WTN’s Brian Wilson Interviews Speaker of the Tennessee House Cameron Sexton

Live from Nashville, Tennessee, Tuesday on The Brian Wilson Show – host Wilson welcomed Tennessee House of Representatives Speaker Cameron Sexton to the newsmaker hotline to discuss the expulsion proceedings of Democrat Representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson.

Read the full story

State Rep. Johnny Garrett on How the Tennessee House Will Respond if State Rep. Justin Jones Breaks House Rules Again

Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Tennessee House of Representative’s Majority Whip Johnny Garrett (R-Goodlettsville) in studio to talk about the chances of Justin Jones taking over a House session and the mechanics of his re-election.

Read the full story

Shelby County Commission to Hold Vote on Appointment of Former State Rep. Justin Pearson to the Tennessee State House

After Monday’s reinstatement of State Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville) by the Nashville Metro Council, the Shelby County Commission Wednesday will hold a special meeting to consider whether to reappoint expelled former State Rep. Justin Pearson (D-Memphis). 

Over the weekend, Shelby County Commissioner Mickell Lowry released the following statement on his Facebook page: 

Read the full story

Nashville Metro Council Votes to Reinstate Democrat Justin Jones to the Tennessee House of Representatives

During a special meeting called on Monday, the Nashville Metro City Council unanimously voted to reinstate State Representative Justin Jones (D-Nashville) to the Tennessee House of Representatives after he and another Democrat representative were expelled last week.

Read the full story

‘Day of Action’ Planned for Monday in Tennessee

According to a flyer being circulated, Monday will be a “Day of Action” for Tennessee Democrats after two former legislators were expelled from office last Thursday. 

“Join the Tennessee three for a day of action,” the flyer says. 

Read the full story

Out-of-State Dark Money Funded Anti-Gun Protestors at Tennessee Capitol Riot

Make no mistake, the “mostly peaceful” riots at the Tennessee Capitol last week under the guise of “gun safety” activism were all about power — organized and led by some well-heeled Generation Z groups with a pipeline to the Democrat-controlled White House.

Gun control extremists March For Our Lives and Gen-Z For Change hit social media to again recruit their young soldiers following the March 27 mass murders of three children and three adult staff members at The Covenant School, a private Christian school in Nashville. Audrey Elizabeth Hale, a deranged 28-year-old who reportedly identified as a transgender male, stormed into the private school and mercilessly shot and killed her victims before police officers fatally shot Hale.

Read the full story

Kamala Harris Takes Surprise Trip to Tennessee After Lawmakers Expelled

After two Tennessee State Representatives were expelled for leading an unruly mob during a riot at the state Capitol, Vice President Kamala Harris Friday visited Nashville to meet with the expelled lawmakers. 

Video shows Harris hugging former State Reps. Justin Jones (D-Nashville) and Justin Pearson (D-Memphis), along with State Rep. Gloria Johnson (D-Knox County), who narrowly escaped expulsion by one vote. 

Read the full story

Democrats Rage in Wake of Expulsion of Tennessee House Lawmakers

In the wake of the expulsion of two Tennessee lawmakers who led a riot obstructing a lawmaking session, left-wing activists and politicians have responded with fury. 

“After a tragic mass shooting in Tennessee, state Republican lawmakers called votes to expel three Democratic legislators who stood in solidarity with students and families. The expulsion of lawmakers who engaged in peaceful protest is shocking, undemocratic, and unprecedented,” said President Joe Biden. 

Read the full story

Left-Wing Washington Post Labels Tennessee Expulsions ‘Act of Retaliation’

A left-wing news outlet labeled the expulsion of two Tennessee state lawmakers as an act of partisanship.

“Breaking news: In a historic act of partisan retaliation, the Republican-led Tennessee House voted Thursday to expel two Democratic lawmakers who halted proceedings last week to join protesters demanding gun-control legislation after a mass killing,” said The Washington Post on Twitter, linking to a news story the outlet wrote on the subject. 

Read the full story

State Rep. Gino Bulso on the Expulsion of Jones and Pearson from the Tennessee House of Representatives

Friday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael and attorney Gino Bulso to comment on former State Representative Justin Jones’ vitriolic attack on Tennessee House members and the media’s misrepresentation of the Capitol riot.

Read the full story

Michael Patrick Leahy: The Tennessee Constitution Requires a Vacancy in the State House of Representatives Be Filled by a ‘Successor’ Who Is Another Person, Not the Previous Representative

Friday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy explained Tennessee Constitution’s laws on what would happen if former State Representative Justin Jones tries to run again for his expelled seat in a special election.

Read the full story

Tennessee Human Life Protection Act Remains Strong with Narrow Abortion Exception for Saving Life of the Mother

Both the Tennessee Senate and House have now passed the state’s Human Life Protection Act (HLPA), legislation that bans abortion, with only one change – an exception for saving the life of the mother – one that the pro-life community says will continue to protect the right to life of all unborn children in the state.

Gov. Bill Lee (R) is expected to sign the legislation.

Read the full story

State Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson Expelled from the Tennessee House of Representatives

After a contentious session in the Tennessee House on Thursday two Democrat state representatives were expelled from office by their congressional colleagues.

Thursday afternoon, State Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville) (pictured above) was officially removed from the Tennessee state legislature by a vote of 72-25.

Read the full story

Roger Simon: Riot at Tennessee Capitol More Evidence of the Decline in the American IQ

Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed all-star panelist Roger Simon in studio to discuss the decline of the American IQ and the education system.

Read the full story

Freshman State Rep. Brian Richey Describes Tennessee Legislation That Prompted Him to Run for Office

Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed State Representative Brian Richey (R-Maryville) in studio to discuss his background and what prompted him to run for office. 

Read the full story

State Rep. Brian Richey on Tennessee Capitol Riot: Justin Jones’ Plan Was to Make National News

Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report,  host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed State Representative Brian Richey (R-Maryville) in studio to talk about last week’s unprecedented riot at the Tennessee Capitol and the vote to expel the three left-wing legislators that instigated it.

Read the full story

Michael Patrick Leahy and Crom Carmichael: No Accountability for Tennessee Capitol Riot Could Lead to More, Injury, or Death

Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael to the studio to discuss the duty of the county commissions of the left-wing state representatives that perpetuated last week’s Tennessee Capitol riot and to hold them accountable.

Read the full story

Report Shows Massive Growth in Tennessee Charter Schools

A public policy group in Tennessee released a report this week showing a massive uptick in charter school growth in the Volunteer State. 

According the report by The Beacon Center of Tennessee, charter schools in Tennessee have increased in number from fewer than 20 in 2010 to more than 110 in 2019. Such schools have only become more popular since 2019, and more than 44,000 students in the state are enrolled in a charter school.

Read the full story

Tennessee House Republicans Move to Expel Three Democrats over Last Week’s Protests that Disrupted House Proceedings

The Tennessee House of Representatives moved to expel three Democrats who led a protest on the House floor last week, disrupting House proceedings.

Read the full story

Activists in Bradley County Request Government Owned Broadband Network Planned for Cleveland, Tennessee to be Approved by a Referendum

Leaders of four citizen groups representing “thousands of conservatives in Cleveland and Bradley County” have sent a letter to the City of Cleveland and its utility department, Cleveland Utilities, calling for the city’s proposed multi-million dollar broadband internet service plan to be approved by a referendum of the voters.

Read the full story

Tennessee Authorities: No Arrests or Pending Charges for Capitol Rioters

According to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDSHS), there will be no repercussions for a Thursday riot foiled by Tennessee State Troopers at the State Capitol. 

“There were no arrests made on Thursday,” TDSHS communications director Wesley Moster told The Tennessee Star Monday. “There are no investigations or criminal charges pending.”

Read the full story

Tennessee U.S Rep. David Kustoff Introduces Bill to Stop Cell Phones Being Smuggled to Prison Inmates Following Request from Attorney General Skrmetti

U.S. Tennessee Congressman David Kustoff (R-TN-08) recently introduced the Cellphone Jamming Reform Act in the U.S. House of Representatives which would prevent contraband cell phone use in federal and state prison facilities by allowing state and federal prisons to use cell phone jamming systems.

Read the full story

Tennessee U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles Introduces Bill to Award Congressional Gold Medals to the Metro Nashville Police Officers Who Stopped the Presbyterian Covenant School Shooter

U.S. Tennessee Congressman Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) recently introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives to honor Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) Officers Rex Engelbert and Michael Collazo with a Congressional Gold Medal.

Read the full story

Tennessee Lawmakers Move to Reform the State Achievement School District

Tennessee lawmakers took a step towards changing the focus of the state Achievement School District (ASD) on Wednesday by passing HB O692 out of the state House Education Administration Committee. They did so over the objections of the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE).

The bill, should it become law, strips the TDOE of the ability to contract with private entities to run schools identified as low performing, and the ability to take over the administration of those schools. The bill further requires that the state department of education create and administer a Tennessee education portal that provides individual school districts with access to educational support and notifies districts of educational grant opportunities. While the bill prevents the TDOE from contracting with charter school operators to run schools, it does ensure that all current contracts are honored.

Read the full story

Nashville District Attorney’s Office Says No Criminal Complaints Filed Against Tennessee Capitol Rioters

The office of Nashville District Attorney General Glenn Funk said no state or local criminal investigations are pending stemming from Thursday’s riot at the Tennessee State Capitol.

“I just checked with the folks here,” said Steve Hayslip, a Nashville District Attorney General’s spokesman. “No state or local law enforcement agency has brought any criminal complaint to this office for review.”

Read the full story

Tennessee Lawmakers Put State Department of Education on Notice About Low Math Proficiency Rate

Tennessee lawmakers questioned Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) representatives after they revealed the low percentage of state high school students who were proficient in math. 

Tennessee’s Deputy Commissioner of Education Eve Carney and Assistant Commissioner of Academic Strategy Christy Wall appeared before the State House Education Instruction Committee this week to talk about upcoming math instructional strategy for Tennessee schools. 

Read the full story

TBI Aware of Viral Post from Trans Activist Demanding Violence Against Tennessee Law Enforcement

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) Thursday confirmed to The Tennessee Star that it is aware of a viral video circulating the web in which a transgender activist encourages transgender people in Tennessee to commit acts of violence. 

“We are aware of the post, but don’t have any further information or insight to offer,” said TBI spokesman Josh DeVine. 

Read the full story

State Troopers Foil Riot of Left-Wing Mob at Tennessee Capitol

A riot at the Tennessee State Capitol was stopped by state troopers Thursday as State Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville) and at least two other far-left Democrat state representatives encouraged a crowd of more than a thousand protesters to breach the Tennessee House of Representatives chamber floor during a gun control demonstration.

Tennessee State Troopers foiled the breach, as protesters attempted to enter the chamber from the gallery above and the ground floor.

Read the full story

Sumner County School Whistleblower Makes Explosive Allegations About Policy Violations Against Only Candidate Recommended by Tennessee School Board Association for District Director Position

A Sumner County Schools employee whistleblower has made explosive allegations of multiple policy violations and the creation of a hostile work environment against the only candidate recommended by the Tennessee School Board Association (TSBA) for the district director position.

Dr. Scott Langford, the Sumner County Schools (SCS) Chief Academic Officer (CAO), was the sole candidate recommended as a finalist by the TSBA for the director position that will be open at the end of June.

Read the full story

Tennessee House to Consider Increasing Voucher Eligibility

An amendment being brought forth this week by House Education Chair Mark White (R-Memphis) if made law, would make more families eligible to participate in the state’s Education Savings Account (ESA) program. Often referred to as “vouchers”, ESAs provide funding to eligible families to enroll their children in private schools.

Currently, only students in Davidson and Shelby counties are eligible to participate, but earlier this session SB0012 was passed by the State Senate, expanding eligibility to Hamilton County students. The proposed amendment increases the potential for participation by students in even more districts. 

Read the full story

Four Former Memphis Officers Charged in Tyre Nichols’ Death Banned from Practicing Law Enforcement in Tennessee

Four out of the five former Memphis police officers charged with second degree murder in the beating death of Tyre Nichols can no longer practice law enforcement in the State of Tennessee.

Read the full story

Special Agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Seen at Nashville District Attorney Offices amid Criminal Probe

Special agents and technicians with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) went to Nashville District Attorney General Glenn Funk’s office on Friday, according to NewsChannel5. Funk is currently under investigation for wiretapping concerns.

Read the full story

Tennessee State Board of Education Rejects Proposed Rules Governing Third-Grade Retention Policy

The Tennessee State Board of Education (SBE) held a special meeting on Thursday to approve rules written by the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) governing the state’s new third-grade retention law. However, the board voted to defer passage until the next board meeting.

Read the full story

Tennessee Representative Gets Hearing Witness to Admit CCP Could Get ‘Ongoing Criminal Enterprise’ Designation for Role in Fentanyl Crisis

The U.S. House Financial Services Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions held a hearing about how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is fueling the influx of fentanyl at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Committee Member Tennessee Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) asked former U.S. Treasury Special Agent Jonathan Cassara if the CCP could “be designated as a threat to our country.” Cassara said the CCP could “very well be designated as an ongoing criminal enterprise.”

Read the full story

All-Star Panelist Roger Simon on Presidential Candidates: ‘Is 80 the New 45?’

Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed all-star panelist Roger Simon in studio to discuss the average age of presidential candidates and the genius of Vivek Ramaswamy.

Read the full story

Virginia Names Tennessee Chief Academic Officer as Its New Superintendent of Public Instruction

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has announced the appointment of Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) Chief Academic Officer Lisa Coons as Virginia’s 27th superintendent of public instruction. The move comes as Coons was recently named a finalist for the job of Nebraska’s State Superintendent of Schools. Coons’ appointment is effective April 17, with Virginia Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera touting her as a welcome addition to the team.

Read the full story

Former Memphis Officer Charged with Murder in Tyre Nichols’ Death Surrenders License to Practice Law Enforcement in Tennessee

Desmond Mills, who was one of the former Memphis Police officers charged in the beating death of Tyre Nichols, recently surrendered his license to practice law enforcement in the state of Tennessee, according to a report by WREG Memphis.

Read the full story

Average Rent Prices in Tennessee Up More Than 12 Percent Year-Over-Year, 35 Percent Since 2020

Average rent prices in Tennessee increased 12.1 percent year-over-year as of February, according to data compiled by apartment search engine Rent. Tennessee ranked ninth in the nation for experiencing the biggest increase in rent prices from February 2022 to February 2023.

Read the full story

Tennessee Senate Approves Plan for Toll Lanes, Road Funding Boost

Tennessee’s Senate voted to approve Gov. Bill Lee’s Transportation Modernization Act late Monday with a 26-5 vote.

The bill would put $3.3 billion into the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s Transportation Modernization Fund and send it in equal portions to the state’s three Grand Divisions for road work, which the state says there is a $26 billion backlog that needs to be completed.

Read the full story

Tennessee’s Congressional Delegation Members React to Biden’s Veto of ESG Bill

Republican members of the Tennessee Congressional Delegation condemned President Joe Biden on Monday for using his first veto to shoot down legislation that would require pension fund managers to make investment decisions based on financial factors – not based on environmental, social, or governance (ESG) factors.

Read the full story

Connecticut Man Arrested for Threats Against Tennessee Library That Hosted Kirk Cameron Story Hour

The Hendersonville Police Department reported Thursday that a Connecticut man had been taken into custody by the Connecticut State Police as the suspect for threats made against the Hendersonville Public Library, where its director Allan Morales was recently fired.

Read the full story

EXCLUSIVE: Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles Blasts Phil Williams for Personal Attacks Based on Death of Ogles’ Son

Late Wednesday Tennessee U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) blasted long time News Channel 5 reporter Phil Williams over claims Williams made about the death of Ogle’s son in 2014 in a story published earlier in the day by News Channel 5.

Hugh Lincoln Ogles, the son of future Congressman Ogles and his wife Monica Ogles, died on February 19, 2014, the day of his birth, and was buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in Franklin, Tennessee.

Read the full story

Revisions to Tennessee’s Third-Grade Retention Law Pass Out of House K-12 Subcommittee

The Tennessee State House K-12 Education Subcommittee considered several proposals before agreeing to accept House Education Chairman Mark White’s (R-Memphis) proposed legislation that would expand opportunities for students to avoid retention while offering K-2 students more resources to stay on track.

Read the full story