The Tennessee Faith and Freedom Coalition (TNFFC) recently awarded Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti one of its Defender of Freedom awards.
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Forty-six attorneys general joined Tennessee in requesting that a state court force TikTok to comply with an ongoing multistate investigation into the platform’s impact on children.
Following TikTok’s failure to comply with a Request for Information (RFI) last week, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti filed a motion Monday to require the Chinese-owned social media company to preserve documents and internal messages, his office announced. Colorado and 45 other states also filed an amicus brief Monday in support of Skrmetti’s motion, arguing that TikTok’s failure to respond impedes “the State’s ability to protect their citizens.”
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Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti recently joined 21 state attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in the Northern District of Texas in the case of Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
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Tennessee Congressman David Kustoff (R-TN-08) recently joined his colleague, North Carolina Congresswoman Deborah Ross (D-NC-02), to reintroduce the Deter Obnoxious, Nefarious, and Outrageous Telephone Calls (DO NOT Call) Act in the House of Representatives.
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Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti recently joined a group of attorneys general in sending a letter to Congress to pass legislation that would give states the authority to jam contraband cell phones in prisons.
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The Nolensville Police Department (NPD) warned residents of a scam being reported throughout Middle Tennessee neighborhoods.
In a Facebook post Sunday, the Nolensville Police reported that the recently reported scam involved an “unidentified individual knocking on the door of a potential victim.”
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Following outrage and legal action, Ticketmaster announced it would offer a second chance for a select number of fans to acquire tickets to Taylor Swift’s upcoming “Eras Tour”.
In November, as previously reported by The Tennessee Star, Ticketmaster announced that it suspended ticket sales for Swift’s tour after the site experienced an array of problems during its previous ticket presale event.
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Fans of AMC’s popular television show “The Walking Dead” who bought a ticket in hopes of attending a “Fan Fest” event in Nashville a few years ago are finally able to receive refunds thanks to Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti.
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Tennessee’s new public school funding program, the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement, continues to move forward and soon rulemaking for the program will begin a review by Tennessee’s Attorney General before publication for 90 days on the Secretary of State’s website.
While many details of TISA were spelled out in legislation passed in April and signed into law in May by Gov. Bill Lee, rulemaking is required to give more detailed specifics on how the funding formula will operate. Those rules passed the Tennessee State Board of Education’s review before moving on to the Attorney General review.
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Top Tennessee state Republicans celebrated the decision of the Tennessee Supreme Court on Wednesday to appoint Jonathan Skrmetti as Tennessee’s next attorney general.
Lt. Governor Randy McNally said in a tweet, “Congratulations AG @JSkrmetti! Jonathan’s legal acumen and conservative principles are unquestioned. Having worked with him in his role as @GovBillLee’s counsel as well as when he served as Deputy Attorney General, I am confident he will be an outstanding Attorney General.”
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The Tennessee Supreme Court announced in a statement released on Wednesday that they have selected Jonathan Skrmetti to serve as the state’s next Attorney General and Reporter.
“Mr. Skrmetti has dedicated the majority of his career to public service and has the breadth of experience and vision necessary to lead the Attorney General’s office for the next eight years,” Chief Justice Roger A. Page said. “He is an accomplished attorney with a deep understanding of Tennessee government and our judicial system.”
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The Tennessee Supreme Court has released the complete list of individuals that elected to apply to become Tennessee’s next Attorney General.
In total, six individuals elected to position themselves for the vacancy. Several applicants already serve in state government in some capacity. Others include a law professor and a private attorney.
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For the first time in Tennessee history, the Tennessee Supreme Court has made the names of ALL candidates available to the public.
The Court lists the applications of William Edwin “Bill” Young of Brentwood, Jerome Cochran of Gallatin, Donald Q. Cochran, Jr. of Nashville, and David Michael Dunavant of Covington as of 4pm on Thursday, July 28.
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Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed Nashville attorney of 36 years, John Harris in studio to discuss whether he would consider applying for Tennessee Attorney General and the process in which one is selected.
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Friday, the application period was opened for Tennessee’s next Attorney General.
In a unique process unlike any other state, the position of Attorney General is not an elected office in Tennessee. Rather, the person who holds the position is appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court.
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The Tennessee Supreme Court, which is the body that appoints the state’s attorney general, has yet to announce an official process in the search to replace Attorney General Herbert Slatery who leaves office at the end of August.
The process is expected to be conducted in a similar manner as the one that yielded Slatery. He has served as Tennessee’s attorney general since 2014 and not seeking an additional eight-year term.
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Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed new official guest host Aaron Gulbransen in-studio to have a discussion questioning the governor’s power to rubber-stamp an attorney general for the state of Tennessee.
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Sources familiar with the thinking of Governor Bill Lee and his team tell The Tennessee Star that Governor Lee believes that “it is already a done deal” that his preferred choice for attorney general, Brandon Gibson, will get the appointment.
The sources spoke with The Star on background and one said, “It is very well thought by Governor Lee’s team and highest corners of office in the executive branch that the open Attorney General seat is a lock to go to Brandon Gibson.”
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The appointment of Tennessee’s attorney general is a process unique to this state.
The attorney general is appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court and is the only state attorney general that is a member of the judicial branch, not the executive branch.
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Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery joined a coalition of 26 other states to file an amicus brief in the first 2nd Amendment Supreme Court case in over a decade, according to his office.
The group, led by Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich and Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, is supporting the challenge to the state of New York’s concealed carry laws in the case New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Corlett.
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Thursday, Tennessee joined 19 other states to support Arkansas’ legal fight for its law banning discriminatory abortion based on a Down syndrome diagnosis. Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery III announced the decision on Thursday – the same day that Missouri filed the amicus brief for the case, Leslie Rutledge v. Little Rock Planning Services.
“People with Down syndrome add unique joy, beauty, and diversity to our society. Yet the abortion of children with Down syndrome approaches genocidal levels, threatening the Down syndrome community with complete elimination,” asserted the brief. “All states share Arkansas’ compelling interests in preventing the eradication of people with Down syndrome through the practice of eugenic abortion.”
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Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery III submitted a letter this week urging Facebook to stop developing an Instagram specifically for children under 13. In addition to Tennessee, 44 other attorney generals signed onto the letter addressed to Mark Zuckerberg.
The attorneys general stated that research consistently links social media to physical, emotional, and mental health issues; that children can’t handle the challenges and responsibilities of social media, such as privacy and inappropriate content; and that Facebook fails to protect the safety and privacy of children.
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Tennessee’s 48-hour waiting period law for abortions was restored temporarily as the state makes its appeal. The decision was made on Friday by U.S. District Court Judge Bernard Friedman. He vacated his prior opinion while the state makes an appeal.
In response, Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery issued a press release explaining that this decision recognized that Tennessee’s law is “likely constitutional,” and therefore could be enforced.
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The Tennessee Senate passed a resolution to allow the General Assembly a say in the selection process for the Attorney General and Reporter for the state. If adopted, the amendment would transfer final decision-making on these two positions from the Supreme Court to the General Assembly. Under the amendment, the Supreme Court would nominate an Attorney General and Reporter. The legislature would have 60 days to vote on the nominees. If the vote doesn’t occur within 60 days, then the nominees are confirmed by default. The amendment would require a majority vote to confirm the nominees.
Additionally, the amendment would reduce the term length for both positions from eight years to six years. It also outlines that both individuals must be at least 30 years old, a citizen of the United States, an attorney licensed in the State, and a resident for at least five years preceding nomination.
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A federal judge ruled a Tennessee law requiring women to wait at least 24 or 48 hours prior to abortion unconstitutional last week. The ruling impacts any aspect of the law that references mandatory waiting periods.
Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery III was named the defendant in the case.
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Tennessee Attorney General Herb Slatery’s office has warned state residents about potential scams following this week’s deadly tornadoes that claimed the lives of at least 25 people.
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Facing three ethics violations before the Registry of Election Finance House Speaker Beth Harwell walked out with a 3-0 decision to not proceed against her in any way. Perhaps the most significant of the three violations was the complaint that she used her PAC to promote her record as House…
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