them to drop the reference to Andrew Jackson, the founder of the national party and one of three former Presidents from Tennessee. Alabama Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) is the keynote speaker for the event, which is intended in part to boost the prospects for former Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen in his own campaign for the U.S. Senate. In his race against conservative Republican Roy Moore in Alabama, Jones portrayed himself as a centrist/moderate in order to distance himself from the baggage of being a liberal Democrat in a dark red state. Bredesen is following the same strategy, as he faces conservative Republican Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) in a state that President Donald Trump carried handily in 2016. Once elected, Jones quickly revealed himself to be to the left of voters in Alabama. He immediately backed Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Washington liberals to oppose President Trump’s legislative initiatives. Jones has voted against funding the border wall, opposed CIA Director Gina Haspel’s nomination and voted against banning…

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Commentary: The Inspector General’s Whitewash Of FBI Crimes

Tennessee Star Staff
Hillary Clinton

CHQ Staff    For the past several months those wishing to stall action on the obvious misdeeds of the Obama-era Department of Justice and FBI have been saying “wait for the Inspector General’s report,” however, the much-anticipated Department of Justice Inspector General’s report on the FBI’s conduct during the 2016 election appears to be a dud. You can read the report here courtesy of FOX News. Trump Tweet IG ReportNot that it isn’t full of bombshells – it just doesn’t get to the real core issues of what went on. Indeed, as our friend Alex Pappas of FOX News reported, one of the most stunning findings concerns texts between agent Peter Strzok and his mistress and fellow FBI employee Lisa Page. According to the report, Page texted Strzok in August 2016 and said: “[Trump’s] not ever going to become president, right? Right?!” “No. No he won’t. We’ll stop it,” Strzok responded. “In particular, we were concerned about text messages exchanged by FBI Deputy Assistant Director Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, Special Counsel to the Deputy Director, that potentially indicated or created the appearance that investigative decisions were impacted by bias or improper considerations,” the IG report said according to Pappas.…

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Politically Motivated Complaint Against Mae Beavers Unanimously Dismissed by Tennessee Registry of Election Finance

Tennessee Star Staff
Mae Beavers

A complaint filed with the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance by a supporter of former Republican State Senator Mae Beavers’ opponent in the upcoming Wilson County Mayor election has been dismissed by the Registry. The dismissal, by unanimous vote of the members of the Registry, came after a “light audit,” which consisted of a simple review of financial records relative to donations and ex-penditures related to Beavers’ disposition of campaign funds from her gubernatorial campaign. The complaint against Beavers was filed by Ann Calabria, a member of the Wilson County Election Commission who is publicly support-ing incumbent County Mayor Randall Hutto — whom Beavers is seeking to replace in the August 2 general election. Calabria was accompanied at the hearing on June 13, 2018 by Delores Mackey, who is a long-time political adversary of Beavers. Calabria and Mackey arrived together for the hearing in a vehicle sporting large “Hutto for Mayor” signs. “This complaint was politically motivated to generate headlines, which some media like, the Lebanon Democrat, were only happy to provide, despite the complete lack of any evidence of any wrongdo-ing on my part,” Beavers noted after the dismissal of the complaint. The political nature of the Complaint itself…

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Tennessee Department of Education Announces Testing Changes

Tennessee Star Staff
McQueen

The Tennessee Department of Education announced at a noon press conference on Thursday several changes to the state TNReady test that teachers, administrators and superintendents have been asking the state to make, the Professional Educators said in a statement released on Thursday. “Among the changes include rebidding the testing contract, refining the current Questar contract, revising timeline for online testing, and engaging more teachers. These steps complement additional actions already in the works, including eliminating two TNReady end-of-course exams, eliminating the March stand-alone field test for the next two years, simplifying and streamlining test administration, bringing in a third party to perform an independent review of Questar’s technological capabilities, improving customer service, and engaging dozens of additional Tennessee teachers, content experts, and testing coordinators to look at every part of our state testing program,” the statement said. You can read the rest of the statement here: Dale Lynch from the Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents and JC Bowman from Professional Educators of Tennessee were in attendance at the announcement. Both praised the Tennessee Department of Education for taking proactive steps to address the issue. Bowman added: “Leadership collects input from those on the ground, makes the process better for all, and then…

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Blue Angels Honor One of Their Own Who Died in Tragic Plane Crash

Tennessee Star Staff
Kuss Blue Angers Dedication

SMYRNA, Tennessee–On Saturday, the Blue Angels honored their colleague, pilot and Marine Corps Captain Jeff Kuss, who died tragically in a plane crash during a training exercise in Smyrna two years ago. “A Blue Angel F/A-18C Hornet [was] installed at the Capt. Jeff Kuss USMC Memorial at Lee Victory Recreation Park on May 30,” according to the memorial’s website: The Blue Angel aircraft is on permanent loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida and will be on display as part of the Capt. Jeff Kuss USMC Memorial. The memorial is dedicated to Marine Captain Jeff Kuss who on June 2, 2016, at the age of 32, lost his life in a tragic in-flight accident while flying as Blue Angel #6 in practice for the Great Tennessee Air Show. Smyrna Mayor Mayor Esther Reed welcomed the audience to the Captain Jeff Kuss USMC Memorial Dedication promptly at 10 a.m. Sailors from the Navy Operation Support Center in Nashville, and Marines from Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 23rd Regiment followed with the presentation of colors. The Stewarts Creek High School Chorale and Band then performed the National Anthem. Clark Harrell, Executive Principal of Stewarts Creek High School delivered the opening…

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Far Left Hillary Clinton-Supporting Washington, D.C. Lobbyists Host Big Fundraiser for ‘Absolute Total Tool’ Phil Bredesen

Tennessee Star Staff
Phil Bredesen, Democrat

A week after President Donald Trump said at a rally in Nashville that Phil Bredesen is “an absolute total tool” of Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, the Democrat candidate for the U.S. Senate and former governor of Tennessee provided compelling evidence to confirm the truth of the president’s statement. “Phil Bredesen will do everything he can to disguise and deny his liberal Democratic Party connections but the truth will become increasingly apparent as the campaign moves towards November,” Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill noted. “Ultimately Tennessee voters will discover that ideologically he is Hillary Clinton without the pantsuits,” Gill added. On Wednesday, half a dozen far left, big money, Hillary Clinton supporting lobbyists are hosting a fundraiser for Bredesen at the downtown Washington, D.C. offices of corporate influence and analysis powerhouse S & P Global. Among the sponsors who are contributing $5,000 each to the Bredesen campaign are lobbyists Heather Podesta, ex-wife of fallen Democratic lobbying king pin Tony Podesta, leader of the pro-abortion Center for Reproductive Rights and former sister-in-law of Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager and Bill Clinton’s former chief of staff John Podesta, Steve Elmendorf, and Jillian Fitzpatrick. Heather Podesta is closely tied to Hillary Clinton, as…

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Metro Nashville Public Schools Paying ‘Educational Consultant’ Who Lacks 4-Year College Degree $80,000 in 2017-2018 Academic Year for Vague ‘Pilot Project’

Tennessee Star Staff
Bruce Taylor

Metro Nashville Public Schools is paying an “educational consultant” who does not have a four year college degree $80,000 in a 12 month contract to provide the school system with a “pilot project” that has vague deliverables. Bruce D. Taylor, who apparently had a similar consulting contract with the Prince George’s, Maryland school system when current MNPS Director Dr. Shawn Joseph was an administrator there, does not have a four year college degree in any subject from an accredited American university, according to both his Linked In profile and his own website. Taylor is the “educational consultant” who received a $25,000 contract with MNPS in 2016, shortly after Dr. Joseph was named MNPS Director, and an additional $80,000 contract for an additional 12 months that began on July 1, 2017 and continues until June 30, 2018. “When Dr. Shawn Joseph began as Metro’s director of schools almost two years ago, he skillfully convinced school board members to treat him more as a partner than an employee,” NewsChannel 5 reported in April: So when critics questioned his spending on a luxury vehicle and a driver, School Board Chair Anna Shepherd had his back. “I think that Dr. Joseph needs to do…

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President Donald Trump: Phil Bredesen ‘Is An Absolute Total Tool . . . of Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi’

Tennessee Star Staff

NASHVILLE, Tennessee–President Donald Trump took an ole hickory stick to former Gov. Phil Bredesen Tuesday night and the raucous crowd of more than 8,000 supporters jammed in to the Municipal Auditorium loved it. You can see the transcript of the portion of the president’s talk that addressed Bredesen, the presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party for the U.S. Senate seat from which Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) is retiring, here: To keep this momentum going – to keep this incredible progress, to keep on winning, you have to vote Republican in November. You see what’s happening with the Democrats! So Marsha’s very liberal Democrat opponent Phil Bredesen – have you ever heard of this guy? [BOOS] (at about the 1:30 min mark of the audio file below) He’s an absolute, total tool [pause – audience starts cheering] of Chuck Schumer. He’s a tool! Of Chuck Schumer and, of course, the MS-13 lover, Nancy Pelosi. (emphasis added) [BOOS] She loves MS-13. Remember? I said, ‘they’re animals’ and she said, ‘how dare you say that – HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT.’ Have you seen what they’ve done? Have you seen what they are doing to us? And we’re taking them out of our…

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State Senator Mark Green Commentary: Why the Delay on Federal Judges?

Tennessee Star Staff

by State Senator Mark Green (R-Clarksville)   Why are there still more than 30 federal judge nominees awaiting a floor vote by the U.S. Senate? These well-qualified nominees are broadly-supported and have all been approved by the Judiciary Committee. At a time when federal courts are desperately needing new judges to handle their caseload, these nominees are still stalled. Why? After reading Scalia Speaks, the collected speeches of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, I understand why. In the not-to-distant past, judges were voted into the Judiciary in a bipartisan fashion. In fact, the vast majority of judges were approved with resounding majorities if they were not unanimous. The litmus test was minimal and usually revolved around the individual’s commitment to the original meaning of the Constitution. What did change the method of picking our judges has larger ramifications than the delay for these judges. It actually threatens the very existence of our democracy. The problem began with the creation and permeation of the concept of a living Constitution. From our nation’s founding until the 1950s or so, the analysis of the Constitution was intended to be the original meaning of the words contained in the document. During the era of…

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The Important Questions About ‘SpyGate’

Tennessee Star Staff

by Chuck Ross   A battle of semantics has dominated the revelation that the FBI used a Cambridge professor named Stefan Halper to keep tabs on three Trump campaign advisers. The argument is over whether Halper was a mere FBI informant or a spy, as President Trump has asserted. But the debate has overshadowed more important questions about Halper’s role in “Crossfire Hurricane,” the code name for the FBI’s investigation of possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian government. The core questions are: Who tasked Halper, a former University of Cambridge professor, with contacting Trump campaign advisers Carter Page, Sam Clovis, and George Papadopoulos? What did they tell Halper, and what did he in turn tell his FBI/CIA handlers? And how was that information used by government officials in their investigation of possible Russian meddling in the 2016 election? Was Halper a credible source? Carter Page holds the key to many of those questions. An energy consultant and former Naval officer, Page was the first Trump associate known to have made contact with Halper. He also stayed in touch with the 73-year-old the longest of any of the three Trump advisers — from July 2016 to Sept. 2017. The pair met…

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CAIR Official Says American Jews In Israeli Army Are Like ISIS Terrorists

Tennessee Star Staff

  by Peter Hasson The executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ (CAIR) Los Angeles branch compared the state of Israel to the terrorist group ISIS in a recent speech, video from the event shows. The CAIR-LA official, Hussam Ayloush, appeared to draw an equivalency between American Jews who fight in the Israeli army and Muslim Americans who join ISIS and other terrorist organizations. Ayloush made the comments during an April 20 speech at an Islamic center in California but they flew under the media radar until highlighted by The Middle East Media Research Institute on Friday. “Do you know how many hundreds of Jewish American kids are recruited to join the Israeli occupation army?” Ayloush asked. “Hundreds. Every year,” he said, accusing them of joining an army that engages in “war crimes.” (RELATED: San Diego Schools Ordered To Reveal Correspondence With Muslim Advocacy Group) “No one has ever established a [countering violent extremism] program to see why normal American kids leave their homes to become part of an army committing war crimes,” he said. “They go to the American Muslim community, although again and again we’ve seen the number of Muslims who join extremist groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda is very, very, very tiny. Very…

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Mexican National Caught Ferrying Cocaine And Fentanyl On Plane Faces Prison

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

by Steve Birr   A judge sentenced a Mexican national busted for trafficking cocaine and fentanyl on a flight to Connecticut to three years in prison. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer handed down the ruling Friday after Jesus Gomez-Valdivia plead guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and reentry of a removed alien. Authorities found Gomez-Valdivia was previously deported in 2001 before returning to the U.S. illegally, reports the New Haven Register. Agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration arrested Gomez-Valdivia in October 2017 after receiving a tip he would be smuggling drugs on a flight from Los Angeles bound for Tweed New Haven Airport in Connecticut. Authorities apprehended Gomez-Valdivia in baggage claim after finding two kilos of cocaine and more than a pound of fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid roughly 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine. [ RELATED: Historic Drug Bust Yields Enough Fentanyl To Cause Nearly 30 Million Deaths ] Following his three-year stint in prison authorities say Gomez-Valdivia will be deported back to Mexico. Large quantities of narcotics, particularly synthetic opioids like fentanyl, continue to infiltrate the U.S. due to the relentless efforts of traffickers. However, the Department of Justice under Attorney General Jeff Sessions is gaining ground against drug movers taking advantage…

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Bob Corker Meets with Venezuelan Dictator on Friday, American Prisoner Released on Saturday

Tennessee Star Staff
Bob Corker Meets Venezuela Dictator

UPDATE, Saturday 10:45 a.m. President Trump tweeted early Saturday morning that American Josh Holt has been released from a Venezuelan prison: Good news about the release of the American hostage from Venezuela. Should be landing in D.C. this evening and be in the White House, with his family, at about 7:00 P.M. The great people of Utah will be very happy! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 26, 2018 Senator Marco Rubio (R-TN) tweeted about two hours ago that Sen. Orin Hatch (R-UT) has secured the release of Utah resident Josh Holt from a Venezuelan prison. Notably, Rubio made no mention of Sen. Bob Corker’s (R-TN) meeting with Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro in Caracas on Friday.   .@senorrinhatch has worked tirelessly to bring this innocent young man & his bride home. It is unfortunate he had to go through this. Josh & Thamy Holt had nothing to do with internal politics in #Venezuela #GodisGood https://t.co/FgMUNOPcit — Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) May 26, 2018 In his statement announcing the release, however, Hatch thanked Corker for his “pivotal” efforts: BREAKING: Senator Hatch has secured the release of Utahn Josh Holt from Venezuela. #utpol pic.twitter.com/q9bPIVHgmk — Senator Hatch Office (@senorrinhatch) May 26, 2018 Saturday,…

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David Briley Wins Nashville Special Mayoral Election With 55% of the Vote

Tennessee Star Staff
David Briley

NASHVILLE, Tennessee–Acting Mayor David Briley won the Nashville/Davidson County special mayoral election on Thursday, winning 55 percent of the vote in a field of 13 candidates, easily clearing the 50 percent threshold needed to avoid a runoff election. Former Vanderbilt professor Carol Swain finished in second place with 23 percent of the vote. At-Large Metro Council Member Erica Gilmore finished in third place with 5.6 percent, State Rep. Harold Love (D-Nashville) finished in fourth place with 5.4 percent, former talk radio host Ralph Bristol finished in fifth place with 5.2 percent, and jeff obafemi carr finished in sixth place with 4.7 percent. The other seven candidates on the ballot received 2 percent of all votes cast. The final election turnout of slightly more than 80,000 was higher than had been expected, a sign perhaps that the uptick in the last three days of early voting continued into election day. Much of that uptick appears to have been driven by get-out-the-vote activities of the Briley campaign. Though Briley’s support of the $9 billion transit plan, which voters rejected overwhelmingly on May 1 by a 64 percent to 36 percent margin, among other political issues, left him vulnerable to potential rivals, his…

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Briley Leads Swain 57% to 23% After Early Voting Results Reported in Nashville Special Mayoral Election

Tennessee Star Staff

NASHVILLE, Tennessee–Acting Mayor David Briley took a big lead over former Vanderbilt professor Carol Swain in early voting results in the Nashville special mayoral election reported by the Davidson County Election Commission at 7:15 pm, 15 minutes after polls closed. Vote totals in early voting, by top candidates, were as follows: David Briley–20,140  (57 percent) Carol Swain–8,772   (23 percent) Erica Gilmore–1,658 (5 percent) Harold Love–1,691 (5 percent) jeff obafemi carr–1,251 votes (4 percent) Ralph Bristol–1,895 (5 percent) Total–35,508 Election day turnout was reportedly low. Results from the city’s 160 precincts are expected to be fully reported by about 11 pm tonight. Early voting results in the May 1 transit plan referendum election were almost the same as the final results, when the plan was overwhelmingly rejected by Nashville/Davidson County voters, 64 percent to 36 percent. If the final results tonight reflect early voting results, Acting Mayor Briley will avoid a runoff with Swain and be elected mayor, serving out the remaining 1 year and 3 months of Megan Barry’s term. For up-to-the-minute updates on the latest election results from the City of Nashville, CLICK HERE.        

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NHL Allows Predators to Break Rules, Politicize League, with Endorsement of Far Left Democrat Briley

Tennessee Star Staff
David Briley, the NHL, and Gnash, the Predators mascot

Officials at the National Hockey League are maintaining a zone of silence for the third straight day when it comes to responding to The Tennessee Star’s questions about whether the Nashville Predators’ endorsement of far left David Briley in tomorrow’s special mayoral election in Nashville/Davidson County violates league rules. The NHL’s failure to act has now established a very bad precedent: every sports franchise in the NHL can now feel free to act as a partisan political action committee without fear of reprisal. The NHL precedent could well spread to other sports franchises in the NBA, the NFL, and Major League Baseball, though presumably the leadership of those leagues may have more backbone then the leadership of the NHL. The conversion of the Predators from a sports franchise to a Democratic political action committee, however, has potentially significant consequences for the franchise in Nashville, as well as politics and governance in Metro Nashville/Davidson County, as well as the state of Tennessee as a whole. Here are the five questions The Tennessee Star posed to the NHL on Monday, which remain unanswered as of today: 1. Did the Nashville Predators ask the NHL for permission to make this endorsement of Acting…

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Election Day: Nashville Finally Votes for a New Mayor Today

Tennessee Star Staff
David Briley and Carol Swain

Voters in Nashville/Davidson County go to the polls today to elect a new mayor to serve out the remaining one year and three months of the term of former Mayor Megan Barry, who resigned in disgrace on March 6 after pleading guilty to a felony earlier that day. If none of the 13 candidates on the ballot receive more than 50 percent of the vote, a runoff between the two candidates who receive the highest vote totals will be held on June 28. Though Acting Mayor David Briley, who was sworn in on March 6, the day disgraced former Mayor Megan Barry resigned after pleading guilty to a felony earlier in the day, is considered the front runner, this special mayoral election has been so unusual anything could happen today. The long odyssey that shocked Nashville and caused the need for today’s special election began when former Mayor Barry admitted at a press conference on January 31 that she had conducted an almost two year long affair with her bodyguard, former Metro Nashville Police Department Sergeant Rob Forrest. After five weeks of investigations, stonewalling, and lurid details, Barry finally and mercifully resigned on March 6. Though she pleaded guilty to…

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‘Boondoggle Briley’ Vows Continuity of Disgraced Former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry’s Progressive Policies and Insider Dealings

Tennessee Star Staff
Briley-Barry

Acting Mayor David “Boondoggle Briley” has vowed “continuity” if voters in Nashville/Davidson County elect him to serve the remaining one year and three months of disgraced former Mayor Megan Barry’s term in tomorrow’s special mayoral election. Nothing illustrates Briley’s embrace of his predecessor’s progressive policies better than this pink hat he donned back on January 21, 2017–and proudly featured on his Facebook page– shortly after President Trump was inaugurated to express his support for the women’s march in Washington where far left critics gathered to decry the new president’s “Make America Great Again” agenda. The Tennessee Star has identified the policies that constitute this promised “continuity” in a potential Briley administration, following on the heels of eight years of former Mayor Karl Dean, now a candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor, and two years and six months of former Mayor Megan Barry. Briley earned his nickname “Boondoggle Briley” for supporting the original Barry boondoggle–the $9 billion transit plan conceived of by Barry and the developers, lobbyists, attorneys, engineers, and architects who stood to benefit from its adoption. Fortunately, the voters of Nashville/Davidson County overwhelmingly rejected that particular set of boondoggles on May 1 by a 64 percent to 36…

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Chairman and Owner of NHL’s Democrat Predators Contributed $5,400 to Phil Bredesen’s U.S. Senate Campaign

Tennessee Star Staff

Thomas Cigarran, the Chairman and lead owner of the NHL’s Nashville Predators, contributed $5,400 to the U.S. Senate campaign of Democrat Phil Bredesen on March 31, 2018, according to Federal Election Commission records, signifying the beginning of the sudden transformation of the organization he leads from a professional major league sports franchise to a Political Action Committee supporting the far left wing of the Democratic Party. Cigarran’s son, Chris, also an owner of the Predators, donated $250 to Bredesen’s campaign on March 31. While the Cigarrans made their contributions to Bredesen as individuals, the Predators organization has systematically pursued a political agenda of supporting progressive political candidates and policies during the past year. The first sign of the organization’s official transformation from sports team to political action committee came in December when the Predators publicly announced their support for then-Mayor Megan Barry’s $9 billion transit tax plan.  The plan, supported by former Mayors Phil Bredesen and Karl Dean, as well as current Acting Mayor Briley, was resoundingly defeated by Nashville/Davidson County voters in the May 1 transit plan referendum by a 64 percent to 36 percent margin. The Predators next foray into partisan politics came at a home Stanley Cup playoff…

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NHL Won’t Say Whether Nashville Predators’ Endorsement of Briley for Mayor Violates League Rules

Tennessee Star Staff
David Briley

The National Hockey League has failed to respond to multiple questions posed by The Tennessee Star Monday morning concerning whether or not the Nashville Predators’ endorsement of Acting Mayor David Briley in Thursday’s special mayoral election in Nashville/Davidson County violates league bylaws. An employee of the NHL acknowledged receipt of the questions  early Monday morning, and promised the league would respond “in due course,” but as of the publication of this story early Tuesday morning, no such response has been forthcoming. Here are the questions posed to the NHL by The Star: 1. Did the Nashville Predators ask the NHL for permission to make this endorsement of Acting Mayor David Briley or notify the NHL the endorsement would be made? 2. If so, what was the NHL’s official response to the Nashville Predators? 3. Does the Predators’ endorsement of Acting Mayor David Briley violate the bylaws of the NHL, specifically as those bylaws relate to promoting good relations within the community a franchise serves? Many residents of the Metro Nashville area–if not the majority–consider this endorsement a highly divisive act within the community by the Predators. 4. Did the NHL grant the Predators permission to use the Predators logo and…

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Nashville Predators’ Endorsement of Acting Mayor David Briley ‘A Sleazy Quid Pro Quo’

Tennessee Star Staff
David Briley and Sean Henry

The Nashville Predators’ unprecedented endorsement of Acting Mayor David Briley in this Thursday’s special mayoral election in Nashville/Davidson County is “a sleazy quid pro quo,” one long time Tennessee Republican political operative tells The Tennessee Star. The definition of “quid pro quo” is “something that is given or taken in return for something else.” In this case, the long time Republican operative says the “quid” that is given is the Predators’ endorsement of Acting Mayor David Briley. The “quo” that is provided in return, the operative says, is the financial benefit to the Predators franchise from lower lease terms they anticipate in receiving from Metro Nashville under a potential administration of David Briley should he be elected on Thursday. The Predators, who have been the beneficiaries of millions of dollars in subsidies provided by the state of Tennessee and the Metro Nashville/Davidson County Government, are in the process of renegotiating the team’s lease of the Bridgestone Arena with Metro Nashville. Recently, the Predators hired two high powered lobbying firms, The Ingram Group, and Hall Public Strategies, to lobby Metro Nashville on their behalf. The Tennessee Star reported on Sunday that the recent financial disclosures by Acting Mayor Briley’s campaign show…

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Huge Turnout of More Than 7,800 on Last Day of Early Voting in Nashville Special Mayoral Election

Tennessee Star Staff
early voting

Residents of Nashville/Davidson County surprised the local punditry on Saturday when 7,818 voters cast their ballots Saturday on the last day of early voting in the May 24 special mayoral election. The new single day record for the 14 day early voting period brought the total early voting turnout to 34,576, more than half the 59,000 who early voted in the May 1 transit plan referendum election. There may be more surprises in store on election day this Thursday in this unusual race. Here’s why: 57 percent of all the early votes cast–or 19,666 out of 34,576–were cast over the last three days. This is a dramatic change in voting behavior compared to early voting for the May 1 transit plan referendum, when 37 percent of the 59,000 early votes were cast. You can see the break down by day and voting location below in data provided to The Tennessee Star by the Davidson County Election Commission: [pdf-embedder url=”https://tennesseestar.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/519-EV-Daily-Report-May-24-2018-Mayor-Dist-1-3.pdf” title=”519 EV Daily Report-May 24, 2018 Mayor & Dist 1 (3)”]   What this huge surge in turnout over the last three days, after an anemic first eleven days, means for the outcome of the May 24 election is anyone’s guess.…

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Pigs at the Trough: Many of Briley’s Donors Are Developers, Lobbyists, Lawyers, and PACs Who Benefit From Metro Nashville Business

Tennessee Star Staff
David Briley

Acting Mayor of Nashville David Briley has raised more than $720,000 for his campaign to win the May 24 special mayoral election, according to two financial disclosures filed by his campaign with the Davidson County Election Commission for the period beginning March 8 and ending March 31 (when he raised $402,885) and the period beginning April 1 and ending May 14 (when he raised $317,315). Much of his financial support comes from real estate developers, lobbyists, engineers, architects, lawyers, and PACs who stand to benefit from contractual relationships or the actions of Metro Nashville/Davidson County Government. Briley’s former law partner, Charles Robert Bone and employees of the Bone McAllester Norton law firm donated $13,000 to Briley’s election campaign. Charles Robert Bone was one of the leading proponents of the $9 billion transit tax plan, which Nashville/Davidson County voters rejected emphatically on May 1 by a 64 percent to 36 percent margin. The Bone McAllester Norton law firm frequently represents clients who have business interests influenced by Metro Nashville. The firm has a practice area that “includes the representation of clients with issues related to the powers granted to these agencies, the validity and effect of rules and regulations adopted by these agencies…

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Nashville Voters Energized on Friday About Special Mayoral Election As More Than 6,600 Early Vote

Tennessee Star Staff

A total of 6,654 residents of Nashville/Davidson County turned out to early vote on Friday, eclipsing Thursday’s single day record of 5,194 during the 14 day early voting period that began May 4 and ends at 4:30 pm today for the May 24 special mayoral election, bringing the total number of early votes cast to 26,758, with one final day of early voting remaining today. The heavy turnout on Friday was remarkable, given the anemic pace of early voting for the first 11 days of early voting before Thursday’s strong turnout, and the fact that the 11 early voting locations on Friday closed at 5:30 pm instead of 7:00 pm, as was the case on Thursday, You can see the early voting totals, by day and early voting location, as provided to The Tennessee Star by the Davidson County Election Commission, here: [pdf-embedder url=”https://tennesseestar.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/518EV-Daily-Report-May-24-2018-Mayor-Dist-1-2.pdf” title=”518EV Daily Report-May 24, 2018 Mayor & Dist 1 (2)”]   Today is the last day of early voting. If more than 3,000 votes are cast before the 11 voting locations close at 4:30 pm, the early voting totals for the May 24 special mayoral election will be at least 29,600–slightly more than half of the…

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Early Voting Turnout in Nashville Special Mayoral Election Jumped to More Than 5,000 on Thursday

Tennessee Star Staff

Early voting turnout in the May 24 Nashville special mayoral election jumped to 5,194 on Thursday, the largest single day early voting turnout so far. As was the case on Tuesday, when the previous one day high of 3,537 was set, all 11 early voting locations were open until 7 pm. But with just two more days of early voting left, total turnout is still on track to come in at less than half of the early voting turnout for the May 1 transit plan referendum election, where voters overwhelmingly rejected the $9 billion plan by a 64 percent to 36 percent margin. In 12 days of early voting so far, just more than 20,000 residents of Nashville/Davidson County have cast their ballots. But on the last two days of early voting all 11 early voting poll locations will close at 5:30 pm today and 4:30 pm on Saturday. The loss of those extra hours means it is unlikely that turnout on either day will exceed Thursday’s one day high of 5,194. The last three days of early voting in the 14 day early voting period of the May 1 transit plan referendum election saw the heaviest turnout–37 percent of…

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Leftist Groups Flood Legislative Plaza in Nashville With Young Crowd Who Want Gov. Haslam to Veto ‘Racist’ Anti-Sanctuary City Bill

Tennessee Star Staff
HB2315 Protest

    The usual Nashville left wing organizations–including the ACLU and  the Tennessee Immigrants and Refugee Rights Coalition [TIRRC]–flooded Legislative Plaza on Wednesday with a crowd comprised of mainly teenagers and young adults in their twenties, decrying the “racist” anti-sanctuary cities legislation sitting on the desk of Gov. Haslam, awaiting his decision to sign, veto, or allow the bill to become law without his signature. One protester held up a large pink and blue sign that read “HB-2315 is Racist.” Another man in his twenties, with a cell phone to his ear, held up a sign that read “Gov Haslam Stop Deportations Veto: Bill HB 2315.” A young woman in her twenties held up a green handmade sign that read “We’re Helping Nashville to be Great. Please Stop HB 2315.” A number of elementary school and junior high school children were in the crowd. A young boy, about 12 years old, stood on the Legislative Plaza steps, holding one edge of a Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition Banner. The other edge of the banner was held by a woman in her twenties. A young girl, about 11 years old, stood on the front row and held the edge of…

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Nashville Predators Lose Again: Endorse David Briley for Mayor

Tennessee Star Staff
Nashville Predators and Acting Mayor David Briley

In a real head-scratcher, the Nashville Predators, long time beneficiaries of millions of dollars in subsidies provided by taxpayers in the state of Tennessee and the Metro Government of Nashville/Davidson County, endorsed Acting Mayor David Briley in the May 24 special election for mayor on Wednesday. The Predators’ organizational decision to engage in the political arena by publicly endorsing a far left, big government progressive marks their second consecutive loss this month, after the Winnipeg Jets eliminated them from the Western Conference Semi-Finals of the NHL’s Stanley Cup Playoffs, four games to three. The NHL’s Predators have now chosen partisan political sides, a move that is sure to alienate a significant portion of their fan base that is politically conservative, many of whom live outside the boundaries of Nashville/Davidson County. “Their endorsement of the transit tax plan went down in ‘Calgary’ Flames. While that distraction may have cost them a win over the Winnipeg Jets. Now, after their endorsement of the plan produced a blowout defeat on May 1, they’re jumping back into a political arena where their experience and track record is comparable to a high school JV hockey team. If they had focused more on hockey, and less…

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Metro Nashville Board of Ethical Conduct to Consider Ethics Complaint Filed Against MDHA’s Jimmy Granbery Over Transit Plan Support Today

Tennessee Star Staff

UPDATE: 1:00 pm Jimmy Granbery responded to The Tennessee Star’s inquiry about the ethics complaint on Wednesday afternoon. “The complaint had no merit and was dismissed today 5-0 this morning,” Granbery said in an email.   10:20 am This morning at 10:30 am, the Board of Ethical Conduct of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County will review an ethics complaint filed against Jimmy Granbery over allegations of conflict of interest in his role as Vice Chair for Development of the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency, and his role as owner of property within the 19 proposed Transit Oriented Development Districts of the Transit Plan that voters rejected on May 1, and his financial support for that plan. The complaint, Anne Barnett v. Jimmy Granbery, was received by the Board of Ethical Conduct on April 25, and alleges the following: Mr. Granberry is the Vice Chair for Development of MDHA, which is the exclusive master developer of the 19 proposed Transit Oriented Development Districts of the Transit Plan. Mr. Granbery has abused his position entrusted to him for his and his company’s own profit by failing to disclose his financial interest and ownership of properties in and around the…

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Early Voting in Nashville Special Mayoral Election Hits One Day High of 3,533

Tennessee Star Staff

Early voting turnout in the May 24 Nashville special mayoral election hit a one day high on Tuesday of 3,533, bringing the total early vote to just shy of 12,000. With only four more days left, however, total early voting turnout is still expected to be in the range of 23,000 to 25,000, less than half the 59,000 in the recently completed May 1 transit plan referendum election. The higher early vote total on Tuesday was, in part, attributable to the fact that eleven early voting locations throughout Nashville were open from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm–two and a half hours longer than the 4:30 pm closing time on most of the ten other early voting days that have been completed so far. Early voting polls will close again at 4:30 pm on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Thursday is the only remaining early voting day when all eleven polling locations will be open until 7 pm. The extra two and a half hours the early voting locations were open on Tuesday resulted in 900 more votes cast than on Monday, when polls closed at 4:30 pm and slightly more than 2,600 votes were cast. Turnout is likely to be somewhat…

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Early Voting Continues to Lag in Nashville Special Mayoral Election with Less Than 9,000 Votes Cast and Only 5 More Days Left

Tennessee Star Staff
vote

Early voting continues to lag in the May 24 Nashville special mayoral election, as only 2,605 votes were cast in Nashville/Davidson County on Monday. Over nine days of early voting, only 8,419 votes have been cast. With just five days of early voting left between now and Saturday, the total number of early votes cast will be about 22,000 if the remaining days average 2,600 votes a day. Typically, however, the last three days of early voting see an uptick in activity. If that happens, early voting totals could reach about 25,000. You can see the daily breakdown by polling location, as provided by the Davidson County Election Commission to The Tennessee Star here: [pdf-embedder url=”https://tennesseestar.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/EV-Daily-Report-May-24-2018-Mayor-Dist-1.pdf” title=”EV Daily Report-May 24, 2018 Mayor & Dist 1″] Those numbers, however, pale in comparison to the 59,000 early votes cast in the May 1 transit plan referendum, which Nashville/Davidson County voters rejected overwhelmingly by a 64 percent to 36 percent margin. That election saw about 123,000 total votes cast. If current voting trends continue, the total number of votes cast are likely to come in at a range between a low of 46,000 and a high of 53,000. All estimates within that range…

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Chicago Bears Hall of Famer Mike Singletary Named Head Coach of Alliance of American Football’s Memphis Franchise

Tennessee Star Staff

Mike Singletary, the legendary linebacker for the Chicago Bears team that won the 1985 Super Bowl, was named as head coach of the Memphis franchise of the new Alliance of American Football on Thursday. The new league will consist of eight teams and will begin play in February of 2019. The first season will be ten games long. Bill Polian, a former executive in the NFL, and Charlie Ebersol, son of NBC TV executive Dick Ebersol, are co-founders of the league. CBS will broadcast the league’s games. The Memphis franchise, which does not yet have a nickname, will play home games at the Liberty Bowl. Former Florida and South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier was named earlier as the head coach of the new league’s Orlando franchise. Former Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress, will be the head coach of the Atlanta franchise, where former NFL quarterback Michael Vick will be an assistant coach. Five more franchises will be announced in the coming months. “The league sent its head of football operations, J.K. McKay, and Hines Ward, a former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and now an AAF executive, to Memphis for the formal announcement of Singletary as coach and former…

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Commentary: President Trump Brings Home Christians Held By North Korea

Tennessee Star Staff

by CHQ Staff   The establishment media has done its best to ignore or step on the story of the magnificent work President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo did to gain the release of three American Christians grabbed-up as hostages by North Korea. In a statement as they traveled to the United States, the prisoners said that they wanted to give their “deep appreciation to the United States government, President Trump, Secretary Pompeo and the people of the Trump KoreaUnited States for bringing us home.” “We thank God and all our families and friends who prayed for us and for our return,” they said. Tony Kim (who also goes by the Korean name Kim Sang-duk), Kim Hak-song and Kim Dong-chul are the three Korean-Americans who were arrested and imprisoned by North Korean authorities – and who were sentenced to 10 years to life at hard labor – but no one in the establishment media seems to want to talk about exactly why they were arrested. But the “why” of their arrest is essential to understanding their individual stories and the importance of their release. Tony Kim, who taught at North Korea’s only privately funded college, Pyongyang University…

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Less Than 6,000 Early Votes Cast Over Eight Days in Nashville Special Mayoral Election

Tennessee Star Staff

NASHVILLE, Tennessee–Only 5,810 votes have been cast after eight days of early voting in the May 24 Nashville special mayoral election. With just six more days of early voting, the total early vote count is on a trajectory to come in at less than 25,000. If early voting for the final six days of the early voting period, which ends May 19, averages 3,000 per day–a single day total that has yet to be reached in this election– the number of ballots cast in Nashville/Davidson County during the early voting period will be about 23,800.  If that daily average is 2,300–the average for the most recent two days–the number of total ballots cast during the early voting period will be about 19,600. In most recent Nashville/Davidson County elections, voting on election day has been just slightly higher than during the early voting period. This suggests that total votes cast in the May 24 Nashville special mayoral election will be about 55,000, which is less than half of the 123,000 cast in the May 1 transit plan referendum in which Nashvillians rejected the $9 billion plan introduced by disgraced former Mayor Megan Barry and supported by Acting Mayor David Briley by…

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Metro Council Candidate Judy Cummings: District 1 ‘Is the Most Overlooked, Under Developed, Under Resourced District in Davidson County’

Tennessee Star Staff

  NASHVILLE, Tennessee–Judy Cummings was out in the 90 degree heat Saturday afternoon to ask early voters outside the Bordeaux Library to elect her as the new Metro Council Member from District 1, the only Council Member election on the May 24 special mayoral election ballot. The Tennessee Star visited with Cummings as she sat under the protection of a tent and asked her to explain why she was running and why voters of District 1 should elect her. Cummings told The Star she wants to represent the district in which she and her husband have lived for 40 years to be an advocate for her neighbors in District 1, which she said “is the most overlooked, under developed, under resourced district of all of the districts in Davidson County.” You can watch the full interview here : Cummings is running against Gwen Brown-Felder, Jonathan Hall, Ruby Baker, and Sylvestor Armor. The Star interviewed two volunteers who advocated for Brown-Felder’s candidacy here. The Star also saw a volunteer working for Jonathan Hall, whose signs were plentiful. A volunteer tent was also set up for Sylvestor Armor, but it was unoccupied when The Star was there around 3:20 pm on Saturday.…

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Spokesman Says Randy Boyd ‘Fully Expects the Anti-Sanctuary City Legislation to Become Law’

Tennessee Star Staff

A spokesman for the Randy Boyd campaign told The Tennessee Star on Friday afternoon that Boyd “fully expects the anti-sanctuary city legislation passed this session to become law, and as Governor he will work to enforce that law.” Here is the full statement provided to The Star by Chip Saltsman, spokesman for the Randy Boyd campaign: Randy Boyd has made it clear and will continue to make it clear that he is absolutely opposed to cities or counties in Tennessee becoming sanctuaries for illegal aliens. He fully expects the anti-sanctuary city legislation passed by the legislature this session to become law, and as Governor he will work to enforce that law. As The Tennessee Star reported earlier on Friday, “The anti-sanctuary city legislation sponsored by State Sen. Mark Green (R-Clarksville) and State Rep. Jay Reedy (R-Erin) and passed overwhelmingly by the Tennessee General Assembly has been signed by Speaker of the House Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) and on Thursday was formally transmitted to the office of Gov. Haslam,” adding: The governor arrived back in Nashville this morning from an overseas trip, so the ten day clock in which he must either veto the bill–testing…

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