Tag: Bill Lee

Gubernatorial Candidate Bill Lee Introduces Legislative ‘Contract with Tennesseans’ He Calls ‘Ten for Tenn’

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Bill Lee

Drawing on his experience in business, Republican candidate for governor Bill Lee announced his “contract with Tennesseeans” called Ten for Tenn that highlights the key items Lee plans to focus on and enact as the Volunteer State’s 50th governor. “As a CEO, it is important to set the vision for my company, and I believe it is just as important to set the vision for the state as governor,” Lee in a statement. “‘Ten for Tenn’ is my contract with Tennesseans, and I look forward to working to enact my conservative vision for Tennessee.” The plan lists ten general agenda items that range from rethinking public education and ‘getting tough’ on the state budget, to pursuing term limits and creating a new Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. The Lee campaign posted the details online, and are listed here: Foster an Environment Where Jobs Continue to Grow Rethink Public Education with Major Vocational Reforms, Real School Choice, and Civics Education Stand up for Rural Tennessee by Expanding Economic Opportunity and Winning the War On Opioids Get Tough on the State Budget by Making Government Smaller and More Efficient Ensure New Voices in Nashville by Passing Term Limits and the Challenging the…

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Black Campaign Hits Lee in a Pair of New Attack Ads

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Diane Black political ad feat Bill Lee

In yet another indication that the Republican Primary for Governor has tightened, with a surge by Bill Lee in Middle Tennessee threatening Diane Black in her own 6th Congressional District, the Black campaign has begun airing two new attack ads targeting Lee in the last 24 hours. Black aired an ad targeting both Lee and Randy Boyd as “Two Moderates” just last week. She added a second ad that focused solely on Boyd as being “anti-hunter” while touting Black’s endorsement by the NRA. In fact, the ad is titled “Anti-hunter” to make the point clear. Now Black has launched two new ads that hit Lee hard. The first is similar to the “Two Moderates” ad but focuses more on Lee than Boyd. The second “Two Moderates” Black ad transcript reads as follows: Steve Schmidt, former Republican campaign manager: [Trump is] An imbecilic former reality tv show host and con man. George Will, columnist: “He [Trump] would flunk a sixth grade civics exam. Announcer: Don’t you hate it when Republicans undermine President Trump? Randy Boyd disavowed Trump, and Bill Lee’s the kind of Republican who helps Democrats get elected. Bill Lee pushed for liberal Mayor Megan Barry. Bill Lee’s candidate pushed…

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Former State Representative Joe Carr Endorses Bill Lee for Governor

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Bill Lee, Joe Car

Republican gubernatorial hopeful Bill Lee chalked up another endorsement Tuesday; this time, from conservative former State Representative Joe Carr. “I sat down with Bill, looked him in the eye and asked him the tough questions about the Rights of the Unborn, the Second Amendment, a smaller more efficient state government, and, of course, the growing problem of illegal immigration in Tennessee,” the Republican firebrand said in a statement. Carr added, “Bill didn’t back down when I asked him these questions. Bill Lee showed me he is man of conviction who is willing to ‘Stand Firm’ even if it means he has to stand alone. But, Bill Lee doesn’t have to stand alone because like tens of thousands of Tennesseans across the state, I will stand with Bill Lee. I believe Bill Lee is what Tennessee needs to move Tennessee forward and he has my unwavering endorsement and support.” Carr continued: Bill is a proven businessman with a heart for working men and women. Just like President Trump, his decision to run isn’t about a desire to climb the political ladder, it’s about a desire to serve the people. Bill isn’t a typical candidate for office, and to me, that’s a…

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OFF THE RECORD: Update on Who Else Wasn’t Paying Attention to What Steve Dickerson, ‘The Different Kind of Republican,’ Was Doing in the State Senate

Chris Alto
Steve Dickerson

So GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee wasn’t the only GOP gubernatorial candidate throwing his money at “the different kind of Republican,” State Senator Steve Dickerson (R-Nashville), to help him get elected again in 2016. Lee only gave Dickerson $1,000 in 2016, which, as it turns out, was significantly less than either of his two main rivals for the GOP nomination for governor, Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06), and Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd gave the liberal Republican state senator from Nashville. Back before anyone really knew just what kind of “different” Republican Steve Dickerson would be – that is in 2012 before he was elected to his first term in the Tennessee State Senate, Diane and David Black gave him a total of $5,990 – an odd amount to be sure.  But it looks like the bloom was off the rose a bit, so to speak, since after his first term mis-steps, they gave him a piddling $3,000 in 2016–three times the amount Bill Lee gave him that year. But picking up after the slacker donors Lee and Black in 2016, and probably gearing up for his own campaign, Randy Boyd, along with his wife Jenny Boyd, together gave Dickerson a total of $6,000,…

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OFF THE RECORD: Bill Lee Donated to Lowest Conservative-Rated Republican in State Legislature

Chris Alto
Bill Lee

  Can you guess who it is? Admittedly it’s tough because pretty much any Republican in Tennessee running for the state legislature claims they’re a conservative and there are plenty who forgot what they told voters once they’re elected. Even Bill Haslam claimed he was a conservative when he was campaigning. And then there are all those non-stop radio and print ads which Randy Boyd the self-described political moderate, is now buying to try and fool voters that he didn’t really mean it when he said it given that it was a terribly inconvenient truth for trying to become governor in Tennessee. But at least he’s making good on his promise to “spend whatever it takes” to buy win votes, and now with all that Irish green tax savings…. If you still can’t guess which State Senator got $1,000 in 2016 from Bill Lee, here are the clues: in 2015, a year before Bill Lee decided to send his check, this Tennessee State Senator voted in the Senate Education Committee to give in-state tuition to illegal alien students and then voted again on the Senate floor to help pass that bill two months after this State Senator was the ONLY Republican…

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Bill Lee Reports Campaign War Chest at $3.5 Million

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Bill Lee

Franklin-area business man and gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee reported Monday that as of the close of this fiscal reporting period, his campaign has over $3.5 million cash-on-hand. The campaign noted that amount includes receipts of over $400,000 in the second quarter of the year. “Momentum is building for Bill Lee at the perfect time. He has the resources and the support to win, and he is outworking every candidate in the field,” Lee’s Campaign Finance Chairman Stuart McWhorter said in a statement. “I’m honored to work with Bill as he gets ready to win the August Primary, and I’ll be proud to call him ‘Governor’ after he wins in November.” Senior Advisor and Campaign Manager Chris Devaney added, “Our strong second quarter fundraising numbers, along with our solid cash on hand, show that Bill Lee has the resources to continue his surge in the polls and ultimately to win the primary race for governor on August 2nd. “Our fundraising momentum continues as Bill is rising in the polls and continues to outperform other candidates in debates and forums. Donors and voters alike recognize that Bill Lee is the only conservative outsider in the race,” Devaney concluded. With primary election day less…

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Bill Lee Donated $164,000 to Federal and State Candidates, 99.3 Percent Went to Republicans

Tennessee Star Staff
Bill Lee

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee donated $164,540 to candidates for federal and state offices during the 19 year period beginning in 1999 and ending in 2017, according to records provided to The Tennessee Star by the Lee campaign. Of that amount, 99.27 percent, or $163,340, went to Republican candidates, while 0.73 percent, or $1,200, went to Democratic candidates. Notably, as The Star reported on Saturday, $1,000 of that $1,200 to state Democratic candidates went to Gov. Phil Bredesen’s re-election campaign in 2004. The majority of those donations–$130,640–went to federal candidates, while another $33,900 went to state candidates. (Note: $12,600 of the state candidate contributions were made by Bill Lee’s wife, Maria Lee, and $3,000 of the federal candidate contributions were made in 1999 by Bill Lee and his late first wife.) All of Lee’s donations to federal candidates went to Republicans. Three percent of Lee’s $33,900 to state candidates–or $1,200–went to Democrats. The Lee campaign did not provide a list of Lee’s donations to local candidates and committees to The Star. As The Star reported previously, Lee donated $500 to disgraced former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, a Democrat, and the Lee Company, which he owns and now serves as chairman…

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Three GOP Gubernatorial Candidates Say Uphold the Constitution, But Tennessee Attorney General Disagrees and Randy Boyd Is Silent

Chris Alto
Bill Lee, Diane Black, Herbert Slatery

This past May, seven states, led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, sued the federal government to stop Obama’s unconstitutional DACA administrative amnesty program once and for all. To date, Tennessee’s Attorney General Herbert Slatery has not joined the lawsuit. In fact, it appears that Slatery has done an about face choosing instead to support amnesty and a path to citizenship for DREAMER illegal aliens. The Tennessee Star asked each GOP gubernatorial candidate whether as governor would they support having Tennessee join the other states suing to challenge “whether the 2012 executive action unilaterally creating DACA was itself lawful” as stated in the lawsuit? Speaker Harwell responded that she would support the lawsuit. Bill Lee’s campaign spokesman responded: As Mr. Lee stated in the June 20 debate regarding his support of deploying national guard troops to border ‘we cannot be a nation without borders. We are a part of this nation and we should commit our resources to defending the border.’ The same goes for legal resources. Mr. Lee would join this lawsuit to defend our constitution and enforce the rule of law. Diane Black’s campaign spokesman stated affirmatively that Diane “absolutely would join the lawsuit” and that as Diane has…

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Gas Tax Increases Another 1 Cent Per Gallon Today Thanks to Gov. Haslam, Democrats, and ‘Moderate’ Republicans

Tennessee Star Staff
Gas up

The state gas tax increased another 1 cent per gallon today, thanks to the IMPROVE Act passed by Democrats and “moderate” Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly and signed into law by Gov. Bill Haslam in May 2017. The controversial law raised state gas taxes by 6 cents per gallon and diesel taxes by 10 cents per gallon. The gas tax increases were phased in over three years. The first 4 cents per gallon increase went into effect on July 1, 2017. An additional 1 cent per gallon gas tax increase goes into effect today, and the final 1 cent per gallon gas tax increase goes into effect July 1, 2018. The law was deemed necessary to fund road construction by Haslam and his allies despite the fact the state of Tennessee had a $2 billion surplus at the time it was passed and signed into law. One under reported element of the law at the time was a provision that allowed the twelve largest counties in the state to hold local referendums to increase local taxes to fund transportation projects. It was this provision upon which former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry relied when she introduced her $9 billion transit…

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Bill Lee Donated $1,000 to Phil Bredesen in 2004, Nothing to Donald Trump in 2016

Tennessee Star Staff
Bill Lee

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee donated $1,000 to Phil Bredesen’s campaign in 2004, when the current Democrat candidate for U.S. Senator was gearing up to run for his second term as governor of Tennessee, and did not contribute to Donald Trump’s 2016 Presidential campaign, according to reports filed with the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance and the Federal Election Commission. A spokeseperson for the Lee campaign confirmed to The Tennessee Star that Lee donated $1,000 to Bredesen in 2004, but noted that Lee also donated $1,000 in 2006 to his Republican challenger that year, Jim Bryson. The spokesperson also confirmed what a review of Federal Election Commission records by The Star revealed: Lee did not contribute to Donald Trump’s 2016 Presidential campaign. The spokesperson was quick to add that Lee voted for Trump in 2016 and attended the January 2017 inaugural. Bredesen’s 2004 election finance report filed with the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance shows that William B. Lee of Franklin, Tennessee donated $1,000 to Phil Bredesen on October 5, 2004. (See image below).       This new revelation that Lee, who describes himself as an “outsider” and a “conservative,” donated $1,000 to the state’s most well-known Democrat and ultimate…

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Maury County Poll: Andy Ogles Leads By 10 in Race for Mayor, Bill Lee Leads GOP Gubernatorial Primary by 12

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Andy Ogles, Bill Lee

A new poll of voters planning to vote in Maury County in the August 2 election show Republican Andy Ogles leading among all voters in his general election campaign for County Mayor by ten points. The poll also shows conservative Republican businessman Bill Lee leading among Republican voters in the GOP primary race for Governor by twelve points over Congresswoman Diane Black among Republican voters. The poll, conducted by Right Way Marketing on behalf of Power of Liberty, a non-profit educational group, has a margin of error of 5% for both the general election and the Republican primary election and was conducted from June 24 to 26, 2018. Voters were asked: “If the election were held today, who would be your choice for Maury County Mayor, the Republican nominee Andy Ogles, Independent candidate Amanda Kelton, Independent candidate Charlie Norman or Independent candidate Sonny Shackelford?” The poll results were: Andy Ogles 33% Charlie Norman 23% Sonny Shackelford 21% Amanda Kelton 4% Undecided 19% A previous poll conducted by Right Way Marketing from May 14-16 showed Ogles leading with 32.4% over incumbent Independent Charlie Norman – 25.4%. Early voting in the race begins on July 13. With respect to the GOP Primary for…

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Tennessee Star Poll: Boyd Leads Black by 5 in GOP Gubernatorial Primary, Lee Close Behind in Third Place

Tennessee Star Staff
Randy Boyd, Diane Black, Bill Lee

Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd leads Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06) by 5 points, 32 percent to 27 percent, among likely Republican gubernatorial primary voters in a Tennessee Star Poll released today. The battle for the Republican nomination for governor in Tennessee is now a three-way race, with Williamson County businessman Bill Lee surging into a strong third position, with 20 percent. Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) is no longer a factor in the Republican gubernatorial primary, coming in a distant fourth position with only 7 percent of the vote. Only 13 percent of poll respondents said they were undecided. The poll of 1,040 likely Tennessee Republican primary voters was conducted for The Tennessee Star by Triton Polling and Research over a four day period beginning Monday June 25 and ending Thursday June 28 and has a margin of error of 3.1 percent. The Tennessee Star Poll released today indicates there has been significant movement in the race since the last Tennessee Star Poll results in December 2017. At that time Diane Black had a ten point lead over Randy Boyd, with Black receiving the support of 21 percent of likely Tennessee Republican primary voters, followed by Boyd…

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Bill Lee’s Proposed Office of Faith-Based & Community Initiatives Will Ask Christian, Jewish, Hindu, and Muslim Groups ‘To Help Solve State’s Problems’

Chris Alto
Bill Lee

In March, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee, who has made his Christian faith a central theme of his campaign, announced that he will create an Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives if he is elected governor. None of his rivals for the Republican nomination have set forward a similar proposal. President George W. Bush first introduced the notion of integrating “faith-based” initiatives with governmental operations after he was elected in 2000. As those initiatives have evolved over subsequent presidential administrations, and been deployed to various degrees in several state and local governments, a sticky wicket of Constitutional issues and unintended consequences has emerged. The first is that once such a program is established, all religious groups–Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, and others–must be given the same opportunity to participate. The second, and perhaps most troubling, arises when government funding is provided to these faith-based groups to conduct governmental actions and that activity creates the potential for the faith group to proselytize while conducting the government-sanctioned activity. Lee’s campaign website offers this description of his proposed Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives: The Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives will be housed within the Office of the Governor. It will serve as…

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Poll in Williamson County State House District 61 Shows Brandon Ogles and Bill Lee Leading in Their Primary Races

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Bill Lee, Brandon Ogles

A new poll conducted among likely GOP voters in the Nashville suburbs of Brentwood and Franklin by Triton Polling shows good news for State House candidate Brandon Ogles and Gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee, along with some warning signs for Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn in her bid for the U.S. Senate. The survey of 361 likely Republican Primary voters was conducted June 18-22, 2018 and has a margin or error of 5.1%. In the GOP primary race for Governor, the poll showed Williamson County native Bill Lee leading the field with 32.4% of the vote, followed by Diane Black with 21.3%, Randy Boyd with 16.1%, Beth Harwell with 14.9% and 15.4% undecided. Other polling has indicated that Lee is seeing a recent surge in support in Middle Tennessee, where he, Black and Harwell all have a significant base of support. Many political observers believe that Lee’s gains come at the expense of Black, and may help Boyd in a statewide race due to his primary base of votes coming from East Tennessee, where he appears to have a significant lead over the other three candidates who all come from Middle Tennessee. In the House primary race to fill the vacancy created by…

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Gubernatorial Candidate Bill Lee Wants Term Limits For State Legislators

Chris Alto
Bill Lee

Gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee a relative newcomer and self-described “outsider” to Tennessee state politics, is trying to use this status to distinguish himself from the other candidates: There are four people running for the Republican primary in this race. The others are politicians. They all either worked for the government or been long involved in politics. Threading this theme through his campaign, Lee wants to reform state government by imposing terms limits on state legislators although it’s not clear whether he wants to impose consecutive or lifetime term limits. Opponents of term limits consider the governor term-limited in Article III, Section 4 of the Tennessee Constitution which limits the Governor to serving two consecutive four year terms. Article II, Section 3 of the state’s Constitution limits House members to two year terms and Senators to four year terms. While state legislators are not limited to either consecutive or lifetime terms, they are forced, at regular intervals to re-run for their office if they want to continue to serve. Opponents of term limits consider the voting booth to be the most definitive statement on the matter. Six states have repealed their term limit restrictions – Idaho, Massachusetts, Oregon, Utah, Washington and…

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GOP Gubernatorial Debate Produces Few Sparks But Several Distinctions on Policy

Tennessee Star Staff
Bill Lee, Diane Black, Randy Boyd, Beth Harwell

The second in a series of three debates between the four candidates for the Republican nomination for governor broadcast across the state produced few fireworks on Wednesday night. However, it may have helped Bill Lee introduce himself and gain traction as voters begin to increase their focus on a race that thus far has appeared to be between the more heavily funded candidates, Diane Black and Randy Boyd. The one hour debate was broadcast live on stations in Memphis, Jackson, Nashville, Knoxville, Huntsville (Alabama), Chattanooga and Tri-Cities, with questions posed by Nashville’s WKRN News 2 anchor Bob Mueller, and Memphis anchors Katina Rankin and Richard Ransom of WATN Local 24. The debate opened with a question regarding illegal immigration and President Donald Trump’s Executive Order, signed just hours before the debate. Do your support President Trump’s Zero Tolerance Policy? Bill Lee: “It is sad and heartbreaking to see children taken away from their parents, and I’m glad that has been changed. But we have an immigration policy that is broken because of the failure of Congress for decades to deal with this challenge.” Lee pointed out that Tennessee can make the bad situation worse by offering incentives for illegal immigrants…

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Mae Beavers Endorses Bill Lee for Governor

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Bill Lee, Mae Beavers

Former State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) announced her endorsement of Williamson County businessman Bill Lee for governor on Wednesday. “I endorse Bill Lee because I believe he’s the true conservative in the race for governor. He has said he will clean up state government, reduce the number of departments, and he has said he will reduce the influence of lobbyists,” Beavers told The Tennessee Star in an exclusive interview Wednesday afternoon. “It is an honor to have the support of a Tennessee conservative leader like Mae Beavers,” Lee said in a statement released by the campaign. It continues: Maria and I got to know Mae and her husband Jerry on the campaign trail, and I know they both have a deep passion and love for Tennessee and our nation. Her leadership in the conservative movement and in the legislature is well known to all, and I am humbled and grateful to have her joining my team. The campaign notes that Wednesday’s endorsement by Beavers makes Bill Lee the only candidate in the Republican Primary to have the endorsement from a former gubernatorial candidate in this election cycle, and that it demonstrates “the continued momentum for his campaign and shows…

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Complaint Targets Bill Lee’s Business, Campaign Advertising

Jason M. Reynolds
Bill Lee

The Tennessean reported Friday that a complaint alleges that gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee is using a tax-sheltered trust to illegally donate money to his own campaign. The complaint, filed by Joe Darke of Dover, Tennessee, also alleges that the Republican candidate has accepted illegal contributions from some individuals and businesses while raising questions about Lee’s frequent use of television ads for his company. The complaint was filed with Tennessee’s Registry of Election Finance, WKRN said, and claims Lee uses his businesses to supplement his campaign without disclosure and beyond limits. More specifically, the complaint says Lee Company commercials featured Lee, while campaign ads have touted Lee’s company experience. It speculates Lee is running company ads for a business expense deduction to avoid more income taxes. Campaign spokesman Chris Walker called the complaint “nonsense,” WKRN said. The complaint contains at least two errors, which could lead campaign finance officials to dismiss it, The Tennessean said. A campaign spokesman said the complaint was evidence he was gaining momentum.        

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State Rep. Jay Reedy Endorses Bill Lee for Governor

Tennessee Star Staff
Reedy Bill Lee

State Rep. Jay Reedy (R-Erin) endorsed Williamson County businessman Bill Lee for governor at a joint town hall appearance on Thursday. Reedy released a statement that same day announcing his endorsement: In 2014, I was running for State Representative of District 74, Houston, Humphreys, and part of Montgomery Counties. I was called an outsider in politics because I never held and elected office. People of district 74 was looking for change! They asked if I was a Christian, Conservative, and where I stood on the 2nd Amendment. Yes, to the first two questions and my reply for the 2nd Amendment is that I am an NRA Life Member since 1986. I passed some common-sense legislation in my first term and just completed some worthwhile legislation in my second term, with Anti-Sanctuary Cities 2018 legislation. This will protect Tennesseans and Tennessee borders from criminal illegal aliens. With my time as a non-politician outsider, I have proven that an outsider can go to Capitol Hill and make a difference for Tennessee. With my passed experience as a state representative, I believe there is more work that can been accomplished by “outsiders” and with this being said, I publicly announce my endorsement of…

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Bill Lee Wins GOP Gubernatorial Straw Poll in Robertson County

Tennessee Star Staff
Bill Lee

Williamson County businessman Bill Lee won the gubernatorial straw poll at the Robertson County Republican Party’s annual Reagan Ranch dinner on Friday. Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06) finished in second place, followed by Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd in third place and Tennessee Speaker of the House Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) in fourth place. Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill served as master of ceremonies for the evening, which had about 200 people in attendance. Though straw polls at official Republican Party functions are not necessarily a predictor of voting behavior in primaries, they are a good indication of the local organizational skills of the contending candidates. The Lee campaign considered the straw poll win significant, coming as it does less than two months before the August 2 Republican primary in a county that Black represents in Congress. Robertson County Republican Party officials announced only the order of finish of the candidates in the straw poll, not their actual vote totals. One source who attended the event who was not affiliated with the Robertson County Republican Party or on the official program provided The Tennessee Star with they claimed was the unofficial but accurate vote tally from the gubernatorial straw poll. Those results…

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GOP Gubernatorial Hopeful Bill Lee Trolls Twitter Founder Jack Dorsey Over Chick-Fil-A Kerfuffle

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Bill Lee

Franklin-area businessman and Republican candidate for governor Bill Lee showed his support for Chick-Fil-A while at the same time poking fun at Twitter founder and CEO Jack Dorsey’s apology over the weekend for the “crime” of enjoying a chicken sandwich. Had a hankering for some @ChickfilA today. Cc: @jack pic.twitter.com/QwpBJS1t8w — Bill Lee (@BillLeeTN) June 11, 2018 At issue is a tweet by the social media giant’s founder proudly displaying his app-enabled purchase of a Chick-Fil-A meal. Reaction from the activist Left – especially from the LGBT quarters – was withering, and soonafter, Jack Dorsey capitulated, replying to former CNN anchor, “You’re right. Completely forgot about their background.” The ‘background’ Dorsey is referring to is a series of statements made by Chick-Fil-A’s Chief Operating Officer Dan Cathy from 2012 regarding his support of the biblical definition of marriage of one man and one woman, which triggered simultaneous boycotts by the left and BUY-cotts by the right. Ultimately, the fast-food stores’ sales rose an astonishing 12 percent, though the company’s owners stepped back from their support of conservative causes. “Going forward, our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena,” the company said in a statement in…

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Haslam Passes Sanctuary City Bill Without Signing; Boyd, Who Claims He’s Against Sanctuary Cities, Wouldn’t Ask Him to Sign

Chris Alto
Randy Boyd and Bill Haslam

Governor Haslam announced today that instead of signing or vetoing the anti-sanctuary city bill he will allow it to become law without his signature: I could sign it but that would mean that I agree that we have an issue around sanctuary cities. In that regard, intentionally or not, the Governor has acknowledged last year’s attempt by the Metro Nashville Council to institutionalize its sanctuary city status. An ordinance proposed last year by Metro Councilmen Bob Mendes and Colby Sledge (who is married to TIRRC’s co-director), was headed to a final vote before being withdrawn due to pressure from state legislators and the public. The bill, drafted with TIRRC’s assistance, would have made Nashville the most liberal non-deportation zone in the U.S., magnetizing Davidson County for criminal illegal aliens. Specifically, the Mendes/Sledge proposal would have prohibited Metro Nashville employees from inquiring into anyone’s immigration status. Had it passed, the bill would have effectively enabled illegal aliens to access public benefits they would otherwise be barred from using. Additionally, the ordinance would not have violated the state’s 2009 anti-santuary city law, but would violate the new anti-sanctuary city law which expands the definition of what constitutes a sanctuary city policy: “Sanctuary policy” means…

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Tennessee Does Have Sanctuary Cities and Needs the New Law to Stop Them, FAIR Says

Chris Alto
Knoxville Memphis Nashville

A new report issued by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), documents that Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville have been able to effectively operate as sanctuary cities by putting in place practices that skirt Tennessee’s 2009 law because it only prohibits written policies or ordinances. Comments made by Shelby County Commissioner Mark Billingsley during the May 7th Commission meeting suggested that Shelby County was operating as a sanctuary city. FAIR’s report identifies 564 jurisdictions that qualify for sanctuary status because in one way or another they have taken steps to “protect illegal aliens or obstruct efforts by the federal government to enforce immigration laws.” Dan Stein, President of FAIR credits “radical groups, posing as ‘immigrants’ rights’ organizations” for pushing policies that put protecting illegal aliens over the safety of American citizens and legal immigrants: ‘There is no rational justification for protecting deportable criminals. Yet, under pressure from radical groups, posing as ‘immigrants’ rights’ organizations, 564 jurisdictions have decided that protecting foreign criminals is more important than the safety of their local communities,’ charged Dan Stein, president of FAIR. ‘Countless Americans have been needlessly victimized, and some have lost their lives, because local sanctuary policies prevented the perpetrators from being identified as deportable aliens, or prevented…

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GOP Gubernatorial Candidates Boyd and Lee Tied to Organizations That Say Let Illegal Immigrants Stay

Chris Alto
Boyd and Lee

Opponents of  sanctuary city policies understand that these measures which shield criminal illegal aliens increase the risks to public safety. All GOP gubernatorial candidates eventually issued statements opposing sanctuary city policies. What is not addressed, however, in the debate over sanctuary city policies, is the negative impact from illegal immigration on the wages of American workers. Ironically, the two GOP gubernatorial candidates that have highlighted their business successes in their campaigns, are each tied to an organization that promotes the alleged economic benefits from illegal immigration for Tennessee. Randy Boyd is a named member of the Partnership for a New American Economy (PNAE), a coalition led by business leaders and chambers of commerce which formed to convince the public and policymakers that comprehensive immigration reform like the 2013 “Gang of Eight” amnesty bill would help grow the economy and create jobs for Americans. Included in PNAE’s “15 key economic issues of immigration reform in America” are: Supporting legal status for the 11.4 million undocumented immigrants which PNAE says pay taxes and do the jobs American citizens won’t do, and despite being in the country illegally, “even start their own businesses.” In a 2014 Wall Street Journal oped, PNAE co-founder Rupert Murdoch said that illegal immigrants…

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Bill Lee on Anti-Sanctuary City Legislation: ‘As Governor I Would Sign This Bill’

Tennessee Star Staff
Bill Lee

Bill Lee, one of four candidates seeking the Republican nomination for governor, weighed in on the anti-sanctuary city legislation passed by the Tennessee General Assembly that Gov. Haslam has not yet signed into law. “As I’ve said throughout this campaign, I am opposed to sanctuary cities,” Lee said in a statement released by his campaign to the Tennessee Star late Friday night. “They embrace lawlessness and put our entire state at risk. I would use every single tool in my power to stop them and enforce the rule of law. As governor, I would sign this bill,” Lee concluded. As The Tennessee Star reported last week, the Tennessee General Assembly passed the anti-sanctuary city bill last month despite “[r]epeated efforts by House members to derail [it].” The bill passed the Tennessee House of Representatives by a 64 to 23 vote. “State Sen. Mark Green [R-Clarksville] passed the Senate companion bill SB 2332, with a solid 23 -5 vote,” The Star reported. “We’ve seen time and again that the consequences of illegal immigration can be severe, and sometimes, even deadly. This bill puts Tennesseans first,” Green said in a statement at the time. Far left activists, including the Tennessee Immigrants Rights…

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Bill Lee Resigns From Board of Nashville Business Coalition After Group Endorses Democrat David Briley for Mayor of Nashville

Tennessee Star Staff

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee resigned from the board of the Nashville Business Coalition Wednesday afternoon after he learned the group had endorsed David Briley for Mayor and asked other candidates not to contest their chosen pick in the August special election to select a replacement to serve out the balance of former Mayor Megan Barry’s term. Lee sent out this tweet shortly after he learned of the Board’s decision when The Tennessee Star asked his campaign for comment. I strongly disagree with the Nashville Business Coalition’s decision about the Nashville Mayoral race, and I opposed them taking this action. As a result, I have resigned from their board, effective immediately. — Bill Lee (@BillLeeTN) March 7, 2018 “Leadership groups should not discourage others from entering the political process,” Lee added in a statement released to The Star. “Nashville has many talented individuals who are extremely qualified to be considered for leadership roles and our community would benefit from their ideas. We should encourage more people to enter the political arena, not less,” Lee concluded. Among the social media responses to Lee’s resignation from the Nashville Business Coalition board was this one on Twitter:   Good. The race should be open…

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GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Bill Lee Donated $500 to Megan Barry’s Mayoral Campaign in 2015

Tennessee Star Staff

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee donated $500 to Megan Barry’s Mayoral campaign in May 2015, according to public records obtained by The Tennessee Star. The Williamson County businessman’s donation of $500 to Friends of Megan Barry on May 21, 2015 came two months before the August 2015 election for Mayor of Metro Nashville/Davidson County between Barry, David Fox, and real estate developer Bill Freeman. Though the race was technically “non-partisan,” the battle quickly became highly partisan, with progressive Democrats rallying around Barry, conservatives and Republicans supporting Fox, and more moderate Democrats gravitating to Freeman. No candidate gained enough votes in the general election to claim the mayor’s job, so a runoff between the top two vote getters–Barry and Fox–was held the following month in September. Barry defeated Fox in that runoff, 55 percent to 45 percent, and was sworn in as Mayor of Nashville/Davidson County on September 25, 2015. The Lee campaign confirmed Lee’s $500 donation to Barry, and provided The Star with a statement on the issue late Thursday. “Bill doesn’t support Megan Barry. A few years ago a client asked him to give $500 to her campaign and he did. Politicians make political decisions. Businessmen – including Donald Trump…

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GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Bill Lee Opens Campaign Headquarters in Franklin

Tennessee Star Staff
Bill Lee

FRANKLIN, Tennessee–An overflow crowd of more than 200 supporters crowded into the new campaign headquarters of Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee in downtown Franklin on Monday night to celebrate its opening. The candidate delivered a speech to his home town supporters in which he indicated the campaign has entered a new phase. “I’m a little bit overwhelmed. When we started this… some of you were at the Cracker Barrel when we kicked off back last April,” Lee began. “This has been a remarkable journey for us. She has made it possible for me,” Lee said of his wife Maria. “This is something that we are doing together,” he added. “For us to go to 95 counties in 95 days sounded like a great idea, and then for me to drive a tractor from Mountain City to Memphis and for her to drive behind in a pickup truck giving me instructions, to just meet tens of thousands of people, and now it’s just starting to feel like, we’re having television interviews and we’re having newspaper interviews, it’s just very exciting,” Lee said. Lee continued: The more I do this the more people I meet, the further I go down this road, the…

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Steve Osborn Commentary: It’s Time for Tennessee’s Grassroots to Back Diane Black for Governor

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by Steve Osborn   The folks in the grassroots conservative movement have been working hard these last few years trying to be the Vanguards of Liberty, and trying to undo the damage inflicted on our nation by liberals. We may disagree from time to time on issues, tactics, or candidates, but we remain steadfast and united in our common goals: defending the Constitution, restoring our constitutional Republic, and preserving our long-held American values. However, some of us have been choosing to support one candidate over another because of what is said on the campaign trail or what we’ve heard from someone else without doing any research from reputable sources on our own. In many ways, we’ve acted like we’re electing a high-school class president based on a popularity contest without truly knowing who best shares our values, or who would best represent us in the state. We have to grow beyond that. Just doing basic research of the candidates would either support what is said on the trail, or prove that a candidate is simply pandering for votes. Consequently, we’ve been electing Republicans in Tennessee who’ve run as conservatives only for them to show that they’re actually liberals once they’re in…

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Businessman Bill Lee Launches His First TV Ad for Governor

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Williamson County businessman Bill Lee announced Friday he will launch his first television ad in his bid to win the Republican nomination for governor later. The sixty-second spot, titled “Why,” will begin appearing statewide starting today, Saturday, January 27th. Its emotional message is largely biographical, focusing on Lee’s personal journey leading to his decision to run for office. “We believe it is important that voters know Bill’s personal story and what shaped him,” said Chris Devaney, Bill Lee’s campaign manager. “This ad gives a real look at who Bill is.” The commercial opens with an early morning shot of a dewy pasture, blanketed in a thick fog. In the background is a hint of piano music. “I waved good-bye to Carol-Ann and my four-year-old and they rode off on horseback,” Bill Lee says, in voiceover. “I found my daughter, later, crying and alone. Then I found Carol-Ann,” he says. “Her horse had thrown her. She lived for three days.” The video fades from the pasture through black to show Lee, in an open-collar plaid shirt. “We cried, we mourned, we struggled. We prayed.” “We healed, we started laughing again,” he says, with the camera looking over his shoulder at his personal photo album of…

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Gubernatorial Forum on Education a Slow-Moving Draw Punctuated by Partisan Differences Over In-State Tuition for Illegals

Tennessee Star Staff

NASHVILLE, Tennessee–The State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) Gubernatorial Forum on Education held at Belmont University’s Curb Center on Tuesday turned out to be a slow-moving draw punctuated by partisan differences between the three Republicans and two Democrats in attendance over in-state-tuition for illegals. Each of the five participating candidates made their points and none hurt themselves, for the most part restating positions they had staked out in pre-forum interviews with the Professional Educators of Tennessee. Tennessee Speaker of the House Beth Harwell (R-Nashville), Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd, and Williamson County businessman Bill Lee were the three Republican gubernatorial candidates in attendance. Former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and Tennessee House Minority Leader State Rep. Craig Fitzhugh (D-Ripley) were the two Democratic gubernatorial candidates in attendance. Republican candidate Mae Beavers did not attend, due to the passing of her mother. Republican candidate Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06) also did not attend, due to scheduling conflicts since Congress is currently in session. NewsChannel5, the media co-sponsor, broadcast the forum live for one hour. NewsChannel5’s Rory Johnson was co-moderator of the event, along with reporter David Plazas from media co-sponsor The USA Today – Tennessee. The moderators posed about a dozen questions to the…

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Debate Preview: GOP Gubernatorial Candidates Answer Five Questions on Education

Tennessee Star Staff

The Gubernatorial Candidate Educational Forum will be held at Belmont University and broadcast on NewsChannel 5 from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm tonight, Tuesday, January 22. The Tennessee Star will be there, along with six of the seven leading gubernatorial candidates from the Republican and Democratic parties. Republicans in attendance will be Randy Boyd, Bill Lee, Mae Beavers, and Tennessee Speaker of the House Beth Harwell (R- Nashville). Democrats in attendance will be Karl Dean and State Rep. Craig Fitzhugh (D-Ripley). Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06) will be the only gubernatorial candidate not in attendance. Black is in Washington, where Congress is currently in session. Earlier this month, the Professional Educators of Tennessee (PET) asked all seven candidates five questions about education. PET has graciously shared their responses with The Tennessee Star. As a preview of tonight’s debate, we present the responses of the five leading GOP Gubernatorial candidates to those questions. QUESTION 1: Thank you for taking the time to share with our educators today. On behalf of our members, I would like to say we are grateful you are offering yourself for Governor. Please share with educators a little about who you are, and why you are running for…

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On the Question of TennCare Expansion, Answers Fall Along Party Lines for Gubernatorial Candidates

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Healthy Tennessee, a Nashville-based 501(c)(3), hosted a healthcare symposium Friday featuring several of the gubernatorial candidates from both parties with moderators Lipscomb President Randy Lowry and Healthy Tennessee Founder President Dr. Manny Sethi. Although the event was slated to have the candidates “share their vision and plans for a healthier Tennessee,” the discussion largely centered around the question of whether and how much should Tennessee’s Medicaid program, TennCare be expanded. “Our forum is designed to provide a meaningful opportunity for each candidate to speak directly to the voters of Tennessee and provide a unique perspective on potential solutions to the health care problems facing our state today,” said Lipscomb University President Randy Lowry in a statement about the gathering. In all, six out of the seven candidates vying for their parties’ nominations were on hand, with each individual taking the stage to share their thoughts with the moderators and audience one at a time. Both Democrat candidates, former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and state House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh, joined Republicans House Speaker Beth Harwell, Franklin-area businessman Bill Lee, Knoxville-area businessman Randy Boyd, and former State Senator Mae Beavers. The only top-tier candidate not attending was Representative Diane Black, who opted to stay in Washington D.C. amid the looming…

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Republican and Democrat Gubernatorial Candidates Weigh In On The Need For An Additional $72 Million For Memphis Regional Megasite Infrastructure

Laura Baigert

At the eighth annual South West Tennessee Development District (SWTDD) Legislative Luncheon held January 3, one of the topics discussed by the gubernatorial candidates in attendance is the need for an additional $72 million to address infrastructure at the Memphis Regional Megasite. The Memphis Regional Megasite is a 4,100-acre state-owned manufacturing site located between Jackson and Memphis off I-40. The site was acquired by the state in 2009 according to the Tennessee Economic and Community Development (TNECD) website, has had investments of more than $106 million, although other reports indicate tax payer investments of as much as $144 million. TNECD Commissioner, Bob Rolfe, named to the position on February 16, 2017, following the departure of former TNECD Commissioner turned gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd, recently said another $72 million would be needed to complete infrastructure projects that would make the site “shovel ready.” Five gubernatorial candidates were represented at the SWTDD luncheon: Republicans Mae Beavers, Diane Black and Bill Lee as well as Democrat Craig Fitzhugh and Karl Dean’s campaign manager, Courtney Wheeler. Republican candidates Randy Boyd, Beth Harwell and Kay White did not attend. Four of the five candidates agreed that the $72 million additional investment needs to be made.…

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Bill Lee Opens Shelby County Campaign Office in Race for Tennessee Governor

Wendy Wilson

Williamson County businessman Bill Lee on Wednesday opened a campaign office in Shelby County for his run for Tennessee governor. The office is on Poplar Avenue in Memphis, Lee announced in a press release. He also named Shelby County leaders who will help with his gubernatorial campaign. Lang Wiseman, a local attorney and former Shelby County Republican Party chairman, will chair Lee’s campaign in Shelby County. Horace Tipton will serve as the Shelby County field director. A Memphis native, Tipton worked in the Texas House of Representatives as a legislative aide and most recently worked for the campaign for Tennessee state Rep. Kevin Vaughan, a Republican who won a seat representing part of Shelby County in a special election in June. County captains for Lee’s campaign in Shelby County will include Karen Dunavant, Elaine Ervins and Rieta Selberg. “Bill has been meeting with leaders and voters in our community for months now, and his presence here shows he is continuing to follow through on his commitment to this area as governor,” Wiseman said. Lee released a detailed plan for Memphis and Shelby County last month that included an education plan, active engagement with law enforcement, a focus on infrastructure and economic development, and engagement…

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Bill Lee Announces Veterans Advisory Panel for Gubernatorial Campaign

Wendy Wilson

Williamson County businessman Bill Lee announced this week that he has formed a coalition of Tennessee military veterans who will advise his campaign as he seeks the Republican nomination for governor. The veterans come from every branch of service and will advise Lee on issues related to veterans and the Tennessee Military Department, which oversees the National Guard, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) and the State Guard. “There is no group that we owe more to than our veterans, and I will make our state the number one state for veterans to live and work,” Lee said in a news release. Lee, who also has a background in agriculture, has never held elected office. He has been traveling the state to boost his name recognition and hear from people about the issues most important to them. He first toured the state in a campaign RV and this week is wrapping up a statewide tractor tour. The honorary chairman of his veterans group will be Major General (Ret.) Gary Harrell of Washington County. “Bill Lee is a man who has a strong commitment to our state and to our veterans,” Harrell said. Lee is chairman of Lee Company, a family-owned…

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Mae Beavers Wins Gubernatorial Straw Poll At Rep. Andy Holt’s 2nd Annual Hogfest

Laura Baigert

DRESDEN, Tennessee – Following his 2nd Annual Hogfest and Turkey Shoot fundraiser held Saturday at the Holt Family Farm in Dresden, Representative Andy Holt released the results of the gubernatorial straw poll today on his Facebook page, which showed Sen. Mae Beavers took 44 percent of the votes. According to the Facebook post, the straw poll was done “to determine the following question: ‘If the 2018 Election for Tennessee Governor were held today, I would vote for.’” The post went on to say, And the straw poll results are as follows: 44% – Mae Beavers 25% – Bill Lee 24% – Beth Harwell 6% – Diane Black 1% – Karl Dean 0% – Randy Boyd 0% – Craig Fitzhugh During the event, Holt announced that he extended an invitation to the event to all the candidates, but just three – Mae Beavers, Beth Harwell and Bill Lee – actually attended. In his comments, Holt said of the gubernatorial candidates, “Only three took the time this evening to be with us. I hope you take that into consideration when you cast your vote.” More than 100 attendees traveled from around the state to the rural Holt Family Farm, several of whom…

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Randy Boyd Only Gubernatorial Candidate Not Represented at Knox County GOP Forum

Laura Baigert

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee – At the Knox County Republican Party Gubernatorial Candidate Forum held Monday evening at the Knoxville Expo Center, five of the six candidates were represented. Sen. Mae Beavers, Speaker Beth Harwell and Kay White appeared in person, while Congressman Diane Black and Bill Lee had surrogates. Randy Boyd was the only candidate not represented and no public explanation was offered for the absence. Knox County GOP Chair Buddy Burkhardt told The Tennessee Star that Boyd had a “prior commitment” and Lee had a fund raiser. Burkhardt also told The Star that he would only be involved in such an event if it was organized to provide all candidates an equal opportunity. Scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m., the event started with about 30 minutes of the candidates mingling with attendees followed by comments one at a time at the on-stage podium. The remainder of the event was to be another period of one-on-one time with the candidates, but the event quickly broke up after the formal comments segment. Brief stump speeches were made to an audience of approximately 100, the majority of whom were elected officials, candidates or campaign staff and volunteers, including State Representatives Martin Daniel, Roger…

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Gubernatorial Candidate Bill Lee To Speak At Nashville Event Monday

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

  Gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee will be the guest Monday at Tim Skow’s First Tuesday event. Yes, it will be on Monday. Lee, a successful Williamson County businessman vying for the GOP nomination, has been busy traveling around Tennessee on a tractor, after having traveled the state in his campaign RV. Through his travels, Lee, who has never held elected office, intends to get a better understanding of the concerns of Tennesseans. Topics likely to be discussed at Monday’s event include the gas tax passed earlier this year by the state legislature, medical marijuana, judicial reform and education topics such as vouchers and funding higher education. Lee serves on the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and the board of trustees for Belmont University. He has also has served on the board of various community and Christian ministry programs. At Monday’s event, there also will be a chance for guests to ask Lee questions on the topic of their choosing. Other Republican candidates in the 2018 gubernatorial race include Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd, state House Speaker Beth Harwell (R-Nashville), U.S. Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-6), and former state Sen. Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet), who recently resigned from the legislature to focus on her…

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Gubernatorial Candidate Bill Lee: ‘I Would Be a Strong Advocate for School Choice’

Tennessee Star Staff

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee announced his support for school choice and charter schools during a Facebook Live interview with the Beacon Center in Nashville on Thursday. The Williamson County businessman has made education one of the key themes of his campaign. Justin Owen, President of the Beacon Center, interviewed Bill Lee one-on-one at the Beacon Center’s studios in Nashville on Thursday for about 13 minutes. It was the first of a series of Facebook Live interviews the Beacon Center plans to conduct with every major candidate for governor in Tennessee. Lee responded to a question posed by Jacob from Nolensville, relayed to him by Owen. “What will you do, if anything, to expand K-12 school choice to get at those education reforms?” Owen asked of Lee. “I had children that were home schooled, and were educated in private school, and were educated in public school. The reason that we had different kids educated different ways in my family is that I really do believe fundamentally that how my children are educated and where they are educated those decisions are best made at home, so parents need choices and they need options,” Lee said. “So I would be a strong…

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Gubernatorial Candidate Bill Lee Finishes Tour of 95 Counties in 95 Days

Tennessee Star Staff

Gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee finished his tour of all 95 of Tennessee’s counties in 95 days on Friday in Putnam County. “It has been a thrill to visit every county and listen to Tennesseans in every corner of our state,” the Williamson County businessman said in a statement released by his campaign. “Maria and I have many individual highlights on this specific tour, but mostly, it is getting to meet folks from so many different walks of life. Our state is very diverse, but we have so much that connects us. What I’ve consistently heard throughout this tour is that folks want a good job, a great education for their kids and a safe neighborhood to live in. Those are my goals and that is why I’m running for governor,” Lee added. Lee announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for governor in Nashville on April 24. He began his 95 county tour that day on a bus emblazoned with the Bill Lee for Governor logo with its grey and orange colors. Since then, Lee. his staff, and volunteers, have driven the bus for 356 hours over 16,403 miles of Tennessee’s roads and highways, his campaign says. The tour, his…

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Mae Beavers and Bill Lee Offer Different Visions of Tennessee’s Future and the Governor’s Job at Williamson County BBQ

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

  State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) and Williamson County businessman Bill Lee offered two different visions of the future of Tennessee and the role of the job they are both seeking–governor-at the annual Williamson County Republican Party BBQ held in Thompson’s Station on Saturday. Each candidate spoke to the record crowd of 400 in attendance for about ten minutes, delivering the current version of their respective campaign stump speeches. Beavers, who has served in the Tennessee General Assembly since 1994, first in the House of Representatives and now in the State Senate, focused on enacting an agenda of conservative policies. She favors repealing the recent gas tax increase, promoting Second Amendment rights by pledging to sign a constitutional carry law, opposes in-state tuition for illegal aliens, and stands by her proposal to limit access to public bathrooms by gender. Bill Lee focused more on his personal qualities of leadership as opposed to a specific set of commitments to enact conservative policies. Lee emphasized his personal story, including the tragic death of his first wife, his role building up Lee Company, one of the premiere heating and cooling companies in the state, and his personal Christian faith. The Williamson County…

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Bill Lee Wins Williamson County GOP Gubernatorial Straw Poll

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

THOMPSON’S STATION, Tennessee–Williamson County businessman Bill Lee won the gubernatorial straw poll conducted Saturday at the Williamson County Republican Party annual summer BBQ at Little Creek Farms with a whopping 63 percent of the 243 votes cast. State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) finished a surprising second with 26 percent of the vote. Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06), who has not announced her candidacy, won 7 percent. Speaker of the Tennessee House Beth Harwell (R-Nashville), who has also not yet formally her candidacy, took 3 percent of the vote, and Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd took in slightly more than 1 percent of the vote. More than four hundred guests attended the sold-out event, which was a record crowd for the annual BBQ, and a great success for new Williamson County Republican Party Chairman Debbie Deaver and Vice Chairman Stephen Siao. “While straw polls are not always necessarily reflective of the electorate, tonight’s straw poll provides a good early pulse check of who influential Republicans in Williamson County and other mid-state counties are supporting in the gubernatorial race. Tonight’s attendees included influential conservative activists, prominent donors, party leaders, and over two dozen elected officials. Attendees cast their straw poll ballots with gumballs,”…

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GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Bill Lee Raises Over $1.3 Million in First Reporting Period

Tennessee Star Staff

The campaign of Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee issued a statement on Friday that it has raised $1.375 million during the fiscal quarter ending June 30, the first since Lee announced in April. The campaign says it has $2.5 million cash on hand: Republican gubernatorial candidate and conservative Williamson County businessman and cattle farmer Bill Lee announced that his campaign for governor has raised over $1.375 million in a little over two months of active campaigning, with over $2.5 million cash on hand to end the report period. In addition to what was raised, Bill and his wife Maria committed to match in the amount of $1.375 million due to the overwhelming level of enthusiasm and support he has received across the state. “Maria and I are truly humbled and honored to see the outpouring of support from across Tennessee with folks wanting to help this campaign,” said Lee. Lee continued, “Since we announced on April 24th, we have traveled the state meeting everyone we can and sharing my vision for Tennessee. The response has been so overwhelmingly positive, we felt compelled to match the donations in an effort to thank everyone for their support and show our continued commitment…

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Bill Lee Announces Tractor Tour, Policy Initiatives In Campaign For Tennessee Governor

Wendy Wilson

  Bill Lee has been busy traveling around Tennessee to campaign for governor and he has no plans to stop. Only now he plans to get around on a tractor. The Williamson County businessman, who is in the race for the Republican nomination, is winding down his statewide tour in his campaign RV. In a news release Thursday, he announced that the next phase of his campaign will involve a statewide tractor tour starting in August. “A tractor might not be the fastest way to get around, but I will take as much time as I need to bring attention to our rural communities,” said Lee, a cattleman and chairman of Lee Company, a large family-owned construction, facilities and home services company. Lee also announced four major policy initiatives for his campaign: Promote the dignity of work and economic independence. (a) invest early in vocational, technical and agricultural education to increase the number of high school graduates ready to work, (b) strengthen work requirements for social programs to lead Tennesseans out of dependency and (c) reform state licensing laws to eliminate unnecessary government regulations that create a barrier to work for our citizens. Support innovation and technology to improve economic,…

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Williamson GOP Announces All-Star Line Up for July 15 Summer Event

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Tennessee Star

  The Williamson County Republican Party – along with Davidson County Republican Party, Republican Women of Williamson County, Williamson County Young Republicans, Williamson County Republican Career Women, and the Tennessee College Republican Committee – is pulling out all the stops to bring local Republicans out for the Annual Summer Dinner, set for July 15 in Thompson’s Station. This year’s fundraiser features an All-Star speaker line up, with Representative Marsha Blackburn, State Senators Mark Green and Mae Beavers, and businessman Bill Lee. “The Republican Party of Williamson County’s Annual Membership Dinner on Saturday July 15th at Little Creek Farms in Thompson’s Station signals the kickoff of this election season. Come dance and listen to Senator Jack Johnson’s band, The Austin Boys, or just tap your toes while you enjoy some BBQ with all the fix in’s and a cold glass of iced tea,” Williamson County Republican Party Chairman Debbie Deaver tells The Tennessee Star. Congressman Blackburn will be on hand to chat about the latest news from Washington, D.C. State Senator Mark Green will provide a legislative wrap-up for the last session of the General Assembly. And you will hear from gubernatorial candidates Mae Beavers and local businessman Bill Lee—who knows, you…

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Gubernatorial Candidate Bill Lee: ‘Creating a Sanctuary City in Nashville Puts Our Entire State At Risk’

Tennessee Star Staff

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee released a statement Monday evening offering “Comments on Tennessee House Member’s Statement on Nashville City Council Sanctuary City Proposal.” On Monday afternoon, the office of State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) released a statement prepared by Matheny, State Rep. Bryan Terry (R-Murfreesoboro) and State Rep. Sheila Butt (R-Columbia) and signed by 63 Republican members of the Tennessee House of Representatives imploring members of the Metro Nashville City Council to reject a proposed sanctuary city ordinance. “I am 100% opposed to ‘sanctuary cities.’ Creating a ‘sanctuary city’ in Nashville puts our entire state at risk and as Governor, I would use every tool at my disposal to halt the adoption of these types of policies,” Lee said in the statement. “We are a welcoming and compassionate state. Tennesseans want to ensure those who come here do so legally and safely. A ‘sanctuary city’ policy ensures the opposite,” Lee concluded in his statement.

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Marsha Blackburn: ‘People Not Believing Evening News Is A Really Good Thing,’ Credits The Tennessee Star For Being ‘Reliable’

Laura Baigert

WOODBURY, Tennessee — U.S. Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-7), speaking to a group of 125 at the Cannon County Reagan Day Dinner held at the Rustic Elegance Event Center in Woodbury Friday evening, said that the American people don’t believe what they hear on the evening news, and that’s “a really good thing.” Blackburn was introduced by one-time fellow Tennessee House colleague, gubernatorial candidate and State Senator for the district Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet), who later spoke about her campaign platform, as did fellow candidate and Franklin businessman Bill Lee.  Representatives Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) and Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma), also gave brief remarks at the event. Referencing a survey of 3,000 people, Blackburn said 70 percent said “no” to the question of whether they believe what they hear from the evening news.  She blamed that on the fact that they are simply not reliable, in contrast to a reliable news outlet “like The Tennessee Star.” After pointing out that if the evening news is not believable, the next question is who do they believe. Blackburn gave a message of optimism in pointing out that the answer is “Y-O-U.” “They believe their well-informed friends and neighbors.  People they trust and know.  Not Fox,…

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GOP Gubernatorial Candidates Black, Beavers, and Lee Slam Nashville Sanctuary City Plan

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

  Three announced or anticipated Republican candidates for governor are weighing in with strongly worded opposition to the Metro Davidson County Sanctuary City plan that passed earlier this week on second reading and which is headed to a final vote in July. Proponents claim the ordinances are “in line with state and federal law” but one of the Mendes/Sledge bills if passed will, by prohibiting Metro Nashville employees from inquiring into immigration status, effectively enable illegal aliens to access public benefits they would otherwise be barred by law from obtaining. Announced candidates Bill Lee and State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) along with Congressman Diane Black (R-TN-06) delivered strong messages of opposition to the Metro Nashville Council’s plan. Announced candidate Randy Boyd has not commented on the plan. Congressman Black, who is a member of the House Border Security Caucus and author of the Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act, is expected to run for Governor though she has not yet confirmed her plans. She has condemned the Metro Council decision to obstruct immigration law, putting illegal aliens first and the safety and security of Tennessee families last. “First and foremost, as a mother and a grandmother, I implore the Council…

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Bill Lee Raises $1.3 Million At First Major Fundraiser For Campaign For Governor

Wendy Wilson

  Republican businessman Bill Lee raised $1.3 million at his first major fundraising event Tuesday for his campaign for governor. The event was held at singer Michael W. Smith’s barn in Franklin, according to a campaign press release. “We are extremely grateful to the voters in Tennessee who are inspired by Bill’s leadership and vision and are feeling compelled to invest in him,” said Stuart McWhorter, Lee’s campaign finance chairman.“We know that Bill’s message is resonating with people across Tennessee, and this is just the beginning of our efforts. I am excited to see what lies ahead for this campaign.” The Lee campaign also announced that Anna McDonald has joined the campaign as finance director. McDonald is a former finance director for the Tennessee Republican Party. With no prior experience in elected office, Lee has been dogged about getting his name out, meeting people and speaking on the issues. After officially declaring his candidacy April 24, he immediately began touring the state in his campaign RV. He was one of four announced and likely candidates who appeared at a Rutherford County GOP event May 25. A devout Christian who admires former president Ronald Reagan, Lee is casting himself as a conservative…

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