Bill Haslam Archives - Tennessee Star

AP Reporter Takes Sides Against Tennessee Right-to-Work Campaign

October 27, 2022October 26, 2022 Bradley Vasoli

The campaign for the constitutional “right-to-work” amendment appearing on this year’s Tennessee election ballot has garnered vocal opposition from labor unions and other left-wing thought leaders. Supporters could have expected that. Less predictably, a Nashville-based Associated Press reporter railed against the effort this week.

In a Twitter post, AP writer Kimberlee Kruesi opined strongly against Governor Bill Lee’s pronouncements on the issue, characterizing them as “false” and “outrageous spin.”

Majority of Tennesseans Support the State’s Right-to-Work Amendment

October 19, 2022October 19, 2022 Bradley Vasoli

A recent poll asking Tennessee voters whether they would support a proposed constitutional “right-to-work” amendment indicates the measure has strong backing.

According to a Cygnal survey of 500 likely voters conducted from October 7 through 9, 58 percent of respondents said they expect they will vote on November 8 to approve Amendment One which would enshrine the policy in the Tennessee Constitution. Only 22 percent anticipated they will vote against the proposal and 20 percent had not yet decided. Positivity toward the proposed amendment enlarged to 60 percent when only voters who indicate they “always” vote on ballot initiatives were examined.

Former Commissioner of Education Candice McQueen Named President of Lipscomb University

August 7, 2021August 6, 2021 Cooper Moran

Lipscomb University announced on Friday that Dr. Candice McQueen, former commissioner of education for Tennessee, will serve as the school’s new president.

McQueen, who previously served as the school’s dean of the university’s College of Education, will be the first woman to lead the 130-year-old institution.

Bill Haslam Says Republicans Under Donald Trump Too Extreme

June 12, 2021June 11, 2021 Chris Butler

Former Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Haslam, according to an article The Atlantic published this week, “is trying to figure out how religious Republicans got so extreme.” Haslam granted an interview to Atlantic writer Emma Green. Green said “Haslam is disturbed by some aspects of the national Republican Party’s recent direction—particularly the way politicians and activists have frequently used religion as a cudgel.”

Former Flying J Officials Want Change of Venue in Federal Trial

May 24, 2021June 9, 2021 Chris Butler

Three former Flying J officials want a change of venue in their pending retrial on federal charges of cheating truckers out of diesel fuel rebates. This, according to an article that the website Transport Topics published late last week. The website reported that “the high-decibel press coverage from the east Tennessee media has poisoned the jury pool to the point that a fair trial in east Tennessee is impossible.”

Former Gov Haslam and Wife Create Tutoring Program Aimed to Fight the ‘Summer Slide’ Worsened by Pandemic

May 13, 2020May 12, 2020 Jordyn Pair

The former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and his wife Crissy have started a tutoring program in Tennessee to fight against the “summer slide” and to help students whose education has been interrupted by the pandemic.

Gov. Lee Has Not Made Decision on Whether to Refuse Refugees

October 26, 2019October 25, 2019 Jason M. Reynolds

Gov. Bill Lee said Thursday he hasn’t decided if he’ll accept President Donald Trump’s offer to let states refuse to accept refugees, U.S. News reported. The governor added he has not spoken to his team about how he will respond to this executive order.

Bill Haslam to Teach Political Science at Vanderbilt University as Distinguished Visiting Professor

September 5, 2019September 4, 2019 Jason M. Reynolds

Former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam will teach political science as a distinguished visiting professor this fall, Vanderbilt University announced.

Electrolux, Which Took Massive Corporate Welfare, Will Stay in Memphis An Extra Year

August 18, 2019August 17, 2019 Chris Butler

Electrolux will reportedly stay in Memphis one year longer than planned.

JC Bowman Commentary: Better Thinking Equals Better Results

August 16, 2019August 15, 2019 JC Bowman

As Chairman of SCORE, Senator Bill Frist should be commended and honored for his tireless advocacy and passion for making education a priority in our state.

Memphis’ U.S. Rep. David Kustoff Says He Will Not Run for Lamar Alexander’s Senate Seat

July 28, 2019July 28, 2019 Jason M. Reynolds

U.S. Rep. David Kustoff (R-TN-08) of Memphis said he will not run for Lamar Alexander’s Senate seat in 2020’s primary race.

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Bill Hagerty Leaves Position, Is Expected to Run for Lamar Alexander’s Senate Seat

July 23, 2019July 22, 2019 Jason M. Reynolds

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Bill Hagerty has left the Land of the Rising Sun to return to the Volunteer State in a likely run for Lamar Alexander’s Senate seat. Hagerty tweeted, “Farewell Japan, and thank you for the incredible hospitality you have shown me and my family. These past…

The Tennessee Star Report: Rep. Mark Green Discusses How Democrats Want a ‘Different Country’

July 13, 2019July 12, 2019 Julie Carr

During a discussion Friday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Gill and Leahy spoke to Congressman Mark Green about how he will not be running for the Tennessee Senate…

Ambassador to Japan Bill Hagerty Endorsed by President Trump for U.S. Senate Seat

July 12, 2019July 12, 2019 Anthony Gockowski

President Donald Trump has endorsed Bill Hagerty, the current ambassador to Japan, in the U.S. Senate race in Tennessee. “Tennessee loving Bill Hagerty, who was my Tennessee Victory Chair and is now the very outstanding Ambassador to Japan, will be running for the U.S. Senate. He is strong on…

The Tennessee Star Report Talks to Club for Growth’s David McIntosh About Tennessee Senate Race and the Freshman Democrats Running to the Left

July 12, 2019July 11, 2019 Julie Carr

On Thursday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Gill chatted with long time friend, David McIntosh, chairman of Club for Growth, about Bill Haslam’s decision not to…

Tennessee Star Poll Shows Haslam Leads Green by 9 Statewide Among GOP Primary Voters in U.S. Senate Matchup, But Green Has Lead in Middle Tennessee

April 19, 2019May 5, 2019 Julie Carr

On Friday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – the duo dissected the recent Tennessee Star Triton poll numbers which show former Gov. Bill Haslam leads Rep. Mark Green…

Tennessee Star Poll: Haslam Faces Difficult Challenge If He Seeks GOP Nomination for U.S. Senate

April 18, 2019April 17, 2019 Admin

A new Tennessee Star poll reveals that former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam could face a serious challenge if he seeks the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Senator Lamar Alexander. As noted previously in the Tennessee Star, Haslam’s approval lags far below the support level for…

Tennessee Star Poll: Bill Haslam Lags Far Behind Trump, Blackburn and Lee Among Likely Republican Primary Voters in Approval Rating

April 17, 2019May 5, 2019 Admin

A new Tennessee Star poll reveals that President Donald Trump is retaining his consistently sky-high approval ratings among likely Republican Primary voter (87.7 percent), with Governor Bill Lee (73.5 percent) and Senator Marsha Blackburn (76.1 percent) also enjoying extremely strong support. However, former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam is slightly below…

Haslam Talks About Possible 2020 Senate Run with His Friend, Vice President Mike Pence

March 23, 2019March 22, 2019 Jason M. Reynolds

Former Gov. Bill Haslam reportedly met with Vice President Mike Pence to talk about possibly running for the Senate, and Pence encouraged him to make the bid, Politico reported. Haslam has been interested in running for the seat being vacated next year by U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN). Haslam and Pence…

Club for Growth PAC Airs Haslam’s ‘Dirty Laundry’ in Video, Website

March 12, 2019March 12, 2019 Jason M. Reynolds

Club for Growth Action, a conservative Super PAC, has a message for former Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam: You’re not welcome in the 2020 Senate race. Club for Growth Action last week released a 60-second digital ad, according to a press release here. The video is available to watch here.…

Taxpayer-Funded TSBA Has $5.3 Million in Assets, Paid Top Two Execs $499k Annually, Offers Special Access to Business Affiliates

March 4, 2019March 8, 2019 Chris Butler

The taxpayer-funded Tennessee School Boards Association (TSBA) had $5.3 million in assets at the end of 2017 and paid its top two executives $499,000 annually in 2016, according to audited financial statements and IRS Form 990 reports. The TSBA filed those reports, which The Tennessee Star obtained copies of this…

Closed Tennessee Primaries Possibly On the Way

February 21, 2019February 20, 2019 Chris Butler

A bill in this year’s Tennessee General Assembly would, if enacted into law, require people register with a political party before they vote in any Tennessee primaries. State Rep. Andy Holt, R-Dresden, sponsors the bill. According to TNJ: On the Hill, Holt’s bill advanced on a voice vote in the…

Bill Haslam Joins Never-Trumper Bill Kristol and Abdul El-Sayed at Liberal DC Institute

January 21, 2019January 20, 2019 Jason M. Reynolds

Now that Bill Haslam has left office as Tennessee’s governor, he has joined several Never-Trumpers as “spring fellows” instructors at American University’s Sine Institute of Politics in Washington, D.C. The fellowship’s website says, “As an incubator for policy innovation and convener of the best minds in the public, private, and…

Governor Bill Lee Delivers Inspiring Inaugural Address Short on Specifics

January 20, 2019January 20, 2019 Chris Butler

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Republican Bill Lee took the oath as governor on Saturday and then delivered a broadly inspiring, almost pastoral, inaugural address in a 15-minute speech that did not provide much in the way of the specifics of his agenda. The inauguration was held indoors at War Memorial Auditorium due to…

Local Entrepreneur Robert C. Sherrill Receives Pardon from Gov. Bill Haslam

January 19, 2019January 19, 2019 Scott Wallace

Robert C. Sherrill has been running for a long time. In 2002, he ran away from a youth halfway house that made him serve time in an adult prison when he was finally captured. His running, in his words, comes from being in a broken family. When his father passed…

Company Accused of Screwing Up TNReady Wants Another Chance

January 14, 2019January 13, 2019 Chris Butler

Tennessee auditors may have recently put out a rotten review of how Questar Assessment, Inc. handled TNReady, but that is reportedly not discouraging company officials. According to the Chattanooga-based WRCBtv.com, Questar officials want the job again. Specifically, they want a new state contract to continue overseeing the same service in…

City of Memphis Employees Allegedly Steal Gas

January 8, 2019January 7, 2019 Chris Butler

Employees who work for the City of Memphis are using taxpayer money to fill up their personal vehicles with gasoline, according to that city’s CBS affiliate WREG. No word yet on whether Tennessee’s fuel tax increase drove those city employees to do this. City officials, the station went on to…

OFF THE RECORD: Bill Lee Names Six Additional Commissioners as He Works Toward Completing His Cabinet

January 3, 2019 Admin

Governor-elect Bill Lee will be inaugurated on Saturday January 19. As that date approaches he and his team are working feverishly to complete the selection of his Cabinet and fill many of the top deputy positions in key departments of state government. Thursday afternoon, Lee announced six new commissioners: David…

TNReady Problems Documented in Full Detail in New Audit

December 20, 2018December 19, 2018 Chris Butler

The TNReady online student assessment tests had login delays, slow servers, and software bugs, according to an audit Tennessee Comptrollers released Wednesday. As reported, earlier this year Republican Gov. Bill Haslam said TNReady “has had several hiccups” and that criticism of it “was earned.” Auditors, however, went into more detail…

JC Bowman Commentary: Time to Address Teacher Morale

December 16, 2018December 15, 2018 JC Bowman

There is no one size fits all strategy that will work in every school or district. This is a recurring theme among those who believe in local control in public education. Together, we can work to address teacher morale issues. Once a plan is in place, it is very important to examine, evaluate, and adjust as necessary.

JC Bowman Commentary: What I Didn’t Say About the Departure of TN Dept. of Education Commissioner Candice McQueen

November 16, 2018November 16, 2018 JC Bowman

Tupac Shakur said, “Behind every sweet smile, there is a bitter sadness that no one can ever see and feel.” I spent time with Commissioner McQueen as more than a casual observer. Her heart and passion were always for the children and teachers in Tennessee. She fought battles which nobody knew about and which, despite the lofty title in front of her name, she had little control.

Bill Lee Discusses Transition Plans at First Press Conference as Governor-Elect

November 7, 2018September 20, 2019 Chris Butler

FRANKLIN — Republican Bill Lee had his first press conference as governor elect Tuesday night, minutes after giving a gracious acceptance speech at The Factory at Franklin. From this point forward, Lee is in transition mode as he prepares to take the reins from outgoing Gov. Bill Haslam, also a…

New Studies Explore Good, Bad, and Ugly on Tennessee’s Fiscal Health

October 10, 2018October 9, 2018 Chris Butler

Two different organizations released good and bad news Tuesday about Tennessee’s fiscal health. The Washington, D.C.-based Cato Institute called out Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Haslam for “substantial spending increases in recent years.” The Mercatus Center at George Mason University, meanwhile, ranked Tennessee in the top five of the 50 states…

Lee and Dean Offer Differing Views in Memphis Gubernatorial Debate

October 4, 2018August 19, 2019 Chris Butler

Republican Bill Lee and Democrat Karl Dean offered differing views on the issues in a gubernatorial debate in Memphis on Tuesday. Lee used the debate to make the case that he is the candidate who thinks outside the box when it comes to tackling the state’s crime and education woes.…

Bill Lee Strong in Gubernatorial Debate with Karl ‘Marx’ Dean

October 3, 2018September 20, 2019 Chris Butler

CORRECTION: In an earlier version of this story, The Tennessee Star incorrectly referred to comments made by Mr. Dean and Mr. Lee in earlier debates as comments made in Tuesday’s debate in Memphis. The Star has corrected this story to reflect that those comments were made in the earlier forums.…

Tennessee Star Poll: Governor Bill Haslam Retains Relatively High Approval Rating

September 19, 2018September 16, 2018 Admin

As Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam moves closer to full lame-duck status when his successor is elected on November 6 it appears he will leave office with a relatively high approval rating from Tennessee voters. A Tennessee Star survey of likely November general election voter conducted in early September shows the…

TV and Film Producers Who Cheat Tennessee Taxpayers Might Go to Jail

August 30, 2018August 30, 2018 Chris Butler

A federal appeals court just ruled that states that hand out TV and film credits — as Tennessee does — can prosecute people who lie or mislead to get those corporate welfare benefits. Tennessee gave out millions of dollars in incentives to the fictionalized TV drama “Nashville” and more than…

Gov. Bill Haslam Says Don’t Throw in the Towel on TNReady

August 22, 2018August 21, 2018 Chris Butler

Before he packs up and vacates the Tennessee governor’s mansion early next year, Bill Haslam wants a dialogue with you about ways to improve TNReady. Haslam, at the state capitol Tuesday, announced what he described as a listening tour to do just that. The current governor and a team of…

JC Bowman Commentary: A Few More Thoughts on Testing in Tennessee…

August 20, 2018August 19, 2018 JC Bowman

All stakeholders want to get testing right. However, the emphasis on testing misses the bigger issue: student academic growth measured by flawed testing. Then the results being used in educator evaluations. This is certainly more problematic to educators than the actual tests themselves.

New Funding to Combat School Shooters Coming to Tennessee

August 17, 2018August 16, 2018 Chris Butler

Tennessee’s public schools will get more money for trained school resource officers in the event a disturbed student goes on a shooting spree. State officials identified the lack of trained resource officers as a major area of risk in the event another such tragedy was to occur. School Resource Officers…

Tennessee Mayor Questions Certain TDOT Spending Priorities

August 11, 2018August 10, 2018 Chris Butler

Take two pieces of infrastructure. Maybe one is a road. Maybe the other is a sidewalk. Both of those things are under the oversight of the Tennessee Department of Transportation. One project might need more attention than the other. Sometimes the project that doesn’t need as much attention is TDOT’s…

Bill Lee Embraces Gov. Haslam’s Legacy

August 9, 2018August 8, 2018 Julie Carr

On Tuesday’s Gill Report, broadcast live on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville, conservative pundit and Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill contemplated the contradiction of Bill Haslam’s endorsement of Bill Lee – whose base was turned off by Randy Boyd’s campaign because of his ties to Haslam. “As the campaign…

Governor Bill Haslam Wades Into Governor’s Race with Endorsement for Republican Bill Lee

August 8, 2018August 7, 2018 Admin

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, current Chairman of the Republican Governor’s Association (RGA), is working to ensure that while he works to keep or expand the number of Republican Governors across the country he doesn’t drop the ball in his home state. He’s endorsed Republican nominee Bill Lee in a new…

Ignore the Man Behind The Curtain: Haslam Conspires to Block Diane Black Endorsement by Trump

July 27, 2018July 27, 2018 Julie Carr

In the audio below, conservative political commentator and Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill of The Gill Report, broadcast live on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville, called out “Never-Trumper” Bill Haslam for his attempts to block a Trump endorsement for Tennessee’s Diane Black in the Tennessee Governor’s race and whether…

Gas Can Man Braves Rain to Reprimand Tax-Raising State Rep. Rick Tillis

May 23, 2018May 23, 2018 Chris Butler

NASHVILLE, Tennessee–There was a rare Gas Can Man sighting in downtown Nashville Tuesday afternoon. Gas Can Man stood out on the public sidewalks, sometimes in the rain, to scold State Rep. Rick Tillis (R-Lewisburg) for voting to raise the state’s gas tax last year. Gas Can Man held a sign…

Haslam Considering Senate Run

September 29, 2017September 29, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

On Thursday Gov. Bill Haslam said he is considering a run for the U.S. Senate. Earlier in the week, Haslam’s good friend and his brother’s college roommate, Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), shocked the political world when he said he would not be running for a third term in 2018. The…