Monday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed Metro Nashville Council Member for District 26, Courtney Johnston to the newsmaker line to weigh in on the Titans stadium deal and ambiguous lease terms leaving Nashville on the hook.
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A new report shows the unreliability of solar energy while Tennessee continues to pursue it as an alternative to fossil fuels.
“Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) show that production from solar panels plummets in the winter,” Isaac Orr, a Public Policy Fellow at the Center of the American Experience said.
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Tuesday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed former Phil Bredesen employee Jeanette Elrod to the newsmakers line to discuss being fired for refusing to get a COVID vaccine.
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Lee County, Georgia will accept a more than $220 million investment from a Tennessee-based company with a reported history of ethics problems. That company, the Silicon Ranch Corporation, helps finance the construction of solar arrays. Silicon Ranch will invest those millions into the 250-megawatt (MWAC) DeSoto Solar Farm.
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Staff at the Phil Bredesen-backed Silicon Ranch announced in a press release this week that they have acquired the solar farm company Clearloop. Silicon Ranch has a history of ethics issues.
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Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan (R-Cumming) this week praised a deal involving a Georgia electric cooperative and a Tennessee-based solar power company, the latter of which has a history of alleged ethics violations. This, according to a press release that members of Duncan’s staff published on his website.
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Former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen’s Nashville-based Silicon Ranch will help power Facebook’s operations in the state.
Company officials will partner with the Tennessee Valley Authority to develop carbon-free energy for a 70-megawatt solar facility in Madison County. This, according to a press release that TVA officials published on their website Thursday.
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One board member of nonprofit Healthy Tennessee, founded by Dr. Manny Sethi, has taken positions excusing protestors for spreading the coronavirus, and he and another director have attacked U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn.
Alex Jahangir and Jesse Ehrenfeld were listed as directors of Healthy Tennessee on the nonprofit’s 2018 Form 990EZ, available here.
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The Tennessee Star made you a promise about U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) last year — and we’re keeping it. Although the various political science departments, polling companies and pundits won’t remind you of their consistently flawed polling processes, questionable data and woefully inaccurate assessments during the next election cycle…we will. We made that promise on November 9, 2018 after Blackburn won the U.S. Senate race against Democratic former Gov. Phil Bredesen by double digits. Blackburn handily won retiring U.S. Sen. Bob Corker’s Republican-held seat by a 10.8 percent margin. From last year’s story: Poll after poll, and pundit after pundit, claimed that the Bredesen-Blackburn Tennessee Senate race was “close.” It was consistently portrayed as one of the best opportunities for the Democrats to flip a Red seat to Blue in the mid-term elections. But when voters actually cast their votes, as opposed to pollsters calling a few hundred people who were often targeted for calls based upon flawed data, Marsha Blackburn earned the title of “Senator” by a 10.8 percent margin, leaving pollsters red-faced and Democrats despondent. An East Tennessee State University poll released just days before the Election claimed the race was a 44-44% dead heat. Vanderbilt said…
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Nashville Electric Service customers are now eligible for a large rebate on the already taxpayer-subsidized Nissan Leaf, according to an email the public utility recently sent customers.
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As Chairman of SCORE, Senator Bill Frist should be commended and honored for his tireless advocacy and passion for making education a priority in our state.
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The Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday rejected the State of Tennessee’s appeal in which the General Assembly sought to ban the federal government from forcing Tennessee to accept and fund a refugee resettlement program. A copy of the court’s ruling is available here. A federal judge in March 2018 dismissed Tennessee’s lawsuit against the federal government’s resettlement of refugees in the state on 10th amendment grounds. The Tennessee General Assembly in May 2018 authorized the Thomas More Law Center to file an appeal on its behalf, The Tennessee Star reported. The law center did not charge for the service. When Diane Black was running for the governor’s office last year, she announced her support for the appeal. The General Assembly first retained Thomas More in 2017 to file a federal lawsuit against the U.S. State Department, which oversees the refugee resettlement program, the law center said in a press release. In its decision Wednesday, the Sixth Circuit “side-stepped the substantive issues in a ruling Wednesday that held the General Assembly did not have ‘standing’ to challenge the federal program and dismissed the state’s case. Thus, the court never decided whether the federal refugee resettlement program violated the…
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Silicon Ranch, the solar company former Tennessee Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen founded nearly a decade ago, reportedly has a new CEO, Bredesen’s former revenue commissioner Reagan Farr. As reported, Silicon Ranch has a history of ethics problems. “Matt Kisber, who has served as CEO since the company’s founding in 2011 and was Bredesen’s economic development commissioner, has been promoted to chairman of the board, a position previously held by Bredesen. Bredesen will remain a director of the company, with the title of founding chairman,” according to The Nashville Business Journal. “Silicon Ranch owns and develops solar energy plants. Its portfolio includes more than 120 facilities in 14 states.” As The Tennessee Star reported last year, in 2010, before he left the governor’s seat, Bredesen had to report about his role at Silicon Ranch to the Tennessee Ethics Commission. Bredesen had a personal interest in a company that benefits from policies he enacted as governor. Bredesen, however, only made the disclosure because The Tennessean revealed Bredesen’s involvement in the company five days prior. The now extinct Tennessee Watchdog website followed up on the story nine years ago. “One can argue that Bredesen’s personal interest in Silicon Ranch may violate the state’s Guiding Principles…
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Former Tennessee Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen came forward this week to endorse incumbent Nashville Mayor David Briley for reelection. Briley announced the endorsement on his Twitter page Thursday. “It was my honor to have former Mayor and former Governor @PhilBredesen come out and support my campaign last night. Thank you Gov. Bredesen. You laid the foundation for the great city that Nashville is today, and I want to continue that work! #TeamBriley,” Briley wrote. According to Briley’s social media posts, Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry, LGBTQ Activist Eric A. Patton, businessman Charles Robert Bone, and former YWCA President Pat Shea have already endorsed his reelection. Bredesen was the Democratic Party candidate to replace former Republican U.S. Sen. Bob Corker last year. Bredesen lost to Republican Marsha Blackburn, by a margin of almost 55 percent to 44 percent. As The Tennessee Star reported last year, Bredesen went all-in with the President Trump-hating far left socialist wing of the Democrat Party during his run for the U.S. Senate. Bredesen, for instance, announced entertainers Jason Isbell and Ben Folds — who supported Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign — would host a fundraiser for him in Nashville. Bredesen also refused to disavow the comments of…
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When Butch Eley, Governor Bill Lee’s Chief Operating Officer, made an embarrassing, and telling, donation of $1,350 in February 2018 to Democrat Senate candidate Phil Bredesen it showed poor judgement at the very least. (And it didn’t win any points with now-Senator Marsha Blackburn, Bredesen’s opponent in the November general election.) Not to be outdone, Eley’s executive assistant apparently wants to insure that embarrassing contributions from Team Eley will continue. But alas, what looks to be the contribution from Anna Catherine Davenport was not financial like that of her boss, Butch. Her contribution was of the social media type. A Facebook post from the account of Anna Catherine Davenport, apparently the same person as Eley’s executive assistant, which was quickly deleted, said that the “Highlight of the Day” was “getting to tell the Governor that some lady in the photo line called him a ‘stud muffin.’ ” In a “Spoiler alert,” the now deleted Facebook post added that “he thought that was pretty great.” Governor Stud Muffin?? True, it’s not as bad as embarrassing as, say, posing for a photo in a Confederate uniform in college – but it’s up there. Maybe that explains the Governor’s passion for repealing the…
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A controversial tax break program, known as Greenbelt, reportedly known to help the wealthy but hurt people of more modest incomes, is the subject of an audit Tennessee Comptrollers released Thursday. State officials enacted Greenbelt laws to help Tennesseans hold on to their farms. The Greenbelt tax breaks kick in for property owners who maintain at least 15 acres of farmland, forests or open spaces. But these tax breaks are also known to hurt other people. According to the new audit, out of Johnson County, certain people who bought properties that already qualified for Greenbelt did not have to file new applications to continue that status — as Tennessee law requires. “In 38 of 110 (34%) of the parcels tested, the assessor did not require new owners of property that had been previously qualified as agricultural, forest, or designated open space at the date of sale to file a new application in a timely manner to continue the agricultural (Greenbelt) classification,” according to auditors. County assessors, auditors went on to say, must notify new owners of these properties that they cannot receive Greenbelt status unless they file an application “within 30 days of such notification together with a late fee of…
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Taylor Swift is the most influential person on Twitter this year, despite only tweeting 13 times, CNET says. Social media analysis company Brandwatch released on Wednesday its annual lists of the top 10 most influential women and top 10 men on Twitter. With an “influencer score” of 98 points out of a possible 100, Swift is the winner. Topping the list of most influential men – and playing second to Swift – is Liam Payne. The former One Direction band member turned solo artist scored 97 points. Payne was followed by President Donald Trump, singer Katy Perry, celeb Kim Kardashian West and singer Demi Lovato, all of whom scored 96 points. Perhaps it is good for Taylor that Brandwatch did not look at Instagram. Swift in October endorsed Tennessee Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Phil Bredesen on Instagram, as media outlets previously reported. She cited issues like LGBTQ rights and flamed Bredesen’s opponent, U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07). Bredesen lost spectacularly to Blackburn, who took a commanding lead of 54.73 percent to Bredesen’s 43.89 percent. Meanwhile, do not expect to see Bredesen on the list of most influential Twitter men. He was mocked online for using Swift’s popular song “Look What You Made Me Do”…
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A Tennessee Journal analysis of the midterm election results of Tennessee’s Senate battle between Marsha Blackburn and Phil Bredesen focused on the fact that Bredesen won in the state’s ten largest counties by a 55-45 margin. Former Tennessean Reporter Jim O’Hara noted that the Bredesen vote total in the largest population counties was nevertheless overcome by the 69-31 margin Blackburn racked up in the other 85 counties in the state. (The analysis did not extend to Bill Lee’s 20% margin over Democrat Karl Dean, nor Donald Trump’s 26% margin of victory in 2016.) The point was, apparently, that while the vast majority of the state’s voters, as well as the overwhelming geographic territory of the state, swung heavily for Blackburn the glimmer of hope for Democrats is some doubt about whether Republicans can keep running up the score in the 85 smaller counties while losing to a heavily funded Democrat in the largest and growing counties. Putting aside for a moment that the “growth” in Shelby has actually been a steady population decline in the past 5 years — and that dark blue Davidson County is growing at a much slower pace than the surrounding red suburban counties — we…
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by Marshall Towe One of the enduring beauties of America is our freedom of movement. Citizens easily migrate between States, unregulated, for things such as schooling, employment, retirement or just better weather. After reading the November 8th, 2018 article in The Tennessee Star by Chris Butler chronicling many Bredesen supporters taking to social media with threats of leaving Tennessee, there is a clear message to be conveyed: Illinois wants you! For years now, hundreds of people per day immigrate to Tennessee, one of the fastest growing States, while Chicago, in Cook County, in the State of Illinois have topped the list of most population lost in each the these category for years. For those Bredesen supporters upset with the election result and the direction of Tennessee, nothing can beat a debt-ridden Illinois, where its $225 billion debt is tops in the country, with the added benefit of a bond rating one notch above junk. Tennessee, with its constitutionally mandated balanced budget and State Government with the fiscal responsibility to manage its budget to an annual surplus while accumulating a rainy day fund, is not for you. It is a guarantee that Chicago will welcome and embrace you with open arms,…
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Some of Phil Bredesen’s most ardent supporters are so furious over his election loss Tuesday they’re threatening to pack up and leave Tennessee forever, according to public posts they’ve made on social media. According to those posts, some of them are sounding the alarm to progressive thinkers all around the country and warning them never to move to the Volunteer State. Some of them were quite candid over their disgust with Marsha Blackburn and the people who voted for her. If you voted for Blackburn, more than a few of them said, then your mother most likely works in a profession of ill repute — but that’s just the polite version of what they actually said. Their exact quotes on the matter are unsuitable for print and do not meet The Tennessee Star’s content standards. These angry people also like to use the F-word — a lot. The Star, however, will only embed the family-friendly posts. To politely paraphrase what Twitter user “thedarthsarah,” said in her (very) early morning tweet, she wants to leave the state — now. Facebook user Mia Sagara, meanwhile, said she’s on her way out, because Bredesen lost. “I’ve never had any kind of + expectations…
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U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) took a commanding lead of 54.73 percent to Democrat Phil Bredesen’s 43.89 percent to win the U.S. Senate race Tuesday. Blackburn received over 1.22 million votes, to Bredesen’s slightly more than 980,000 votes. The results are from unofficial tallies posted late Tuesday by the Tennessee Coordinator of Elections and the Secretary of State. The results, which could change slightly as districts trickle in, are here. Blackburn said, “You have sent a message that it is time to take Tennessee conservative values to Washington and keep our state and our country moving forward. I am so incredibly grateful to each of you for doing your part, standing with me, staying strong and turning out the vote. It is such an honor to be the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Tennessee. I am going to work as hard for you as you have worked for me.” “Just as we said on day one, I will take our shared Tennessee values to work on issues of importance to you in Washington: more constitutional federal judges and Supreme Court Justices, lower taxes, less regulation, protecting the right to life, defending the Second Amendment, providing for our…
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It is time for one final review of Phil Bredesen’s Senate campaign resume, the Tennessee Republican Party says in a new video available here. “Now in his final ad of the campaign, Phony Phil Bredesen shows he’s not Tennessee’s guy,” the Tennessee GOP said of the Democratic former governor. Bredesen is running against U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) for the Senate. For those keeping track at home, here are Bredesen’s own words: •Bredesen believes he has a foot planted in a “more sophisticated” world than most Tennesseans •Bredesen has been a “happy Democrat” since college •Bredesen supported Barack Obama then, and he supports him now •Bredesen called Obama a “transformational” figure •Bredesen believed Hillary Clinton had “everything going for her” •Bredesen predicted Hillary Clinton would be president, giving $33,400 to her campaign to back it up •Bredesen said “the great thing about being governor is taking taxes away from people” •Bredesen admitted that being a senator was “not [his] future” and he “wouldn’t like being there” anyway And that’s not even mentioning Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination, socialized medicine, or the army of illegal criminal migrants. Bredesen told MSNBC it is “beyond belief” that anyone would see the migrant caravan as…
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Phil Bredesen wants you to know that if he loses the Senate race, it will be the “National Democratic brand’s fault, not his. Former Tennessee Gov. Bredesen made the remark in an interview that aired Sunday with MSNBC’s Kasie Hunt, adding that the national party has hurt the brand. The Washington Free Beacon reported on the interview Monday. The video is available to watch here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSkvYgYEI4w Bredesen said, “we’ve drifted away from that” in response to Democrats’ handling of the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, meaning the Senate’s job is to consider a nominee’s competence and ability. “Not that long ago, Ginsberg could get 95-plus votes, and Scalia could get 95-plus votes. That, to me, is very much the way we ought to be acting.” Hunt did not ask Bredesen about his last-minute wishy-washy endorsement of Kavanaugh when his nomination was guaranteed. Nor did she ask about Project Veritas Action’s undercover video showing Bredesen’s campaign staff admitting he lied about supporting Kavanaugh to gain votes. “It’s a political move,” Bredesen campaign field organizer Maria Amall said in the video to an undercover reporter. Nor did Hunt ask Bredesen about Mark Brown lying to the media about…
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A new Facebook video appears to show the communications director for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Phil Bredesen encouraging illegal aliens to involve themselves with his campaign. A Nashville resident named America Leon posted the video on her personal Facebook page last week. She made the video public. The video shows two women, out of camera range, interviewing Bredesen and his Communications Director Laura Zapata. Bredesen said little during the exchange, although he appears present for most of it, sometimes off camera. Zapata, however, is visible and speaks the most often during the video. The person who recorded it did so at an unknown location and at an unknown date. On the video, one of the two women admits she is an illegal immigrant and, thus, ineligible to vote in the U.S. Senate election. She then asked why she and other illegals should still involve themselves in Bredesen’s campaign. With Bredesen standing nearby, Zapata spoke. “Why they should get involved?” Zapata asked. “Because I mean you guys said it yourselves, you know, this is the choice right now we have and we can take our country in a certain direction if you choose, umm, Phil Bredesen, or we can go back…
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Phil Bredesen recently doubled down on his defense of the caravan marching toward the southern border. He told MSNBC it is “beyond belief” that anyone would see the migrant caravan as “some sort of threat.” WATCH: TN Senate candidate @PhilBredesen says it is "beyond belief" that anyone would see the migrant caravan as "some sort of threat" to the US. More from our exclusive interview on Sunday, @MSNBC 7-9pm. pic.twitter.com/KnmqKCH44I — Way Too Early with Jonathan Lemire (@WayTooEarly) November 2, 2018 After the Bredesen team dashed off an emergency op-ed to The Tennessean – which tried to walk back everything Bredesen said in one video – his team realized it wasn’t enough, and rolled out a new ad talking about how the man who called the wall “political theater” and said the migrant caravan was “not a threat” was tough on the border, the Tennessee Republican Party said in a press release. Earlier this week, Bredesen said the illegal criminal migrant army is “more of a Washington issue,” The Tennessee Star reported. “Must be a day of the week that ends in ‘y,’” the Tennessee Republican Party said. To mark the occasion, the Tennessee Republican Party launched a new ad regarding…
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Phil Bredesen is “talking out of both sides of his mouth,” the Tennessee Republican Party said in response to his latest missive on the illegal alien army marching toward the United States. “Must be a day of the week that ends in ‘y,’” the GOP said. To mark the occasion, the Tennessee Republican Party launched a new ad regarding the Democratic Senate candidate, which is available to watch here. The GOP said Bredesen is scrambling to undo the damage he caused when, during a TV news interview, he smirked and said, “A few thousand very poor people coming to our border is not a threat to our, is not a threat to our security.” After the Bredesen team dashed off an emergency op-ed to The Tennessean – which tried to walk back everything Bredesen said in the video – his team realized it wasn’t enough, and rolled out a new ad talking about how the man who called the wall “political theater” and said the migrant caravan was “not a threat” was tough on the border, the Tennessee Republican Party said in a press release. The Democratic former governor’s latest missive is that the criminal illegal alien army is “more…
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UPDATE: Late Thursday, Breitbart News reported that Facebook has changed course and will now allow the Susan B. Anthony list ad supporting Marsha Blackburn. The Susan B. Anthony List announced Thursday morning that Facebook had censored their ad contrasting Senate candidate Phil Bredesen’s pro-abortion views with opponent Marsha Blackburn’s unequivocal support for life. The tweet says, “BREAKING: This morning Facebook banned our 30-second ad exposing pro-abortion @PhilBredesen in Tennessee and supporting #ProLife Marsha Blackburn for Senate.” The tweet contains a link to the ad. BREAKING: This morning Facebook banned our 30-second ad exposing pro-abortion @PhilBredesen in Tennessee and supporting #ProLife Marsha Blackburn for Senate. Watch the ad Facebook censored: pic.twitter.com/BHlklKqD0Q#TNSen @VoteMarsha #IVoteProLife✅ — SBA Pro-Life America (@sbaprolife) November 1, 2018 This comes after the ad had been airing on digital platforms, including Facebook, since Oct. 23. “Facebook’s decision to take down this ad is just another example of the liberal elites of Silicon Valley censoring conservative ideas online,” said U.S. Rep. Blackburn (R-TN-07). “We have repeatedly seen a demonstrated bias against conservatives and it needs to stop. The SBA List has a record of principled leadership on pro-life issues, and it is an honor to have their support in my race…
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FRANKLIN, Tennessee — Republican U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) voted early Wednesday, with a sense of optimism and high hopes for next Tuesday’s election. Blackburn said she’s conversed with Democrats around the state who are on her side. She’s running against Democrat Phil Bredesen for the seat that current Republican Sen. Bob Corker will soon vacate. “I can’t begin to tell you how many individuals I have talked to who are Democrats, and many refer to themselves as Trump Democrats. They voted for the president because they support his agenda,” Blackburn said at a press conference after she voted at the Williamson County Admin Building. “They want to make certain that we continue to lower taxes and reduce regulation. Get the EPA off the farm and off the factory floor. They want to make certain we deal with the Affordable Care Act and get the cost of health insurance down. They talk regularly about my fight to keep taxes low. “We’ve got good bipartisan support. The nice thing is it grows every single day.” As The Daily Caller reported this week, Google Ads announced that digital ads supporting Rep. Marsha Blackburn’s campaign, which included footage of protesters…
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Less than a week until the midterm elections, a poll by Cygnal, a national polling and research firm, shows U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) with a 6-point advantage over Democrat Phil Bredesen in Tennessee’s US Senate race. The live telephone survey conducted October 26-27, with 497 likely general election voters, shows Blackburn leading Bredesen 51 percent to 45 percent, with only 2 percent of voters undecided. Of the 46 percent of respondents who have already voted, 50 percent indicated they supported Blackburn, while 44 percent say they voted for Bredesen. Meanwhile, Vox Populi Polling released its latest survey of 780 active voters from the race, showing Blackburn with a seven point lead, 48 percent to 41 percent with 11 percent undecided. Blackburn’s lead is a 6-point improvement since Vox Populi Polling’s last Tennessee poll, conducted in mid-September, that had the race tied at 42 percent. Macy Cambio, Vox Populi Polling Managing Director, said, ”In the weeks leading up to Election Day, Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn has rallied Republican voters to help solidify her base. With Phil Bredesen’s image now underwater and Blackburn opening up a seven-point lead, the chance of this seat flipping Democratic looks much slimmer than it did just one…
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The clean-up effort for Phil Bredesen’s disastrous interview with WCYB is hitting high gear. When asked last week about the illegal alien army marching toward America, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Phil Bredesen laughed, saying, “A few thousand very poor people coming to our border is not a threat to our, is not a threat to our security,” The Tennessee Star reported last week. The video of Bredesen’s remarks is available to watch here. After the Bredesen team dashed off an emergency op-ed to The Tennessean – which tried to walk back everything Bredesen said in the video – his team realized it wasn’t enough, and rolled out a new ad talking about how the man who called the wall “political theater” and said the migrant caravan was “not a threat” was tough on the border, the Tennessee Republican Party said in a press release. Garren Shipley, RNC spokesman, said, “Phil Bredesen made a huge mistake – he actually told Tennesseans what he really thought about immigration. Team Bredesen can mop all they want, but that’s one mess they won’t be able to clean up.” In the new ad, Bredesen talks about how he supported President Bush, while conveniently forgetting when he said…
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Republican Marsha Blackburn is narrowly edging out Democrat Phil Bredesen in Tennessee’s Senate race despite Bredesen having a higher favorability with likely voters, a new NBC News/Marist poll finds. Both U.S. Rep. Blackburn (R-TN-07) and former Gov. Bredesen have seen decreased popularity since the hotly fought campaign began, NBC’s Carrie Dann reports. The NBC News/Marist poll shows Blackburn with the support of 51 percent of likely voters, compared to 46 percent support for Bredesen. Among all registered voters, Blackburn’s advantage narrows to 49 percent to 46 percent. Blackburn’s standing has improved since a previous NBC/Marist poll of Tennessee released in early September, when Bredesen led 48 percent to 46 percent among likely voters. That poll was conducted August 25-28. NBC says the shift “may be a dose of political reality for Bredesen in Tennessee, where President Donald Trump won by 26 points in 2016. The poll’s sample shows that 43 percent of likely voters identify as Republicans, while just 27 percent identify as Democrats.” Among likely voters, 45 percent have a favorable impression of Blackburn, while 46 percent have an unfavorable one, down from a 46 percent favorable/ 36 percent unfavorable rating two months ago. Bredesen’s favorability is down, but…
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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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Democratic former Governor Phil Bredesen is still saying an invasion of thousands of migrants marching through Mexico from Honduras who have declared their intent to illegally enter the United States is not a threat to national security. “A caravan of a few thousand poor people without weapons, working their way slowly toward the southern border of the strongest country in the world, is not some huge national emergency like suddenly Russia decided to threaten us with nuclear weapons or something,” WKRN reported during an event at Nissan Stadium Saturday. “Let’s just keep this stuff in context, let’s just handle it in a smart way,” said Bredesen. The Washington Examiner recently reported that the migrant army making its way toward the United States through Mexico is includes a number of multi-national criminals, quoting the Department of Homeland Security, The Tennessee Star reported last week. “@DHSgov can confirm that there are individuals within the caravan who are gang members or have significant criminal histories,” DHS spokesman Tyler Houlton wrote in a series of tweets. Bredesen’s opponent in the Senate race, U.S. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) released a campaign video last Friday calling him out on the illegal migrant army. The video is available…
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The Senate Leadership Fund PAC on Saturday launched a new advertising campaign highlighting President Donald Trump’s opposition to Phil Bredesen and his support of U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) in the U.S. Senate race. The $1.8 million buy will run statewide on a combination of broadcast and cable television, radio and digital. The video is available to watch here. The ad starts out with the president saying, “A vote for Bredesen is a vote for Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi. Phil Bredesen wants to raise your taxes. He opposes the border wall totally. Bredesen will not defend your Second Amendment rights.” The video continues with the president supporting Blackburn: “A vote for Marsha is really a vote for me and everything that we stand for. It’s a vote for Make America Great Again.” Senate Leadership Fund Spokesman Chris Pack said, “Phil Bredesen’s liberal agenda is completely wrong for Tennessee and that is why President Trump is supporting Marsha Blackburn. Try as he may, Bredesen can’t hide that he’s a vote for higher taxes, weak immigration, and against our Second Amendment rights.” Bredesen has taken hits throughout the campaign for the points the president raised. The National Rifle Association has been critical of…
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Democratic Senate candidate Phil Bredesen on Wednesday dismissed the illegal alien army approaching America’s southern border. When asked about the army Bredesen laughed, saying, “A few thousand very poor people coming to our border is not a threat to our, is not a threat to our security.” Bredesen’s opponent, U.S. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) released a campaign video Friday calling him out. The video is available here. According to Blackburn, Bredesen also: Gave driving certificates to illegal aliens as governor in 2004 and made Tennessee a magnet for illegal aliens. Said the border wall is more “political theater” than practical policy. Doesn’t support President Trump’s travel ban. (The Tennessee Star reported in June that he ducked the issue.) Blackburn’s campaign said, “Phil Bredesen is dangerously wrong on immigration and out of touch with Tennesseans. Marsha Blackburn is 100% supportive of securing our border. As our Senator, she will work with President Trump to build the wall and stop the caravan.” The Washington Examiner confirmed the migrant army is composed of criminals from various nations: The Department of Homeland Security on Thursday defended claims by President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence that violent criminals are a component of the Honduran caravan…
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NASHVILLE — At least one resident of Nashville’s Abbeywood Village neighborhood in Burton Hills is unhappy because he says he can’t post his Bill Lee for Governor sign in his front yard. That man, Daniel Allen, told The Tennessee Star his homeowners’ association forbids it. This, despite a state law that, going by Allen’s interpretation, supersedes his HOA policies. Members of the Tennessee General Assembly enacted that law, the Tennessee Freedom of Speech Act, last year. Allen, a Republican, said he neither lobbied for the law nor did he help write it. He just wants freedom of speech — for him and even his neighbor, a Democrat who is rooting for Phil Bredesen for the U.S. Senate. “I am not going to vote for Phil Bredesen. He’s not my guy,” Allen said. “But I believe my neighbor has a right to have that (Bredesen) sign out there, and I and no one else in this complex have a right to tell him he can’t.” The Star on Friday repeatedly tried to contact all four members of the Abbeywood Village HOA, as well as President Grant Carpenter, Managing Agent Teddy Christenberry, and Outside Counsel Gerald C. Wigger. No one other than two…
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by Michael Noyes Eight hours before the first polls closed on November 8, 2016, the late Charles Krauthammer appeared on Fox News and made a prediction. Should Trump win, he said, it would “irreversibly” change the Republican Party. “Particularly the most obvious issues will be immigration and trade,” Krauthammer explained. Nearly two years into the Trump presidency, a look at debates from key Senate races may offer a hint at the party’s future on trade. The old guard is sticking with its free-trade roots. “I am for freedom, free people and free markets, and I am not a fan of tariffs and never have been,” Tennessee Republican Marsha Blackburn said in her debate with Democrat Phil Bredesen. “But China has had a trade war on us for decades, and if we’re in a trade war, for goodness sakes let’s make sure we win this. Now, I hope that we get these tariffs over and done with because they are not good for Tennessee.” Moments later Blackburn was asked to name one Trump policy she disagreed with. “One is the tariffs . . . ” On this the two candidates agreed. “The tariffs we have right now are hurting Tennessee…
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U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) will campaign in Nashville Sunday for U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) in her Senate bid. Graham will appear at CabaRay Showroom from 2:30-4 p.m., according to Facebook and Twitter posts. Doors open at 2. A different venue had initially been announced. https://twitter.com/TNGOP/status/1055142005943222272 “If you live in Tennessee — or have friends and family living there — please encourage them to support for Marsha Blackburn for U.S. Senate. I will be attending a Rally in Nashville on Sunday for Marsha and our Tennessee Republican team,” he said on Facebook. CabaRay is a venue that is owned by legendary comedic entertainer Ray Stevens. The stop is part of Graham’s 2018 midterm campaign tour.The Republican National Committee has said Graham is also stopping in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Nevada, Ohio and South Carolina. Graham isn’t up for re-election until 2020. Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said earlier this month, “President Trump has enlisted Senator Graham, a key ally in confirming Justice Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, to go on the road for Republican candidates. Voters are fired up about the disgraceful confirmation process and the Democrats’ disturbing mob attacks. Senator Graham will…
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When asked Wednesday about the illegal alien army marching toward America, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Phil Bredesen laughed, saying, “A few thousand very poor people coming to our border is not a threat to our, is not a threat to our security.” The video of Bredesen’s remarks available to watch here. Bredesen’s opponent, U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) is not amused. She said in a statement, “These comments demonstrate how out of touch Phil Bredesen is with the Tennesseans he seeks to represent. There is a right way to come to this country, and there is a wrong way to come to this country. This mob, which the Department of Homeland Security has confirmed includes gang members, individuals with criminal histories, and people from the Middle East, is seeking to enter our country the wrong way. Phil Bredesen would like to roll out the welcome mat for them, hand them a state-issued, taxpayer funded driving certificates, and get them to work for his campaign. This is a clear difference between the two of us. I will continue to fight against illegal immigration, by ensuring existing immigration laws are followed, building the wall, stopping sanctuary cities, penalizing elected officials who refuse to follow federal…
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A pro-Donald Trump Super PAC released another ad this week warning that Democrat Phil Bredesen will help reverse President Donald Trump’s agenda. The PAC, known as the Committee to Defend the President, released an ad a few weeks ago warning Bredesen will help raise federal taxes. The ad also said Bredesen will assist liberal politicians if Tennessee voters make him a U.S. senator. In an emailed statement, PAC Chairman Ted Harvey told The Tennessee Star it’s vital that Tennesseans know about Bredesen, whom he called “Phony Phil.” “While he campaigns as a moderate Democrat, Bredesen will be nothing more than a rubber stamp for the Democratic establishment—anti-Trump Democrats like Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi,” Harvey said. “As Bredesen’s long history of donations to liberal Democrats shows, not to mention his radical positions on issues like abortion and gun rights, he will toe the party line when it comes to impeaching President Trump. Don’t get it twisted: Impeachment is Phony Phil’s—and the Democrats’—ideal scenario.” The ad warns Tennessee voters to think about the future and to realize that Bredesen, if a U.S. senator, will rubber stamp Chuck Schumer’s agenda. As the PAC already reported, Bredesen gave vast sums of his wealth to…
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Former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen’s actions and comments following the 2008 Kingston coal ash spill arguably may have misled the public into thinking the situation wasn’t all that dangerous. Newsweek later described it as “the largest industrial spill in U.S. history.” Mother Nature Network, meanwhile, ranked the Kingston spill as one of the 10 worst manmade environmental disasters, alongside the Three Mile Island meltdown, the 1930s Dust Bowl, and the Exxon Valdez incident. Bredesen is now the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate seat that Republican Bob Corker will soon vacate. According to The Knoxville News Sentinel, more than 30 of the people who handled the cleanup — without protection — are now dead and more than 200 of them are sick or dying. The spill happened December 22, 2008. Bredesen reportedly didn’t show in Kingston for another nine days. And when he did show he reportedly downplayed the hazards. “This stuff, it’s not high-level waste. I don’t think people should be scared of the stuff,” Bredesen said of the sludge all around the site, according to the January 1, 2009 edition of The Tennessean. “There’s a greater danger from air quality, from flying ash being ingested.” Bredesen said this…
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It’s no secret that Phil Bredesen is the top choice of Democrats around the nation to turn the U.S. Senate into a blue zone. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) personally recruited Bredesen to run. Schumer’s PAC has spent millions more on Tennessee than any other race. Billionaire Mike Bloomberg, who has pledged $20 million to Democrats this cycle, hosted a fundraiser for Bredesen in New York. Now Bredesen is getting some added help from progressive allies in California, Massachusetts and other blue bastions, Chattanooga’s News Channel 9 says. Democrats in those states are mailing postcards to people in Tennessee urging them to vote for Bredesen. “Join Organize Win Legislate Sacramento in getting out the vote for Phil Bredesen and be part of the Blue Wave,” a Facebook event page for a California virtual phone bank says. Phil Valentine tweeted, “A listener sent me this. It’s a Phil Bredesen mailer that looks like a 6-year-old wrote it. But note the BOSTON postmark!!! Oh, no. There’s no big liberal outside money in THIS campaign. (Where’s my sarcasm emoji when I need it?) #MarshaBlackburn Retweet!!!” A listener sent me this. It's a Phil Bredesen mailer that looks like a 6-year-old wrote it.…
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As nearly ten thousand illegal aliens march through Mexico towards the U.S. border the issue of illegal immigration has resurfaced as a major campaign issue in the 2018 midterm elections. In Tennessee, that means former Governor Phil Bredesen’s issuance of drivers licenses/certificates to illegals is being used by the Marsha Blackburn campaign and her allies to remind voters of Bredesen’s misstep on the issue. A new “Golden Ticket” mail piece hitting mailboxes this week underscores Bredesen’s weakness on the issue of illegal immigration. In May, 2001 the Tennessee legislature approved issuing drivers licenses to illegal aliens at the behest of Republican Governor Don Sundquist, despite strong opposition from many conservatives, including then State Senator Marsha Blackburn. After 9-11 later that year, the fact that several of the hijackers used similarly issued licenses to board airplanes raised additional concerns. So in 2002 the Tennessee legislature passed legislation requiring licenses issued to illegals to carry bold print stating “For Driving Purposes Only.” By 2004 Bredesen was Governor and he successfully pushed legislation to issue “certificates” rather than “licenses” to illegals and restrictions were supposedly put in place to limit the use of the certificates for “identification purposes.” Nevertheless, it soon became apparent…
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Phil Bredesen ally Renata Soto is issuing a clarion call to the criminal migrant army marching toward America’s southern border. Soto on Monday tweeted in Spanish that Bredesen’s Senate race opponent, U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) gave her heartburn. https://twitter.com/RenataSotoTN/status/1052045499870732293 Soto is the immediate past chairman of the George Soros-supported national group formerly known as La Raza and founder of Nashville’s Conexion Americas. The Tennessean quoted her Tuesday as encouraging the criminal migrant army: The Honduran migrants highlight the United State’s need for sound refugee and asylum policies, she told the newspaper. “‘We must continue to be a beacon of hope for families and children who, due to violence and dire circumstances, are forced to flee their homes,’ Soto said in an email,” the newspaper said. The Washington Examiner reported Tuesday that the group is composed of multi-national criminals, quoting the Department of Homeland Security. “@DHSgov can confirm that there are individuals within the caravan who are gang members or have significant criminal histories,” DHS spokesman Tyler Houlton wrote in a series of tweets Tuesday evening. “Citizens of countries outside Central America, including countries in the Middle East, Africa, South Asia, and elsewhere are currently traveling through Mexico toward the…
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While Democrat Phil Bredesen was on stage at a concert Monday evening, an army of thousands of migrants are slowly working their way toward the southern border. President Donald Trump alerted the military on Monday, as the army of migrants from Honduras crossed into Mexico, Breitbart said. “I have alerted Border Patrol and Military that this is a National Emergy [sic],” Trump wrote on Twitter. “Must change laws!”, Breitbart reported. And while President Trump has promised to maintain the rule of law and ensure that U.S. immigration policies are being followed, some of Bredesen’s key supporters want the opposite – to end the Immigration and Customs Enforcement service, the Republican National Committee said in a press release. Bredesen is running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Senator Bob Corker (R-TN). U.S. Senator Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY), the first senator to call for abolishing ICE, stumped for Phil Bredesen’s campaign in the “I Will Vote Rally” at Third Man Records in Nashville, The Tennessee Star reported earlier this month. She has donated $5,000 to Bredesen, the RNC said. The Hill quoted Gillibrand as saying, “[T]hat’s why I believe you should get rid of it, start over, reimagine it and…
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U.S. Senate candidate Marsha Blackburn has received a high-octane endorsement. Blackburn’s Senate campaign launched a new television ad Monday featuring NASCAR legend Darrell Waltrip. The ad will air in media markets across the state and on digital platforms statewide. The video is available to watch here. Speaking about the ad, U.S. Representative Blackburn (R-TN-07) said, “Darrell and Stevie Waltrip and their family are treasured friends of our family. D.W. wants his next Senator to represent our shared conservative values in the Senate, and I’m the only one Tennesseans can count on to do that. I’m grateful for his support as we head into the final laps of the campaign.” Here is the transcript: Waltrip: “I’m Darrell Waltrip. I made a career out of going fast and turning left. That works on the track, but not so good in Washington. Phil Bredesen will go along to get along with Washington liberals on taxes, immigration, and Obamacare. That’s why we need Marsha Blackburn at the wheel.” Blackburn: “Are you going to keep talking or are we going to roll?” Waltrip: “Boogity, boogity, boogity – let’s win this race!” Blackburn: “I’m Marsha Blackburn, and I approve this message.” Voiceover: “Marsha Blackburn for Tennessee.” Waltrip is not Blackburn’s only…
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With two weeks until Election Day on Nov. 6, Democratic Senate candidate Phil Bredesen reported giving his own campaign an additional $2 million, bringing his total donations and loans to $7.4 million The news comes from Politico Playbook. Last December, Bredesen was promising something different. The Tennessean reported last December that he promised not to bankroll his campaign: Perhaps surprisingly, Bredesen, a former Nashville mayor who has earned millions privately in the health care industry and helped bankroll some of his past campaigns, said he would not be contributing any personal money into his race. He said he doesn’t think it will be necessary.” “‘I think at this point, I’ve earned the right to go out and raise money,’ he said, adding that people have already stepped up in wide numbers over the last 48 hours.” The Tennessee Republican Party says Bredesen has lied to the tune of more than $7.4 million this year. “Well, now we have another report showing Bredesen pumping millions of dollars into his campaign (he has done the same in every quarter of this financial year),” a GOP press release said, citing a tweet from Gideon Resnick of The Daily Beast. “His total to-date stands at $7,455,000,” according to FEC filings. Tennessee…
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Renata Soto, the immediate past chairman of the George Soros-supported national group formerly known as La Raza and founder of Nashville’s Conexion Americas, has endorsed Democrat Phil Bredesen for Senate, claiming in a Spanish language tweet that Republican nominee U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) gives her heartburn. https://twitter.com/RenataSotoTN/status/1052045499870732293?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Soto is the immediate past chairman of the board of the Trump-bashing group now known as UnidosUS (the new name adopted by the George Soros-funded National Council of LaRaza in July 2017), and founder and head of Conexion Americas, the Nashville affiliate of UnidosUS. She was one of the featured speakers at the February kickoff of the Transit for Nashville campaign to support the passage of the tax increasing transit plan on the May 1 referendum in Nashville, The Tennessee Star reported at the time. Soto is also the leader of the Nashville “Indivisible” anti-Trump campaign, and a close ally of disgraced former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Karl Dean and former gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd have been huge fans of Soto’s. The same day the U.S. Supreme Court confirmed President Trump’s executive authority to restrict entry into the U.S. from designated countries, “La Raza Randy” Boyd’s collaborator Soto rallied…
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U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) will kick off a 12-day campaign tour to support expanding Republican majorities in the 2018 midterm elections. The Republican National Committee made the announcement Thursday. The message Graham will take across the country is clear: Remember Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said, “President Trump has enlisted Senator Graham, a key ally in confirming Justice Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, to go on the road for Republican candidates. Voters are fired up about the disgraceful confirmation process and the Democrats’ disturbing mob attacks. Senator Graham will rally Americans across the country to take that energy to the polls and reject the Schumer Sham and liberal mob.” The left smeared the newest Supreme Court justice in a shameless series of dishonest attacks on his character. Graham stands a good chance of delivering a timely message. The Tennessee Star recently carried a commentary by Julie Kelly, a senior contributor to American Greatness, that Democrats have risked losing suburban women over the opportunistic attacks on Kavanaugh and his family. Graham will campaign to boost Republican candidates in the following states: Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Nevada, Ohio, South Carolina and Tennessee. Graham’s appearance…
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NumbersUSA, an Arlington, Virginia based non-profit group that advocates for lower immigration numbers across the board, including restricting legal immigration, tracks and grades members of Congress and US Senators on their voting record on this issue of great concern to Americans. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07), who has served in the House of Representatives since 2013 and is now a candidate for the US Senate, has received a lifetime grade of A+ and has been designated a “True Reformer” by the one-million member organization. Since entering Congress 15 years ago, and even before immigration became a kitchen table issue for most Americans, her votes and public statements were in line with NumbersUSA positions. NumbersUSA describes its “True Reformers” designation this way: A “True Reformer” is a candidate who PROMISES to support all or nearly all of NumbersUSA’s top immigration priorities. In most instances, “True Reformers” have completed our Immigration-Reduction Survey, but there are a few incumbents who have also earned the “True Reformer” label through their actions in Congress, most notably by sponsoring all five of our “5 Great Immigration-Reduction Bills.” She has consistently voted to reduce chain migration and refugee fraud. She has voted to end anchor baby citizenship, a major…
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