Tag: House Speaker Beth Harwell

Exclusive: Former Speaker of the Tennessee House Beth Harwell Announces TN-5 Campaign Team

Aaron Gulbransen

In an exclusive release provided to The Tennessee Star, former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell announced her campaign team for her run in race for the GOP nomination in Tennessee’s Fifth Congressional district.

TLC Political’s Chasen Bullock and Alex Meyer are serving as the general consultants. Former Chairman the Williamson County Election Commission Bob Brown was tapped to serve as campaign manager. Rachel Barrett and Reid Witcher of Rachel Barrett and Company are serving as the campaign’s in-state fundraisers. TAG Strategies is handling the digital fundraising. 1892 LLC is the campaign’s pollster. FP1’s Chris LaCivita and Annie Kelly Kuhle are providing the advertising services.

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Former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell Announces Candidacy for GOP Nomination in TN-5 Congressional District Race

Aaron Gulbransen

Former Tennessee Speaker of the House of Representatives Beth Harwell announced Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy her candidacy for the Republican nomination for Tennessee’s Fifth Congressional district.

Harwell, a Tennessee resident for more than thirty years, was the first woman to serve as the Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives.

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Former State Rep. Beth Harwell Reflects on Her Time as Tennessee House Speaker

Julie Carr
Beth Harwell

  Live from Music Row Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed former Tennessee Speaker Beth Harwell in studio to talk about her time as speaker for eight years. Leahy: We are joined in studio by our good friend, former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell. You know, Beth, as I look at the country today and I look at the problems we have, I’m a big believer in the concept of federalism and state sovereignty, as you are. Harwell: Absolutely. Leahy: Now I look at this and I say, you know what? I think the most important job in America today is to be the speaker of the House of Representatives in a red state legislature. That’s how I see it. Harwell: It’s a great job. It really is. And I thoroughly enjoyed being speaker. And you’re right. Federalism is so key. And I think we’ve seen this in the COVID thing because certain states have handled the crisis differently than other states. Certain cities have been doing things differently. And you’ve seen a sharp contrast.…

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Tennessee House Republicans to Choose Speaker Tuesday

Jason M. Reynolds

Republicans in the Tennessee House of Representatives will select their next leader on Tuesday, Nov. 27. One political observer has thrown out the name he believes will be picked. The upcoming Republican decision means replacing the spot that has been held by retiring Speaker State Rep. Beth Harwell (R-TN-56), who retired to run for governor, WKRN reports. She came in fourth against Gov.-elect Bill Lee in the primary. Republicans hold nearly three-quarters of the House seats, so their nominee for speaker will easily win the position when both parties vote in January as lawmakers convene their next session. “At this point, it’s probably Glen Casada’s to lose,” said longtime political analyst Steve Gill, Political Editor of The Tennessee Star. Casada (R-TN-63) is from Thompson Station. His Williamson County counterpart, State Sen. Jack Johnson (R-TN-23), is considered a front-runner for Senate Majority Leader. The Tennessee Senate Republican Caucus will choose its leaders on Monday, Dec. 3. That story is here. House Majority Leader Casada, the main sponsor of last session’s opioid bill, State Rep. David Hawk(R-TN-05) and current Speaker Pro-Tem State Rep. Curtis Johnson (R-TN-68) are on the ballot to replace Harwell. “Curtis Johnson is a more moderate candidate for speaker,”…

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Beth Harwell Airs Attack Ad Targeting Black, Boyd and Lee as Children

Admin
Beth Harwell

As the heat intensifies in the Tennessee Republican Primary campaign for Governor House Speaker Beth Harwell has aired her first negative ad. In the Harwell ad each of her three opponents are depicted as bickering children while she’s the “adult” in the room. Harwell touts the fact that as Speaker she has balanced the budget, lowered taxes, outlawed sanctuary cities and reduced the size of government. Beth Harwell “ADULT IN THE ROOM ad: ANNCR: “You have a choice for Governor. Behind all the fighting and posturing Diane Black, Randy Boyd and Bill Lee only offer political promises.” HARWELL: “I am the only candidate who offers proven results instead of political promises. Under my leadership as your Tennessee Speaker we’ve already balanced the budget and lowered your taxes. Already outlawed sanctuary cities and reduced the size of our state government.” ANNCR: “Beth Harwell, the adult in the room.” As Harwell’s critics have noted, EVERY Speaker has balanced the budget because it is required by law. And while some taxes were lowered as part of the IMPROVE Act, the tax cuts primarily went to big businesses while the fuel tax increase of over $300 million a year hits working families in Tennessee. Tennessee…

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Lawmakers Call For Acting TBI Director to Resign Over Alleged Affair With High-Ranking State Employee at Taxpayer Expense

Jason M. Reynolds
TBI Chief

The acting director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is on paid leave and under investigation for an alleged affair at taxpayer expense, and some legislative leaders have called for his resignation, various media outlets reported. Acting Director Jason Locke will be off the job starting Wednesday, June 20, WKRN reported. Senior staff will oversee operations of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation until next Monday, June 25, when Knoxville Police Department Chief David Rausch takes over the agency. Gov. Bill Haslam on Monday named Rausch as the new director of the TBI, WKRN reported. Rausch visited the bureau Tuesday. Lt. Gov. Randy McNally and House Speaker Beth Harwell called for Locke to resign, The Tennessean reported. “The allegations against Jason are extremely troubling,” McNally said in a statement, according to The Tennessean. “If I were advising him, I would counsel him to resign for the good of his family and the bureau.” Harwell commended Gov. Bill Haslam for “immediately launching an investigation,” The Tennessean said. There appears to be slight confusion on how the affair came to light. Most reports say Locke’s wife Kim emailed Haslam last week to report the affair. NewsChannel 5 reported that information, but in the same story,…

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State Employees Association Endorses Harwell, Fitzhugh In Gubernatorial Primaries

Jason M. Reynolds

The Tennessee State Employees Association’s PAC has endorsed Beth Harwell and Craig Fitzhugh in their parties’ gubernatorial primary races, the Times Free Press reported. Harwell is the state House Speaker. Fitzhugh is the state House Minority Leader. “This was a lengthy endorsement process, including written and in-person interviews,” said Pat Bowman, chair of the Tennessee Employees Action Movement PAC, in a statement. “In the end, I am pleased with the candidates we’ve endorsed.” The PAC tried to interview all major candidates in both parties. They heard back from Harwell, Fitzhugh and Republicans Randy Boyd and Bill Lee, and Democrat Karl Dean. The only candidate who didn’t respond to the questionnaire or agree to an interview was U.S. Rep. Diane Black, a Republican. Lee filled out the questionnaire but was not interviewed. State employees wanted to learn candidates’ views on issues including the outsourcing of government services to for-profit companies and whether candidates would commit to “insourcing” using state workers. Other issues included “failures” of TNReady tests and raises for state workers. Fitzhugh’s and Harwell’s campaigns provided statements expressing their gratitude, The Tennessee Journal’s Humphrey on the Hill reported. Fitzhugh’s campaign said, in part, “It’s a true honor to receive the…

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Problems Reported on First Day of TNReady Testing

Bob Goodwin

After months of preparing for the annual year-end assessments, many Tennessee students struggled to log on to the TNReady testing platform Monday morning. The Department of Education says the problem was quickly fixed by the vendor, and over 20,000 students took the test after the problems were resolved. “We share the frustration that some students had challenges logging into Nextera this morning. Questar has fixed this issue, and thousands of students are on the platform now. Over 25,000 students have successfully completed TNReady tests as of this point today,” the Department of Education tweeted. “No server has crashed, and the issue was not statewide. This issue was not related to volume. Testing has resumed.” Some districts saw the early errors as a warning of what was to come and chose to cancel testing for the day. “In Williamson, most of our 5-11 students could not log in,” said Jason Golden, Deputy Superintendent of Williamson County Schools. “Williamson County Schools early reports indicate that those who did get logged in apparently finished the test, but we can’t measure the distractions they were dealing with in each classroom as other students couldn’t get logged in. We shut it down for the day & are…

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Vast Majority of Tennessee House Republicans – 58 Out of 74 – Are Co-Sponsors of Anti-Sanctuary City Bill

Chris Alto
Jay Reedy

Fifty-eight Tennessee House Republicans are named co-sponsors on the anti-sanctuary city bill HB2315. Adding the bill’s chief sponsor, State Rep. Jay Reedy (R-Erin), means that 80 percent of the House Republicans support strengthening and closing the loopholes in Tennessee’s existing anti-sanctuary city statute. (Seventy-four of the 99 members of the Tennessee House of Representatives this session are Republicans, while 25 are Democrats.) Tennessee’s anti-sanctuary city law passed in 2009, only addresses written policies that prohibit local governments, officials and employees from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. This narrower definition of “sanctuary city” would likely not have applied to at least one of the sanctuary city ordinances proposed by the Metro Nashville Council last June. The two ordinances proposed by the Metro Nashville Council would have made Nashville the most liberal sanctuary city in the country. One of the bills included a “don’t ask so you don’t have to know or tell” practice prohibiting Davidson County and Nashville employees, including law enforcement, from providing pertinent information to ICE regarding criminal aliens. Reedy’s bill expands the definition of sanctuary city to include practices that obstruct cooperation with federal immigration authorities and help shield illegal aliens who have also committed crimes. North Carolina and Georgia…

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Tennessee General Assembly Inaction Raises Questions About Legal Authority of State Textbook Commission Actions

Bob Goodwin

The commission that will be recommending new social studies textbooks for Tennessee students is operating with a majority of its members unconfirmed by the legislature or still serving after their terms have expired. The 10-member Tennessee State Textbook and Instructional Materials Quality Commission currently has only four positions that do not require immediate legislative action due to expired terms, two of them appointed by House Speaker Beth Harwell. Three other members who have not been approved by the General Assembly apparently voted in commission meetings last year. The Department of Education and the Governor’s office declined to comment on the current state of the commission. This year the commission is tasked with approving the state’s new social studies textbook with their next meeting set for March 19. The commission is comprised of three appointees each from the Governor, the Lt. Governor and the Speaker of the House which must be approved by the General Assembly, and one designee from the Commissioner of the Department of Education. Before Sen. Mike Bell (R-Cleveland) sponsored Senate Bill 1602 in 2014, the commission included the commissioner of education and nine members appointed by the governor. The change in appointing powers assumed the General Assembly…

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

Admin

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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Beth Harwell Calls for State Legislative Hearings on TNReady Testing Problems

Wendy Wilson

House Speaker Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) is calling for state legislative hearings on problems with TNReady scoring. “We have made great strides over the last several years in education, and we must be diligent in ensuring we continue these gains,” Harwell said on Facebook Tuesday. “We know that accountability has been a large part of this improvement. However, the news that nearly 10,000 TNReady tests were scored incorrectly has resulted in educators, parents, and legislators seeking answers. In addition, the amount of testing has also raised questions.” Hawell, who is running for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, has asked the House Government Operations Committee to hold the hearings. The scoring issue is the latest in a string of glitches over the past several years with standardized testing in Tennessee public schools. Testing has also come under scrutiny for the amount of time it takes away from instruction, the way student scores are linked to teacher evaluations and for what is viewed as acquiescence to a national large-scale testing apparatus involving for-profit companies selling testing products and services. At the end of this past school year, testing vendor Questar was slow in returning test scores for report cards. Problems with its scanning program are now…

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House Speaker Beth Harwell Banks on Experience in Run for Tennessee Governor

Wendy Wilson

  House Speaker Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) told the Beacon Center of Tennessee last week that her “core conservative values” and experience in the state legislature make her a good candidate for governor. A Nashville-based nonprofit that promotes the free market, the Beacon Center is conducting Facebook Live interviews with gubernatorial candidates on issues facing the state. “I think I have core conservative values that I’ve taken to state government and put them into place, and because of that I think we do in fact have a good, well-run state government,” Harwell said. Harwell said that in her leadership role she has “led in some of our state’s boldest and most successful   initiatives – everything from eliminating the inheritance tax and gift tax to making us the third lowest taxed state in the nation and the lowest debt state in the nation – but also reforming our unemployment and workers compensation laws, making this a very legally stable environment for businesses to flourish.” Harwell also touted sponsoring legislation allowing for charter schools and for making Tennessee friendly for homeschoolers. In addition, she mentioned a program launched last year that allows parents of children with special needs to access a variety of educational…

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Beth Harwell To Speak At First Tuesday Event Aug. 1

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

  House Speaker Beth Harwell will speak at Republican activist Tim Skow’s First Tuesday event Aug. 1 as she gets her campaign for Tennessee governor under way. Harwell (R-Nashville) officially announced her candidacy July 15. At the event, Harwell will outline her vision for Tennessee and take questions. Topics are likely to include sanctuary cities, transportation funding, and prison costs and reforms. Harwell has already made sanctuary cities one of her areas of focus. She has started a petition to uphold the statewide ban on sanctuary cities. Last month, Metro Council came close to adopting a sanctuary city policy to make Nashville more open to illegal immigrants, but two related bills were withdrawn before a third and final vote on one of them because of public opposition and legal concerns about the proposed legislation violating state and federal laws. “I led the fight with other conservatives to put an end to it,” Harwell says in the online petition. “We succeeded, but this issue is too important to sit back and relax.” The 1st Tuesday forum is providing a chance for people to get to know the Republican gubernatorial candidates. Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd was the guest at the June meeting and Williamson…

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Seven Republican Candidates For Governor To Speak At Rutherford County Event

Wendy Wilson

  Republican candidates for Tennessee governor will speak at this year’s Reagan Day Dinner sponsored by the Rutherford County GOP. The lineup for the May 25 event will include seven “announced and expected Republican gubernatorial candidates,” according to promotional material. They include businessmen Randy Boyd and Bill Lee, Congresswoman Diane Black, State Senators Mark Green (R-Clarksville), Mark Norris (R-Collierville) and Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet), and Speaker of the State House of Representatives Beth Harwell (R-Nashville). Only Boyd and Lee have announced to date. Part of the mission of local chapters of the Republican Party is to inform voters about candidates running for office, said Donna Barrett, chair of the Rutherford County GOP. “What better way than to have the candidates present at functions where we can personally hear where they stand on issues?” Barrett told The Tennessee Star. On the most important state issues in 2017, the gas tax increase included in the IMPROVE Act passed by the Tennessee General Assembly and signed by Gov. Haslam, the seven announced and expected Republican gubernatorial candidates hold positions that range from support to opposition to no comment so far. State Senator Mark Norris and Speaker of the House Beth Harwell voted yes…

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State Senator Mark Norris Accuses House Speaker Beth Harwell Of Working Covertly On Gas Tax Alternative

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

  State Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris has accused House Speaker Beth Harwell of working behind the scenes on a plan to avoid a gas tax increase, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports. “There’s a fine line between indecision and deception,” Norris (R-Collierville) said Thursday, who did not elaborate on his comment. On Wednesday, Rep. David Hawk (R-Greeneville) told the Budget Subcommittee that he, Harwell and others were working on alternative funding plan for Gov. Haslam’s IMPROVE Act. The amended legislation includes a gas tax hike of six cents and a 10-cent increase on diesel over the next three years, while cutting three taxes in the general fund, including the sales tax on groceries. The Tennessee Star reported Thursday that Harwell (R-Nashville) and others want to use revenues from the sales tax on new and used vehicles toward funding road projects. Harwell said details of the plan are still being finalized. Hawk’s announcement caught Republican Senate Speaker Randy McNally, Budget Subcommittee Chairman Gerald McCormick (R-Chattanooga) Gov. Haslam and others by surprise, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press. On Wednesday, State Rep. Barry Doss (R-Leoma), chairman of the House Transportation Committee and co-sponsor of the gas tax increase proposal, presented a lengthy argument…

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Davidson County General Sessions Judge Casey Moreland Resigns Amid Corruption Charges

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

Davidson County General Sessions Judge Casey Moreland has resigned from the bench following his arrest on corruption charges. Moreland announced his resignation, effective April 4, in a letter to Nashville Mayor Megan Barry and the Board of Judicial Conduct, according WKRN News 2. Moreland was in federal court Friday for a hearing on charges that include tampering with a witness and obstruction of justice. The FBI says he tried to thwart their investigation into allegations of corruption. Moreland is accused of fraud and extortion. He had faced mounting pressure to resign from various officials, including Barry and House Speaker Beth Harwell and other lawmakers. Moreland was released from custody Friday but has house detention and an electronic monitoring device and his cell phone will be monitored by federal government officials. His case was bound over to a grand jury. The Associated Press reported that according to a criminal complaint, Moreland learned in February that the FBI was investigating him for possible corruption. Moreland is alleged to have extorted sexual favors as well as travel and lodging in return for official acts, such as having fines dismissed for defendants. A female witness told the FBI she believed Moreland wanted sex in return for offering his…

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Longtime State Senator Douglas Henry Dies

Wendy Wilson

  Former state Sen. Douglas Henry, a conservative Democrat and the longest serving member of the Tennessee legislature, died late Sunday at age 90. Henry, who served in the House from 1954 to 1956 and the Senate from 1970 to 2014, is being remembered today for his folksy and courteous manners and his ability to reach across the aisle and befriend political opponents. “He epitomized what it truly means to be a public servant and had a keen understanding of the constitutional principles on which our state and federal governments are founded,” said Sen. Doug Overbey (R-Maryville) in a statement. “He was a mentor and friend, and will be sorely missed by all with whom he came into contact.” Henry, who grew up in Belle Meade, was the father of six and had many grandchildren. His wife of 67 years, Loiette  “Lolly” Hume Henry, died in December. After his brief tenure in the House, he worked as an attorney before returning to politics in 1970, when he won a seat in the Senate where he represented District 21. In 2014, the Tennessee State Library and Archives produced a video about his life. The video tells how as a boy Henry loved…

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