Nashville’s ‘Peaceful’ Rally for George Floyd Preached Racial Separation and ‘Overthrowing Oppressors’

One speaker at Saturday’s Nashville rally honoring George Floyd spoke openly about overthrowing oppressors.

Another presenter discussed relocating black Americans to a separate land of their own — at white people’s expense.

Nashville Mayor John Cooper attended that rally. On his Facebook page Saturday night, he described it as peaceful. But chaos later erupted downtown.

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Angry About George Floyd, Nashville Protestors Demand Abolishing Police and Doing Away with ‘White Supremacy Structure’

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Several thousand protestors descended upon Nashville’s Legislative Plaza Saturday on behalf of George Floyd and many carried signs demanding that government either defund or abolish the police.

The crowd, composed of whites and blacks, chanted “Black Lives Matter” and “No Justice, No Peace” many times over.

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The Tennessee Star Report: Glen Casada is a Political Dead Man Walking

  During a discussion Tuesday morning on The 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 – Gill and Leahy speculated whether or not Glen Casada would resign. Towards the end of the segment the men came to the conclusion that David Byrd was next on the chopping block because anybody can say anything in the mainstream media if you’re a conservative and will run with it without any proof. Gill: At The Tennessee Star you can read the details of yesterdays historic and frankly bizarre action. Again you hear the reporters asking these questions about the alteration of the email. You had the full circus on. Justin Jones the social justice warrior who’s arrested for disrupting a Marsha Blackburn event then bump rushed House Speaker Glen Casada in the capitol. Then threw a cup of Frothy Monkey liquid at the House Speake,  hitting him, then Representative Deborah Moody He was out there with a megaphone shouting and adding to this disruption is all. Of course the media not paying any attention to his criminal action and why he’s there continuing…

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Tennessee House Speaker Casada Pledges Cooperation with District Attorney General’s Conference Investigation

  Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada is moving to handle the continued fallout over revelations that include allegedly inappropriate text messages involving him and former chief of staff Cade Cothren. Casada said he directed the Speaker’s office to cooperate with a District Attorney General’s Conference investigation of an email from activist Justin Jones. Even as the pressure is ramping up for his resignation, Rep. Casada (R-TN-63) issued an action plan on Friday: As we move into the weekend, I wanted to share a quick update on the immediate steps we are taking to follow up on the Action Plan released earlier this week to address recent issues and concerns. Today I submitted a letter to the Chairman of the House Ethics Committee requesting that they issue an advisory opinion concerning my actions taken relative to the resignation of my former Chief of Staff. I welcome feedback from this bipartisan committee. I have learned that a special prosecutor has been appointed by the District Attorney Generals’ Conference to begin investigating the email from Mr. Justin Jones that was forwarded by my former Chief of Staff to the local District Attorney. My desire is for this independent review to be completed as…

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Glen Casada Chief of Staff Cade Cothren Resigns After Release of More Damaging Texts

  Cade Cothren announced Monday he will resign as chief of staff for Tennessee Speaker of the House Glen Casada. “Effective immediately, my Chief of Staff, Cade Cothren has resigned from his position. As this story continued to evolve in recent days, I had additional conversations with Mr. Cothren, and he made this decision to resign. I thank Mr. Cothren for his service to our General Assembly and to the state of Tennessee,” Casada said in a statement released late Monday afternoon. This, after new reports emerged alleging Cothren snorted cocaine at work and, in conversations with Casada, degraded women. As reported, the Nashville-based News Channel 5 alleged late last week that Cothren forged an email to frame left-wing activist Justin Jones. The station also alleged Cothren sent racist text messages. On Monday, News Channel 5 and The Tennessean both alleged Cothren sought sexual favors from legislative interns and even a lobbyist. On Monday evening, The Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill said Cothren’s exit was perhaps inevitable. “As more texts and other information continued to pour forth it became increasingly apparent that Speaker Casada could not save his Chief of Staff from his own undeniablly poor decisions and inexcusable…

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Man Who Oversees Tennessee Legislature’s Server Corrects Phil Williams on His Cade Cothren and Justin Jones Exposé

  The man who oversees the Tennessee General Assembly’s Local Information Server disputed some of what News Channel 5’s Phil Williams reported about Cade Cothren and Justin Jones and said so to him in an email Thursday. Cothren is chief of staff for Tennessee Speaker of the House Glen Casada. Jones is a left-wing activist and Vanderbilt Divinity School student awaiting a court date for allegedly throwing a cup of coffee at Casada as he stood in an elevator. As Williams reported this week, Cothren might have doctored the time stamp on an email to frame Jones and put him in jail. Jones emailed Casada’s office on Feb. 25, a few days before Jones allegedly assaulted Casada on Feb. 28 and also before court officials told him to have no further contact with Casada’s office. Cothren said he received Jones’ email on March 1 and immediately contacted the office of Nashville District Attorney Glen Funk. Cothren said the email server took a few days to deliver Jones’ email to his inbox. Cothren said, however, he didn’t realize this until later. The email Cothren said he received had a March 1 time stamp. On his Twitter page Friday, Williams suggested he…

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Speaker Casada Says Jones Email Was Not Altered by Me or My Office

  Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada says the NewsChannel 5 report by Phil Williams claiming that the email from Justin Jones was altered is simply untrue and the implication that anybody in his office tried to frame Justin Jones is completely false. “On March 1 the email from Jones dated February 25 was received by my office and it was immediately forwarded, along with a photo of the email that showed the March 1 date that it was received, to the Nashville District Attorney because it appeared that Mr. Jones had violated the terms of the Court’s Order to refrain from contacting me. After it was realized that the date the email was received was a few days after it had been sent, my office notified the District Attorney about the apparent disparity in dates,” Casada said. “The email was not altered or manipulated to falsely accuse Jones of violating the Court’s order,” he added. Casada also explained that he had Legislative Information Services (LIS) investigate and they determined that the email had somehow lagged in delivery for several days within the system. The Tennessee House Republican Caucus released this statement from Speaker Casada late Thursday afternoon: “The allegations made…

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Left-Wing Activist Justin Jones Harasses Tennessee Legislators at Nashville Restaurant, Video Shows

  No longer able to confront Tennessee legislators at the state capitol, Vanderbilt Divinity School student and left-wing activist Justin Jones now badgers them at restaurants as they try to eat. Last week Jones uploaded a Facebook video of himself and an unidentified woman as they lectured State Rep. Justin Lafferty, R-Knoxville, State Rep. Micah Van Huss, R-Jonesborough, and three unidentified men about school vouchers and Medicaid. Jones said in his post that he approached these men at a restaurant in north Nashville, which he did not name. The unidentified woman held the camera and spoke some. The woman used various profanities while addressing the men. Authorities arrested Jones earlier this year for allegedly throwing a cup of coffee at Tennessee Speaker of the House Glen Casada at the state capitol. As The Tennessee Star reported, authorities banned Jones from the state capitol and from having further contact with Casada because of that alleged incident. As for what happened last week, Jones said the following on his personal Facebook page: “We were sitting in a restaurant when Rep. Micah Van Huss and other representatives walked in to eat. As they joked about that morning’s vote which passed their controversial voucher bill (diverting funds from…

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Woman With Alleged History of Disrupting Republican Events Elected Vice President of Tennessee Young Democrats

The Tennessee State University student and left-wing activist arrested alongside Justin Jones not once but twice since last fall is the newly elected vice president of the Tennessee Young Democrats. Jeneisha Harris  announced this on her Twitter page this week. The Tennessee Young Democrats is the official state chapter for young Democrats in Tennessee, according to the group’s Facebook page. When announcing her new role with the group, Harris said her goals include “engaging young people, increasing black voter turnout, program implementation for marginalized groups and electing millennial democrats across TN.” As The Tennessee Star reported, authorities arrested Harris and Jones last October after they allegedly disrupted a Marsha Blackburn for U.S. Senate rally in Nashville. A judge dismissed that charge in January, said Patti Goodman, director of the General Sessions Court in Nashville. Authorities arrested Jones once again in February for allegedly throwing coffee at Tennessee Speaker of the House Glen Casada at the Tennessee capitol. That same day, authorities at the capitol arrested Harris on a charge of disorderly conduct, according to the February arrest affidavit. The affidavit accused her of fighting and threatening behavior by refusing an official order to leave the premises for public safety reasons.…

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Social Justice Warriors at The Tennessean Publish Op-Ed Claiming ‘Tennessee Is a Racist State and So Is Its Legislature’

A progressive social justice warrior-community organizer has labeled the entire State of Tennessee as racist with the aid of The Tennessean, which ran her ranting op-ed Wednesday. Aftyn Behn describes herself as the statewide organizer of Indivisible for Tennessee and Kentucky. Her op-ed blaming the state – especially the General Assembly – for a host of social ills is available here. She says, Let me be clear: Tennessee is a racist state. Racism is in the air we breathe, permeating the State Capitol, codified in the legislation being passed at the detriment of women, communities of color, and the working poor. Our problem with racism in this state is wild and untamed, and Justin Jones has turned a mirror to the legislature and the gubernatorial administration, inviting them to look inward and prompt introspection towards their ideologically destructive agendas. Lawmakers are responsible for rising black maternity rates, not allowing ex-felons to vote and is “the motivation behind undermining years of tireless organizing efforts from women of color to pass Nashville’s Community Oversight Board,” among other social ills, she said. Not expanding Medicaid is also a part of her complaint. The Tennessee Star has reported on Justin Jones, who allegedly threw…

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Left-Wing Activist Justin Jones Still Has a Court Date for Alleged Assault of Glen Casada

Left-wing activist and Vanderbilt Divinity School student Justin Jones still has another court date pending, this time for allegedly throwing coffee at Tennessee Speaker of the House Glen Casada last month. The beverage Jones allegedly threw also hit State Rep. Debra Moody, R-Covington, while all three were at the state capitol in Nashville. As The Tennessee Star reported, authorities banned Jones from the state capitol and from having further contact with Casada because of that alleged incident. Steve Hayslip, spokesman for Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk said Jones’ next court date for that alleged incident is scheduled for June 11. “That’s his next court date,” Hayslip said in an emailed statement. “All other conditions of the bond remain in place (avoid Casada, the Capitol, etc).” Meanwhile, Nicholas Kiefer, courts director for Nashville’s Office of the Criminal Court Clerk, said the case is scheduled for 9 a.m. As The Star reported last week, Jones won’t face any consequences for allegedly disrupting a Marsha Blackburn rally in Nashville last fall. Judge Dianne Turner, a Democrat, dismissed Jones’ case in that matter in what Kiefer said was “a flat dismissal.” Turner dismissed Jones’ case based on a discrepancy in the documents between the…

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Left-Wing Activist Justin Jones Walks Away, Knowing He Won’t Face Trial for Allegedly Disrupting Marsha Blackburn Rally

As it turns out, left-wing activist and Vanderbilt Divinity School student Justin Jones won’t face any consequences for allegedly disrupting a Marsha Blackburn rally in Nashville last fall. Stephen Hayslip, spokesman for Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk, confirmed the information to The Tennessee Star in an emailed statement Tuesday — but he offered no other comment. A judge dismissed Jones’ case in that matter Tuesday. Jones, on his Facebook page Tuesday afternoon, seemed to delight in the news. “The case from being arrested at Marsha Blackburn’s rally was dismissed by the judge,” Jones wrote. “Grateful for the friends who showed up from church, school, and the community, my lawyer Nick, and the cloud of witnesses surrounding us in prayers. There is much work to do to redeem the soul of this state- to make sure the rights and dignity of all people are respected, protected, and never neglected.” Nicholas Kiefer, courts director for state trial courts in Davidson County, said Dianne Turner, the judge who dismissed Jones’ case. “My information says it was a flat dismissal,” Kiefer said, adding he had little else to add. Turner, according to Ballotpedia, is a Democrat judge in Davidson County’s General Sessions Court Division…

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Nashville Democrat Judge Dismisses Justin Jones Criminal Case on Paperwork Technicality

Leftist activist Justin Jones had charges related to his disruption of a Marsha Blackburn campaign rally last October dismissed on Tuesday based on a discrepancy in the documents between the date of his arrest and the date of his subsequent warrant. Democrat General Sessions Judge Diane Turner determined that the paperwork error justified dismissal of the criminal trespass and resisting arrest charges. The criminal warrant issued against Jones three days after his initial arrest contained the date that the warrant was issued rather than the date of the initial arrest, causing Judge Turner to determine that the warrant was flawed and that the DA would have to proceed to the Grand Jury to pursue the charges against Jones. Jones still faces other criminal charges related to his assault of House Speaker Glen Casada and Representative Debra Moody late last month.  Prior to the dismissal of the case, Jones was facing possible revocation of his bond pending a hearing on the February assault charges.  Jones is scheduled to be back in General Sessions Court before Judge Turner on March 22 for a preliminary hearing on the assault charges. Since his initial arrest last October, Jones sought to provoke a confrontation with…

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Left-Wing Activist Justin Jones Says Nashville DA Glenn Funk Treats Him Unfairly

Justin Jones, the left-wing protester charged with assaulting Tennessee Speaker of the House Glen Casada, said on social media this week that members of Nashville District Attorney General Glenn Funk’s office treat him unfairly. As The Tennessee Star reported this week, members of Funk’s office filed to revoke Jones’ bond. Jones attends Vanderbilt Divinity School. Last week, Jones allegedly threw a beverage — possibly coffee — at Casada and State Rep. Debra Moody, R-Covington. Jones was already out on bond for allegedly disrupting a Marsha Blackburn for U.S. Senate rally in Nashville last October. Jones, though, said members of Funk’s office filed to revoke his bond, not because officers arrested him a second time, but because he allegedly contacted Casada after the second arrest. As The Star reported, court officials ordered Jones to have no contact with Casada or Moody. On his Twitter page this week, Jones said this: “The DA filed a motion to revoke my bond on the basis of false evidence from the Speaker’s Office,” Jones said. “They claim I sent him an email on March 1st- when I did not. I urge the DA to release this alleged email to the media and public, since it…

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The Tennessee Star Report: State Senator Kerry Roberts Describes Female Protestor on the Hill Accosting a Sixteen-Year-Old Guest Because of Her Skin Color

On Thursday’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 – Host Steve Gill spoke to Tennessee State Senator Kerry Roberts (R-Springfield) about the escalation of protesters and how the disruption is cause for concern at the Capitol. They then went into full detail about how one of the protesters was outside videoing herself yelling at a state trooper and then directed her attention to a sixteen-year-old girl who was innocently taking a tour of the capitol with her parents. Roberts went into detail about how the woman was yelling “racist” and making “Klan” references at both the officer and the young teen. The men agreed that this type of behavior in no way was looking for or favoring any real political change but was created only to seek “five minutes of fame” for disruptive YouTube wannabe hopefuls. Gill: Earlier this week we’ve covered the story that again the mainstream media again hasn’t covered. The Tennessean and the rest, they just can’t find the news. It seems that Justin Jones, the guy who assaulted people at a Marsha Blackburn rally in October waiting for his trial.…

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Nashville District Attorney’s Office Files to Revoke Bond for Left-Wing Activist Justin Jones, Records Show

Members of Nashville District Attorney General Glenn Funk’s office have filed a motion to revoke the bond for left-wing activist Justin Jones, according to an official with the Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk’s Office. This, as Jones is out on bond for allegedly disrupting a Marsha Blackburn for U.S. Senate rally in Nashville last October. As The Tennessee Star reported last week, authorities arrested Jones last Thursday after he allegedly threw a drink at Tennessee Speaker of the House Glen Casada at the state capitol. Jones goes by his full name, Justin Bautista-Jones, in his arrest docket, said Nicholas Kiefer, courts director for state trial courts. Someone in Funk’s office filed the motion to revoke Jones’ bond late Monday, Kiefer said. “Basically, at this point, until a judge has a hearing on it, nothing [will happen],” Kiefer said. “What will happen is either on his [Jones’] next court date, or, if the parties decide to set a court date that is sooner, the court will hear arguments related to that motion from the state and from the defense and then the court will issue whatever ruling it deems fit.” Jones’ next court appearance from his arrest last fall — a…

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Left-Wing Activist Justin Jones No Longer Welcome at Tennessee Capitol

Authorities have banned left-wing activist Justin Jones from entering the Tennessee capitol in Nashville, after he allegedly threw a beverage – possibly coffee – on Tennessee Speaker of the House Glen Casada and another state legislator Thursday. The ban, however, is apparently not permanent, at least not until Jones’ case is resolved. On top of that, Jones may have additional legal woes. Members of the office of Nashville District Attorney General Glenn Funk told The Tennessee Star they will review whether to revoke or increase Justin Jones’ bond from his arrest last fall. Law enforcement officers arrested Jones last October for allegedly disrupting a Marsha Blackburn rally at the Ray Stevens CabaRay Showroom in Nashville. The Star obtained documents from the Davidson County General Sessions Night Court, prepared specifically to deal with Jones’ latest arrest. According to those documents, authorities released Jones after he posted $4,150 bond. Night Court Commissioner Marie Stacey handled Jones’ case. The county’s Pre-Trial Services Department will now supervise him. Court officials ordered Jones to have no contact with Casada or with the other legislator Jones allegedly assaulted, State Rep. Debra Moody, R-Covington. Jones must also stay away from the state capitol building and the Cordell Hull…

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The Tennessee Star Report: State Rep Cameron Sexton Decribes Another Justin Jones Attack on Capitol Hill Using Hot Coffee

On Friday’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 chatted with State Rep Cameron Sexton about another Justin Jones assault that occurred at the Tennessee Capitol this week. Allegedly Jones and his sidekick named Kenesha followed Sexton and Casada to the “white elevator” and continuously called the men “racists” before throwing a cup of Frothy Monkey coffee into the elevator hitting Speaker Casada and also State Representative Deborah Moody. Further on into the discussion the men questioned how Jones (who is out on bail for another alleged assault) was able to manage this and were concerned that next time it could be an instance like that of Steve Scalise who was shot during a Republican Baseball game last summer.  Gill questioned whether or not the Nashville Assistant District Attorney would revoke his bail and called for added security for legislators. Gill: Good to have you with us. You were right there in the thick of it. Here, just to refresh your recollection, I sound like a lawyer don’t I? To refresh your recollection, here’s what it sounded like. (Audio…

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Out on Bond Left-Wing Activist Justin Jones Arrested for Allegedly Assaulting Tennessee Speaker of the House Glen Casada

Two well-known left-wing activists with a history of causing trouble at Republican events are now under arrest on charges of simple assault for throwing a liquid at Tennessee Republican Speaker of the House Glen Casada Thursday. Officers with the Tennessee Highway Patrol arrested Vanderbilt Divinity School student Justin Jones and his friend Jeneisha Harris. Thursday afternoon Lieutenant Bill Miller, Public Information Officer for the Tennessee Highway Patrol, provided The Tennessee Star with this statement about the arrest of Jones and Harris: On 2/28/2019 THP was stationed at the State Capitol (600 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Nashville, TN 37243) on the 2nd floor in response to a planned protest. At approximately 0930hrs we began seeing several individuals associated with the protest arriving. Several times, Justin Bautista-Jones attempted to go around rope barriers and enter the House of Representatives chambers. It became clear that the group was attempting to contact Speaker Glen Casada. The House Sergeant-At-Arms advised the group that the chambers were closed for a press event. At approximately 10:06 a.m. Speaker Casada attempted to leave the chambers and enter an elevator that was being held specifically for members of the General Assembly and leadership. The group, specifically Justin Jones,…

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Tennessee Star Report EXCLUSIVE: Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada Says Fetal Heartbeat Bill ‘Will Progress Quickly Through the House’

In an an exclusive interview on The Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast Friday on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada made news on several fronts. Casada said that the fetal heartbeat bill “bill progress quickly through the House,” and noted he spoke with Governor Bill Lee on Thursday and expects the governor will outline the details of a proposed education savings account proposal in his State of the State address, to be delivered on March 4. Casada also described the recent efforts of social justice warrior, Justin Jones, currently out on bond for resisting arrest in an October protest of Sen. Marsha Blackburn, to instigate a confrontation at the Capitol. Gill: This week House Speaker Glen Casada has been dealing with really serious issues like, do we put more SRO’s (School Resource Officers) in schools to protect our kids from what we saw happen at Parkland about a year ago. Do we expand vocational education to create job opportunities for Tennesseans for generations to come? Do we deal with the opioid epidemic? Do we protect unborn life with a…

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Out on Bond Left-Wing Activist Justin Jones Instigates Confrontation at State Capitol, State Troopers Intervene

A left-wing activist out on bond for allegedly disrupting a Marsha Blackburn rally in Nashville last fall apparently disturbed the Tennessee capitol building Thursday and said House Speaker Glen Casada actually pushed him. That activist, Justin Jones, has a history trying to obstruct Republican officials while they carry out their duties at the state capitol or at other Republican events. Casada’s representatives told The Tennessean their boss did nothing wrong. Jones, as reported, wants state officials to remove a bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest from the state capitol building. He has documented his efforts on his personal Facebook page, including at least one group sit-in at Casada’s office this month. Jones, on his Facebook page Thursday, uploaded a video that began with him arguing with a capitol staff member, demanding a meeting with Casada. Jones then saw Casada out of camera range and walked over to confront him. “Casada, we’ve been trying to get a meeting with you,” the camera recorded Jones saying. An unknown woman in a red coat blocked the camera’s point of view of whatever happened next between Jones and Casada, but during that time someone yelled “Don’t put your hands on him.” As Jones and others…

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Awaiting Trial, Justin Jones Protests Nathan Bedford Forrest

Justin Jones, who allegedly broke the law and caused the biggest disruption at a Marsha Blackburn rally in Nashville last fall is in the news again. This time, Jones and Jeneisha Harris made the news for reportedly protesting a bust of Confederate Army General Nathan Bedford Forrest at the state capitol, according to the Knoxville-based WATE. “We are angry,” said Harris, identified as a Tennessee State University student. “We are tired of being tired of asking for the same thing.” Harris, Jones, and others delivered a signed letter to Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee. In the letter, they asked Lee to take down the bust of Forrest and move it to the state museum, according to the station. Jones, a Vanderbilt divinity student, told members of the media that Lee and members of his office had ignored his repeated emails requesting an appointment. As The Tennessee Star reported last month, members of the Davidson County District Attorney General’s office are scheduled to prosecute Jones in March on charges of criminal trespass and resisting arrest. In a story that made national headlines, Jones caused a scene at a campaign rally for then-U.S. Senate Republican candidate Marsha Blackburn in late October. Blackburn won the…

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Left-Wing Activist Justin Jones Scheduled for Prosecution in March for Disrupting Marsha Blackburn Rally

Members of the Davidson County District Attorney General’s office are scheduled to prosecute left-wing activist Justin Jones in March on charges of criminal trespass and resisting arrest, according to a spokesman for that office. Jones, a Vanderbilt Divinity School student, seems to claim he is a victim of political persecution. In a story that made national headlines, Jones caused a scene at a campaign rally for then-U.S. Senate Republican candidate Marsha Blackburn in late October. Blackburn won the election the following month and has since taken the oath of office. Authorities charged Jones with criminal trespassing and resisting arrest for disrupting the Blackburn event at the Ray Stevens’ CabaRay Showroom in Nashville. Blackburn appeared at the event alongside U.S. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. Stephen Hayslip, spokesman for Davidson County District Attorney General Glenn Funk, confirmed in an email to The Tennessee Star Friday that Funk’s office will prosecute Jones. Jones himself went into greater detail on his Facebook page Friday. “We have been set for a hearing on Tuesday, March 18th at 9 AM in courtroom 5D. It is deeply troubling that a democratically elected official is choosing to carry the extremist mantle of suppressing people from…

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Left-Wing Activist Justin Jones Court Date Set for January

Justin Jones, the Nashville activist who disrupted a rally for then-U.S. Senate Republican candidate Marsha Blackburn, is scheduled to have his day in court next month. Jones, a Vanderbilt Divinity School student, will have a hearing January 11 at 8:30 a.m. That hearing is scheduled to take place at the Davidson County Criminal Court, said Stephen Hayslip, spokesman for Davidson County District Attorney General Glenn Funk. Jones’ hearing was originally scheduled for last Friday before it was reset, Hayslip said. As reported, Jones said he only attended the Blackburn rally, in late October, to hear what Blackburn, now the U.S. Sen.-elect, had to say. Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina was the event’s keynote speaker. Blackburn held the event at the Ray Stevens’ CabaRay Showroom in Nashville. As The Star reported, however, organizers recognized Jones as someone with a history of causing trouble at other political events and gave him a direct order to leave. Jones refused and later claimed the police officers who showed up to force him out wanted to beat him. He also denied Tennessee Republican Party officials’ claim he intentionally went to the rally to cause a scene. Jones, who identifies as African-American, said GOP officials…

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Woman Who Interrupted Marsha Blackburn Moment of Silence Says She Was Justified

The woman who interrupted a moment of silence last month at a Marsha Blackburn rally in Nashville has come forward to justify what she did and say why she believes Blackburn is a white supremacist. The Tennessean recently gave the woman, Katie Cowley of Ooltewah, a forum to bash Blackburn and Republicans in general. “I interrupted because as a registered nurse, mom of five, wife of one of those first responders who must see, process and live with the incidents of violence that she and extremists like her are inciting,” Cowley said. Cowley said in her column that no one hired her to disrupt the gathering and she wasn’t part of any organized group. “And what I saw from the outset of the event was more disturbing than I had anticipated,” Cowley wrote. “I saw young African-American students — who were hard not to notice, since they were virtually the only non-white people in the room — approached by a large man with an earpiece and asked to leave.” These young African-American students, Cowley went on to say, never disrupted the event. The Tennessee Star later identified these two African-Americans as Janeisha Harris and Vanderbilt Divinity School student Justin Jones. Cowley…

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Justin Jones Advisor Reportedly Says TN GOP Are Sinners

The advisor for Justin Jones, the Vanderbilt Divinity School student who disrupted last month’s Marsha Blackburn rally, reportedly said Tennessee Republican Party officials acted in sin when they removed him from that venue. Jones’ advisor, Phillis Shepherd, made remarks about her student this week in an interview with The Tennessee Tribune. “When power — whether it’s governmental power, political power or the power that comes with position — is exploited and used to silence people, that really falls in the category of sin,” Shepherd said. Shepherd, on her Twitter page, described herself as an “awakening-womanist scholar activist psychoanalyst poet artist linking spirituality and justice.” Many of The Tennessee Star’s readers asked on our social media pages how it is that Jones, a man who professes to follow God so devoutly, could behave in such an abrasive and disrespectful manner. Authorities charged Jones with criminal trespassing and resisting arrest, as The Star reported. Tennessee GOP officials recognized Jones as an instigator from prior events. They asked Jones to leave the site of the rally, the Ray Stevens’ CabaRay Showroom in Nashville. This was a private event. Jones refused. Law enforcement officials removed him by force, but not without him resisting. Jones’ lawyer, Nick…

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Judicial Commissioner Who Went Soft on Justin Jones Made Another Mistake in 2014

Four years ago, Nashville Judicial Commissioner Carolyn Piphus reportedly allowed a hate crime suspect to leave jail even though the man allegedly violated his parole and was supposed to remain behind bars. Piphus, of course, is the same judicial commissioner who refused to issue an arrest warrant to Justin Jones, the man who disrupted an October 28 Marsha Blackburn rally in Nashville. Subsequently, the office of Nashville District Attorney General Glenn Funk asked a judge to issue an arrest warrant for Jones on charges of criminal trespassing and resisting arrest. Jones was arrested and faces a December court date. According to the June 4, 2014 edition of The Tennessean, the suspect in the earlier case, William Eugene Massey, went missing after posting bail. Authorities charged Massey with beating a gay man at a convenience store on Dickerson Pike. According to the paper, the beating was caught on video. The victim reportedly needed 13 stitches and was likely to have a permanent scar. Massey had a lengthy arrest record, with convictions for drug, firearm, and aggravated assault offenses. Massey was still on parole when he attacked the unidentified gay man, the paper reported. Police reportedly tracked him down four days later…

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Left-Wing Activist Who Disrupted Marsha Blackburn Rally Plans to Visit Her U.S. Senate Office

The man who disrupted a Marsha Blackburn rally almost two weeks ago said on his Facebook page he will visit Blackburn and her staff in her new office after she takes the oath as U.S. senator. As The Tennessee Star reported, that man, Vanderbilt Divinity School student Justin Jones, did something similar last year with former Republican State Sen. Mae Beavers. In that case Jones occupied Beavers’ office and harassed her for three weeks. Jones made his intentions clear this week, one day after the election. “Somebody tell sister Marsha that the U.S. Senate office is a public office— it’s The People’s office— and unlike her campaign events she can’t have Tennesseans profiled, thrown out, and arrested simply for being there,” Jones wrote on his personal Facebook page. “We will show up, we will raise the issues that impact our communities, and we will NOT accommodate ourselves to injustice.” Jones, however, will have his own appointment with the justice system in Nashville before Blackburn is sworn in as a U.S. senator this January. The self-promoting Vanderbilt University Divinity School student has been charged with criminal trespassing and resisting arrest for his conduct at a rally Blackburn had late last month…

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Video Confirms Intent of Far-Left Protesters Who Showed Up ‘At a Republican GOTV Rally to Perform a Citizens’ Arrest on Marsha Blackburn & Lindsey Graham’

Members of a far-left group called the Tennessee Activist Coalition live streamed a video last weekend on their Facebook page promising viewers a citizens’ arrest of both Marsha Blackburn and keynote speaker Lindsey Graham. “Tennessee voters have shown up at a Republican GOTV rally to perform a citizens’ arrest on Marsha Blackburn & Lindsey Graham,”  self-described journalist Taralei Griffin wrote in a post last Sunday on the Tennessee Activist Coalition Facebook page as she initiated a livestream from inside Nashville’s CabaRay Theater as the rally began. That planned arrest, of course, never happened. With private security and law enforcement everywhere, it is highly unlikely members of this group could have carried out their mission. Whether they planned to use force is unknown. They never got a chance to carry out their objectives. That’s because members of the Tennessee GOP recognized one protestor, Justin Jones, 23, at the Ray Stevens CabaRay Showroom, from previous encounters and had him removed. The group’s plans to carry out the arrest evidently unraveled at that point. According to its Facebook page, the Tennessee Activist Coalition is a far-left group with more than 5,700 followers around the state. The group lists an official website, apart from social media, but,…

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Ad Featuring Disruption of Blackburn Rally Shows How Far the Leftist Mob Has Gone

After protestors repeatedly disrupted the rally for U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) Sunday, and even interrupted a moment of silence for victims of the senseless violence in Pittsburgh, it’s clear the Leftist mob has come to Tennessee, the state GOP says. A new digital ad from the Tennessee Republican Party highlights just how far the mob has gone and why it’s important to stand up to their radical and dangerous tactics. The ad, which will run on all digital platforms statewide, is available to watch online here. Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Scott Golden said, “We’ve seen what this election is all about in Tennessee: voters have a choice between the Left’s angry mob and their Democratic enablers, or the Republicans who respect the rule of law and reflect our state’s values. Tennesseans will not be intimidated by mob tactics, and that’s why we’ll see Republican victories across the board in this year’s election.” U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) visited Nashville Sunday to campaign for Blackburn and express disgust over how Democrats treated Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his Supreme Court nomination hearings. Members of the Left disrupted the event. One protester disrupted a moment of silence for victims of Saturday’s mass…

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Justin Jones Outburst Proves Civilian Oversight Board a Bad Idea, FOP Says

The disruptions at last weekend’s Marsha Blackburn rally, and protestors’ lack of understanding of the law, make a good case against a proposed Civilian Oversight Board, said the president of the Nashville Fraternal Order of Police. The belligerent attitudes of the people who caused those disruptions also make a good argument against the proposed board, said FOP Andrew Jackson Lodge No. 5 President James Smallwood. As reported, Vandebilt Divinity School student Justin Jones, who moved to Nashville in 2013 from Hercules, California to enroll at Fisk University, attended the rally at the Ray Stevens CabaRay Showroom. Organizers of the private event — on private property — recognized Jones as a troublemaker at previous events. They asked Jones to leave. Jones refused, because he said he had a right to attend, regardless. “I think Mr. Jones’ lack of understanding of how the law actually works is a perfect example of why we don’t need a civilian oversight board, as written. Mr. Jones violated the law. He refused to comply with police orders and, unfortunately, he was resistant and non-compliant and caused officers to have to go hands on,” Smallwood told The Tennessee Star. “Now, I didn’t see any kind of abuse…

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Justin Jones Supporters Furious at ‘White Judge’ Who Ordered His Arrest

Vanderbilt Divinity School student Justin Jones is out of jail on his own recognizance, four days after he disrupted a Marsha Blackburn rally in Nashville. This didn’t go down, however, without Jones and his allies stirring up a lot of drama over the arrest and blaming people other than themselves for what happened. Part of that drama included their own stated resentment over a judge ordering Jones’ arrest — especially because it was a white judge. As reported, Nashville police took Jones, 23, into custody and drove him downtown after his outburst at the Ray Stevens CabaRay Showroom last weekend. Nashville Night Court Commissioner Carolyn Piphus refused law enforcement’s request to issue an arrest warrant to Jones on charges of criminal trespassing, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct. Later in the week, however, Judge Melissa Blackburn — who is Caucasian — found probable cause to arrest Jones on the criminal trespassing and resisting arrest charges after presented with evidence by the office of District Attorney Glenn Funk. Blackburn, of no relation to Marsha Blackburn, issued a warrant, as The Tennessee Star reported. Upon learning this, Jones opted to turn himself in. After his release, he took to his personal Facebook page…

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Protester Justin Jones Disrupted Blackburn Rally After Hearing What He Called An ‘Evil Prayer’ for President Trump and Justice Kavanaugh

Left wing protester Justin Jones, who was arrested and booked in Nashville late Wednesday night on charges of criminal trespassing and resisting arrest for his disruption of a Marsha Blackburn rally in Nashville’s CabaRay Theater on Sunday, offered this insight into his conduct at that rally during an in-studio interview Tuesday morning on KSMS 92Q’s Kenny Smoov’s Morning Show: “I’ve never heard an evil prayer. And literally, before we were kicked out and thrown out, they had a prayer. And I’m in Divinity School. I’m studying to be a pastor. And we prayed for evilness. We prayed for a president who’s preying, P R E Y I N G, on our communities,” Jones told Smoov and the 92Q listening audience. “We prayed for Kavanaugh, who we know was accused of multiple instances of sexual assault, and instead of praying for the victims and survivors of those attacks, we prayed for this man, who is controversial,” he continued. “And we prayed for border walls. I said, the God I serve builds bridges and not walls,” Jones added. You can watch the full video of Jones’ interview here: (Jones’ “evil prayer” comments begin at about 04:14 and continue to 04:48.)   The…

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Nashville Police Get New Warrant, Arrest Justin Jones for Criminal Trespassing and Resisting Arrest After Outburst at Marsha Blackburn Rally

Nashville authorities have arrested left-wing activist Justin Jones three days after he caused an outburst at Sunday’s Marsha Blackburn rally in Nashville. After Metro Nashville Police took Jones into custody Sunday and drove him downtown, Nashville Night Court Commissioner Carolyn Piphus refused law enforcement’s request to issue an arrest warrant to Jones on charges of criminal trespassing, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct, as reported by The Tennessee Star. All three charges are misdemeanors. Later in the week, however, members of the office of Nashville District Attorney General Glenn Funk reviewed available evidence, including videos of Jones’ behavior. They agreed with law enforcement that arrest warrants were appropriate, said Nashville Police Spokesman Don Aaron. “Mr. Jones resides within the East Precinct and officers from East attempted to serve the outstanding warrants during their shift Tuesday evening,” Aaron told The Tennessee Star. “He was not home at the time.  Mr. Jones surrendered himself for booking late this afternoon downtown.” Authorities charged Jones with criminal trespassing and resisting arrest. For unknown reasons, authorities decided not to go forward with the disorderly conduct charge, Aaron said. District Attorney General’s Office Spokesman Steve Hayslip said the new warrants came about after Assistant District Attorney Deb Smith…

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Phil Bredesen Met in June With Blackburn Rally Protester Justin Jones, the Man Police Asked Judicial Commissioner to Charge With Resisting Arrest

Justin Jones, the man who caused the biggest outburst at Sunday’s Marsha Blackburn rally, met with Democrat Phil Bredesen at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport this past summer. This, according to Jones’ personal Facebook page. The two men posed for a photo together, and Jones, 23, proudly uploaded it to his Facebook. And this apparently wasn’t a quick meeting, as the two men conveniently sat next to one another on an airplane trip. “Ran into former Tennessee Governor, Phil Bredesen, at the DC airport yesterday. Talked about the #poorpeoplescampaign and coincidentally we ended up sitting next to each other on the plane,” Jones said in the post, dated June 24. “Now that he’s running for U.S. Senator Bob Corker’s seat against Rep. Marsha Blackburn, we need commitments that he will fight for everyday people if elected and lift up a policy agenda that challenges systemic poverty, systemic racism, the war economy, ecological devastation, and the nation’s distorted moral narrative. We already know Marsha ain’t right, but whoever is elected let’s hold folks accountable!” Law enforcement officers, as The Tennessee Star reported, carried Jones out of the Ray Stevens’ CabaRay Showroom by force Sunday after he refused a direct order to leave an event…

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Nashville Judicial Commissioner Refused to Issue Arrest Warrant Police Requested for Protester at Blackburn Rally on Charges of Disorderly Conduct and Resisting Arrest

Nashville Metro Police Department spokesman Don Aaron told The Tennessee Star on Monday city court officials refused to issue an arrest warrant for Justin Jones, the man who made national headlines and caused the biggest disruption at the Marsha Blackburn and Lindsey Graham political rally Sunday. “Justin Jones was physically arrested and transported downtown where the officer requested warrants for the offenses of criminal trespassing, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct. The judicial commissioner refused to issue the warrants and instructed the officer to charge Mr. Jones with only criminal trespassing by citation. As reported to us the commissioner’s name is Carolyn Piphus,” Aaron told The Star. “I have no information on why she did that.” Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill said that the video and photographic evidence clearly shows Jones resisting arrest and physically assaulting those attending the event and fighting with the police officer. “The fact that the judicial commissioner refused to issue the warrants requested by the police officer raises a serious question about whether she was motivated by partisan political considerations,”  Gill said. “Is there a blue thumb being placed on the scales of justice in Nashville courts?” Gill asked. “It is hard to believe that…

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Tennessee Star Report Exclusive: Former State Sen. Mae Beavers Recounts How Protester ‘Justin Jones and His Troops Sat in My Office, Harassed, Kept Us from Doing Business’

On Monday’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 – Gill and Leahy talked with former Senator Mae Beavers about the recent Blackburn rally (covered up by the Tennesseean) and career protester Justin Jones.   The rally was violently disrupted by several protesters on Sunday, one of whom was Justin Jones. They went on to discuss Jones’ history as a repeat protester and how the behavior of protesters may require mental evaluation to prevent future violence as seen in the past few weeks. Gill: Mae Beavers on the line with us.  This Justin Jones character that you see pictured at TennesseeStar.com has also stalked and been a problem and a protester with respect to Mae Beavers as well.  Senator, former state Senator Mae Beavers is on the line with us, on our news makers line and Mae good morning! Beavers:  Good morning Steve. Gill:  So you know this character and had some run ins with this character? Beavers: Well, two years ago when Mark Pody and I filed the bathroom bill, we had some protesters show up at one of…

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Leftist Protesters Kick, Scream, Punch at Nashville Rally for Marsha Blackburn Featuring Lindsey Graham

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina visited Nashville Sunday to campaign for Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07)  and express disgust over how Democrats treated Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his Supreme Court nomination hearings. “They played dirty. They lost,” Graham said at a press conference that followed a Marsha Blackburn for U.S. Senate rally at Ray Stevens CabaRay Showroom. “Because of what they did, I really want them to pay a price at the ballot box.” Graham said the adversarial nature of Kavanaugh’s U.S. Supreme Court confirmation hearings so appalled him he decided to take up for Republican U.S. Senate candidates whenever and wherever he’s welcome. Blackburn is running as a Republican against former Gov. Phil Bredesen, a Democrat. Some of Bredesen’s supporters showed up — and, for their behavior got dragged out while cussing, screaming, punching, and even kicking. This, of course, mirrored much of how leftists behaved during Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings. One protester even disrupted a moment of silence for victims of Saturday’s mass shooting in Pittsburgh. That protester, a female, screamed “Marsha Blackburn is a white supremacist.” Security promptly showed her the door. The incident appalled Blackburn. “How despicable that you cannot even have…

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