Author: Tom Pappert

Tennessee Attorney General Skrmetti Reveals Google Will Pay $700 Million to Settle Monopoly Lawsuit

Tom Pappert
Skrmetti Google

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti revealed on Wednesday that a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general announced a $700 million agreement with Google to settle their lawsuit alleging the technology company engaged in anticompetitive practices to stifle competitors to its Google Play Store.

Skrmetti stated that “Google will no longer profit from the inflated app costs it forced through its abuse of market power,” and said the settlement “will reduce app prices and increase consumer choices on the Android platform. Our office is proud to protect consumers, secure $700 million in financial relief, and be a part of this bipartisan effort to ensure one of the most powerful companies in the world follows the law.”

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Democrat Election Attorney Marc Elias Joins ‘Stop Cop City’ Effort to Prevent Atlanta Public Safety Building

Tom Pappert
Marc Elias

Democrat election attorney Marc Elias is throwing his support behind the “Stop Cop City” referendum to prevent the construction of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Facility where a protester shot a Georgia State Trooper in January, a Wednesday report confirms.

Elias has decided to throw “his political weight behind a proposed ordinance that aims to upend Atlanta’s petition review process,” according to Atlanta Black Star. The petition review process memo was sent by the Vote To Stop Cop City Coalition, reported left-leaning Mother Jones.

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YoungkinWatch: Governor’s Virginia Budget Proposes Income Tax Cut, Sales Tax Hike

Tom Pappert
Youngkin Virginia

Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) on Wednesday proposed a two-year budget that will see Virginia’s income tax rate decrease, but paired the cut with a sales tax increase that will see some parts of the commonwealth pay nearly 8 percent sales tax.

Youngkin presented his “Unleashing Opportunity Budget” before the Virginia House of Delegates by noting migration trends within the United States that show Americans moving to states with lower taxes and more jobs.

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Arizona State Senate Sues Gov. Katie Hobbs over Refusal to Nominate Agency Directors

Tom Pappert
Peterson Hobbs Courtroom

The Arizona State Senate and Senate President Warren Petersen (R-Gilbert) took legal action against Governor Katie Hobbs (D) on Tuesday. The governor faces legal action for her attempt to bypass the normal Senate confirmation process for the directors of Arizona’s state agencies, which she started after one of her nominees was rejected for alleged plagiarism.

A summary of the Senate lawsuit was posted to X, formerly Twitter, by State Senator Wendy Rogers (R-Flagstaff). Rogers noted that Arizona law requires “agencies be led by Senate-confirmed directors,” and wrote that she is “proud” the Arizona Senate GOP “is committed to upholding the law to protect Arizonans’ liberty.”

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Arizona State Representative Kolodin, Pima County Supervisor Ally Miller File Bar Complaint Against Cochise County Attorney Brian McIntyre

Tom Pappert

Arizona State Representative Alexander Kolodin (R-Scottsdale) and Pima County Supervisor Ally Miller filed an election-related bar complaint on Monday against Cochise County Attorney Brian McIntyre, alleging that he violated attorney client privilege when informing opposing attorneys of the county’s intention to hand-count some of its 2022 election ballots.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Kolodin said McIntyre committed “apparent violations” of attorney client privilege, calling it “his most sacred duty.” Kolodin added, “It is time for equal justice under the law.”

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Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy Promises ‘Aggressive’ Crime Strategy Begins in 2024

Tom Pappert
Steve Mulroy

Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy gave details about a an “aggressive prosecution” strategy to Memphis media on Tuesday, promising to target violent offenses with a new strategy beginning in 2024.

Mulroy said he will modify his office’s practices regarding bail, court deadlines, and investigations for those accused of committing a number of violent and property crimes beginning on January 1, according to News Channel 3.

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Audit Finds Tennessee Prisons Remain Understaffed, Face High Attrition

Tom Pappert

A 206-page audit of public and private prisons in Tennessee was released last week, revealing both state and private facilities in the state remain understaffed and face high employee attrition rates while struggling to offer sufficient beds and services for inmates.

The audit, conducted by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office, found that the Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) “has taken action to address critical staffing shortages,” but warned both TDOC and CoreCivic, which manages private prisons in Tennessee, “are facing an ongoing and deeply rooted challenge of attrition within their ranks.”

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Judge Reportedly ‘Skeptical’ of Lawsuit to Remove Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones from Office over 2020 Election Contest

Tom Pappert
Burt Jones

Georgia Superior Court Judge Thomas Wilson reportedly expressed skepticism at an attempt to remove Lt. Governor Burt Jones (R) from office on Monday. A group of Democratic voters in Georgia filed the lawsuit claiming Jones’ role as one of the alternate electors who sought to preserve former President Donald Trump’s legal challenge to the 2020 election in Georgia should make him ineligible to hold office.

Wilson “appeared skeptical of the plaintiffs’ longshot arguments,” according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which reported that plaintiffs argued Jones “is an insurrectionist against the Constitution of the United States of America” because he participated in the 2020 election contest, and thus should be prohibited from holding office due to a post-Civil War law that was also cited in a bid to prevent Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene from seeking reelection in 2022.

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Oil and Gas Workers’ Association Endorses Arizona’s Kari Lake Following Endorsements of Donald Trump, Abe Hamadeh

Tom Pappert
Kari Lake Arizona

Kari Lake secured the endorsement of the Oil and Gas Workers Association (OGWA) for her U.S. Senate bid on Tuesday, with the group highlighting her commitment to “American energy dominance” in a statement.

Lake revealed the endorsement in a post on X, formerly Twitter, writing that she was “honored” to receive the endorsement from the nonprofit trade association operated by oil and gas workers.

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YoungkinWatch: All Virginia School Divisions Submit ‘ALL In’ Plans Two Months After Target Date

Tom Pappert
Glenn Youngkin

Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) celebrated on Monday as all 131 Virginia school divisions finalized and submitted their “ALL in VA” plans with the governor’s office. Youngkin originally challenged Virginia’s schools to finish their plans by October 16.

In a statement, Youngkin said he is “pleased all of Virginia’s school divisions have heeded my call to urgently and aggressively take action to help our students recover” from the learning loss suffered as a result of pandemic-era restrictions. Youngkin said the submissions mean Virginia schools “embraced that challenge and are committed to getting our students back on track academically.”

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Arrest of Alleged Human Trafficker Followed Spotlight by Tennessee Faith and Freedom Coalition, Mission America Foundation

Tom Pappert

Aaron Spradlin, who is the Chairman of the Tennessee Faith and Freedom Coalition and CEO of the Mission America Foundation, told The Star in a phone call that he’s known of suspected human trafficking activities happening at hotels where De Caldera operated since at least 2015.

Executive director Aaron Gulbransen, a former reporter for The Star, explained the Tennessee Faith and Freedom Coalition previously informed state officials of suspected criminal activity at the hotels, and said the organization has been able to “amplify” Spradlin’s work by regularly sharing tips and insight with Tennessee lawmakers and law enforcement.

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Shelby County DA Defends Agreements With Restorative Justice Groups Seeking to Eliminate Bail, Lower Number of Prosecutions

Tom Pappert

Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy (D) responded on Thursday to calls by State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) for Mulroy to provide agreements between his office and three restorative justice organizations that seek to lower Shelby County’s number of prosecutions or eliminate bail, and face investigation for his role in arranging the “illegal” release of a prisoner who was sentenced to more than 100 years behind bars.

Taylor issued a formal request with the Tennessee District Attorneys Conference (TDAC) seeking the agreements between

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Virginia Republicans in Rep. Bob Good’s District Prefer Trump Despite DeSantis Endorsement, Could Flip to John McGuire in 2024: Poll

Tom Pappert

A new poll conducted by Battleground Connect, provided to The Virginia Star by the congressional campaign of Delegate John McGuire (R-Goochland), indicates the majority of Republicans in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District will support former President Donald Trump over Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in March 2024, and may choose McGuire over Representative Bob Good (R-VA-05) when voters return to the polls in June.

The survey reported that 71 percent of Republicans in Virginia’s 5th district hold a favorable opinion of Trump, compared to just 15 percent who hold an unfavorable opinion. Just 43 percent of those respondents reported a favorable opinion of DeSantis, while 34 percent had no opinion.

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Gov. Brian Kemp Announces $1,000 Bonus for Georgia Teachers, New Funding For School Safety

Tom Pappert

Governor Brian Kemp (R) announced a $1,000 bonus on Monday for those who work in Georgia’s schools, and introduce legislation to provide Georgia with more school funding and fund a permanent, annual bonus.

In a joint announcement with Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns (R-Newington), and State Representative Matt Hatchett (R-Dublin), Kemp announced a $1,000 “state employee retention pay supplement” for more than 300,000 Georgia teachers and state employees who work in education.

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YoungkinWatch: Governor Promises Bills Banning TikTok for Minors, Restricting Social Media Data Gathering for Kids

Tom Pappert
Gov. Glenn Youngkin

Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) said in a Friday news conference that he will introduce legislation to the Virginia General Assembly to ban TikTok for minors, restrict other social media from gathering data about children, and expand state-funded mental health initiatives in public schools and colleges.

Youngkin revealed four new legislative efforts he intends to champion during the upcoming legislative session, after first calling for an additional $500 million to address youth mental health in a Friday press release.

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Metro Nashville Police Investigate After Shooting Reported at Middle School Basketball Game

Tom Pappert

The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) is investigating after reports of shots fired at the LEAD Brick Church Middle School during a basketball game on Friday night.

Police were called to the middle school due to a fight that began inside, where students were competing in a basketball game, before the participants eventually left the building and continued the altercation outside, according to WKRN. Quoting law enforcement present at the scene, the outlet reported “one person shot at the victim,” who was not struck by the bullet.

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Jewish Arizona Democrat Doxxed with Flyers over Pro-Israel Views, State Party Silent

Tom Pappert
Alma Hernandez

Arizona State Representative Alma Hernandez (D-Tucson) reported being victim to a doxxing campaign on Thursday, posting evidence of masked individuals distributing anti-Israel flyers containing her personal address in her neighborhood.

The flyers cite Hernandez’s public opposition to a ceasefire between Palestine and Israel, and claimed she is “working to silence pro-Palestinian colleagues on a local and national level” before claiming Hernandez abuses “power in support of genocide.”

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Yilbeth de Caldera of Murfreesboro Trafficked Illegal Immigrants from Central America, Forced Them Into Prostitution: TBI Alleges

Tom Pappert

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) reported Friday the arrest of Yilibeth “Yibi” Rivero De Caldera in Murfreesboro, who they claim trafficked at least a dozen women from Central and South America to Tennessee, where she then forced them to perform “commercial sex acts” to repay their debt.

A press release reveals authorities allege “De Caldera provided financial assistance” for her “female Hispanic immigrants,” but after they arrived in Tennessee, they claim she “levied the victims with a large debt and forced them to engage in commercial sex acts at local hostels to pay back the debt.”

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Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee Grants Executive Clemency to 22, Expedites Probation for Convicted Murderer-Turned-Theology Student

Tom Pappert
Bill Lee

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee granted executive clemency to 22 Tennesseans on Friday, and also expedited probation for a woman who is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Theology while incarcerated for murder.

In his third round of clemency since taking office, Lee said in a Friday appearance before local media he “decided to grant 23 individuals executive clemency,” and thanked the Tennessee Board of Parole “for their thoughtful recommendations throughout this process.” 

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Prosecutors Say Former Facebook DEI Executive ‘Abused a Position of Trust’ When Defrauding Company $4 Million

Tom Pappert
Facebook Money

Barbara Furlow-Smiles, a Georgia resident and former Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) executive at Facebook, admitted on Tuesday to defrauding the company of more than $4 million from 2017 until 2021.

Federal prosecutors say Furlow-Smiles “abused a position of trust as a global diversity executive” to steal “millions of dollars” from Facebook while “ignoring the insidious consequences of undermining the importance of her DEI mission.”

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Shelby County Judge Criminally Indicted for Harassment, Coercion amid Claims She Used Drugs While on Bench

Tom Pappert

Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Melissa Boyd was criminally indicted and taken into Memphis Police Department (MPD) custody on Wednesday, after she allegedly harassed and attempted to coerce her former campaign manager. The former employee previously went to the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct (TBJC) with claims Boyd was under the influence of drugs while hearing cases.

Boyd was indicted in Shelby County with one count of coercion of a witness and one count of harassment, according to The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Bond was set at $5,000, and Boyd was able to secure her release. She has since been suspended from the bench by the TBJC.

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Georgia U.S. Rep. Drew Ferguson Will Not Seek Re-Election in 2024

Tom Pappert

Georgia U.S. Representative Drew Ferguson (R-GA-03) announced on Thursday that he will not seek another term in office, and will instead resign from Congress when his term ends in January 2025.

Ferguson announced his decision to retire from Congress in a Thursday post to X, formerly Twitter. He called his time in the U.S. House “the honor of a lifetime,” while complimenting his staff as “talented and dedicated” and constituents as “wonderful.”

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Will Return to Arizona with Phoenix Rally for Independent Campaign

Tom Pappert
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will return to Arizona for a political rally in Phoenix as his supporters gather signatures to gain ballot access in 2024.

Kennedy Jr. will hold his “Voter Rally” at the Legends Event Center in Phoenix on December 20 from 4:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m., and the registration page on his campaign website includes a link to a video about the Kennedy campaign’s efforts to secure ballot access in all 50 states as an independent candidate.

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Sen. Marsha Blackburn Urges Military to Prepare for ‘Space Warfare’ After Israel Intercepts Houthi Missile Outside Earth’s Atmosphere

Tom Pappert

Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) urged in a Wednesday letter to the United States Space Force for the military to prepare for “space warfare” after Israel reported intercepting a rocket from outside Earth’s orbit after it was launched by Iran-backed Houthi militants.

“The world has crossed into a new, concerning frontier: war in space,” Blackburn warned the military branch in her letter, which was first obtained by The Washington Free Beacon. After highlighting the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and rising Chinese tensions over the fate of Taiwan, Blackburn noted the October 31 interception of a ballistic missile launched by “Iranian-sponsored Houthi terrorists” in Yemen.

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Gallego Still Silent over Harvard President’s Antisemitism Controversy, Plagiarism Allegations Despite Pressure from Kari Lake, NRSC

Tom Pappert

Representative Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-03), who is running to represent Arizona in the U.S. Senate, continues to hold his silence regarding Harvard University president Claudine Gay. The congressman’s campaign has not responded to multiple Arizona Sun Times press inquiries after Gay refused to clearly state in Congress that calling for the death of Jews violates the university’s code of conduct, and now faces at least three plagiarism accusations.

The Sun Times reported on Monday that Gallego’s campaign did not respond to a press inquiry seeking a comment about Gay’s controversial testimony. On Tuesday, the Gallego campaign did not respond to a second press inquiry from The Sun Times that asked about about Gay’s antisemitism scandal and the subsequent plagiarism allegations levied against her.

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Fani Willis Maintains She ‘Is Not Responsible’ for Fulton County Jail, Argues Georgia Senators ‘Should Worry About the State Prisons’

Tom Pappert

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis asserted in a Tuesday interview that Georgia state senators investigating the conditions at the Fulton County Jail should instead investigate the state prison system, though she said she “is not responsible” for the jail.

Willis made the remarks to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in response to an investigation launched in the Georgia Senate earlier this year over the conditions at the Fulton County Jail, where 10 inmates have died in 2023. One of the defendants in Willis’ high-profile Young Slime Life (YSL) racketeering case was stabbed in the jail this week, delaying the ongoing trial until 2024.

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Rep. Morgan Griffith Becomes First Virginia Congressman to Endorse Trump for 2024 Election

Tom Pappert

Representative Morgan Griffith (R-VA-09) formally endorsed former President Donald Trump and his 2024 campaign for the White House on Wednesday, becoming the first congressman from Virginia to endorse the former president’s bid.

Griffith made his endorsement during a radio interview with John Fredericks, the publisher of The Virginia Star, who called it “a huge endorsement” for Trump.

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Virginia U.S. Rep. Bob Good Promises House Freedom Caucus Will Fight Speaker’s NDAA

Tom Pappert

Representative Bob Good (R-VA-05) said the House Freedom Caucus will work to oppose the new National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) supported by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA-04) crafted with leadership in Congress, which will reauthorize a controversial government surveillance law that House Republicans previously pulled due to backlash.

Good told John Fredericks, publisher of The Virginia Star, that he plans to rally Republicans against the proposed NDAA due to its inclusion of an extension for controversial government spying under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). The current version of the bill, he explained, was created by Johnson, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-08), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

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Nashville Police Charge Muslim Family with Beating Son After He Converted to Christianity

Tom Pappert

The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) charged three members of a Muslim family with the alleged beating of their juvenile son and brother on Monday, and police records reportedly reveal the violence was sparked by the victim’s recent conversion to Christianity.

Police arrested Rawaaa Khawaji, Nick Kadum, and John Kadum, who are reportedly the mother, father, and older son of the juvenile victim discovered by law enforcement, according to police documents reviewed by Fox 17.

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State Sen. Brent Taylor Demands Agreements Between Shelby County DA, ‘Restorative Justice Organizations’ Seeking to ‘Eliminate Bail’

Tom Pappert

State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) issued a formal request on Tuesday to obtain agreements between Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy’s Office and three “restorative justice organizations” with the Tennessee District Attorneys Conference (TDAC). Taylor highlighted Mulroy’s agreements with three groups seeking to eliminate bail or decrease the number of his office’s prosecutions.

Taylor charged that “Memphians have a right to know if the agreements between the DA’s office and these outside groups are inconsistent with state laws and policies” in a press release and stressed that Mulroy’s “job is to further his prosecutorial duties, not embark on a restorative justice campaign.”

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Tennessee AG Skrmetti Joins 27-State Coalition Against ATF’s New Gun Sale Registration Rule

Tom Pappert

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti (R) joined a 27-state coalition of state attorneys general on Monday to oppose the new rule by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) which will require gun owners to conduct background checks and register transactions with the agency any time they sell, gift, or trade a gun.

Skrmetti announced his office will join 26 other state attorneys general and the Arizona State Legislature in a letter “demanding” the ATF drop the rule, arguing it “violates the Second Amendment” and “risks making any individual who sells a firearm for profit liable to civil, administrative, and even criminal penalties for failing to register with a federal agency.”

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Former DHS Advisor Warns Local Politicians ‘Petrified’ to Call Out Biden Border Crisis, Gov. Hobbs Doing Too Little, Too Late

Tom Pappert

Former Department of Homeland Security advisor Charles Marino said on Tuesday that Governor Katie Hobbs (D) should have done more to address the migrant crisis prior to the federal government’s closure of the Lukeville Point of Entry.

Marino, a security expert who advised the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from 2009 until 2011, made the remarks to John Fredericks on the “Outside the Beltway” program on Real America’s Voice. Fredericks, who is the publisher of The Virginia Star and The Georgia Star News, asked Marino about Arizona’s response to the 17,000 illegal immigrants officials apprehended in Tucson over just one week.

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YoungkinWatch: Governor Wants $90 Million for Research at Virginia Universities with Antisemitism Controversies

Tom Pappert

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) revealed on Monday he will seek $90 million in his December 20 budget to fund new research at three Virginia universities that have all suffered from antisemitic protests and demonstrations on their campuses, accusations of antisemitic posts from faculty, or claims of failing to accurately reflect Israel’s position in its defensive war against Hamas at university events.

Youngkin announced in a press release Monday that he is seeking “a total of $90 million in one-time funds to the University of Virginia’s Manning Institute for Biotechnology, Virginia Tech’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, and the Virginia Commonwealth University’s Medicines for All Institute” that will require them to work with the Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority to increase “commercialization and startup support” for the institutions.

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Georgia City Bans New Massage Parlors amid Human Trafficking Crackdown

Tom Pappert

The Roswell City Council issued a temporary moratorium on Monday to prohibit the city from granting new licenses for massage parlors in the Fulton County suburb located north of Atlanta. The moratorium follows a number of September human trafficking arrests and law enforcement actions at six massage parlors.

The city approved a resolution “instituting a temporary moratorium on new massage establishment licenses and occupational tax certificates” for 90 days “or until the City has properly amended its ordinances regarding massage establishments.”

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Think Tank Founder Drew Johnson Running for U.S. House in Nevada, Promises to Leverage Tennessee Experience to Pass ‘Pro Freedom’ Bills

Tom Pappert

Drew Johnson, who founded and served as the first president of the Beacon Center of Tennessee, formerly the Tennessee Center for Policy Research, told The Tennessee Star he intends to take his years of policy experience to Congress if he wins election to the U.S. House to represent Nevada’s 3rd Congressional district.

Johnson explained to The Star that he started Beacon Center when in his early twenties, and lived and operated from his personal vehicle for the think tank’s first few months of operation. He told The Star he saved American taxpayers around $60 billion and brought about 100 charter schools to Tennessee over his time in public policy.

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Sen. Tom Cotton Endorses Kari Lake, ‘The Fighter Arizona Needs’

Tom Pappert

Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) endorsed Kari Lake to represent Arizona in the U.S. Senate on Monday, stating the former newswoman and gubernatorial candidate “will stand up to the Biden agenda and put Arizonans first” if elected.

Lake wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that she was grateful for Cotton’s endorsement, calling him “a conservative warrior in the Senate.” Lake wrote that she looks “forward to working with Senator Cotton to secure the border” in a future Republican Senate majority.

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YoungkinWatch: Governor Denies Campaigning on Abortion Was Mistake, Acknowledges Americans ‘Living Paycheck to Paycheck’

Tom Pappert
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin

Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) denied that Virginia Republicans suffered from his political action committee’s heavy campaigning to restrict abortion during the November elections during a Monday interview. However, the governor also acknowledged the majority of Americans are “living paycheck to paycheck” in remarks that follow a leadership challenge against his allies in the House of Delegates, which was reportedly orchestrated due to frustrations over Republicans’ failure to campaign on the economy.

Responding to criticisms that Virginia Republicans may have suffered due to Youngkin’s Spirit of Virginia PAC spending heavily in favor of restricting abortion during the 2023 elections, the governor told Bloomberg that campaigning on abortion “was not a mistake.” He seemed to argue the issue gave Republicans something to run on, telling the outlet, “I firmly believe that one of the challenges that we have had as Republicans is we haven’t been clear on what we’re going to do.”

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Return of Covenant School Students to Burton Hills Campus Delayed Until April as Manifesto Legal Battle Continues

Tom Pappert

The Covenant School delayed the return of students and faculty to its Burton Hills campus until April 15 in a letter sent to parents that was published by Nashville media on Monday. Though not referenced in the letter, the delay follows the November publication of three leaked pages from the manifesto written by Covenant School killer Audrey Elizabeth Hale, which were cited in an ongoing lawsuit seeking to compel the release of Hale’s full manifesto.

In the letter Covenant School officials sent to parents, reported by NewsChannel 5, officials cited concerns over safety and security, learning disruption, and teacher and student readiness. They also cited a desire to reopen the campus after the March 27 anniversary of the Covenant School shooting, during which Hale, a biological female who identified as a transgender male, fatally shot three 9-year-old students and three faculty.

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Trump Expands Lead in Georgia as Poll Shows Biden Struggles with Young People

Tom Pappert

Former President Donald Trump has expanded his lead over President Joe Biden in Georgia, according to a new CNN-SRSS poll, which suggests the current president is struggling with voters in key demographics.

The poll showed Trump winning with 49 percent of the vote, while just 44 percent of voters said they would vote for Biden. The polling was conducted between November 30 and December 7, and pollsters reported a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percent.

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Gallego Silent After Harvard President Refuses to Condemn Antisemitism and Genocide, Despite Bragging About Attending in 2020

Tom Pappert

U.S. Representative Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-03) is holding his silence following an Arizona Sun Times press inquiry on Sunday about the refusal of Harvard University President Claudine Gay to state whether calling for the genocide of Jewish people is considered a violation of the university’s code of conduct.

Gay refused to state whether calls to commit violence and genocide against the Jewish people violated the university’s code of conduct during a five-minute exchange with Representative Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21). Gay repeatedly told Stefanik she finds such remarks and calls to action “personally abhorrent,” but said such language would receive First Amendment protections at Harvard.

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YoungkinWatch: Governor Urges Biden Admin to End Remote Work for Federal Workers to Save Metro Transit

Tom Pappert

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin sent a letter to two federal agencies within the Biden administration, urging them to require federal employees to return to the office in order to save the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) from a budget deficit he claims threatens the future of public transportation in Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Youngkin urged the federal Office of Personnel Management (OPM)and Office of Management and Budget to order its employees back to their offices “to infuse needed energy into the Greater DC regional economy and provide WMATA with a sustaining ridership level.”

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Anti-Gun Tennessee Activist Group Called to ‘Disrupt’ Nashville Businesses for Being Pro-Israel

Tom Pappert

The Tennessee Student Solidarity Network (TSSN) urged activists to “disrupt” a number of Nashville businesses on Saturday over their purported pro-Israel stance as part of the controversial Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Community organizing group Nour Nashville distributed a flyer on social media revealing a “BDS Direct Action” event scheduled for December 9. The group explained the post is a “call for action to disrupt businesses in support of genocide,” and urged its followers to message the TSSN “for details.” Neither Nour Nashville nor TSSN posted updates about their planned disruptions by press time.

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Arizona State House GOP Demands Biden Reopen Lukeville Port of Entry, Condemns ‘Complete Inaction, Neglect’ at Southern Border

Tom Pappert
illegal migrants

Every Republican member of the Arizona State House of Representatives signed a letter on Friday, urging President Joe Biden to reopen the Lukeville Port of Entry at the southern border. The Lukeville border crossing was closed on December 1 amid the unprecedented immigration crisis.

The lawmakers condemned the Lukeville closure as “just another failure in a long” and “disastrous record of mishandling the border crisis,” in a press release announcing their letter, and revealed that all 31 Republican members of the Arizona House signed the document before it was sent to the White House.

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NewsChannel 5 Legal Analyst Nick Leonardo Hit with Order of Protection in Davidson County

Tom Pappert

Nick Leonardo, who is a legal analyst for NewsChannel 5, is the subject of an order of protection filed with Davidson County General Sessions Court, a court official confirmed to The Tennessee Star on Friday.

The chief clerk for the General Sessions Court told The Star that the release of the order of protection filed against Leonardo was pending “clearance from Metro Legal,” as there is “a juvenile involved in this case,” which he stated meant the clerk’s office had “to make sure that this is not going to be placed under seal.”

The Chief Clerk for the General Sessions Clerk told The Star that release of the order of protection filed against Leonardo was pending “clearance from Metro Legal,” as there is “a juvenile involved in this case,” which he stated meant the clerk’s office had “to make sure that this is not going to be placed under seal.”

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Metro Nashville Police Unable to Find Source of Covenant Killer Manifesto Leak, but Reveals How Photos Were Taken

Tom Pappert

Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) Chief John Drake said in an official announcement on Friday that the department had “exhausted” its investigative options to discover the identity of the law enforcement professional who leaked images of the manifesto written by Covenant School killer Audrey Elizabeth Hale, leading to their publication.

Drake announced in the media release that his department “has exhausted all available investigative avenues” to identify the person who leaked the images, but offered new information about how the images were taken, and revealed that a former MNPD detective has opted against cooperating with his former employers’ investigation.

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Virginia U.S. Rep. Bob Good Secretly Recorded Complaining About Trump’s ‘Baggage’ After Claiming He Never Criticized Former President

Tom Pappert

U.S. Representative Bob Good (R-VA-05) raised complaints about former President Donald Trump, highlighting an alleged lack of conservative bona fides, before criticizing the criminal indictments against the former president as “baggage” in an undercover video posted to social media on Wednesday.

The video, which appears to be clandestinely shot, repeatedly features a clip of Good stating “you’re asking me privately, I don’t say this publicly,” before transitioning to clips of Good criticizing Trump.

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Tennessee Department of Children’s Services Claims Records of Visits Before Teen Starved to Death Cannot Be Released Until Trial

Tom Pappert

The Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS) claimed in court on Wednesday that it could not release records of the agency’s actions prior to the starvation death of a 14-year-old in 2021.

A former Memphis reporter’s 2021 attempt to learn more about actions taken by DCS prior to the death of 14-year-old Brandon Gray, who was allegedly starved to death by his family members while being forced to live in what News Channel 3 called “a filthy, cold garage with a mattress, portable toilet, and bleach jug for a urinal,” quoting official documents the outlet obtained.

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First Tennessee Human Trafficking Report in Decade Shows Abuse of Minors Rose over 800 Percent in Five Years

Tom Pappert

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) released a new Human Trafficking Statistical Report last week, revealing a sharp increase in human trafficking of minors in Tennessee in a five-year period.

The report, which was the first of its kind released in more than a decade, revealed there were 518 minor sex trafficking reports by November 5, and the agency notes that reports of minor sex trafficking “dramatically increased from 66 in 2016 to over 600 by 2021,” which is an increase of 809 percent. Similar numbers were reported in 2022 and 2023.

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TSMC Agrees to Use Arizona Workers to Build Phoenix Semiconductor Plant After Previously Claiming State Lacks Skilled Labor

Tom Pappert

The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) reached an agreement with the Arizona Building and Construction Trades Council (AZBTC) on Wednesday, resolving a labor dispute that began when TSMC brought Taiwanese workers to complete the facility after claiming Arizona lacked the necessary skilled workforce.

An agreement struck between the parties after months of negotiations will see the number of Taiwanese professionals involved in building the TSMC semiconductor facility in Phoenix severely limited, with the union acceding that “circumstances may require” Taiwanese officials with “specialized experience,” according to a Bloomberg report citing a joint statement.

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