Tennessee AG Skrmetti Urges Federal Court to Block the Education Department’s Title IX Rule

AGs Sue Biden Administration Title IX

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman urged a federal judge in Kentucky to block the U.S. Department of Education’s (DOE) finalized rule to rewrite Title IX to encompass gender identity and sexual orientation.

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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee Endorses Aron Maberry in House District 68 Primary Race

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Aron Maberry

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee endorsed Aron Maberry, a Montgomery County school board member, in the August 1 Republican primary election for Tennessee State House District 68.

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Tennessee Officials React to Hunter Biden’s Guilty Verdict

Hunter Biden

Some of Tennessee’s federal lawmakers Tuesday reacted to the news that Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, was convicted on felony gun charges.

The younger Biden was found guilty of making a false statement in the purchase of a gun, making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federally licensed gun dealer, and possession of a gun by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance in a federal court in Wilmington, Delaware. 

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Canada Lawmakers Helped Foreign Powers Influence Elections, Report Alleges

Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc

The Canadian Parliament’s National Security Committee implicated multiple parliament members of “semi-witting or witting” cooperation with foreign powers to influence elections, according to a recent report.

The National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) supported their findings with 4,000 documents totaling 33,000 pages. Their findings allege “pervasive and sophisticated foreign interference” in Canadian politics, including allegations that multiple unnamed parliament members worked with foreign actors to influence elections and campaigns in 2019 and 2021.

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Reporter Tom Pappert Offers Thoughts on Why Vanderbilt University Medical Center Refuses to Answer Press Inquiries Surrounding Covenant Killer Case

Tom Pappert, lead reporter at The Tennessee Star who has reported extensively on The Star’s obtaining of more than 80 documents related to the case of Audrey Elizabeth Hale, the Covenant School killer, said Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) has refused to respond to any of his press inquiries surrounding its involvement in the case of Hale, who reportedly had been receiving treatment from the hospital since 2001.

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FBI Asking for Help Identifying More Victims of Alleged Tennessee Child Exploiter

James C. Thompson

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) says it needs help locating other potential victims of a serial child exploiter from east Tennessee. 

Last week, a federal grand jury in Knoxville returned a three-count indictment against James Thompson, 71, of Lookout Mountain. The indictment alleges that Thompson transported minors across state lines with the intent of engaging in sexual activity back in 2000. 

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Tennessee Governor Endorses Jason Emert in House District 20 Primary Race

Jason Emert and Gov. Bill Lee

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee endorsed Jason Emert, a reserve officer with the U.S. Air Force and member of the Tennessee Air National Guard, in the August 1 Republican primary election for Tennessee State House District 20.

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Latinos for Tennessee Endorses New Trump Campaign Coalition

Tommy Vallejos / Latinos for Tennessee

The organization Latinos for Tennessee endorsed the new “Latino Americans for Trump” coalition organized by former President Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign over the weekend.

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Colorado Discriminated Against Catholic Preschools by Starving Them of Funding, Court Rules

Catholic School

A federal court ruled Wednesday that Colorado discriminated against Catholic preschools by refusing to allow them to participate in the state’s school voucher program over their faith.

St. Mary’s Catholic Parish and St. Bernadette’s Catholic Parish filed a lawsuit against the state in August 2023 after Colorado denied its application to the state’s universal preschool (UPK) program because the schools consider religious beliefs when deciding whether or not a student can attend the school. Judge John Kane Jr., a Jimmy Carter appointee, of the District Court of Colorado determined that the state had erred in allowing “faith-based providers” to receive exemptions in similar cases but not the preschool, according to the 101-page opinion.

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Libertarian Party of Tennessee Breaks Silence, Condemns ‘Clearly Politically Motivated’ Conviction of President Trump

The Libertarian Party of Tennessee released a statement Thursday, one week after former President Donald Trump was found guilty by a Manhattan jury on all 34 counts in the falsification of business records linked to the Stormy Daniels hush money scandal, condemning the “clearly politically motivated” conviction of the former president.

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Tennessee U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty Latest Republican to Join Pledge Against White House Priorities

Bill Hagerty

U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) joined a group of 13 other Republican members of the U.S. Senate in signing a pledge vowing to not “aid and abet” the Biden administration in its “project to tear this country apart.”

The pledge was created last week on May 31 – just one day after former President Donald Trump was found guilty by a Manhattan jury on all 34 counts in the falsification of business records linked to the Stormy Daniels hush money scandal, marking the first time in history that a U.S. president has been convicted of a felony.

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Commentary: Corporate Media Desperately Wants People to Ignore This Alarming Factoid in Newest Jobs Report

Stressed Worker

Ignore the May jobs report‘s topline establishment survey number and the media’s celebratory reporting. It’s not to be trusted.

A new analysis by the Daily Caller News Foundation shows that payrolls were overstated by 1.3 million last year after accounting for the constant downward revisions. A new Bloomberg Economics report finds monthly job gains were overstated by 730,000 last year. Bloomberg says a surge of business closures is to blame.

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Alleged Cyberstalker McKenzie McClure Ordered to ‘Open-Door’ Psychiatric Center in East Tennessee

McKenzie McClure, Pasaenda Villa

The mental health facility alleged cyberstalker McKenzie McClure was ordered to be released to on Monday to an “open-door” psychiatric treatment center in East Tennessee.

Pasadena Villa in Sevierville, Tennessee, houses patients who voluntarily stay there, according to testimony by Admissions Coordinator Sabina Shakoor. Personnel cannot force patients to stay, and patients have left the facility voluntarily in the past, she continued.

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Tennessee Governor Endorses Lee Reeves in House District 65 Primary Race

Lee Reeves and Bill Lee

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee endorsed real estate investor and attorney Lee Reeves in the August 1 Republican primary election for Tennessee State House District 65 on Thursday.

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Tennessee National Guard Troops Complete Training Exercise in Bulgaria

TN National Guard

Troops with the Tennessee National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 181st Field Artillery Regiment completed an international joint readiness exercise, named Thracian Warrior 24, this week at Novo Selo and Koren training areas of Bulgaria.

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Kari Lake Rallies Support at Sonny’s Boxing Gym with UFC Star Tito Ortiz

Kari Lake

Republican U.S. Senate Candidate Kari Lake held a rally at Sonny’s Boxing Gym in Goodyear, near the Avondale border in the heart of the Latino community there. Conservative UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz joined her at the event, which was hosted by Latinos for Lake.

The gym was packed with mostly Hispanic supporters from the West Valley, many of whom told The Sun Times they support Lake because they believe she will fight for them.

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Tennessee GOP Chairman Confirms Donald Trump Will be the GOP Nominee, Republican National Convention Will Not be Impacted by Sentencing Outcome

Donald Trump

Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Scott Golden confirmed in an interview Thursday that former President Donald Trump will be the Republican Party’s presidential nominee amid his upcoming July 11 sentencing date where a Manhattan judge could order him to prison immediately.

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Tennessee State Rep. Jason Zachary Details Importance of Bill that Tightened Duty to Report Law

Jason Zachary

Tennessee State Representative Jason Zachary (R-Knoxville) suggested his bill that strengthened the state’s duty to report law may have prevented the Covenant School shooting on March 27, 2023 in Nashville if implemented before the shooting took place.

Over the weekend, The Tennessee Star reported it was provided the name of the psychologist who was reportedly part of the care team for Covenant School killer Audrey Elizabeth Hale.

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Report: Covenant School Shooter Fantasized About School Shootings as Middle Schooler

Covenant School shooter Audrey Elizabeth Hale had been having fantasies of carrying out school shootings ever since she was a middle schooler, 99.7 WTN afternoon radio host Brian Wilson reported Wednesday.

Wilson revealed a number of other previously unknown details about Hale referencing a “lengthy” document he obtained regarding her and the shooting. He said he had more details he would reveal Thursday.

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Retired MNPD Lieutenant Says Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital Did Not Report Covenant Killer’s Violent Fantasies to Law Enforcement

Garet Davidson

Retired Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) Lt. Garet Davidson told Michael Patrick Leahy, CEO and editor-in-chief of The Tennessee Star, that Audrey Elizabeth Hale, the Covenant School killer, received treatment from the Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, where professionals failed to report her violent fantasies to law enforcement. Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital is a part of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center system.

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Reporter Matt Giffin Recounts Being the Sole Reporter at Federal Hearing in Case of Transgender Alleged Cyberstalker McKenzie McClure

Matthew Giffin

Matt Giffin, reporter at The Tennessee Star, said he was the sole reporter that attended the federal hearing on Monday in the case of transgender alleged cyberstalker McKenzie McClure, who was ordered by the federal district court judge to be temporarily released to a residential mental health facility rather than stay in federal custody.

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Tennessee AG Skrmetti Leads Coalition in Demanding the American Bar Association Stop Requiring Law Schools to Engage in Illegal Racial Discrimination

Tennessee A.G. Jonathan Skrmetti

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti led a coalition of 20 other state attorneys general in sending a letter to the Council of the American Bar Association (ABA) on Monday demanding that it make changes to its accreditation process to comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative in the case Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard.

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Tennessee ‘Furries’ Will Have Float in Nashville Pride Parade

People dressed up in furry suits

A group of Tennessee furries will have a float in Nashville’s 2024 gay pride parade. 

“Wowie! We’re so proud to be doing this again! If you guys remember from last year, we made international news and were seen by Jill Biden, First Lady of the United States! Pretty dang cool, huh?” said a group called MurfreesFurs on its website. “Well, now EVERY FURRY GROUP IN TENNESSEE is joining us! We are sponsoring and paying for everyone to get involved with us in unity, and we can’t wait to see the fandom united under a beautiful cause! Each furry group is going to get together in decorating and building the float with their own designs, and then we march or ride in the parade!”

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Legal Reporter Rachel Alexander Says Trump Conviction is the ‘Most Twisted Legal Decision’ She’s Seen in Her Life

Rachel Alexander

Rachel Alexander, lead reporter at The Arizona Sun Times and recovering lawyer, said Thursday’s decision by a Manhattan jury to convict former President Donald Trump on 34 counts in the falsification of business records linked to the Stormy Daniels hush money scandal is the “most twisted legal decision” she has witnessed in her life.

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Known Criminal Arrested, Charged for Exposing Himself and Touching Woman at WeGo Bus Station: Report

WeGo Bus Stop

A man with a lengthy criminal record was arrested and charged on Sunday for allegedly following, touching, and exposing himself to a woman at a WeGo bus station in Nashville.

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Psychologist Who Allegedly Failed to Report Violent Threats from Covenant Killer Audrey Hale Identified, Claims Practice Closed in 2022

Audrey Elizabeth Hale

A source provided The Tennessee Star with the name of the psychologist who was reportedly part of the care team for Covenant School killer Audrey Elizabeth Hale. That psychologist allegedly failed in her professional and legal duty to warn law enforcement after Hale purportedly expressed fantasies about murdering her family members and carrying out a school shooting while under treatment.

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Tennessee U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn Joins Colleagues in Introducing the MOMS Act

Tennessee U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) joined a group of her Republican colleagues in introducing the More Opportunities for Moms to Succeed (MOMS) Act on Friday.

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Psychologist Who Allegedly Failed to Report Violent Threats from Covenant Killer Audrey Hale Identified, Claims Practice Closed in 2022

Audrey Elizabeth Hale

A source provided The Tennessee Star with the name of the psychologist who was reportedly part of the care team for Covenant School killer Audrey Elizabeth Hale. That psychologist allegedly failed in her professional and legal duty to warn law enforcement after Hale purportedly expressed fantasies about murdering her family members and carrying out a school shooting while under treatment.

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Three Tennessee Cities Among Top 20 Places Most Americans are Moving to, Report Says

A report from POD, the moving and storage company, says that three cities in Tennessee are among the top 20 in America where people are moving. 

“We’re seeing more people move to the Southern Appalachian region, which includes states like North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama,” the report said. “Tennessee tied with Florida for the third most popular state for new moves.”

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Tennessee Politicians, Others Celebrate Pride Month

LBGTQ supporters

On the first day of June, politicians, political organizations and private companies took to X, formerly Twitter, to celebrate gay pride month. 

“Happy Pride, everyone!” said disgraced former Nashville mayor turned congressional candidate Megan Barry. “I proudly stand with the LGBTQ+ community. Let’s celebrate love, diversity, and equality for all. Together, we can build a Tennessee where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued.”

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Tennessee U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn Joins Pledge Against White House Priorities

Marsha Blackburn

Tennessee U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) joined a coalition of nine other senators in signing a pledge vowing to not “aid and abet this White House in its project to tear this country apart.”

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Tennessee Attorney General Leads Lawsuit Challenging HHS Final Rule on Gender Identity Under the Affordable Care Act

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch led a coalition of 13 other states in filing a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) final rule, which redefines the Affordable Care Act’s prohibition against discrimination based on “sex” to include “gender identity.”

As of May 6, HHS’ final rule requires medical providers to perform surgeries and administer hormone drugs to both children and adults for the purpose of gender transition, without regard for a doctor’s medical judgment as to whether that treatment was appropriate.

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Scammers Who Attempted to Foreclose on Elvis Presley’s Iconic Graceland Home Admit to Failure: Report

Grace Land

An individual allegedly involved in a scheme to acquire Elvis Presley’s iconic Graceland home in Memphis reportedly reached out to CNN via email claiming responsibility for the scam, the outlet reported this week.

Graceland became the target of Nausanny Investments and Private Lending, LLC after the company claimed that the singer’s daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, who died in 2023, didn’t repay a loan using the home as collateral.

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Reporter Tom Pappert: ‘Bone-Chilling’ to See 15-Year-Old Alleged Bellevue Killer Smiling After Crime

Tom Pappert

Tom Pappert, the lead reporter at The Tennessee Star, said the photograph released by the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) that shows the 15-year-old arrested for the fatal Wednesday night shooting in Bellevue smiling after the incident is “bone-chilling.”

On Thursday, Pappert reported that MNPD confirmed the arrest of 15-year-old De’Anthony Osasosifo and named him as a suspect in the Wednesday night shooting in the parking lot of the Red Caboose Park in Bellevue that left a 13-year-old dead and his 16-year-old sister hospitalized.

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Report: Covenant School Shooter Told Therapist She Fantasized About Killing Her Family

Audrey Hale Shooter

Covenant School shooter Audrey Elizabeth Hale reportedly told her therapist that she was fantasizing about killing her family and committing a school shooting, according to a report by 99.7 WTN radio host Brian Wilson. The therapist reportedly did not report these findings to authorities.

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New Report Details Just How Much Regulations Under Biden Have Cost Average Americans

Joe Biden

The Biden administration has set in motion a wave of new regulations that have already cost the U.S. more than $1 trillion, which equates to thousands of dollars per family, according to a new report from the Job Creators Network.

There have been $1.6 trillion in costs imposed from a total of 923 new federal regulations that have been finalized under President Joe Biden, with $1.2 trillion of those being put in place in just the past few months, according to the JCN. In just the first two years of the Biden administration, new regulations are estimated to have led to an average of almost $10,000 in added future and present costs to American households, which could jump to $60,000 if the trend continues across a two-term presidency.

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Tennessee Congressional Delegation Members React to Trump’s Guilty Verdict

Every member of the Tennessee congressional delegation reacted to former President Donald Trump being found guilty by a Manhattan jury on all 34 counts in the falsification of business records linked to the Stormy Daniels hush money scandal on Thursday.

Thursday’s verdict marks the first time in history that a U.S. president has been convicted of a felony.

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Elon Musk Reportedly Engaged in Campaign to Influence Elites Against Biden

Donald Trump and Elon Musk

Billionaires Elon Musk and Nelson Peltz are reportedly involved in an ongoing campaign in powerful networks to persuade influential business executives nationwide not to back President Joe Biden’s reelection effort, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

Musk, who owns social media platform X, is a prominent critic of Biden and has faced many investigations stemming from the current president’s administration since purchasing the company, which was formerly called Twitter. Musk and others who share his political views have been organizing meetings to target Biden, according to individuals familiar with the discussions, the WSJ reported.

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Suspect in Custody Following Stabbing at WeGo Bus Station: Report

We Go Transportation

A suspect is in custody for allegedly stabbing a homeless man at the WeGo bus station on Thursday morning in Nashville’s Edgehill community, according to WKRN.

Police were dispatched to the incident around 5:15 a.m. on Thursday about two men fighting at the intersection of 12th Avenue South and Wedgewood Avenue, the outlet reported.

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Tennessee Ethics Complaint over Pro-Bobby Harshbarger PAC Texts Targeting State Sen. Jon Lundberg Referred to A.G. Jonathan Skrmetti

Harshbarger Lundberg

It was determined on Tuesday that Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti will receive a complaint against Tennessee State Senate candidate Bobby Harshbarger, the Republican primary challenger to Senator Jon Lundberg (R-Bristol).

The complaint, originally filed by Tennessee Senate Republican Caucus Chair Ken Yager (R-Kingston) on April 25, alleges inappropriate collusion between political campaigns and the East Tennessee Conservatives PAC to send mass texts messages which allege Lundberg failed to adequately represent his conservative constituents on key votes.

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Tennessee Stops Illegal Online Alcohol Sales by Several Stores

Alcohol Bottles

The state of Tennessee achieved a court victory against five online liquor stores that were selling alcohol without a license in the state, the state announced in a Tuesday release.

Undercover agents of the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) ordered and received alcohol from each online seller, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti’s office said in a release announcing the original lawsuit in July 2023. Staff attorneys then sent cease and desist letters to each distributor, but each letter was ignored.

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Tennessee Division of Elections Nationally Recognized for Improving Voting Accessibility

Person Voting

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) recognized the Tennessee Secretary of State’s Division of Elections as a recipient of the National Clearing House Awards for the division’s American Sign Language video project.

The EAC awarded the state in the category “Improving Accessibility for Voters with Disabilities.”

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Chinese Companies are Reportedly Camouflaging Themselves as U.S. Brands to Dodge Government Blacklist

Hesai Headquarters

A number of blacklisted Chinese companies have reportedly disguised themselves as American to operate inside the U.S. and evade penalties, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

The U.S. government has taken several steps to crack down on Chinese firms that have been linked to the Chinese Communist Party and identified as potential threats to national security. But companies of concern, including Hesai Group, SZ DJI Technologies, BGI Group, Huawaei and ByteDance have operated or worked with American-based companies to sell products and services inside the U.S. without penalty, according to the WSJ.

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Trump Campaign Releases Official Tennessee Delegate Committee Slate for 2024 Republican National Convention

Donald Trump RNC 2016

The presidential campaign of former President Donald Trump on Tuesday released its official delegate committee slate for Tennessee delegates to the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

With the slate, the Trump campaign is encouraging its Tennessee delegates to vote for candidates National Delegate Selection Director John Findlay “extensively vetted” for “very specific roles” on committees at the Republican Party convention in July, according to an email by Findlay reviewed by The Tennessee Star.

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U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn Leads Tennessee Colleagues in Demanding Answers from DHS After Illegal Alien Assaults Woman at the Nashville Sundae Club

DHS Sec Alejandro Mayorkas, Senator Marsha Blackburn

Tennessee U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) led a letter signed by eight other members of the Tennessee Congressional delegation to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas demanding answers regarding the immigration status of a 23-year old illegal alien who allegedly followed a woman into a bathroom at the Nashville Sundae Club and groped her

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Tennessee U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett Slams Department of Energy over Use of Strategic Oil Supply

Rep Tim Burchett

U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) declared Biden administration Department of Energy Secretary Granholm either “ignorant” or “a liar” during a Sunday interview after previously sparring with her in a U.S. House Oversight committee meeting over the Biden administration’s decision to release part of the country’s strategic oil supply.

Burchett previously confronted Granholm on May 23 over the Biden administration’s oil and energy policies, as well as its recent decision to release part of its strategic oil supply ahead of the Independence Day holiday on July 4, and told Katie Smith of One America News Network (OANN) that Granholm is “either ignorant or she’s a liar.”

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Former President Donald Trump Reaffirms Support for Six Members of the Tennessee Congressional Delegation

Tennessee Congressional Delegation

Former President Donald Trump reaffirmed his support for six members of the Tennessee Congressional Delegation on Sunday in a series of posts on Truth Social.

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Tennessee U.S. Rep. Mark Green Endorses ‘Veterans and Military Families for Trump’ Coalition

Rep. Mark Green

Tennessee U.S. Representative Mark Green (R-TN-07), a decorated combat veteran, endorsed the new “Veterans and Military Families for Trump” coalition organized by former President Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.

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