Question Posed: How Did Bob Corker Go from ‘Dead Broke’ to $69 Million Net Worth During 11 Years in U.S. Senate?

  “How do you increase your net worth by 69 million dollars while you’re working full-time as a Senator?” That’s the question Rolling Stone reporter Matt Taibbi asked about Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) on Friday. Neither Taibbi nor Rolling Stone are fans of Corker (or of President Trump, Republicans, or conservatism in general). And Rolling Stone has had problems of its own, recently, as has Taibbi. Nonetheless, Taibbi puts a fine point on what many political watchers across the Volunteer State have been asking for years. Federal campaign contributions and lobbying data tracker Open Secrets has perhaps the most jaw-dropping illustration of Corker’s rise to wealth. As Rolling Stone’s Taibbi writes, “Corker didn’t just enter the Senate without any money. He entered it carrying, according to his own disclosure forms, a mountain range of huge loans.” Setting the stage for his ‘promotion’ from Chattanooga Mayor to U.S. Senator, Taibbi writes of Tennessee’s junior senator: Corker took office in January, 2007, during the last gasp of the Bush/Rove political juggernaut. The Iraq war had gone south and the Republicans had just been routed in midterms. The financial crisis was just around the corner. And nobody paid attention to the smooth-talking freshman Senator from Tennessee, who turned…

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New Poll: Bob Corker’s Favorability Rating Crashes to Record-Low 22 Percent Among Tennessee Republicans

Senator Bob Corker’s (R-TN) favorability rating has sunk to a record-low 22 percent among Tennessee Republicans, according to a new poll released by The Tennessee Star on Wednesday. A full 60 percent of Tennessee Republicans have an unfavorable view of the retiring junior senator. Corker’s record-low unfavorability rating among Tennessee Republicans stands in stark contrast to President Trump’s favorability rating, which remains sky high at 84 percent among Tennessee Republicans, according to the same poll. The poll of 1,028 Tennessee Republican likely primary voters was conducted for The Tennessee Star by Triton Research between December 12 and December 18 using IVR technology (automated phone response), and has a 3.1 percent margin of error. “These numbers are not really surprising, based on his consistent attacks on President Trump and obstructionist approach to issues that Tennessee voters overwhelmingly support,” Andy Ogles former State Director of Americans for Prosperity, tells The Tennessee Star, adding: Senator Corker figured out that we had figured him out and when he saw similar poll numbers earlier this year so he chose not to try to face Tennessee voters with his pro-Obama, pro-Establishment track record. Once he had a serious opponent for his seat he realized he was going…

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Judson Phillips Commentary: Why Doesn’t the Tennessee Republican Party Expel Bob Corker?

Well, he isn’t the worst. Tennessee can take some small consolation in the fact that this state does not have the worst United States Senator. Only, one of the worst. In thirteen long months, the state and the nation’s long national nightmare will be over as “Bailout” Bob Corker will finally leave the Senate. Corker is known as “Bailout Bob,” or sometimes the “Senator from Obama,” for his willingness to help Barack Obama and the Democrats. For those who need a trip down memory lane, remember it was Corker who single handedly revived Dodd-Frank from death in the Senate and led the bill until it was signed by Obama. He also spearheaded the circumvention of the Constitution to allow Obama’s Iran nuclear deal to be approved. Corker was all but begging President Trump to make him Secretary of State after the President was elected. The President had the good sense to ignore the junior Senator. But that slight has sent Corker off. Perhaps as early as January, Corker knew he could not win reelection in this state and was looking for an honorable way out. Since President Trump did not give him that, he has been at war with the…

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New Poll Shows Bob Corker Unpopular Among Tennesseans, But Democrats Like Him More Than Republicans

Bob Corker

Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), who was the only Republican senator to oppose President Trump’s tax cut bill that passed the Senate by a 51 to 49 margin, is not very popular with Tennesseans, according to a new poll. Corker’s continued opposition to the President Trump’s agenda appears to be one of the main causes of his plummeting popularity. “Support for Sen. Bob Corker seems to be abating as confidence in President Donald Trump and Gov. Bill Haslam remains strong, according to a new poll,” the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported on Saturday: The poll, which was conducted in November by the Mason-Dixon polling firm, found that more than 50 percent of Tennessee voters approve of how the president is handling his job, and even more approved of Haslam… Corker, R-Tenn., who in September announced he would not run for re-election, is less popular among voters. Only 40 percent of voters approve of Corker, with his popularity now significantly higher among Democrats (49 percent) versus 36 percent of Republicans. The firm’s poll notes there was speculation about Corker’s ability to win re-election in 2018, and the results show that only 32 percent of respondents said they would vote for him. Corker…

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Bob Corker Called Roy Moore ‘A Bridge Too Far’ But Gives Al Franken a Pass: ‘I Just Don’t Want to Be Weighing In’

Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) called on Republican Roy Moore to withdraw from the U.S. Senate race in Alabama after unsubstantiated allegations of sexual harassment more than 30 years ago were made against him. But on Thursday, Corker refused to call for any punitive actions against Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) after photographic evidence substantiated a more recent claim of sexual harassment brought against him by a woman who was on a 2006 USO tour of Afghanistan with the former Saturday Night Live comic. “I receive these kinds of questions every day about all kinds of things and I just — I don’t really have a lot — I don’t know enough . . . I just, again, I just don’t want to be weighing in on these things every day when I know nothing about them,” Corker told The Intercept when asked about the conduct of his friend and Senate colleague from Minnesota. The Intercept added: But when a reporter pointed out that he had weighed in on the Roy Moore scandal, Corker asked, “How did I weigh in on Roy Moore?” Look, I’m sorry, but even before these reports surfaced, Roy Moore’s nomination was a bridge too far. — Senator…

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Pat Toomey Says Roy Moore Should Drop Out of Alabama Senate Race, Bob Corker Calls His Nomination ‘A Bridge Too Far’

Sen. Pat Toomey has joined the growing chorus of Republicans who say Roy Moore should drop out the U.S. Senate race in Alabama over charges that the former judge pursued relationships with teenaged girls when he was in his 30s. “I think the accusations have more credibility than the denial. I think it would be best…

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Commentary: Will Bad Apples Bob Corker and Jeff Flake Spoil the Whole GOP Bunch?

by Jeffrey A. Rendall   It’s now been over a week since Arizona Senator Jeff Flake delivered his melodramatic retirement announcement speech on the senate floor and the fateful words the establishment lawmaker uttered are still reverberating around Washington. Some even believe Flake and fellow retiring Senator Bob Corker are now “free” from the usual invisible restraints placed on politicians running to retain their offices, suggesting the two could make things pretty difficult for President Donald Trump and the GOP majorities going forward. Are they right? Sarah Westwood of the Washington Examiner reported, “Neither Corker nor Flake have the same incentives as their fellow GOP lawmakers, between now and Nov. 2018, to fall in line behind Trump as their party works to pass tax reform, repeal Obamacare, cobble together an immigration package that legislates DACA protections and keeps the government open past the holidays. “The margin of error for Republicans, with a slim 52-member majority in the Senate, was already too narrow for the GOP’s comfort. It took just one Trump critic, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to sink months of work on a healthcare plan that the president pushed aggressively through the House and Senate.” I hate to disagree with…

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Bob Corker ‘Couldn’t Get Elected Dogcatcher’ in Tennessee, But Doesn’t Rule Out 2020 Primary Challenge to President Trump

Tennessee Star

Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) was at it again on Friday. The junior senator from Tennessee, whose poll ratings in his home state are so low President Trump recently tweeted “he couldn’t get elected dog catcher,” is fanning the flames of a potential 2020 GOP Republican Presidential primary challenge to President Trump. The Associated Press, reporting from Gatlinburg, Tennessee, has the story: Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee did not rule out a run in 2020 against President Donald Trump when asked about it by reporters Friday, saying he’s focused on the next 14 months of his term and isn’t thinking that far ahead. The noncommittal response came as Corker doubled down this week on criticism of Trump, calling him “utterly untruthful” and responsible for “the debasement of our nation.” “You know, I don’t know what I’m doing next Sunday,” the senator responded when reporters asked about a potential presidential bid. Corker said it was far too soon to say if he would want a strong Republican primary challenge of Trump, whether by him or someone else. “I think that if you even begin thinking those things, everything you do becomes viewed through a different lens,” Corker said generally about presidential ambitions.

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Bob Corker Undermines American Foreign Policy Again, Says President Trump ‘Cannot Publicly Castrate’ Secretary of State Tillerson

A reckless Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) undermined President Trump and American foreign policy once again on Friday with a stunningly irresponsible statement made during an interview with the Washington Post. “You cannot publicly castrate your own secretary of state without giving yourself that binary choice,” Corker told the Post. Corker described his use of “binary choice” language by stating the president was “creating scenarios in which the United States might be forced to choose between waging war on North Korea or Iran or allowing those countries to threaten the U.S. with nuclear weapons,” Politico reported:   According to Corker, the secretary was in fact one of Trump’s greatest assets, and had made strides toward improving relationships with other global powers, notably China. “The greatest diplomatic activities we have are with China, and the most important, and they have come a long, long way,” he said. “Some of the things we are talking about are phenomenal.” It was an unprecedented and disturbing attack on the president of his own party by the current chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Conservatives and supporters of President Trump around the country immediately escalated their criticism of Corker. On Saturday, “Former White House chief…

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Peyton Manning Has No Interest in Running for Any Elected Office in 2018

Tennessee Star

  As Tennessee potentates, politicos, and possible politicians vie for the various elected offices up for grabs in 2018, one individual makes if clear he will not run for any office at all. In 2018. Nope. Not interested. Not even a little. We’re talking, of course, about Vol-for-Life Peyton Manning, who appeared on Nashville’s 3HL on 1045 The Zone Wednesday. When asked if he might have an interest in running for Bob Corker’s now-open seat, Manning replied: Peyton Manning said, “I certainly have an interest in politics and in our country. I just have zero interest in being a politician." — 3HL (@3HL1045) September 27, 2017 WATE reports: Corker announced Tuesday he would retire from the Senate and not seek re-election in 2018, sparking a large amount of buzz about who will run to fill his seat. Corker himself spoke Wednesday, saying while it was possible Manning would run for his seat, he didn’t think it was likely. “Is he going to run for this seat? I think the chances are low. Is there a chance down the road that he could be enticed to run for the United States Senate or something like this? I hope so. He’s the…

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Marsha Blackburn Confirms She Is Considering Run for Bob Corker’s Senate Seat

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) confirmed late Tuesday that she is considering a run for retiring Senator Bob Corker’s (R-TN) United States Senate seat. That confirmation came “within minutes” of Corker’s stunning announcement that would not run for re-election in 2018, the Hill reported: Minutes after learning that Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) won’t seek reelection, Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) told The Hill on Tuesday she’s considering running for his Senate seat in 2018. “Yes,” Blackburn said when asked if she’s taking a look at the Senate race. Blackburn said colleagues told her about Corker’s retirement during votes on the House floor. The Senate Foreign Relations chairman did not give his delegation any advance notice of his decision, lawmakers said. If Blackburn enters the race, she would likely clear the field of any other conservative challengers for the seat. An establishment candidate, such as current Governor Bill Haslam, might emerge, but if she announces, Blackburn will become the prohibitive favorite for both the Republican nomination and the general election victory in November. Blackburn’s statewide appeal was demonstrated in a poll of likely Republican primary voters conducted by The Tennessee Star in early June which showed her in a statistical tie with Senator…

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Lee Beaman Launches Super PAC to Raise $4 Million to Support Andy Ogles and Oppose Bob Corker in GOP Senate Primary

Tennessee Star

Middle Tennessee’s most recognized auto dealer has launched a Super PAC that intends to raise $4 million in a Super PAC for independent expenditures to support Andy Ogles and oppose Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) in the 2018 Republican U.S. Senate primary in Tennessee. “Ogles is the former state director of Americans for Prosperity, the political arm of conservative billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch’s network. He declared his candidacy last week, and his campaign on Tuesday announced the formation of the super PAC run by Lee Beaman, a Nashville Toyota dealer,” the Associated Press reported. Super PACs can take unlimited contributions from wealthy donors, but they may not coordinate with the campaigns. Corker has not yet announced whether he will seek a third term. Two people familiar with a White House discussion between the senator and president last week told The Associated Press that Trump urged Corker to run during the meeting. Beaman said he plans to raise $4 million to support Ogles, citing his support for tighter border security, repealing former President Barack Obama’s health care law and cutting taxes and regulation. News of the hefty financial resources about to be trained on Corker spread quickly throughout the Volunteer…

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Bob Corker’s Much Vaunted Meeting With President Trump Uneventful

Washington pundits were abuzz with speculation late last week when it was announced that Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) would meet with President Trump at the White House on Friday. News reports about what transpired at that meeting when the two men finally met in person after several weeks of mutual public criticism suggest the results were largely uneventful. “The president and Senator Corker had a productive meeting in which they discussed a wide range of shared legislative priorities for the fall session,” the Washington Examiner reported “the White House said in a readout following the sit-down.” That plain vanilla statement about a “a productive meeting” is standard operating procedure in Washington for describing meetings where nothing of substance is accomplished. The Examiner story continued: Corker, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sat down with Trump days before the president is slated to meet with several heads of state at the 72nd annual United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City. The two men discussed the current state of foreign affairs and the administration’s desire for bipartisan tax reform, according to the readout. “The administration looks forward to continued partnership with Senator Corker and other members of…

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Is a Mark Green Senate Primary Challenge to Bob Corker Back on the Table?

Tennessee Star

  Senator Bob Corker was greeted Friday morning with another withering rebuke by President Trump, in response to a series of criticisms hailed at the President over the past ten days, for which Corker – who is up for re-election by Trump-friendly Tennesseans next year – staunchly “stands by.” Meanwhile, State Senator Mark Green’s (R-Clarksville) refusal to rule out a run against the struggling incumbent could signal a re-consideration to challenge Corker in the 2018 Republican primary. “I’ve already told Senator Corker my thoughts about his comments about the President and that’s as far as I intend to go at this point,” Green told Breitbart News Friday afternoon. Earlier this year State Senator Green was eyeing a run to replace the termed-out Governor Bill Haslam when the Trump Administration nominated him for Secretary of the Army. The move was met with the broad support of the Senate and wildly popular Secretary of Defense, James Mattis. However, after a sustained, two-pronged attack by leftist groups against Green’s nomination using inaccurate accounts of remarks he made having to do with the so-called “bathroom bill” and the threat of radical Islam to the American way of life, he withdrew his nomination. In early August, Green announced that he…

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MTSU Poll: 77 Percent of Tennessee Republicans Trust President Trump, Only 40 Percent Trust Bob Corker

A recent poll conducted by Middle Tennessee State University confirms what The Tennessee Star Poll reported last month: President Donald Trump is by far the most popular elected official among Republican voters in Tennessee, and Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) is not particularly popular. Among Republicans, 86 percent of likely Tennessee Republican voters approved of President Trump’s job performance in The Tennessee Star Poll  released on June 6: When asked “How would you rate the job performance of President Donald Trump,” 86 percent of likely Republican primary voters in Tennessee said they approve of his job performance, while only 11 percent said they disapprove, a remarkable 75 percent margin of approval over disapproval. In the MTSU Poll, which measured trust,  77  percent of Tennessee Republican voters surveyed say they trust President Trump, while only 40 percent say they trust Senator Corker. The Tennessee Star Poll was conducted of 1,007  likely Republican primary voters in Tennesseee. The MTSU Poll was taken of  627 residents of Tennessee, 193 of whom were Republicans, 153 were Democrats, 139 were Independents, and 78 said they were “Not Political.” Among all those surveyed by the MTSU Poll, 38 percent say they trust President Trump, while only 28 percent…

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Bob Corker Takes Two Cheap Shots at President Trump, Conservatives in Tennessee Respond by Smacking Down Our Junior Senator

Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) took another two cheap shots at President Trump this week, and this time conservatives in Tennessee responded by smacking down the junior senator who is up for re-election in 2018. On Monday, Corker joined several Democratic senators in undermining President Trump’s foreign policy on Russia. “Senior senators in both parties on Monday night reached a bipartisan deal to add new sanctions on Russia and allow Congress to disapprove of any attempt by President Donald Trump to ease penalties on Moscow, the most significant GOP-backed constraint on the White House so far this year,” Politico reported: Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) assured reporters earlier Monday that the Russia deal would provide for congressional review of any future rollbacks of Russia sanctions, a plan pushed by Schumer as well as Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). The review language would be structured “much like we did in other places,” such as the 2015 legislation that required former President Barack Obama to submit his administration’s nuclear pact with Iran to Congress, Corker said. . . Asked about the prospects of a veto threat from Trump, the Foreign Relations panel’s top Democrat, Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin, told…

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Six Potential Challengers to Bob Corker in the 2018 Tennessee U.S. Senate Republican Primary

Tennessee Star

  With the new Tennessee Star polling data revealing significant vulnerabilities for Senator Bob Corker among likely Republican Primary voters, the speculation about potential opponents who may seek to exploit those vulnerabilities has increased dramatically. (Regardless of how many think about it, if more than one conservative challenger actually gets in the race they give it to Corker. And a successful race will almost certainly require a minimum of $7 million.) Who are these potential challengers? In alphabetical order: Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn. Topping the wish list of many Tennessee conservatives is the Representative from Middle Tennessee’s 7th District. Having represented a wide swath of West Tennessee before redistricting she has a significant base of support in both Middle and West Tennessee, which was reflected in the cross tabs in The Tennessee Star Poll head-to-head poll with Corker. Blackburn won the Middle portion of the state outside the margin of error (43-38) and beat Corker handily in West Tennessee (49-36). Statewide the two were within the margin of error with Corker edging Blackburn 41-39. A Tennessean story that was widely repeated across the state and country reported that Blackburn has indicated that she will NOT run for the Senate in 2018.…

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Tennessee Star Poll Summary: 86 Percent of GOP Primary Voters Support Trump, Corker Vulnerable, and Governor’s Race Wide Open

Tennessee Star

The Tennessee Star Poll released earlier this week revealed some important information about the current attitudes of likely Republican primary voters in Tennessee. Among the key results: 86 percent of likely Republican primary voters in Tennessee approve of President Trump’s job performance. No gubernatorial candidate has more than 10 percent support and the race is wide open. Senator Bob Corker’s re-election bid is in trouble. Rep. Marsha Blackburn is statistically tied in a one-on-one matchup with Senator Corker in a potential 2018 Republican U.S. Senate primary. Opposition to in-state tuition for illegal aliens is close to unanimous: 84 percent to 11 percent. A Republican gubernatorial candidate who promises to repeal the gas tax increase is more likely to receive the support of 48 percent of likely Republican primary voters and less likely to receive the support of 29 percent of likely Republican primary voters. 57 percent of likely Republican primary voters support constitutional carry. The Tennessee Star Poll will be conducted periodically between now and the August 2018 Republican primary to provide current insights into voter opinion among Tennessee’s likely Republican primary voters. The next poll is scheduled to be conducted and released in September of this year. The June 2017…

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Poll: Senator Bob Corker May Be In Trouble With Tennessee Republican Primary Voters

Tenessee Star

  A new poll released by The Tennessee Star conducted of 1,007 likely Republican primary voters in Tennessee by Triton Polling and Research shows that Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) may have trouble winning the nomination of his own party in its August 2018 U.S. Senate primary. First elected to the United States Senate in 2006, the former mayor of Chattanooga is up for re-election to a third term in 2018. He has not yet said that he will seek re-election, but many political observers would be surprised if he opted not to run again. When asked “As of now, do you think Bob Corker deserves re-election or is it time to give someone else a chance? ” only 41.1 percent of likely Republican primary voters in Tennessee said he “deserves re-election.” An equal number, 41.6 percent, said “give someone else a chance.” There were not a great number who were undecided on this question–only 17.3 percent said “don’t know/not sure.” “An incumbent who falls below a 50 percent re-elect number should be wary, particularly when they have seen so much anti-incumbent turmoil in the electorate in recent years,” media consultant and political strategist Steve Gill tells The Tennessee Star. “But…

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New Poll Shows Bob Corker and Marsha Blackburn Statistically Tied in Potential Tennessee U.S. Senate GOP Primary Matchup

Tennessee Star

  A poll released by The Tennessee Star of 1,007 likely Tennessee Republican primary voters shows that Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) is in a statistical tie with Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN 7) in a potential 2018 Republican primary matchup for the Tennessee U.S. Senate seat. When asked “If the election was held today, and the candidates were Bob Corker and Marsha Blackburn, who would you vote for U.S. Senator from Tennessee,” 41.4 percent of likely Tennessee Republican primary voters selected Corker while 38.6 percent selected Blackburn. The 2.8 percent differential between the two is within the poll’s 3.1 percent margin of error, thus making the race a statistical dead heat. The bad news for Corker is that Blackburn beats him in two of the Volunteer State’s three geographic regions. Among West Tennessee voters, Blackburn beats Corker soundly, 39 percent to 26 percent. Among Middle Tennessee voters, Blackburn beats Corker 43 percent to 38 percent. Only in his home region of East Tennessee does Corker beat Blackburn. There, he wins by a margin of 49 percent to 26 percent. Blackburn’s current district covers much of Middle Tennessee. Prior to redistricting after the 2010 election, however, the district stretched from Middle Tennessee…

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OFF THE RECORD

Has Senator Corker even read the Tennessee lawsuit? TN GOP’s Deputy Communications director confirmed today that Sen. Bob Corker will “be giving some remarks at the SEC meeting on Saturday.” No word yet whether Bob will share pictures from the Easter trip he took with Democrat Chris Coons, to the Bidi Bidi refugee camp in Uganda to look specifically at issues related to food shortages and the impact of the President’s proposed budget. Upon his return, Bob was asked if he had any recommendations for President Trump regarding dealing with the refugee issue. Forgetting(?) perhaps that Tennessee has sued the federal government over its refugee resettlement program, Bob said that he hopes to “move back to the regular process that we’ve been in for some time” and “normalize what we have been doing in this regard for many years.” Bob will be treating all the State Executive Committee members to lunch. We’ve been told that he will also feed any county party Chairmen that show up so that no one goes hungry. Lunch will be served at the 5-star Hermitage Hotel. Beth hired who??? This message almost set The Tennessee Star tipline on fire – Speaker Beth Harwell, a Republican of some sort,…

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Senator Lamar Alexander Responds to Threatened Democrat Filibuster of SCOTUS Nominee Gorsuch: ‘One Way Or the Other I’ll Vote for Him’

  “The Democrats have once again gone into a room and convinced themselves to do something that’s never been done before in the 230 year history of the Senate and that is to require more than 51 votes to confirm a Supreme Court nominee,” Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) tells The Tennessee Star in an emailed statement received late Wednesday. “I have spoken on the Senate floor twice in recent weeks to try to convince Democrats not to filibuster Judge Gorsuch’s nomination because it will be damaging to the Senate and to the country,” Alexander adds. “When I was in the minority, I opposed President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan, but I did not support a filibuster of her nomination – I believed she was entitled to a majority vote – and Judge Gorsuch is also entitled to a majority vote,” the Volunteer State’s senior senator notes. “I also wanted to point to a statement that the senator told a reporter this week,” a spokesperson for Alexander adds in that same email to The Star: “One way or the other I’ll vote for him.” “Finally, here is the senator’s floor speech, from where he talked about how filibustering to death the Gorsuch…

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