Tag: Tennessee Star

Commentary: Court Threatens First Amendment Rights of Tennessee Star After Release of Covenant School Shooting Documents

RealClearWire
Judge I'Ashea L. Myles

The editor-in-chief and publisher of The Tennessee Star was ordered to appear in court last week and threatened with charges of contempt after his newspaper reported on an anonymously leaked collection of documents authored by Nashville mass shooter Audrey Elizabeth Hale. Michael Patrick Leahy was joined by his attorneys in court on Monday for a “show-cause hearing,” where the journalist was asked by Chancery Court Judge I’Ashea Myles to demonstrate why his outlet’s reporting does not subject him to contempt proceedings and sanctions.

On March 27, 2023, Hale (born Audrey Elizabeth Hale) entered the Covenant School armed with three semiautomatic guns and murdered six people, including three 9-year-old children. Hale, who was eventually shot and killed by police in the school, was a transgender man and former student at Covenant who harbored extremist sentiments on race, gender, and politics. The massacre remains the deadliest mass shooting in Tennessee history.

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DOJ’s Shadowy ‘Community Relations Service’ May Be Behind Covenant Killer Manifesto Coverup, Sources Say

M.D. Kittle

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Metropolitan Nashville Police Department have refused to release the manifesto and related documents of the Covenant School killer, citing spurious reasons for their denials. 

But is a shadowy Department of Justice unit billing itself as “America’s peacemaker” behind the information freeze? Some say the disclosure dance has all the markings of the Community Relations Service. 

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The Tennessee Star’s Parent Company Files Lawsuit Demanding Metro Nashville Turn Over Covenant Killer Records

M.D. Kittle

Star News Digital Media Inc., parent company of The Tennessee Star, is suing the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County seeking the release of Covenant School killer Audrey Elizabeth Hale’s manifesto. 

The lawsuit, filed in Tennessee’s 20th Judicial District Court-Davidson County, follows on the heels of Star News Digital Media’s federal lawsuit demanding the FBI turn over the documents that law enforcement officials have kept locked away from the public for more than six weeks. 

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Tennessee Star Journalist Jason Reynolds Passes Away After a Lifetime of Friends, Family, Faith, and Love

Chris Butler

Murfreesboro resident Jason Reynolds, who wrote for The Tennessee Star, The Murfreesboro Post, and the Shelbyville Times-Gazette and passed away Friday at the age of 46, due to complications from COVID-19, used his talents and his faith to perform many difficult jobs.

Newspaper reporter.

Editor.

Podcast host.

Author of whimsical children’s books about life in Tennessee nearly 100 years from now.

Last but not least, Reynolds was a devout Christian who spoke to mass audiences about the power of Christ’s love and forgiveness.

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TIP: Williamson County School System Blocks The Tennessee Star on Servers

Chris Butler

The Tennessee Star has apparently fallen out of the good graces of the Williamson County School System. Sources in-the-know, who requested anonymity, told us last week The Star was no longer available for viewing through the school district’s Internet network. Teachers, students, school administrators could not read The Tennessee Star, at least not at work, and not while using the school system’s Internet. This week sources told us our stories are still unavailable for viewing. The Star emailed school system spokeswoman Carol Birdsong for comment early Thursday afternoon. By Friday evening Birdsong had not responded to our request for comment. As The Star reported during March, school teachers had to watch videos preaching “white privilege” and America’s supposed dysfunctional history. Superintendent Mike Looney thought up the idea. At a gathering in Franklin late last month, Looney told parents they were never supposed to see these videos and even publicly scolded a County Commissioner for asking questions about this curriculum. Many parents have told The Tennessee Star they don’t believe Looney has shown enough transparency with board members, the public, or the media. Many parents wonder if transparency is the order of the day when it comes to how the Williamson County School…

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OFF THE RECORD: Lee’s RINO Stampede Continues

Admin

“Conservative” Governor-Elect Bill Lee continues to to fill his Administration with Democrats and Republicans in Name Only (RINO’s). For those keeping count, the number of Democrat Governor Phil Bredesen’s political appointees who have since been elevated and now retained at the Cabinet level (2) outnumbers the dependable conservatives who have found a spot on Team Lee — approximately ZERO. The latest Cabinet and senior staff announcements haven’t changed that. Nor has he provided his conservative base any assurance that there is ANY room in his Administration for those with whom he claimed to be in ideological alignment during his campaign. Last week, Lee announced his legislative affairs team. Chris Devaney, a former senior staffer and closely aligned with outgoing Never Trumper Senator Bob Corker (who worked against Marsha Blackburn in her race to fill Corker’s seat), will serve as Special Assistant to Lee. Legislative affairs will be part of his portfolio. Brent Easley will head Lee’s Legislative Affairs office. Easley previously served as Tennessee Director for Michelle Rhee’s (ex-wife of former Haslam Education Commissioner and Obama voter Kevin Huffman) StudentsFirst Common Core and voucher advocacy group. He also served as a senior policy advisor for former State Representative Debra Maggart,…

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Boston’s Broadcast King, Howie Carr Tells The Tennessee Star Report Why Even the NY Times Thinks Elizabeth Warren’s DNA Test Proves She’s a Fauxcahontas Phony

Julie Carr

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 – Leahy chatted with Howie Carr, legendary king of Boston broadcast radio and author of Kennedy Babylon Volume II, to speak on Elizabeth Warren’s past, DNA tests, and subsequential ‘ethnic fraud’ by simply “checking the box”. Leahy: Welcome Howie. Carr: Hey thank you Mike, thanks for having me on. Leahy: It’s always great to have you on.  So, Howie, first, congratulations, twenty-five years on the air in Boston, fantastic! Carr: I know I’ve dodged a lot of bullets over the years. Leahy: Literally. Carr: And I’m still dodging, yeah. Leahy: Literally dodged a bullet for those of you that listened to us last time Howie was on. The Boston Mafia Hood, Whitey Bulger put a contract out on Howie years ago.  And now let’s say Whitey Bulger was murdered in prison… Carr: Thats right. He sleeps with the fishes. Leahy:  He sleeps with the fishes. So Howie and I first became really good friends when we started identifying the problems associated with Senator Elizabeth Warren, also known and “Pocahontas” and other various…

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Steve Gill Commentary: Is a Tennessee Foundation a Key to Resolving Debt and Trade Issues with China?

Steve Gill

by Steve Gill   The ongoing trade dispute between the U.S. and China has occupied much of the business media’s focus in recent months. But an “old” debt battle between the two countries that has escaped notice by most political and business leaders in both countries has recently drawn the attention of President Donald Trump — and his top economic advisors. At the centerpiece of this issue is a little known Foundation based in Lewisburg, Tennessee that represents the holders of the debts owed by China. One of the cards held by China in the trade war is their nearly $1.2 trillion in U.S Treasury bonds that, if sold suddenly and at a discount, could be used as a weapon to cripple the American economy.  But what if the U.S. simply washed away the nearly $1.2 trillion in debt owed TO China by applying it against the bond debt owed BY China? Jonna Bianco, a Tennessee cattle-rancher and President of the American Bondholders Foundation (ABF), represents more than 20,000 owners of bonds issued by Chinese governments before the Communist revolution in 1949.  The ABF claims that American citizens are owed more than $2 Trillion by China. Today’s China is the…

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Senator Lamar Alexander Tells The Tennessee Star Report He Will Make a Decision on Whether to Run for Re-Election ‘By the End of This Year’

Julie Carr

In an exclusive interview Monday morning with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy on The Tennessee Star Report – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) said that he will make a decision on whether to run for a fourth term in the United States Senate before the end of this year, 2018. First elected to the United States Senate from Tennessee in 2002, the 78-year-old Alexander was re-elected in 2008 and 2014. He faced a tough Republican primary challenge in 2014 from former State Rep. Joe Carr (R-Lascassas). Alexander defeated Carr by a 49 percent to 40 percent margin in the primary, then sailed to any easy victory in the general election. Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill asked Alexander the big question about his political future towards the close of the Monday morning interview. You can hear that question and Sen. Alexander’s answer, a transcript of which appears below, beginning at the 9:00 mark in the audio file at the end of this story: Gill: About 7:01 pm on election night everybody started turning their attention towards 2020, I’d argue it’s before that, but whether it’s…

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Tennessee Republican Party Mailer Hammers Bredesen Over His ‘Golden Tickets’ for Illegals

Admin

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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Chris Butler Talks to The Tennessee Star Report: Bredesen’s Nashville Campaign Headquarters a Big ‘No Comment’ after Project Veritas Release

Julie Carr

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 team talked with our own Chris Butler, investigative reporter at The Tennessee Star, about his visit to Phil Bredesen’s Nashville Senate campaign office on West End and whether or not Bredesen campaign worker Will Stewart appeared ruffled by his Project Veritas video debut where he made current headlines exposing the true intentions of Bredesen. Leahy:  Our lead story today, written by our intrepid investigative journalist, Chris Butler is about Will Stewart, the Tennessee Democratic Party employee who was captured on an undercover Project Veritas video shot at the Bredesen for Senate campaign offices on Nashville’s West End saying that Democrat senate nominee Phil Bredesen lied when he said he would have voted yes to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh.  Stewart is still working at a position of authority at that Bredesen for Senate campaign office.  How do we know that? Because Chris – who’s on the line with us now – went into that office yesterday and spoke with Will. Welcome Chris Butler great job yesterday! Butler:  Good morning thank you very…

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On Todd Starnes Show, Steve Gill Talks About ‘Fibber Phil’ Bredesen’s True Intentions Uncovered in Project Veritas Video

Julie Carr

Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill was a guest on the Todd Starnes Show this week and chatted with Todd about “Fibber” Phil Bredesen’s false intent of voting for Kavanaugh in order to win the Senate race here in Tennessee.  They continued the discussion regarding Project Verata’s recent visit to the Bredesen campaign headquarters and uncovering his campaign staff’s admission to Bredesen’s true feelings about Trump and the found and unknown intention of running as a “one and done” Senator in order to put Schumer and the Democrats into power. Gill continued,  “I wanted at the time to put one of those dog shock collars around Phil Bredesen’s neck and have him on a polygraph and ask him about his announcement that he would vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh as a justice to the supreme court.  I don’t think he would have taken that lie detector test and been held to that standard. “Thankfully, Project Veritas went out with an undercover reporter and caught on video tape, staffers at the Bredesen headquarters talking about the fact that ‘No he didn’t mean that, it’s just politics, he’s just saying that.  He’ll be a hundred percent with the Democrats.  He hates Trump.’ …

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Lose My Number: Spam Callers Abuse of System Prevents Mobile Users From Acknowledging Calls and Texts

Julie Carr

On Monday’s Gill Report– broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 1510 WLAC weekdays at 7:00 am – Star News Digital Media National Political Editor Steve Gill discussed the mass amounts of unwanted calls from sales and insurance companies and how it is preventing people from answering and opening calls and texts much like the times of the email spam days. He went on to close the commentary by calling for a solution to this growing problem. Gill continued: How often do you refuse to answer calls that either designate on your mobile phone that they may be spam, or it’s a blocked number, or you don’t identify the number? More and more people will not answer a call on their cell phone unless they knew who it is. So, you gotta leave a message and hope they call you back. And generally, if you get a call from a number you don’t recognize or from a blocked number and they don’t leave a message that’s a pretty good sign that it was one of those sales calls or spam calls. So, more and more people are not answering unless they have your number in their phone. And now a new report…

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No Bigger Fish to Fry? Ohio Investigative Unit Focuses on Small Dollar Misuse of Food Stamps

Julie Carr
Steve Gill

On Friday’s Gill Report – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 1510 WLAC weekdays at 7:30 am – Star News National Political Editor Steve Gill talked about the recent liquor license revocation at a small lounge called Sharky’s in Harrison Township Ohio.  He was perplexed about the Ohio Investigative Unit’s focus on a small two thousand dollar misuse of food stamps instead of perhaps bigger fish to fry. Gill said: Well some bad news for those who live in Harrison Township in Ohio, well maybe it’s not sad news for everybody just those who want to use their food stamps to go buy liquor, drugs, and well an occasional lap dance at a strip club. Sharky’s lounge is in Harrison Township in Ohio and they lost their liquor license yesterday. The Ohio liquor control commission revoked the adult entertainment clubs license, according to the Ohio Investigative Unit. Now they had begun investigating the club, known as Sharky’s back in May of 2017. So, it was a long investigation. It takes a lot to find out what these are up to sometimes. Anyway, during the investigation agents say they were able to buy drugs and lap dances from strippers by using food…

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Tennessee Star Poll: Tennessee Voters are Overwhelmingly More Likely to Support Candidates Who Favor Legalization of Medical Marijuana

Admin

Several recent political polls have surveyed support and opposition to legalization of medical marijuana and indicated that Tennessee voters support some form of legalization.  Now, a new Tennessee Star poll questioned how the issue may move votes. Likely Tennessee November general election voters were asked: “Would you be more or less likely to vote for a candidate who supports legalizing the distribution and sale of marijuana in Tennessee if limited to prescribed medical use only?” More than half – 55.4% – responded that they would be MORE likely to vote for a candidate who supports legalization of medical marijuana while only 19.5% were LESS likely to support a candidate favoring legalization of medical marijuana. Only 17.2% said it would make no difference and 7.8% indicated that they were “not sure or didn’t know.” Tennessee Star political editor Steve Gill points out that while the legalization of medical marijuana may not be a top issue to most voters, the intensity of the issue to those to whom it is important should cause political leaders to pay attention. “Voters are rightly concerned that “medical marijuana” is merely a Trojan Horse means of moving towards legalization of “recreational” drug use, which Tennessee voters…

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What a Turn Off: NFL Fans, MSM, and Hollywood Viewers Tune Out Politically Biased Programming

Julie Carr

On Monday’s Gill Report – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 1510 WLAC weekdays at 7:30 am – Star News Digital Media National Political Editor Steve Gill talked about the recent decline in ratings due to the political agenda of the NFL, MSM outlets, and Hollywood award shows. He was saddened that it hits the small businesses in the pocket book, however gleeful that this will hopefully be a lesson to the big corporations’ continuous mistake at making almost everything political.  Gill observed, “But viewers are paying attention, and tuning them out!” He continued: Does it make me a bad person that I like seeing the ratings absolutely crater for CNN when they engage in their left-wing propaganda on a constant basis and their ratings are slipping behind the cooking channel on cable? Of course, having their host out standing in ditches trying to make the flood waters look worse show that they’ll even lie about weather so why should we be surprised when they lie about politics or business or anything else that comes along. And then you’ve had the NFL with their Monday night football ratings reaching a new low. The second week of Monday night football, some of…

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Education Facination: Texas State Board of Education Attempts Another ‘Edit” of Social Studies Curriculum

Julie Carr

On Tuesday’s Gill Report – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 1510 WLAC weekdays at 7:30 am – Star News Digital Media National Political Editor Steve Gill discussed the peculiar fascination with the Texas’s Board of Education and their obsession with editing their state’s social studies curriculum. He went on to reflect on The Tennessee Star’s last story regarding the Alamo and the most recent attempt of taking out Hillary Clinton and Helen Keller from the state’s history books. Gill continued: What the heck is going on in Texas? Now we had a story a week or so ago about the state of Texas Board of Education deciding whether or not to remove the word ‘heroic’ in describing the defenders at the Alamo. They ultimately decided after they got some national push back that the description of the defenders of the Alamo as heroic was appropriate, so they’re leaving that in the social studies curriculum. And now the Texas Board of Education has voted to remove former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton from the state’s social studies curriculum. They’ve also dropped Helen Keller. Now it came after the fifteen-member board nominated volunteer work group created a scale to grade historical figures.…

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Elections Matter: Democrats Conjure Up Thirty Year Old Anonymous Sexual Misconduct Letter to Smear Kavanaugh

Julie Carr

On Friday’s Gill Report – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 1510 WLAC weekdays at 7:30 am – Star News Digital Media National Political Editor Steve Gill was perplexed by the Democrats’ recent attempts to smear Brett Kavanaugh with an anonymous thirty year old allegation on the eve of his confirmation.  Gill was dumbfounded by the desperation in the Democratic party and stressed how important elections are to the judicial process. “Elections matter,” Gill conceded. He continued: The desperation of the Democrats to stop Brett Kavanaugh from getting confirmed as a justice to the US Supreme Court has reached a pitiful new loan. Now keep in the mind the Democrats have covered up for the worst kinds of predators and sexual offenders from Hollywood, from within their own ranks, in the White House with President Bill Clinton and others. They have gone to extremes to cover up the the misdeeds and conduct in a current era of their own colleagues, advocates and allies. But they’ll go back into the deep dark ages and any rumor, any smear to attack a Republican is fair game. Well now they’ve reached a new low with an attempt to knock Brett Kavanaugh out of his…

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Nowville: Senators, Governors and Celebrities Set to Flock to Tennessee in Upcoming Months for Election Support

Julie Carr

On Thursday’s Gill Report –broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 1510 WLAC weekdays at 7:30 am– Star News Digital Media National Political Editor Steve Gill discussed the upcoming onslaught of Senators, Governors, and Celebrities slated to hit Tennessee soil in the upcoming weeks to support their chosen candidates and the motivation behind each parties voters in the November election. Gill went on to assure that Trump voters will turn out to defend and support their President if the Democrats make this election all about him. He continued: And you know that you’re going to see a lot of outside folks coming in to Tennessee to try to help things along for Phil Bredesen and Marsha Blackburn in the Senate race. And a lot of these out of town Senators, and Governors, and Celebrities already coming in, you’re going to see a lot more of it over the next fifty, sixty days or so. Now the latest for Marsha Blackburn is Mike Pence. The Vice President is going to headline a fundraiser in Knoxville for her Senate bid on September 21st. Now the cost is going to be a $1,000.00 per person, $5,400.00 per couple with a photo, or $25,000.00 per couple…

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Double Standards at Orange County California High School Results in False Racism Claims from School Principals

Julie Carr

On Wednesday’s Gill Report – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 1510 WLAC weekdays at 7:30 am – Star News Digital Media National Political Editor Steve Gill was flabbergasted regarding an “alleged” incident at a recent football game at Santa Ana High School in Orange County, California. According to principals of the schools and further spun by the Anti-American media, students were chanting “USA, USA” and holding up posters that read, “we love white.” The posters actually read, “we love red, white, and blue.” He goes on to describe the principals’ blatant attempt to label that schools students racist and a offense to ‘dreamers’, however,  the other team’s school was allowed to proudly wave their Mexican flags during the game. Gill said: As we look back on 911 and look at the way that some in this country don’t appreciate America it’s not just the NFL athletes on the field. We’ve now got school systems that are attacking students for shouting, “USA, USA” in the stands during a football game. An Orange County high school football game, Orange County, California, was marred by allegations of racism earlier this week. An issue where posters allegedly seen at the Friday night game between…

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Dumb and Dumber: Texas State Board of Education to ‘Reinterpret History’ of the Alamo with the Removal of Heroism

Julie Carr

On Friday’s Gill Report – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 1510 WLAC weekdays at 7:30 am – Star News Digital Media National Political Editor Steve Gill was disturbed by the recent decision of the Texas State Board of Educations decision to remove the word ‘heroic’ from the way the defenders of the Alamo were identified.  He goes on to discuss the liberal elites stranglehold on education and it’s blatant attempt to dumb down our kids while destroying the education system in the name of political correctness. “And this one takes us to Texas,” Gill said, “Where the State Board of Education and some of the other liberals in the education establishment there are wanting to change the teaching standards in Texas to remove the word ‘heroic’ from the way the offenders at the Alamo are identified.” He continued: Yeah, they’ve got this teaching curriculum and state board of education is wanting to remove the word ‘heroic’ because they think that that’s, it puts an image of these defenders that really shouldn’t be taught. They also don’t want to teach the Travis Letter, the commander of the Alamo that sent out the letter to the people of Texas and all Americans…

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All Talk and No Action: Democrats Dream of Statewide Seats with Nothing to Show For It

Julie Carr
Phil Bredesen, Karl Dean

On Thursday’s Gill Report – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 1510 WLAC weekdays at 7:30 am – Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill talked about Florida’s governor’s race and the trending phenomenon of Democrat leaders and the denial of their failing cities.  He was curious as to why voters would think to elect such officials again into a state-wide office when they were unsuccessful leaders in their own cities. “Hopefully folks will look at the records of these individuals rather than the rhetoric as we head closer to November and casting votes,” Gill quipped; adding: In Florida you’ve got the Tallahassee Mayor, mayor Gilliam running for governor in Florida the Democrat nominee.  He’s a guy that is facing federal investigation for potential corruption charges.  He’s a guy who’s been playing the race card against Ron DeSantis the Republican congressman for using the same wording that Democrats have used with reckless abandon about ‘we shouldn’t monkey with the economy’.  They tried to turn that into a racial issue while again people from Barak Obama and whole host of other Democrats have used the exact terminology but of course (sarcastic tone) ‘it’s racist’ if a Republican says it (sarcastic tone) ‘it’s ok’…

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MSM’s Exaggeration of School Shootings Not in Line With Reality

Julie Carr
Steve Gill

On Monday’s Gill Report – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 1510 WLAC weekdays at 7:30 am – Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill explained how the media’s overblown commentary and emotional stirring of paranoia regarding school shootings is unrealistic in comparison to the death of children in common day bike, helmet, and car wrecks.  Gill goes on to comment that “ten times more kids are killed each year walking to school than are killed in these school shootings.” He continued: A new US Department of Education study is not getting a lot of media attention. But it did get a little bit of attention from NPR. Not exactly a bastion of conservative news media. Now they examined the US Department of Education’s study and discovered that over sixty six percent of reported school shootings for the 2015 and 2016 school year, never occurred. Yet the education department claims there were nearly two hundered and forty schools which reported at least one incident involving a school reported, or school related shooting. But when NPR contacted the schools in the districts, they were able to substantiate that one hundred and sixty-one, of the  two hundred and forty incidents quote, ‘never happened’. NEVER…

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McCain From the Grave: Trump Receives Media Criticism for Flag Flying Protocol and Building the Wall

Julie Carr

On Monday’s Gill Report – broadcast live on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville – Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill was dismayed by the media’s ability to say anything as a reason to criticize president Trump in the time of John McCain’s death. Apparently, following flag flying protocol just wasn’t enough. Gill went on to talk about Senator McCain’s passing and his true feelings he expressed during a 2010 campaign message where he was more than enthusiastic about “building the wall”. However, only when it served his re-election. Gill continued: John McCain’s passing has been met with a lot of disputes within the Republican party not the least at which has been a furor over the flag over the white house flying at half-mast for two days. Well lowering the flag for two days when a member of the Congress or top leader in government dies is the protocol set forth in the US code. You lower the flag for two days and then it goes back up to full staff. Which is exactly what the White House did. It wasn’t an attack on John McCain, it wasn’t a way to diminish his value they followed the rules, the protocol…

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Facebook Temporarily Censors Tennessee Star Articles Critical of Phil Bredesen

Tennessee Star Staff
facebook posts

Facebook removed three Tennessee Star articles critical of former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, the Democrat nominee for the U.S. Senate seat from Tennessee up in this November’s election, from The Tennessee Star Facebook page early Thursday morning. By early Thursday afternoon, all three of those articles mysteriously reappeared on The Tennessee Star Facebook page, along with four other articles that had also been removed early Thursday. All told, seven Tennessee Star articles that were posted on The Tennessee Star Facebook page shortly after midnight Thursday morning magically reappeared on The Tennessee Star Facebook page 12 hours later, at about 12:45 p.m. central time Thursday afternoon. The three articles critical of Phil Bredesen that Facebook did not want its users to read on Thursday morning are these: “Nashville Predator Crony Capitalist Backs Bredesen As Payback for Democrats’ Help” “Phil Bredesen-Supporting Elizabeth Warren Shows No Compassion for Iowa Girl Murdered by Illegal Alien” “Phil Bredesen Making Millions Offering Low Cost Solar Deals, But Is He Being Totally Honest?” The four other Tennessee Star articles temporarily removed from The Tennessee Star Facebook page are: “Commentary: The Politicians Who Killed Mollie Tibbets” “Controversies Surround Thompsons Station Development As November Election Approaches” “Megan Barry May Still…

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Object of Deception: MSM Forgets the Facts as ICE Arrests Illegal Wanted for Murder in Mexico

Julie Carr
Steve Gill

On Monday’s Gill Report – broadcast live on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville – Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill was repulsed by the MSM’s coverage, or lack thereof, regarding the recent arrest of illegal alien and murder suspect Joel Arrona Laura and his illegal wife by ICE while speeding  to the hospital to deliver their fifth anchor baby. Gill said: On Saturday, dozens of media outlets across the country breathlessly reported that federal immigration custom enforcement agencies ICE, arrested an illegal alien who was simply taking his wife to the hospital to deliver their baby. They were appalled that ICE would be so irresponsible, so cruel, so heartless as to arrest this man when all he was doing was taking his wife to deliver a baby by c-section. Now interesting they left out a big detail. A huge detail. Some might even say a ‘bigly’ detail. Seems the man was a wanted murder suspect. Agents arrested murder suspect Joel Arrono Laura when he stopped to get gas when taking his wife, Maria del Carmen Venegas to the hospital so she could give birth to their fifth anchor baby. Yeah, both of them are illegally in this country, both of…

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Do As We Say, Not as We Do: MSM Conveniently Reprimands Republicans, Not Democrats on First Amendment Reporting

Julie Carr
Steve Gill

During Friday’s broadcast of The Gill Report – live on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville – conservative political commentator and Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill was humored by the one-sided and propaganda-driven reporting by the ‘fake news media,’ and it’s ability to conveniently forget the actions of the lefts attempt to conveniently silence it’s reporters… when it suits their agenda. Gill said: You know just [Thursday], three hundred and fifty newspapers around the country took President Trump to task for supposedly not supporting the first amendment because he’s been critical of the fake news media. Now despite the fact that there’s plenty of evidence that the coordinated attacks on President Trump through all the forms of media but most notably MSNBC, CNBC, and CNN are provably false so many times and the agenda, the propaganda, focus of the media in attacking Trump was really proved yesterday when again, these three hundred and fifty papers coordinated to attack the President, on a false basis. He’s not against the first amendment simply because he highlights the fact that the media is not embracing their journalistic responsibilities. And keep in mind that not so long ago when President Trump kicked CNN reporter,…

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Double Standard Democrats Get Blind Eye from the MSM

Julie Carr
Stephanie Chang

Conservative political commentator and Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill of The Gill Report, broadcast live on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville, marveled at the left’s oblivious double standard the left has when it comes to their own wielding racist and divisive language towards others and the media’s obvious blind eye. Said Gill: You know we were regularly lectured by the left and their proponents in the mainstream fake news media about how it is the Republicans it is the conservatives that are so intolerant and so divisive in our use of language. And it’s always important I think to point out what the left and their leaders do in the name of tolerance and diversity when we have good examples to point out the truth. This one comes from Detroit where two Detroit state representatives had been running against each other in the Michigan primary that just ended, the Democratic primary that just ended. Detroit Representative Bettie Cook Scott was running against another Representative, Stephanie Chang for a state senate seat. They were both trying to move from the state house to the state senate. Well it turns out that Representative Bettie Cook Scott, who’s African American referred to…

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Let Me Take a Selfie: Gill Discusses the Public’s Phone Fascination with Chaos and Disaster

Julie Carr
Steve Gill

Throughout Tuesday’s broadcast of The Gill Report – live on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville – conservative political commentator and Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill was beside himself as he described the unconscionable phenomenon of selfies and the public’s fascination with taking out their phone in the midst of horrific public tragedies. He continued: I gotta tell you, I’m not a big fan of selfies. Maybe it’s the kind of duck-lipped-pouty pose that so many posts are kind of the hand held high I guess trying to hide the double, triple, or quadruple chin. I tend to like the more posed photos that are then posted on Facebook or Instagram. Rather than the sort of selfies that have seemed to become in the grip of a nation. And then you add the fact that people seem willing to video or photograph anything that happens as it happens. I’ve been amazed at some of these incidences on airplanes including plane crashes where people immediately grab their phone turn on the video because they want to record for posterity, maybe the end of their “sterity” the death that comes with a plane crash. Maybe it’s the thought that “oh it will…

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If Elected to Congress State Sen. Mark Green Would Propose Student Loan Payback Program With Employer Contribution Just Like 401Ks

Julie Carr
Steve Gill, Mark Green

Steve Gill and 7th District Republican Congressional nominee State Senator Dr. Mark Green (R-Clarksville) sat down for an extensive interview about Green’s candidacy for Congress , and his position on a broad range of issues important to Tennesseans. The cost of higher education and skyrocketing student debt was among them – in particular the federal government’s overreach into state education and how new college graduates can benefit from a ‘401K’ structured student loan incentive that could end up being a 360 degree win for both employers and their new young employees riddled with debt. STEVE GILL: Education is another issue we hear a lot about in terms of concerns with voters. If you’re in Congress, what would be your education priority how do you deal with education issues?I know most of that is local. DR. MARK GREEN: Sure STEVE GILL: But the federal government imposes 85 percent of the regulation and about 10 percent of the money. How do we balance that a little better? DR. MARK GREEN: The ESSA has got to go. Right? I think it is, all it is is this overbearing federal program that the state’s have to comply to, or comply with. If we can’t…

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We’re Not in Kansas Anymore: ‘Drag Queen Readings’ No Longer in Far Off Places, Now in Tennessee

Julie Carr
Steve Gill

In the audio below, conservative political commentator and Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill of The Gill Report, broadcast live on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville discussed his concern regarding the new trend to expose our young children with ‘drag queen readings’ and how it has slithered it’s way into Tennessee. He continued: You’ll find a story at TennesseeStar.com today about this move to start bringing in guys dressed as women, drag queens to read to young students aged three to eight in kindergarten through 1st and 2nd grade. Their bringing in these drag queens to read to children as part of their gender expansion. To try and get into the heads of these kids and teach them that there is no boy thing or no girl thing it’s all just people things. This is a big deal in apparently some of the big cities. We’ve got the story up TennesseeStar.com you can actually watch some of the video of these very effusive and dramatic drag queens reading to children. Now again if your reading to children you want them engaged you should be effusive and dramatic, it’s what you do with your own kids. The question is whether or…

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Bill Lee Embraces Gov. Haslam’s Legacy

Julie Carr
Steve Gill

On Tuesday’s Gill Report, broadcast live on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville, conservative pundit and Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill contemplated the contradiction of Bill Haslam’s endorsement of Bill Lee – whose base was turned off by Randy Boyd’s campaign because of his ties to Haslam. “As the campaign in the Tennessee Governor’s race turns from the primary to the general election. You’re starting to see the endorsements flow in,” Gill began. He added, “President Trump has endorsed Bill Lee for governor. He’s also endorsed Marsha Blackburn as we’ve pointed out in the last segment. Also, Bill Haslam the current Republican Governor is endorsing Bill Lee as well, putting his support in an ad that’s been produced by the Republican Governor’s Association chaired by Governor Bill Haslam behind Bill Lee.” Gill played the audio of the 30-second spot featuring Governor Haslam: (Audio plays) BILL HASLAM: For eight years I’ve had the privilege of being your Governor. Together, we’ve made a lot of progress. More people have jobs than ever before. Our taxes are lower, our students are improving faster than anywhere in the country, Tennessee is stronger than ever, Bill Lee is the right choice to take Tennessee to…

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Thumbs Up: Florida Candidate for Governor, DeSantis Ad Displays Him as More Likable, Less Political

Julie Carr
Steve Gill

During Tuesday’s broadcast of The Gill Report – live on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville – conservative political commentator and Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill praised Florida Governor Candidate Ron DeSantis for his current ad appealing to the public in a more human than political way.  DeSantis’s wife narrates the advertisement accompanied by their children who appear along with their father DeSantis. He continued: I mentioned in the last segment that there is a great new television commercial airing in Florida for Ron DeSantis whose running for Governor.  A conservative Republican he’s been endorsed by President Trump.  Well they have a spot that is well featuring his wife Casey talking about Ron DeSantis and their kids and that he’s so much more than just a Trump supporter and he shows it in the way he plays with his kids, reads with his kids, and teachers them. CASEY DeSANTIS: Everyone knows my husband Ron DeSantis is endorsed by President Trump but he’s also an amazing dad.  Ron loves playing with the kids.  Build the wall.  He reads stories, then Mr. Trump says your fired!  I love that part.  He’s teaching Madison to talk.  Make America great again.  People say Ron’s…

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Ignore the Man Behind The Curtain: Haslam Conspires to Block Diane Black Endorsement by Trump

Julie Carr

In the audio below, conservative political commentator and Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill of The Gill Report, broadcast live on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville, called out “Never-Trumper” Bill Haslam for his attempts to block a Trump endorsement for Tennessee’s Diane Black in the Tennessee Governor’s race and whether or not this will entice President Trump to do so. Gill reflected, “We were talking earlier in the show about the possibility of a Trump endorsement of Diane Black. Well now the Knoxville News Sentinel is reporting along with the Nashville Tennessean and Memphis Commercial Appeal that Governor Bill Haslam has said Trump should stay out of the republican primary for Tennessee Governor.” He continued: Now there’s been a few stories that have been done by the New York Times and the Tennessee Star pointing out that Bill Haslam was hoping to block a Trump endorsement of Diane Black. And we exposed that he was actually working behind the scenes to try and block that endorsement. Well now apparently, it’s been confirmed as the Governor has been outed that he is in fact telling people I don’t think it would be helpful for the White House to be in primaries.…

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Things That Make You Go Hmm: Independent Polling Firm Puts Lee in the Lead While Tied to Campaign Consultants

Julie Carr
Steve Gill

On Tuesday’s Gill Report, broadcast live on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville, conservative pundit and Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill baffled at a recent independent poll that stated Bill Lee was leading Tennessee’s GOP primary race. The question remains to be answered of whether or not Lee knew the polling company was tied to one of his campaign consultants. He’s yet to answer the question. Gill contemplated, “We and a lot of other media outlets across the state were talking about a new poll that was released on Monday that showed Williamson County businessman Bill Lee leading the republican gubernatorial primary for the first time. It was branded and put out by the lead campaign and others as an independent poll.” He continued: And yet as we now discover, and you can see the whole story with the details and the links at Tennesseestar.com, that the general consultants for the Bill Lee campaign are actually connected to the company that did the polling.  Again, the polling firm that claims Bill Lee is leading in the governor’s race is actually connected to the consultants on the Lee campaign. Now the Lee campaign didn’t disclose their connection to the polling firm…

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Kimberly Guilfoyle Leaves Fox News for Super PAC

Julie Carr
Donald Trump Jr, Kimberly Guilfoyle

  Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill discussed on Friday’s edition of The Gill Report – broadcast on Knoxville’s 92.3 FM WETR – the departure of Kimberly Guilfoyle at Fox News. Gill stated, “Fox News star Kimberly Guilfoyle is leaving the cable network to join America First Action Super PAC. It’s a super PAC that supports president Donald Trump for President. She has been working for FOX News for twelve years as the co-host of The Five right now.” He continued: But she’s been dating Donald Trump, Jr. after he and his wife Vanessa filed for divorce in March. I don’t think their divorce is over. But they’re dating. In a recent interview Guilfoyle said to Breitbart News Daily that, ‘Donald Trump, Jr is the number one up and coming political figure on the right.’ So, she is hooking up with a rising star and we’ll see how that works out and how that works out for the PAC. The 49-year-old Guilfoyle is no stranger to personal controversy. A former prosecuting attorney in San Francisco, she was married to then-mayor, now California Lt. Governor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom from 2001 to 2006. As their marriage was breaking up, Newsom admitted he had…

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Early Voting Republicans Trending to Set Records Across the State

Julie Carr
Steve Gill

On Wednesday’s Gill Report – broadcast live on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville – Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill discussed the early voting trends and the possibility of a new early voting record that could be set across the state of Tennessee. Gill said, “As voters have headed to the poll over the last about a half week, early voting started on Friday across the state. It continued for a half-day on Saturday in most locations, a lot of counties across the state are still limiting the early voting to having to go to one location in the county – and it’s not really that convenient in a lot of counties.” He continued: And yet we’re seeing very heavy turnout with early voting already to date. As we look again with the numbers through the 17th which would be yesterday. Basically, the secretary of state’s office puts the numbers out each date to kind of give us guidance into what the numbers are and where they are headed. Well as of through yesterday, there were 93,961 republicans who had voted early. 41,182 Democrats across the state. So, you are still seeing about a 35% Democrat, 60%-65% Republican vote across the…

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Steve Gill Remembers When Democrat Delegates Booed God at The 2012 DNC Convention

Julie Carr
Steve Gill

On Friday’s Gill Report, broadcast live on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville, conservative commentator and Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill was in disbelief as he reflected upon the Democratic Party’s convention in 2012 where delegates voted emotionally against a Godly provision in their platform. “We were talking a moment ago about the Democrats booing God at their convention,” marveled Gill. “Now the reason this came up is that there had been a provision about God in their platform that they removed it, and then because there was so much backlash and pressure they decided to try and add the reference to God back into their platform.” He continued: And it came up for a vote and the Democrats voted against it but the chair after hearing the loud explosion of boos against God, said, ‘Oh in the opinion of the chair it passes,’ and they added God back to their platform against the votes in attendance at the Democratic convention. This is Sheppard Smith of Fox News reporting on it at the time. SPEAKER FROM THE DNC CONVENTION FLOOR: Is there any further discussion, hearing none, the matter requires a two thirds vote in the affirmative, all those delegates…

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Liberal Media Interest in The Tennessee Star Continues . . . And Documents Some of Their Own Journalistic Flaws

Tennessee Star Staff

Another day, another story expanding upon the Politico story about “Baby Breitbarts” that highlighted The Tennessee Star. Jason Schwartz talked to Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill a few times, got some insights from those familiar with The Tennessee Star — including critics like the Tennessee Democratic Party Chair Mary Mancini — and earlier this week published a detailed, fair and balanced story. New York Magazine built from his story without even talking to us. They declared — without any factual foundation — that our intent is to promote a conservative ideology with no regard to profitability. We charge our advertisers. We want more of them. Contact us ASAP if you would like to become an advertiser! We are profitable, have been profitable from the inception, and want to be even more profitable. Influencing the political environment; informing readers (and listeners) so they can become more actively engaged and more discerning in the political process; and, exposing the corruption, fecklessness and duplicity of political leaders are all bonuses! And, we might add, a heck of a lot of fun! Then, Brian Stelter, who hosts CNN’s Reliable Sources, interviewed Gill for his weekday podcast.  Again, a fair, entertaining and interesting interview…

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OFF THE RECORD: The Tennessee Star’s Awards for Worst of the Worst in 2017

Tennessee Star Staff

Too much good and bad during 2017 to pick just one “hero” or “villain” to celebrate or revile, so The Tennessee Star has decided to do a throwback to high school days when Senior Superlatives were dished out to a wide number of contenders. Today, we dish out the best of the “bad.” Tomorrow, we hand out the “good” stuff. MOST DESPICABLE. Pretty easy pick here as Senator Bob Corker entered the year as a front runner and only enhanced his selection when Rolling Stone added ethical transgressions to his resume late in December. His verbal “slap fight” with Trump, while the President continued to enjoy astronomical approval ratings among Tennessee Republicans, cemented his retirement plans. Opposing tax cuts, then flip flopping; opposing repeal of Obamacare; and the continued negative consequences surrounding his signature legislative accomplishment (the Iran Deal) all helped secure unanimous support for Corker being named “Most Despicable” for 2017. There are indications that there is much more to come regarding the insider financial deals that made him rich as a U.S. Senator, so Corker may be set to repeat in 2018! NIT-WITTIEST. The Tennessean was poised to win this category in a runaway, particularly with their fawning…

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The Tennessee Star’s Top Ten Stories of 2017

Admin

It has been a busy year for The Tennessee Star. As an upstart news outlet, we hit the ground running in early February, and we haven’t slowed down since. After 328 days, 4,102 articles, and millions and millions of visits, visitors, hits, and shares – here are the top ten stories – measured by the number of unique visitors each story received – from 2017. The Tennessee Star’s Top Ten Stories of 2017: 1. Mayor Megan Barry Says The Constitution Does Not Apply Here in Nashville: ‘I Am Committed to Meeting the Goals of the Paris Agreement . . . Even if the President Is Not’ (June 5) On Thursday, Nashville Mayor Megan Barry issued a statement criticizing President Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, which, in effect, declared that as mayor she will not be bound by Article 1, Section 10 of the United States Constitution, which prohibits state governments specifically, and metropolitan governments within states by extension, from entering “into any treaty, alliance, or confederation.” “The United States of America should be a global leader in addressing the dire impact of climate change on our civilization, and it is very disappointing that President Trump does not see that. As a member of…

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New Tennessee Star Poll: President Trump’s Favorability Rating Remains Sky High Among Tennessee Republicans

Tennessee Star Staff
President Trump rally

President Trump’s favorability rating remains sky high among Tennessee Republicans, according to a new poll released by The Tennessee Star on Wednesday. A stunning 84 percent of Tennessee Republicans who are likely primary voters have a favorable view of President Trump, as opposed to just ten percent who have an unfavorable view according to the poll, which was conducted for The Tennessee Star by Triton Research. The poll of 1,028 Tennessee Republican likely primary voters was conducted between December 12 and December 18 using IVR technology (automated phone response), and has a 3.1 percent margin of error. The latest poll results measuring support for President Trump among Tennessee Republicans are virtually unchanged from the results of the June 2017 Tennessee Star Poll, which showed that President Trump had an 86 percent job approval rating with voters in his own party. “Donald Trump is popular with Tennessee Republicans because he promised a conservative agenda and is delivering on it. There is a message here to the Republican Party. Conservatism is not a punch line for a speech. It is what we expect from our leaders,” Judson Phillips, a Tennessee attorney and founder of Tea Party Nation, tells The Tennessee Star. “Sky-high…

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Humphrey on the Hill Compares The Tennessee Star Poll With The Vanderbilt Poll

Tennessee Star Staff

Tom Humphrey, dean of the Tennessee political press corps, wrote an article Thursday at “Humphrey on the Hill” contrasting the results of the recent Tennessee Star Poll with the Vanderbilt Poll, in an article titled, “A clash of polling perspectives on in-state tuition for children of illegal immigrants.” We reprint the article, in its entirety, below: A clash of polling perspectives on in-state tuition for children of illegal immigrants The results of a Tennessee Star poll on support for granting in-state tuition rates to children of illegal immigrants living in Tennessee are strikingly different from results from a similar Vanderbilt University poll on the subject. Tennessee Star’s results, reported Thursday, are that 84 percent of the “likely Republican primary voters” surveyed are opposed while only 13 percent support the notion. The Vanderbilt poll, reported May 30, found 66 percent of registered voters favor the idea while just 30 percent oppose. One difference, of course, is the Star only asked declared Republicans while Vanderbilt covered all registered voters. But the Vandy poll found support for the proposal, which has failed on close votes in the General Assembly for the past two year, widespread despite party alignment. Among those identifying themselves as…

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