Author: Tom Pappert

Tennessee Bill to Ban Sale of Cold Beer Lands Flat

Tom Pappert
Ron Gant

A bill seeking to ban retail sales of cold beer in Tennessee has reportedly received a lukewarm reception by lawmakers, with even Republicans unsure about the legislation.

State Representative Ron Gant (R-Piperton) filed HB 2845 late last month which would prohibit retail companies who are currently permitted to sell beer under Tennessee law from selling “refrigerated or cold beer to consumers.”
Representative Ron Gant (R-Piperton) filed HB 2845 late last month which would prohibit retail companies who are currently permitted to sell beer under Tennessee law from selling “refrigerated or cold beer to consumers.”

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Father of Fani Willis Testifies He ‘Trained’ Daughter to ‘Always Have Some Money’ After She Claimed to Repay Nathan Wade in Cash

Tom Pappert
Fani Willis Father

Friday marked the second day of the disqualification hearing, seeking the dismissal of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis over her relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, whom she had appointed to oversee the case against former President Donald Trump.

John Clifford Floyd III, who is Willis’ father, specifically testified in support of the claim raised by Willis and Wade on Thursday, when both insisted the district attorney repaid the special prosecutor for luxurious vacations Wade’s credit card statements show he financed in unreported cash payments drawn from savings she keeps in her residence.

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FCI Memphis Silent on Move of Unjustly Imprisoned J6 Defendant Stewart Parks to Minimum Security Camp Following Letter from Rep. Andy Ogles

Tom Pappert
Stewart Parks FBI

Warden F.J. Bowers of the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Memphis did not reply to an inquiry from The Tennessee Star regarding the letter sent to him on Monday by Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05), which requested unjustly imprisoned J6 defendant Stewart Parks be moved to the prison’s minimum security satellite camp.

As of Friday afternoon, The Star has not received a response to a Tuesday inquiry sent via email to a publicly available address listed for Bowers’ executive assistant, which sought confirmation that Bowers received Ogles’ letter and additionally to ascertain whether Parks will be moved to the prison’s minimum security camp, if there are issues at FCI Memphis preventing the move, and if Bowers intends to reply to the congressman.

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Biden DOJ Sues Tennessee over Enforcement of Law with Higher Penalties for Prostitutes with HIV

Tom Pappert
Kristen Clarke

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday launched a lawsuit against Tennessee over the enforcement of a 1991 law that increases prostitution penalties for individuals who knowingly engage in the illegal practice while testing positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

According to a press release by the DOJ, Tennessee’s law prohibiting aggravated prostitution violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by enforcing legislation “against people living with” HIV, citing their December letter that warned of forthcoming litigation unless Tennessee stopped enforcing its law.

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Virginia Democrats Narrowly Pass $15 Minimum Wage Bill Despite Objection by Gov. Youngkin

Tom Pappert
15 Hour Minimum Wage

Democrats in the Virginia General Assembly narrowly passed legislation that will raise the commonwealth’s minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2026. Their votes came despite Governor Glenn Youngkin previously suggesting such legislation was unnecessary.

HB 1 previously passed the Virginia House of Delegates on February 2 in a partisan vote with 51 in favor and 49 against. In the Virginia Senate, the bill’s counterpart, SB 1, also passed along partisan lines, with 21 votes in favor and 19 votes against.

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Arizona Attorney General Launches Investigation into Yuma County Broadband Project After Letter from Republican House Members

Tom Pappert
Kris Mayes

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes began an official investigation into the Yuma County Board of Supervisors on Thursday in response to a request to investigate by Republicans in the Arizona House of Representatives.

A letter sent on Tuesday, led by State Representative Laurin Hendrix (R-Gilbert), warned about the decision by Yuma County to give a $30 billion contract to Allo Communications (AC), a Nebraska-based company, which did not have a contractor’s license in Arizona.

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Fani Willis Claims She Repaid Nathan Wade for Luxurious Vacations in Undocumented Cash Transactions

Tom Pappert
Fani Willis

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade both testified in Thursday in the first day of proceedings to determine if she should be removed from the prosecution due to their previously undisclosed romantic relationship.

Both Willis and Wade claimed the district attorney did not financially benefit from her appointment of Wade as special prosecutor because the luxurious vacations and trips he paid for with his business credit card were later reimbursed by Willis in unrecorded cash transactions. Wade has been paid more than $650,000 by Fulton County taxpayers.

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Four Possible Candidates Tell Tennessee Star They May Seek GOP Nomination for TN-7 U.S. House Seat Following Retirement of Rep. Mark Green

Tom Pappert
TN-7 Possible GOP Candidates

Four possible Republican candidates expressed an interest in representing Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District to The Tennessee Star when asked on Thursday after Representative Mark Green (R-TN-07) announced his intention to retire from Congress at the end of his term.

The Star asked Dr. Omar Hamada, Robby Starbuck, Jeff Beierlein, Dr. Manny Sethi, and State Senators Bill Powers (R-Clarksville) and Kerry Roberts (R-Springfield) about their interest in running for office.

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Nashville Police Captain to Host Covenant Shooting ‘Webinar’ Featuring ‘Review’ of ‘Factors’ Preceding School Shooting

Tom Pappert
Steven Bowers

A police captain with the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) is slated to hold a “webinar” for law enforcement to discuss the “lessons learned” from the Covenant School shooting last year, including factors which potentially led Audrey Elizabeth Hale to commit her horrific crime.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Justice Programs (OJP) reveals Captain Steven Bowers “will provide an overview, review factors that may have contributed to the violence, and share lessons learned on effective prevention, response, and recovery strategies” learned in the aftermath the Covenant School shooting on March 27, 2023 in a “webinar” to be held on February 29.

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Katie Hobbs Used State Resources for Censorship ‘Volunteers’ Who Monitored Twitter for ‘Misinformation’ in 2022 Arizona Elections: Email

Tom Pappert
Gov. Katie Hobbs

An email surfaced by the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) on Tuesday revealed Governor Katie Hobbs used government resources to facilitate a volunteer force that flagged “misinformation” ahead of the 2022 election, including on Election Day.

The legal organization explained that it revealed the email through an Arizona Public Records Law request to the Arizona Secretary of State which requested communications between Hobbs’ office and social media platforms Twitter, Facebook and Instagram between January 7, 2019 and January 1, 2023.

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Gov. Youngkin’s Plan to Ban TikTok for Minors Dies Without Vote in House of Delegates

Tom Pappert
Tiktok Phone

Governor Glenn Youngkin’s proposal to ban TikTok from offering its services to minors in Virginia was defeated on Tuesday after Democrats in the Virginia House of Delegates opted against scheduling it for a vote.

The bill, HB 1468 by Delegate Jay Leftwich (R-Chesapeake), would have allowed Attorney General Jason Miyares to prohibit TikTok from knowingly allowing minors to use the social media platform in the commonwealth. ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, would have been fined $7,500 per violation for every minor found to be using the site due to the company’s negligence.

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VoterGA’s Garland Favorito Recaps Case Claiming Georgia Election Equipment ‘Constitutionally Deficient’ After Trial Concludes

Tom Pappert
Garland Favorito

Garland Favorito of Georgia election integrity group, Voter GA, held a press conference last week to urge Ninth District Court Judge Amy Totenberg to side with the plaintiffs in Curling v. Raffensperger and declare the ballot imaging devices (BMDs) used in Georgia “constitutionally deficient.”

“The last month or so has been very intense; it’s been 24/7 days for most of the attorneys and staff,” Favorito began before turning to a discussion over the closing arguments made by plaintiff Ricardo Davis in the six-year-old lawsuit.

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Judge Overseeing Case to Release Covenant Killer Manifesto Warns of Contempt If Parties ‘Usurp’ Sealed Materials

Tom Pappert

Chancery Court Judge I’Ashea L. Myles on Tuesday filed an order in the ongoing case seeking to compel the release of the manifesto written by the Covenant School killer that warns all involved in the multi-plaintiff lawsuit that they could be sanctioned or held in contempt if they “usurp” materials submitted to her for review.

Star News Digital Media Inc., the parent company of The Tennessee Star, is a plaintiff in the lawsuit seeking to compel law enforcement to release the manifesto written by Audrey Elizabeth Hale, who reportedly identified as a transgender man before she was fatally shot by police.

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Virginia Democrat Who Killed Arena Project Also Refused Bill to Stop Campaign Contributions from Dominion Energy

Tom Pappert
Senator L. Louise Lucas

Virginia State Senator L. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth) used her position as Senate Finance Committee chair to block a Democrat effort to prevent public utility companies from donating to political campaigns in the commonwealth.

State Senator Danica Roem (D-Manassas) introduced SB 326, which aimed to ban candidates “from soliciting or accepting contributions from any public utility” and prohibit such companies from making political contributions.

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Gov. Brian Kemp Pledges Additional Georgia National Guard to Texas After State Senate Condemns Biden Border Failures

Tom Pappert
Gov. Brian Kemp

Governor Brian Kem said up to 20 additional Georgia National Guard members will support Texas Governor Gregg Abbott in his efforts to secure the state’s southern border in his standoff with the Biden administration.

In a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Kemp pledged 15 to 20 additional Georgia National Guard troops to assist with constructing a command post at the border.

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New Court Filing Claims Covenant School Shooter Audrey Hale Possibly Motivated by Alleged Child Abuse Coverup

Tom Pappert

A motion to intervene filed on Monday in the court case seeking to compel the release of the manifesto written by Covenant School killer Audrey Elizabeth Hale claims the shooter’s motivation for committing the attack may stem from an alleged child abuse coverup at the school.

The motion was filed by Austin Davis, who claimed in a signed affidavit to be “a former Covenant Presbyterian deacon and church member, and a former Covenant School father” who also purports to be a “child sex abuse whistleblower.” The Tennessee man claimed to face retaliation for the claims he made against the school.

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Rep. Andy Ogles Urges Move of Unjustly Convicted J6 Defendant Stewart Parks to Minimum Security Camp of FCI Memphis, Cites Tennessee Star Report

Tom Pappert
Rep. Andy Ogles / Stewart Parks

U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) sent a letter to the Warden F.J. Bowers of the Federal Correctional Institution in Memphis on Tuesday which urged him to immediately transfer unjustly convicted J6 defendant Stewart Parks to the facility’s minimum security camp.

Ogles sent his letter following the Sunday report from The Tennessee Star that revealed Parks is not in the minimum security camp where he was originally expected to serve his sentence, and is instead in a part of the federal prison that houses gang members, murderers and child molesters.

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Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell Reportedly Planning Mass Transit Referendum After ‘Car-Free Streets’ Executive Order

Tom Pappert
Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell

Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell is reportedly planning to introduce a major mass transit project this year that will need to be approved by voters in November, and would likely require an increase to the city’s sales tax.

A report published Monday by Axios claims O’Connell is days away from announcing a “mass transit funding proposal” that will be “less downtown and tourist-focused than” the proposal previously defeated by voters in Metro Nashville in 2018.

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Virginia Democrat Stalls Arena Project After Gov. Youngkin Suggests Party Doesn’t Want ‘A Strong America’

Tom Pappert
Gov. Glenn Youngkin

Key Virginia Democrats pulled their support from the proposal by Governor Glenn Youngkin to build a new sports complex in Alexandria, Virginia for the Washington Wizards and Capitals, and did not place a bill to advance the initiative on the Senate schedule on Monday.

State Senator Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth) first indicated she would use her power as the Senate Finance Chair to block the bill in a Saturday post to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, in which she slammed Youngkin for suggesting Democrats do not want “a strong America” in his speech at the 28th Mock Convention at Washington and Lee University.

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Arizona House Requests Investigation to Determine if Yuma County Broke Law by Giving Federal COVID-19 Funds to Unlicensed Contractor

Tom Pappert

Republicans in the Arizona House of Representatives have invoked their legal right on Monday to request an investigation by Attorney General Kris Mayes (D) over their concerns regarding how federal COVID-19 money was spent by Yuma County officials.

In a letter, lawmakers asked Mayes to launch an investigation to determine if the appointment of Nebraska-based Allo Communications by Yuma County to build rural Internet infrastructure violated both “state law and the Gift Clause of the Arizona Constitution,” in addition to “favoritism and abuse through a fundamentally flawed and potentially illegal procurement process.”

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Judge Warns Fani Willis Could Face ‘Disqualification’ in Trump Case Due to Nathan Wade Relationship

Tom Pappert
Fani Willis

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee warned on Monday that District Attorney Fani Willis could face “disqualification” from prosecuting her case against former President Donald Trump as a result of her admitted relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, who she appointed to oversee the case.

McAfee, an appointee of Governor Brian Kemp, made the remarks during a court appearance sparked by Willis’ desire to block a subpoena from Trump’s co-defendant, Michael Roman, who originally made the allegations of a corrupt relationship between Willis and Wade.

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CJ Pearson Will Seek Impeachment of Fani Willis Due to ‘Clear Impropriety’ with Nathan Wade if Elected to Georgia State House

Tom Pappert

C.J. Pearson, who is on the ballot Tuesday for the special election in 125th District to fill a recently-vacated seat in Georgia’s State House, told The Georgia Star News about his “incredible journey” that began as a preteen political commentator nearly a decade ago and may have landed him within days of officially entering politics as an elected official.

Pearson, who has faced intense criticism from parties connected to Governor Brian Kemp that he previously characterized as “rogue,” answered his critics, told Star News what his priorities will be if elected, and promised to leverage his potential status as the youngest black politician to help Georgia Republicans achieve new heights if elected.

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Bill to Ban Satanic Displays in Government Advances in Arizona as Sen. Jake Hoffman Calls Satanism ‘Antithesis of Religion’

Tom Pappert

A bill advanced on Thursday in the Arizona Senate that would prohibit the display of Satanic displays on public property in the state. The bill’s sponsor, Senator Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek), warns that satanism should not have a place on public property as the “antithesis of religion.”

Hoffman celebrated after SB 1279 passed a committee vote in a post to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

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D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser Reveals Efforts to Stop Gov. Youngkin’s Plan to Move Wizards, Capitals to Virginia

Tom Pappert

Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Sunday authored an opinion column offering reasons why Monumental Sports and Entertainment should abandon its plans to move to Alexandria, Virginia, where Governor Glenn Youngkin is working with the General Assembly to build a new entertainment complex for the Washington Wizards and Capitals.

Bowser revealed the offer made to keep the sports teams in the district, stressed the city’s ownership position over the Capital One Arena property and outlined a series of concerns about the possible move.

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Georgia State Sen. Bill Cowsert Promises Nonpartisan Investigation of DA Fani Willis to Determine Possible Misuse of Taxpayer Funds with Nathan Wade

Tom Pappert
Bill Cowsert

The Georgia Senate Special Committee on Investigations met for the first time on Friday since it was created following the adoption of SR 465, which allowed for the formation of the Senate committee to investigate the allegations surrounding embattled Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.

The committee is chaired by Senator Bill Cowsert (R-Athena), who promised that the Senate’s work will not seek to undermine any of Willis’ ongoing criminal cases, including her election case against former President Donald Trump. However, Cowsert suggested future funding for district attorneys could depend on the investigation’s findings.

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Joe Biden Mocked Mercilessly for Mumbling, Bumbling ‘Shrinkflation’ Video Released on Super Bowl Sunday

Tom Pappert

President Joe Biden was mocked by conservatives on Sunday for a video he released ahead of the Super Bowl which derided “shrinkflation,” when manufacturers lower the size or quantity of items included for a given price without informing the consumer as a result of inflation, with pundits uniformly reminding the embattled president that his inflationary policies preceded the shrinkflation.

In the video, posted to the official government account for Biden on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, the president appears to be sitting in the White House movie theater while various shots reveal he is surrounded by packages of junk food. Looking into the camera, Biden remarked, “if you’re like me you like to be surrounded by a snack or two while watching the big game.”

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Jill Biden Commits Inadvertent ‘Umbrella Assault’ Against Nashville Mayor During Trip to Tennessee

Tom Pappert
Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell Greets First Lady Jill Biden

First Lady Jill Biden committed an inadvertent “umbrella assault” against Metro Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell during her visit to Tennessee, which was reportedly aimed at securing endorsements from the country music “influencer” community at an event held by country music artist Brad Paisley.

Video appears to show O’Connell being poked by the umbrella before deftly maneuvering around and underneath the umbrella as Biden raised it higher to avoid a second attack.

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EXCLUSIVE: Imprisoned J6 Defendant Stewart Parks Tells The Tennessee Star, ‘There Are Murderers and Child Molesters Here. No J6 Defendant Should Be in Such a Situation’

Tom Pappert

Unjustly convicted J6 defendant Stewart Parks spoke with Tennessee Star CEO Michael Patrick Leahy in a 15-minute phone call placed on Friday afternoon from the Federal Correctional Institution in Memphis, Tennessee. Parks self-reported to begin serving an eight-month sentence on Tuesday.

The Star and Leahy have filed a Freedom of Information Act request with FCI Memphis to obtain the 15-minute audio recording of that call. Inmates incarcerated at FCI are allowed to make 500 minutes of out bound phone calls per month, but each call is recorded and is limited to 15 minutes in length.

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Shelby County Judge Bill Anderson Publicly Reprimanded by State Board After He Railed Against Bail, Belittled Police Sergeant

Tom Pappert

The Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct (BJC) Shelby County General Sessions publicly reprimanded Judge Bill Anderson on Tuesday after he belittled a police sergeant and revealed his disdain for the “bail bond system” in Tennessee.

The BJC served Anderson the public reprimand after he declared his opposition to the concept of bail and bail bonding companies in September 2023, when the judge claimed bail bonding companies “don’t do anything but collect money from poor people” during a meeting of the Shelby County Commission, and declared, “I detest the bail bond system in Shelby County, I detest it across this state.”

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RFK Jr. Cites Competitive Polling in Arizona, High Favorability Ratings After Clip Surfaces Showing Him Dismiss Third Party Candidate

Tom Pappert
RFK JR

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. cited the country’s changing political dynamics after a 24-year-old video resurfaced by MSNBC in which the independent presidential candidate warned of the potential for the Green Party candidacy of Ralph Nader in 2000 to spoil the election for Democrats and former Vice President Al Gore.

According to Kennedy in the resurfaced interview from 2000, Nader’s “candidacy could draw enough votes in certain key states from Al Gore to give the entire election to George W. Bush.”

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Judge Amit Mehta Rejects Peter Navarro’s Bid to Avoid Prison in J6 Case Just Days After Refusing Same Request by Unjustly Convicted Stewart Parks

Tom Pappert
Peter Navarro Sentencing

D.C. District Judge Amit P. Mehta on Thursday declined the request by former Trump administration adviser Peter Navarro to avoid prison while he appeals his contempt of Congress conviction that came as a result of his refusal to comply with a subpoena from the January 6 Committee in the U.S. House.

Mehta ruled on Thursday that Navarro’s claim his conviction could be reversed on appeal was insufficient to stay his sentence, according to Breitbart News, which reported the Obama-appointee also flatly rejected the legal underpinnings of Navarro’s case.

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Jill Biden to Visit Nashville Friday for ‘Political Event’ Reportedly Aimed at Securing Country Music Endorsements

Tom Pappert

First Lady Jill Biden will travel to Tennessee for a purported “political event” reportedly occurring at the home of country music star Brad Paisley.

According to press reports citing a White House media advisory, the First Lady is expected to land in Nashville on Friday afternoon for an unspecified “political event” that will take place in Franklin.

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Arizona House Passes ‘Landmark’ Election Integrity Bill with Overwhelming Support to Create Signature Verification Standards, Promote Voter ID

Tom Pappert

The Arizona State House voted on Thursday overwhelmingly in favor of a “landmark” election integrity bill that would set the state’s official standards for signature verification and promote the use of voter ID in early voting, among other improvements to the state’s voting system.

Representative Alexander Kolodin (R-Scottsdale), who sponsored the legislation, celebrated the passage of HB 2785 on Thursday in a press release that declared the law will bring “landmark election integrity reforms.”

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Virginia Bishops Urge Action Against Assisted Suicide Legislation as Bills Advance in General Assembly

Tom Pappert
Virginia Catholic Bishops

Two Virginia bishops issued a letter through the Virginia Catholic Conference on Monday urging Catholics to oppose legislation in the Virginia General Assembly that would legalize physician assisted suicide within the commonwealth. The legislation passed a second committee vote on Thursday.

Bishop Michael Burbridge of Arlington and Bishop Barry Knestout of Richmond warned in their letter that bills “to legalize physician assisted suicide” are “moving rapidly” through the General Assembly. The bishops wrote, “We are alarmed and deeply saddened by this development. Human life is sacred and must never be abandoned or discarded.

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Georgia House Unanimously Passes Bill to Accelerate State Income Tax Cuts

Tom Pappert
Brian Kemp

The Georgia State House on Thursday voted unanimously to pass a bill that will accelerate the tax cuts previously passed by the Georgia General Assembly in 2022 alongside bills aimed at lowering property taxes and increasing child tax credits.

HB 1015 will reduce the Georgia state income tax rate to 5.39 percent, effective retroactively to January 1, amending previous legislation that established a flat income tax in Georgia that would be set at 5.49 percent in 2024. Active legislation mandates the income tax rate be decreased by 10 basis points annually until it reaches 4.99 percent, which could be achieved in 2028 if the bill becomes law.

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TN DAs General Conference Files Illegal Brief Supporting Shelby County DA Mulroy’s Effort to Free Convicted Murderer, AG Skrmetti Tells Court Brief Not Legal

Tom Pappert
Skrmetti Mulroy

The Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference (TNDAGC) filed an amicus brief last week, which was labeled illegal in a Tuesday response by the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office, supporting the efforts of Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy to free a death row inmate who was convicted of two murders over 40 years ago.

The conference filed the amicus brief in a lawsuit brought by death row inmate Larry McKay against Tennessee over a law passed by the General Assembly in 2023, which expands the number of capital cases that the state’s attorney general must directly oversee.

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America First Legal Files ‘Landmark Lawsuit’ Against Maricopa County Election Officials over Alleged Violations of Arizona Law

Tom Pappert

America First Legal (AFL) on Wednesday announced a new “landmark lawsuit” in Arizona against Maricopa County, its board of supervisors, and Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer alleging the county has violated various state election laws since 2020.

AFL’s James Rogers said in a statement that “Maricopa County’s errors, lapses, and mistakes in administering elections have seriously eroded” the “trust that elections are free and fair,” which he noted underpins the “legitimacy of our government.”

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Georgia Senate Passes Bill to Allow State Commission to Investigate Prosecutors, Including Fani Willis

Tom Pappert
Fani Willis

The Georgia State Senate passed a bill on Tuesday that will strike the need for the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission (PAQC) to have its rules reviewed and approved by the Georgia Supreme Court, which would allow it to immediately begin investigating prosecutors, including embattled Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.

Introduced by Senator Randy Robertson (R-Cataula) in early January, SB 332 would amend the 2022 law establishing the PAQC to strike the requirement for the commission to have its standards and rules reviewed and adopted by the Georgia Supreme Court. It now goes to the Georgia House, and if passed, would become law as soon as it is signed by Governor Brian Kemp.

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Virginia Democrats Kill Gov. Youngkin’s Tax Proposal Until at Least 2025

Tom Pappert
Lucas stuart

Democrats in the Virginia State Senate have beaten the attempt by Governor Glenn Youngkin and Virginia Republicans to cut the commonwealth’s income tax rates and reform Virginia’s sales tax until at least 2025.

SB 632, filed by State Senator Richard Stuart (R-Montross), was continued into 2025 on Tuesday in an overwhelming vote by the Senate Subcommittee on Finance and Appropriations, led by State Senator L. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth).

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Tennessee House Staffer Suspended over Alleged Heated Exchange with State Rep. Justin Jones

Tom Pappert
Justin Jones Torrey Harris

A Tennessee House staffer for Representative Torrey Harris (D-Memphis) was suspended from her position as an Executive Legislative Analyst until after the 2024 legislative session concludes.

The Tennessee General Assembly Director of Legislative Administration confirmed in a January 30 letter that the staffer “had an inappropriate confrontation with a Member of the House of Representatives” and “failed to maintain a satisfactory and harmonious working relationship” and disrupting work in the Tennessee House.

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Unjustly Convicted J6 Defendant Stewart Parks Now Inside FCI Memphis Prison, Which Boasts Decade-Long Smuggling Problem

Tom Pappert

January 6 defendant Stewart Parks surrendered at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Memphis on Tuesday to begin an eight month sentence for his peaceful actions on January 6.

FCI Memphis, where Parks was told he would be in the minimum security camp, regularly generates headlines due to smuggling of controlled substances and weapons into the prison.

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J6 Defendant Stewart Parks Imprisoned After Judge Amit Mehta Rejected Request for Freedom Pending Appeal; Mehta Claimed Parks Lied in Court but Cited No Evidence to That Effect

Tom Pappert
Stewart Parks FBI

In an order refusing his request to remain free while appealing his conviction, D.C. Circuit Court Judge Amit P. Mehta accused Stewart Parks, a Tennessee entrepreneur and former congressional candidate who was convicted in a January 6 trial, of lying in court and spreading “falsehoods” about the events of that day.

Parks (pictured above in the moments prior to his incarceration) complied with Mehta’s order and self-reported for incarceration at the Federal Correctional Institution, Memphis, Tennessee, on Tuesday, February 6 at 2:00 pm Central Time and is currently serving the eight-month prison term to which Judge Mehta sentenced him.

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Tennessee State Sen. Raumesh Akbari Files Bill to Allow House Arrest for Prisoners After Age 60, Including Murderers

Tom Pappert

Tennessee State Senator Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis) filed SB 2757 on Thursday, called the Restoration of Dignity for the Elderly Act, which would allow criminals who have served more than half of their sentence and are at least 60 to serve the remainder of their sentence under house arrest.

A summary for SB 2757 would require the Tennessee Department of Correction “to create a five-year pilot program for the release” of inmates who are defined as elderly, which the bill defines as over the age of 60, and have “served a minimum of 65 percent of the sentence imposed,” to be released under house arrest.

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Arizona U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego Offers Tepid Support for Schumer-Sinema Border Bill Called ‘Slap in the Face’ by Kari Lake

Tom Pappert

U.S. Representative Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-03) appeared to offer his tepid support for the bipartisan border bill that Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) helped craft and unveiled Sunday. His support is contrasted by Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake, who may face a three-way race with Gallego and Sinema in November, called the legislation a “slap in the face.”

Shortly after the announcement of the border bill, created in a joint effort that included Senators Sinema, Chuck Schumer (D-NY) James Lankford (R-OK) and Chris Murphy (D-CT), Gallego wrote in a post to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that the bill should be taken seriously.

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Virginia Democrats Seek to Allow ‘Anti Rent Gouging’ Ordinances, Spend $100 Million in ‘Long-Term Direct Rental Assistance’

Tom Pappert
House for Rent

Democrats in the Virginia General Assembly seek to allow local cities and towns to enact “anti rent gouging” ordinances that would regulate what property owners can charge renters and when rent can be raised, and additionally seek to add $100 million to the budget to fund “long-term direct rental assistance” for 5,000 families via vouchers.

Delegate Nadarius Clark (D-Suffolk) introduced HB 721 in early January to allow “any locality” to adopt an “anti-rent gouging” ordinance that would force landlords to provide two months of written notice in the event of a rent increase, prevent landlords from raising rent more than once within a 12-month period, cap how much rent can be increased and allow communities “to establish an anti-rent gouging board” to create regulations “by which landlords may apply for and be granted exemptions” from the legislation.

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Georgia Senate Passes Bill Tightening Bail Rules, Limiting Non-Profits That Pay Bail for Alleged Criminals

Tom Pappert
Georgia State Senator Randy Robertson

The Georgia State Senate passed a bill that would increase the number of criminal offenses for which a criminal must pay bail before release and limit the ability of individuals and non profits to post bail repeatedly.

Introduced by Senator Randy Robertson (R-Cataula), SB 63 would require those judges to set bail for defendants accused of committing 30 additional crimes and remove the ability of any individual, business, nonprofit, or other group from posting “more than three cash bonds” per year.

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‘Civility is a Strength’: Tennessee Governor Bill Lee Delivers Sixth State of the State Address Amid Anti-School Choice Jeers

Tom Pappert

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee held his sixth State of the State Address on Monday, outlining his vision for Tennessee for the next year and the remainder of his administration. After highlighting the shared history and heritage of Tennesseans, and the strong economic position of Tennessee, the governor highlighted school choice, artificial intelligence (AI), and a streamlined regulatory framework among his goals for 2024. “As we enter our sixth year of working together, the State of our State is strong, and resilient, and ready for the future, and that is thanks to the hard work of the people in this room.” Lee began, “But there is more work to do, the world around us is changing every day, brings new challenges, unique challenges, Tennesseans are counting on us to face those challenges with wisdom and discernment.” “I’ve got three years left, there’s a lot to do, and we cannot, should not slow down, not for a second,” the governor declared. Throughout Lee’s address, he was repeatedly interrupted by hecklers, who first became vocal as the governor announced his plans to expand school choice and public education funding in Tennessee. As he attempted to turn to a different subject, a heckler appeared…

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Tennessee House Democrats Upset Over ‘Do Not Stand with Child Rapists’ Sign, Celebrate Refusal of State Rep. Jones to Lead Pledge of Allegiance

Tom Pappert

Tennessee State House Representative G.A. Hardaway (D-Knoxville) objected to signs urging lawmakers to stand against child rapists during a meeting of the House Criminal Justice Committee held just days prior to Haradaway’s defense of Representative Justin Jones (D-Nashville), who refused to lead the legislative body in the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Tennessee Faith and Freedom Coalition told The Tennessee Star that activists affiliated with the group were present at the Tennessee General Assembly last Monday, holding signs urging lawmakers, “Do not stand with child rapists,” following a subcommittee vote by Representative Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville) against HB 1663.

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Kari Lake Campaign Declares Sen. Sinema Has ‘No Path to Victory’ as Schumer-Sinema Border Bill Unveiled

Tom Pappert

The U.S. Senate campaign for Kari Lake told The Arizona Sun Times that Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) “has no path to victory” just before the former Democrat unveiled her Senate bill to address the border crisis with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).

Sinema, who has still not declared whether she will seek reelection this November, unveiled a $118 billion border bill alongside Senators Schumer, James Lankford (R-OK), and Chris Murphy (D-CT).

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