Former Republican Tennessee State Senator Brian Kelsey has issued an attempt to withdraw his guilty plea regarding charges stemming from his federal campaign finance case, court documents show.
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Tennessee State Senator Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown) issued an attempt to change his original not-guilty plea regarding charges stemming from his federal campaign finance case.
As previously reported by The Tennessee Star, in October 2021, a federal grand jury in Nashville indicted Kelsey on a five-count indictment charging him and another man with violating multiple campaign finance laws. Prosecutors said Kelsey and Nashville social club owner Joshua Smith allegedly violated multiple campaign finance laws as part of a conspiracy to benefit Kelsey’s 2016 campaign for Congress.
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State Senator Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown) told his constituents on Friday that he will not run for reelection, and he intends to spend more time with his family. “It has been a true honor to serve you for 18 years and to work with you to pass more constitutional amendments than any other Tennessee legislator in history — including one to forever ban the income tax,” Kelsey wrote on his Facebook page.
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Members of the Tennessee State House of Representatives on Thursday voted to approve Senate Bill 29, which would allow first responders to live where they choose. State Senator Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown) sponsored the legislation. The bill would ban residency requirements for police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical services workers.
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Tennessee State Senator Brian Kelsey and State Representative John Gillespie on Wednesday filed legislation that they said would, if enacted into law, protect police officers’ bests interests. Specifically, Kelsey and Gillespie said the bill would protect police officers from liability for injuries to a third party caused during a police pursuit. This is provided that the police officers’ conduct is not grossly negligent.
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More details emerged Tuesday about the circumstances that led to the federal indictment of Tennessee State Senator Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown) as well as details about a federal prosecutor — a former Obama appointee — involved with the case. ABC News reported that the allegations against Kelsey “resemble a complaint against Kelsey’s campaign filed with the Federal Election Commission and the Department of Justice in 2017 by the Campaign Legal Center.”
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Tennessee State Senator Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown), indicted on multiple charges of federal campaign finance law, proclaimed Monday that he’s innocent and the target of a political witch hunt. Kelsey held a brief Zoom conference with the press Monday.
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Tennessee State Senator Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown) was indicted by a federal grand jury in Nashville Friday on a five-count indictment charging him and another man with violating multiple campaign finance laws. This, according to a press release that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee published Monday.
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A bill that will give local school boards the sole authority to close schools was approved Thursday by the Tennessee House and is on its way to Gov. Bill Lee.
Senate Bill 103, which passed the House, 85-2, makes it clear local school boards can close public or charter schools in the state, not the governor through executive orders or local health departments.
The bill, sponsored in the House by Rep. Kevin Vaughan, R-Collierville, aimed to clarify who had the authority because during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was unclear in some locales whether the county health department or local school board held the authority.
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State Senator Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown) wants to add Tennessee’s Right to Work law to the state constitution.
Kelsey this week filed a Senate Joint Resolution for the 112th General Assembly to consider to add the Right to Work law to the constitution for its second required passage by the legislature. This, before officials send it to voters on the ballot.
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Members of the Tennessee Senate Judiciary Committee passed a resolution to add Tennessee’s Right to Work law to the state constitution.
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The Tennessee General Assembly this week passed major tax cut legislation, eliminating the $400 professional privilege tax levied on licensed individuals annually in 15 professions in Tennessee. This, according to a press release legislators sent out this week. Senate Bill 398, sponsored by Senator Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, repeals the tax for accountants, architects, sports agents, audiologists, chiropractors, dentists, engineers, landscape architects, optometrists, pharmacists, podiatrists, psychologists, real estate brokers, speech pathologists, and veterinarians. “The idea that earning a living is a privilege is insulting to hardworking Tennesseans,” the press release quoted Kelsey as saying. “For many years, this tax has unfairly singled out individuals in 22 of the state’s 100 licensed professions by taxing them for the so-called ‘privilege’ of earning a living. I am very pleased that it will end for the majority of these taxpayers.” Action on the legislation comes after a 2016 Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations report said some professions in the state that are not taxed have higher average incomes. The report also noted that incomes of professionals vary significantly within the taxed professions and those in occupations earning lower salaries, pay the same amount as those earning more. Professionals in these areas must pay…
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Tennessee State Sen. Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown) has introduced a resolution in the Tennessee Senate calling for the state’s public universities to oppose the National Collegiate Athletic Association prohibition on compensation for student-athletes. Senate Resolution 22 says current rules by the NCAA violate the free-market principle of economic liberty and amounts to little more than indentured servitude to sports programs which have robust finances. The resolution was filed today as the American Athletic Conference basketball tournament opens in Memphis and the Southern Southeastern Conference tournament begins in Nashville. “Exploiting these athletes is a violation of their economic liberty and civil rights,” Kelsey said in a press release. “A free education is not adequate compensation for talented athletes who put their health and/or future earnings at stake when playing college sports. These are extremely rigorous programs which bring in a lot of money. The NCAA has turned a blind eye to these players’ civil rights, forcing college athletes to work without adequate compensation for too long. It is time to reform college athletics, so these players have an opportunity to be compensated for their talent, as well as their labor.” The resolution references the injury received by Duke University basketball player Zion Williamson, who was…
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A Latino political action committee has released the names of Republican candidates it supports in Tennessee state and federal mid-term elections which will be held on Nov. 6. The Latinos for Tennessee PAC said it has endorsed: Reverend Tommy Vallejos, Tennessee House of Representatives, District 67 Brian Kelsey, Tennessee State Senate, District 31 Dr. Mark Green, U.S. Congress, District 7 Scott DesJarlais, U.S. Congress, District 4 John Rose, U.S. Congress, District 6 Marsha Blackburn, U.S. Senate Bill Lee, Tennessee governor Latinos for Tennessee Executive Director Raul Lopez said, “We are happy to support these candidates who have demonstrated their commitment to defending faith, family, freedom, and fiscal responsibility.” “I’m inspired and encouraged by each of these excellent candidates,” Lopez said. “At each level, they’re working on policies that make sense, that preserve the freedoms that make this country the land of opportunity. Members of the Hispanic community, and all citizens, want the opportunity to flourish here in Tennessee.” “We encourage all Tennesseans to vote on November 6.” Latinos for Tennessee PAC is a political action committee committed to protecting and promoting faith and family, freedom, and fiscal responsibility among Tennessee’s growing Latino population. The mission of Latinos for Tennessee is…
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Members of the American Conservative Union have awarded State Sen. Kerry Roberts (R-Springfield) with that organization’s highest accolade for adhering to conservative principles during this year’s legislative session, according to a press release on Roberts’ website. ACU members recognized Roberts with their Award for Conservative Excellence, based on their extensive review of how lawmakers voted on important legislation, according to the website. Roberts is one of only two state senators in the Tennessee legislature to receive the award. The other is State Sen. Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown). Roberts did not immediately return The Tennessee Star’s request for comment Thursday, and neither did anyone from the ACU. The ratings, at both the federal and state levels, are an initiative of the American Conservative Union Foundation’s Center for Legislative Accountability. “These ratings are designed to reflect how elected officials view the role of government,” the ACU said in a press release announcing ratings for Tennessee lawmakers in 2018. The overall 2018 score for the Tennessee General Assembly fell by one-half percentage point compared to the 2017 session, with the Tennessee Senate falling by eight percentage points — 86 percent to 78 percent. The Tennessee House, meanwhile, improved by seven percentage points — 70…
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In a year where Metro Nashville’s rank and file workers learned they would not get promised cost of living increases, Nashville Mayor David Briley gave merit raises to 20 members of his own staff, WSMV reported. Two of the mayor’s staff received 6 percent increases. One Briley staffer, Chief Strategy Officer Brian Kelsey, got a $7,178 raise, increasing his salary to $126,824. Briley also gave merit-based raises to department heads. Briley’s decision to reverse the cost of living adjustments – COLAs – for Metro employees created a lot of controversy. Nashville Fire Chief Will Swann refused his 2.5 percent pay increase, choosing to pass the Open Range money to 19 administrators under him. Briley said that although city workers would not get cost of living adjustments this year, 71 percent of the city’s work force could expect their paychecks to increase during the coming year. Workers can get what are called step increases. Metro Nashville’s being strapped for cash did not stop Briley from compiling a wish list of expensive projects like a $125 million floodwall for downtown, The Tennessee Star reported. Police officers and firefighters wanted the raises they were promised to help with the cost of living, WSMV…
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For groups like Professional Educators of Tennessee, it is simple. We must advance public education without the divisive tribalism of partisan politics, and we will only get involved in education related issues. The union never stops in its quest for power and control over public education.
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