Three well-known Tennessee conservatives on Tuesday found fault with Republican Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery for supporting Xavier Becerra, U.S. President Joe Biden’s nominee to serve as Health and Human Services secretary.
Becerra, a Democrat, serves as California’s attorney general.
FOX News published an article Friday that described Becerra as a controversial nominee who lacks medical experience and supports abortion access.
Slatery spokeswoman Samantha Fisher said by email Tuesday that the FOX News account of Slatery’s words were accurate.
“It characterized their positive working relationship as fellow attorneys general and nothing more,” Fisher said.
Former Vanderbilt University professor Carol Swain told The Tennessee Star in an email that Slatery has allowed “a personal relationship to supersede valid concerns about Becerra’s record on religious liberty and human life.”
“Slatery’s decision highlights the fact that it is more important than ever before for Tennessee to change the process for selecting its attorney general,” Swain wrote.
“Accountability is crucial if we are to have decisions reflecting the will of the people.”
Ben Cunningham of Tennessee Tax Revolt, meanwhile, said “Slatery’s endorsement of Becerra for HHS is tantamount to enthusiastic cheerleading for the far-left liberal agenda of the Biden administration.”
“Biden is taking us down the path to total government control of healthcare, and Becerra would happily lead us there,” Cunningham said in an email.
“Slatery may, in fact, have respect for Becerra’s skills as an attorney and bureaucrat but for Slatery to use his status and his office to promote Becerra for HHS is just plain wrong and a major betrayal of millions of conservative Tennesseans who are increasingly alarmed about the direction of the country under a Biden administration.”
According to the FOX News article, “Slatery and Becerra worked together on cases against opioid manufacturers.”
“On the map, California and Tennessee are two different colors. But when it comes to fighting for a remedy to the nationwide opioid crisis, the ‘D’ in front of General Becerra’s name and the ‘R’ in front of mine don’t seem to matter much,” FOX News quoted Slatery as saying.
“We have worked together among a group of attorneys general – with varied political positions – for the common good of the people we serve.”
Wilson County Republican Party Chair Brad Lytle told The Star Tuesday that Slatery “has more important things to do.”
“He identifies as a Republican, but it’s not his job to help abortion people get on at the [Department of] Health and Human Services,” Lytle said.
“I think that it’s uncalled for. I don’t understand it. It’s out of his lane.”
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Obviously the man is the correct person, don’t always have to be perfect, as ya’ll.
Trust fellow folks.
No Conservative/Honorable Citizen/Patriot picked him fo rAG?
Slatery was a gift from former governor Haslam! Haslam and Slatery are RINOs and big time losers! They think they serve their selves and not the good people of Tennessee! Slatery please go back home to Knoxville and spend your life with RINOs Corker, Haslam and yourself!!!
Slatery You are a big Time Loser! Governor Lee are you going to speak on this unelected swamp rat?
Carol Swain please run for Nashville mayor! It is time to put our moral and fiscal house in order!
Slattery has shown to be a liberal for several years. I guess that I should be thankful that he has demonstrated virtually no initiative on key issues. Tennessee needs to itself of this joke of an AG and find one that takes action like the one from Texas. I strongly suggest that the AG office be made by general election. It works in other states such as Texas.
Slatery is the nation’s highest paid state Attorney General. Are we getting our money’s worth??
Professor Swain is exactly correct. Oh how I wish she was Nashville’s mayor!!
one of the most super liberal AGs in one of the most super liberal states.
what on earth is wrong with the TN AG? is he out of his mind?
Slatery stays out of his lane….he’s been Tennessee AG for far to long!