Governor Lee Thumbs Nose to State Legislature in Decision to Approve Refugee Resettlement in Tennessee

 

In an interview Thursday 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. – Leahy was joined in studio by former Vanderbilt professor and Nashville mayoral candidate Dr. Carol Swain.

During the third hour, Swain and Leahy discussed Governor Lee’s recent decision to approve refugee resettlement in Tennessee without consulting the Tennessee General Assembly members. Swain went on to describe the move as ‘calculated’ while predicting that Governor Bill Lee is positioning himself for a run of the White House by satiating the liberal Democrats in D.C. and left-wing groups.

Leahy: We are joined in the studio by our very good friend and all-star panelist, Carol Swain. Good morning, Carol.

Swain: Good morning.

Leahy: Well, yesterday Gov. Bill Lee made a very bad decision irritating almost all of his base among conservatives. Irritating almost all of the Republican members of the Tennessee General Assembly who filed a lawsuit in federal court to stop the resettlement of refugees here in the state.

Because Tennessee taxpayers end up paying for the social welfare benefits and education benefits for the children of these refugees. And the 10th Amendment violation claims. Although that lawsuit is still pending, Gov. Lee decided really without talking to anyone at the Tennessee General Assembly and listening to the left of the Tennessee Immigration and Refugee Rights Commission.

The social justice warriors and the evangelical immigration table. He decided, yes! Bring on those refugees. You have a strong reaction to that. We quoted that in our story.

Swain: Well, first of all, I believe that the lawsuit with Thomas Moore Center becomes null and void because of the governor’s decision. And so he represents the state and he doesn’t have a problem with the federal immigration policy there.

Leahy: That’s a good point.

Swain: That’s a large implication.

Leahy: The background on this is the Tennessee General Assembly passed a resolution to file a lawsuit against the federal government that’s been denied in a couple of cases. But they’re still on appeal and will probably go to the Supreme Court. Gov. Haslam didn’t sign that bill, but let it go forward.

But what you’re saying here and maybe right is now the governor has said, I disagree with the general assembly, I wasn’t here when they passed that. I’m going to now follow the rights that the president gave me with the executive order that the governor can decide to allow refugees into the state or not on his own. Yeah, not thinking about that lawsuit or the impact on the general assembly. Said yeah.

Swain: You said, not thinking about it. We discussed this last week. Of course, the governor knew what he was going to do. He’s known for a long time. And it would be irresponsible for him not to know the full implications of his decision. So I’m going to give him credit for making a well-reasoned decision that represents him and probably his political ambitions for the future.

Leahy: In other words. The left-wing and Democrats and the refugee advocates like this decision. But the Republicans don’t.

Swain: Well I mean, the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition. They like the decision. They wield a lot of power in Tennessee now and across the country with organizations like that. And let’s just say that Gov. Lee believes someday he’ll be President Lee.

To become president you have to build a coalition and given the fact, whites are becoming a minority throughout the country. Blacks and whites are decreasing as a percentage of the population. Immigrants are growing at a fast pace. Strategically, if you’re looking long term this is a very good decision as a political catalyst.

Leahy: So what you’re saying is that you think, and you’re not the first person to say this.

Swain: Oh really? I like to be the first person to say something.

Leahy: Well, you’re the first person to say this publicly.

Swain: Clearly.

Leahy: But people have told me in private is that they think that Gov. Lee made this very bad decision to bring refugees into Tennessee and thumbing his nose at the Tennessee General Assembly because he has presidential ambitions. I’ve heard that.

Swain: It may be a bad decision for the state. But it may be a good decision for his political goals.

Leahy: What do you think the odds are that Governor Lee will have a primary challenger when he runs for reelection when he runs in 2022?

Swain: Well even if he has a primary challenger, he has deep pockets so money would not be a problem. And if he has favor among the immigrant rights coalitions. He will get money from George Soros and from all of the left-wing groups and he’ll build the coalition that’s needed to win. And so, it would be very difficult for someone to unseat him if he builds a coalition that includes Democrats.

Leahy: So he made this decision caving to the left and it looks like he’s moving to the left.

Swain: I don’t’ know that he’s caving. Before he was even elected it was pretty clear that he was the more liberal, maybe not as liberal…

Leahy: Well you wrote a commentary for the Tennessee Star for that.

Swain: I did, and I supported Diane Black. I’m not surprised. Anybody that could give money to the people he gave money to.

Leahy: Like Megan Barry…

Swain: Yeah, the Democrats. These are his values. This is who he is.

Listen to the third hour:

– – –

Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 am to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510. Listen online at iHeart Radio.
Photo “Bill Lee” by Bill Lee. Background Photo “Tennessee General Assembly” by Tennessee General Assembly.