Tag: cabinet

Commentary: Republican Senators Were Deferential to Biden’s 2020 Cabinet; Now They’re Blocking Trump’s Picks in 2024

The Daily Torch
President Joe Biden

During President Joe Biden’s honeymoon in early 2021, Senate Republicans routinely deferred to the President’s selection for Cabinet secretaries, no matter how radical they were, how much they disagreed with the President’s policies and no matter how awful the selections turned out to be for national security and the individual liberties of the American people.

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Gov. Bill Lee Hikes Salaries for ‘Lowest’ Paid Cabinet Members to Minimum of $161,905

Jason M. Reynolds

Working as a Cabinet member for new Gov. Bill Lee has its perks – 15 of the department heads are getting raises, the Associated Press reports. AP reporter Kimberlee Kruesi on Monday tweeted, “Lee gives some pay raises to cabinet members #tnpol”. Lee gives some pay raises to cabinet members #tnpol https://t.co/Mnt4uvkTDd — Kimberlee Kruesi (@kkruesi) February 4, 2019 It may be some slight consolation that the top eight paid Cabinet members are not getting a salary bump. Gabe Roberts, the TennCare commissioner, is at the top of the list at $300,000 per year, where he will stay. Other top paid officials include the education and finance heads, the AP said. The story is here. However, the other 15 Cabinet members will be paid $161,905 annually, an increase from the administration of former Gov. Bill Haslam. Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill questioned the size of the Cabinet members’ pay raises. “It appears that many of Governor Lee’s political appointees are receiving the biggest paychecks they have ever received in their lives, plus significant benefits that most taxpayers are not provided,” Gill said. “Hopefully they will all prove themselves to be worth it, but the big salaries these officials are…

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Governor-Elect Bill Lee Appoints Commissioners of Health, Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, General Services

Jason M. Reynolds

Tennessee Gov.-elect Bill Lee on Thursday announced appointments to his Cabinet for the Department of Health, the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and the Department of General Services. “We have been committed to building a team that represents each Grand Division and I am pleased to add appointees who represent West, Middle and East Tennessee at the table,” Lee said in a press release. “I look forward to working together to implement a conservative vision for Tennessee.” The new appointments are: • Dr. Lisa Piercey – Department of Health • Brad Turner – Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities • Christi Branscom – Department of General Services Piercey, of Gibson County, currently serves as the executive vice president of West Tennessee Healthcare. In this role she oversees a roster of hospitals with an emphasis on rural hospitals in Bolivar, Camden, Milan, Dyersburg and Martin. Piercey’s clinical background is in pediatrics with a specialization in child abuse pediatrics. She serves as the Medical Director for the Madison County Child Advocacy Center and is also on faculty at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Longtime Jackson conservative talk radio host Frankie Lax told The Tennessee Star that the appointment of Dr. Piercey gives West…

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Governor-Elect Bill Lee Appoints Commissioners of Transportation, Environment, Human Resources

Jason M. Reynolds
Bill Lee

Tennessee Gov.-elect Bill Lee on Tuesday announced three appointments to his Cabinet: for the Department of Transportation, the Department of Environment and Conservation and the Department of Human Resources. The new commissioners are: • Clay Bright – Department of Transportation • David Salyers – Department of Environment and Conservation • Juan Williams– Department of Human Resources “I am pleased to announce three additions to our cabinet who bring a high level of expertise and deep knowledge of our state,” Lee said in a statement. “I look forward to working closely with these appointments as we build forward-thinking solutions for Tennessee.” Lee has been busy filling Cabinet positions in the days leading up to his inauguration, which is Saturday. Last week he appointed Court of Appeals, Western Section Judge Brandon Gibson to serve as a Senior Advisor in the Office of the Governor. One Middle Tennessee business owner vouched for Salyers, saying, “He’s an excellent engineer who’s had mud on his boots and understands how things have to operate in the real world.” Salyers, of Madison County, serves as the executive director of the West Tennessee River Basin Authority, a division of the Department of Environment and Conservation, according to Lee’s website. Salyers…

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Governor-Elect Lee Appoints Judge Brandon Gibson as Senior Advisor

Jason M. Reynolds

Tennessee Governor-Elect Bill Lee announced his appointment Wednesday of Court of Appeals Judge Brandon Gibson to serve as a Senior Advisor in the Office of the Governor, a cabinet-level position. “Brandon is a principled conservative with deep rural roots in our state,” Lee said in a statement. “She is widely respected for her service on the Court of Appeals and I am honored that she will continue her commitment to public service in this administration.” Lee has drawn sharp criticism from some for the lack of conservatives in positions of authority in his administration. The Tennessee Star has pointed out that perhaps the only other conservative so far, Courtney Rogers, has limited authority as Commissioner of Veterans Affairs. Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill recently told Fox 17 News that while Rogers was a good appointment, the “power positions” are the chief of staff (which went to an out-of-stater), the chief of operations (a Democrat) and the finance commissioner (a Democrat). There are also a lot of holdovers from Gov. Bill Haslam’s staff, none of whom support President Donald Trump or will hire conservatives, Gill said. Lee’s newest appointment, Gibson, of Crockett County, serves as a judge on the Tennessee Court…

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

Admin

Governor-elect Bill Lee will be inaugurated on Saturday January 19. As that date approaches he and his team are working feverishly to complete the selection of his Cabinet and fill many of the top deputy positions in key departments of state government. Thursday afternoon, Lee announced six new commissioners: David Gerregano has served as Governor Bill Haslam’s Commissioner of Revenue the past two years, and helped shepherd the Haslam tax increase (including adding $300 million per year in higher gas taxes) through the Legislature last year. He will continue to serve in that capacity for Lee. Bob Rolfe was appointed in March 2017 by Haslam to fill the slot of Commissioner of Economic and Community Development that Randy Boyd vacated when he left to run for Governor. Rolfe is being retained by Lee in that same position. Gabe Roberts is presently serving as Deputy Director at TennCare and will be elevated to the top slot by Governor Lee. As Deputy Director at TennCare Roberts was actively involved in Governor Haslam’s efforts to expand Medicaid/Obamacare which was derailed by the Legislature in special session in 2015 and again in the regular Session. And during Roberts tenure at TennCare the department apparently paid…

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Gov.-Elect Lee Names Former State Rep. Courtney Rogers to Head Department of Veterans Services

Jason M. Reynolds

Governor-elect Bill Lee on Thursday announced that former State Rep. Courtney Rogers will head up the Department of Veterans Services for when his new administration begins next month. Rogers was one of two appointments Lee announced to his cabinet on Thursday- one for the Department of Veterans Services and one for  the Department of Military. The appointments are: – Lt. Col. (Ret.) Courtney Rogers, former State Rep. (R-TN-45) – head of the Department of Veterans Services  – Maj. Gen. Jeff Holmes – adjutant general of the Department of Military “We are pleased to add two experienced military leaders to our cabinet today,” Lee said in a statement. “Our veterans and active duty personnel will be in good hands with these appointments and I look forward to working with them.” Rogers, of Sumner County, serves as the Director of Recruiting and Retention for the Tennessee State Guard, the all-volunteer arm of the Tennessee Military Department, Lee said in a statement. Rogers served 28 years in the Air Force and Tennessee Air National Guard. She also was a Tennessee State Representative for the 45th District for three terms from 2012 to 2018 until deciding not to run for re-election, Ballotpedia said. Rogers received a…

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Tennessee Star Report: How Will Gov-Elect Lee Follow Up on School Choice Campaign Pledge?

Julie Carr

In a specific discussion on Tuesday morning’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – the duo contemplated Bill Lee’s current cabinets picks and the absence of any conservatives.  The conversation continued about whether or not Lee would hold true to his “school choice” (or more specifically “parent choice”) campaign pledge and why it needs to become a bill and why it hasn’t in the past. At the end of the segment, Leahy urged Lee to provide leadership on this matter. Gill: We’ve been talking a little bit about the Bill Lee transition process and who’s been put into place in his senior positions and cabinet positions who are being added as we speak.  Who are “whispering in his ear” to direct his assembling of his senior leadership team and cabinet.  And you’re welcome to join us, 615-737-9522.  Bill Lee and his team have not been able to find any conservatives any consistent dependable conservatives to serve in the senior positions of his administration at this point.  They’ve appointed roughly twelve cabinet level positions including commissioner of financing and administration, agriculture, commerce and insurance, tourism,…

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OFF THE RECORD: Bill Lee Cabinet Speculation Begins

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Although Election Day is still two weeks off, the fact that Republican candidate for Governor Bill Lee appears poised to win handily over Democrat nominee Mayor Karl Dean has speculation already underway about who might fill his Cabinet. One name generating a lot of buzz is State Senator Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma). Bowling was one of Lee’s earliest supporters in the State Senate, publicly endorsing Lee while most of her colleagues in the Legislature were siding with the perceived front runners Diane Black and Randy Boyd. While the Lee team is avoiding any discussion of what role Bowling or any other potential Commissioners might fill, Education, Transportation and DCS would all fit her areas of expertise. Lee might prefer to keep her closer to the Governor’s office as a Legislative liaison with a portfolio that would include dealing with county and municipal leaders as well. (Bowling is a former Alderman in Tullahoma.) She is definitely high on the “secret” draft board at this point. Another name drawing attention is former legislator Jamie Woodson, who served in both the State House and State Senate before becoming Executive Chairman and CEO of SCORE in 2011.  As a former Chair of the Senate Education…

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