Live from Music Row Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. –  host Leahy welcomed former Bredesen employee Jeanette Elrod to the newsmaker line to discuss her recent firing from Phil Bredesen because she was medically unable to receive the vaccine to continue her employment.
Leahy: We are joined on the line by Jeanette Elrod. Good morning, Jeanette.
Elrod: Good morning, Michael. It’s a pleasure to be here this morning with you.
Leahy: So your story is interesting. You have worked for many years, I guess, since 2000 as a housekeeper, according to the Wilson Post. It says a well-known former Tennessee politician…
Would you like to share with our listing audience who that well-known former Tennessee politician is and what your current status is working or not working for that former Tennessee politician?
Elrod: Yes. In 2000, I actually applied for a job that was in a classified ad in Tennessee. And so I started working for Phil Bredeson. Mr. Bredeson, I called him.
Leahy: The former governor.
Elrod: Yes, the former governor, and the former mayor of Nashville. I started working for them on Memorial weekend of the year 2000 and I had been with them ever since. And of course, COVID came along last year, and I was probably more alarmed than they were because I knew that President Trump had shut down the flights and everything, and they weren’t even concerned at that time.
I had some concerns. Of course, as time went on, I realized it wasn’t as harsh as it was being portrayed. And of this year, August 18, I was given a letter by the ex-governor and basically stated that if I did not receive the vaccine by October 1st, that I would lose my job.
And I am a woman of faith Michael. I might add that I’m a person. I stand up for what I believe in and who I stand for, which is Jesus. I mean, that’s just been my model for a long time. God, family, and country are so important to me.
Well, first off, I had told him as well as the First Lady, Ms. Andrea Conte, that I was anaphylactic. Every time I have a shot, I have side effects. I’m either in bed for days or I’m sick. When I have a flu shot, I get the flu.
So I told them from the get-go when they first started talking to me that I can’t take a shot because I’m anaphylactic. Of course, not knowing the contents of the shot was against my religious belief.
And in the spring of 2020, I went to the doctor and I was not tested for COVID but I just found out recently that I have the antibodies. I had a sinus infection in the spring of 2020 and my antibodies came up. And lo and behold, I had COVID back then, and they never did test me.
Leahy: Did the former governor deliver this letter to you personally?
Elrod: Yes.
Leahy: What was that like? What did he say?
Elrod: In the letter, it was basically stating that I don’t want to enter a lot of the household information out here but basically if I didn’t have the vaccine, I was putting them all in danger because he said that not only themselves, they had the vaccine, but the workers had the vaccine.
Leahy: Did you tell him that you tested positive and had antibodies before?
Elrod: Before it was all said and done Michael, I gave him all my medical papers from my doctor. My doctor gave me a medical paper stating that I should not have the shot because I’m anaphylactic for one.
He said I shouldn’t wear a mask because I have asthma and I have not worn a mask. Michael, I’m sorry to say. It’s very difficult for an asthmatic patient to wear a mask. But then he also saw the documentation that I have the antibodies.
Leahy: And the former governor, Bredesen, what was his response to all this?
Elrod: Basically, it didn’t make any difference. All those responses were just negative toward me. I originally had handed him way back on August the 5th about my liberty rights and my religious rights. And he tossed those papers right at me.
Leahy: He tossed those papers at you?
Elrod: Yes, he tossed them at me. He said that they were I won’t say that on the air, but he said that they were just all things that came off the Internet and they were BS. I’m just telling you.
Leahy: So what happened now? What was your last day? It sounds like it became a little bit unpleasant.
Elrod: Oh, my gosh, Michael. The last few months were just they were horrible. I knew back in April that my day was coming. I had just bought a brand new car in the first part of April, and it was probably two weeks after that.
I sensed it in my spirit that they were going to ask me to leave. And I had a lot of belongings in their home, and I started pulling everything out and putting it in my car because I knew my days were numbered there. I would never have bought a brand new car, but I did, unfortunately.
Leahy: Jeanette, what happens next? We got 30 seconds.
Elrod:Â Well, I’m trying to find a job. I’m trying to find a job, and that’s where I’m at right now.
Leahy: And so if people are interested in, how do they reach you if they want to?
Elrod: Well, I’m on Facebook, of course.
Leahy: Jeanette Elrod on Facebook. And then you could contact Jeanette there. And we wish you luck in your search for a job, and we appreciate it very much. Thanks for joining us, Jeanette.
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Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510. Listen online at iHeart Radio.
