U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) threw his lot in with his Democrat colleagues Thursday to try to block President Donald Trump from using his war powers authority to handle attacks by Iran without begging for congressional approval first.
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Local, national and government experts will address and discuss solutions to the opioid crisis in Tennessee today at a summit in Nashville hosted by Healthy Tennessee.
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U.S. Senatorial candidate Dr. Manish “Manny” Sethi on Tuesday expressed his support for President Donald Trump in defense of the Commander-in-Chief over the Democrats’ calls for impeachment. “I can’t believe what I just heard from Speaker Pelosi,” Sethi said in a statement. “The left continues to push for division instead of unity. These impeachment inquiries are nothing more than partisan theatrics. I support President Trump fully and urge Democrats to end this charade.” “I urge Republicans like Mitt Romney not to join the Democrats, but to stand firm in supporting our President.” Sethi in June announced his bid to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), The Tennessee Star reported. Democrats’ latest effort to impeach Trump stems from allegations he is pressuring Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden, The Star reported, citing VOA News. Trump has dismissed such talk. “We had a perfect phone call with the president of Ukraine. Everybody knows it. It’s just a Democrat witch hunt. Here we go again. They failed with Russia, they failed with recession, they failed with everything,” Trump said Monday. “It’s very important to talk about corruption. If you don’t talk about corruption, why would you give money to a country that…
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Former Gov. Bill Haslam reportedly met with Vice President Mike Pence to talk about possibly running for the Senate, and Pence encouraged him to make the bid, Politico reported. Haslam has been interested in running for the seat being vacated next year by U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN). Haslam and Pence met Wednesday to talk about the potential run, WREG said. Haslam said he would decide sometime in this spring. U.S. Rep. Mark Green (R-TN-07) and Dr. Manish “Manny” Sethi have also shown interest in running, the station said. Pence and Haslam drum up a friendship when Pence became governor of Indiana in 2013, and the men worked together as governors, WBIR said. The vice president notwithstanding, Tennessee’s former governor may have worn out his welcome among conservatives. The Club for Growth Action, a conservative Super PAC, earlier in March released a video aimed at discouraging Haslam from running for Alexander’s seat, The Tennessee Star reported. The video, titled “Dirty Laundry,” is available to watch here. Club for Growth Action’s video shows what it alleges is a history of Haslam “profiting from his business interest, which had been infected with fraud, racist rants, and practices designed to exploit Hispanic and other…
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U.S. Rep. Dr. Mark Green (R-TN-07) declared his support of President Donald Trump’s veto of Congress’ resolution to block his declaration of a national emergency in order to build a border wall. “President Trump is right to veto this meaningless and partisan resolution,” Green said. “It’s been established by this and former Congresses that securing the border with a physical wall is good policy.” “In 2006, Congress passed the Secure Fence Act of 2006 with widespread Democrat support from then Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Chuck Schumer,” Green said. “And, in the recent appropriations bill, Congress appropriated even more money towards a wall. President Trump is not bucking Congress and doing something they have expressly forbidden. He’s merely expanding on what Congress has already said is a good way to secure our southern border through legal authority Congress gave him through the National Emergencies Act of 1976.” “I applaud President Trump for transcending the fray, fighting back against the rabid anti-Trump Resistance and doing what’s best for Americans,” Green said. In making his declaration, Green joined U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) in supporting the president, unlike their colleague from Tennessee, U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), who voted against Trump. The…
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U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) joined Democrats in voting against President Donald Trump’s declaration of a national emergency to build the border wall and likened the president to King George III who was king of England during the American Revolution. Alexander was one of 12 Republican senators to join Democrats in a 59-41 vote against the president, The Washington Examiner said. Trump said he would veto the measure. Last month, 13 Republicans joined Democrats in the House to vote against Trump’s declaration. The Senate Republicans said Trump’s use of a declaration of a national emergency would open the doors for Democratic presidents to use the measure to push gun control or fight climate change. In a series of tweets, Alexander defended his break with the president. One tweet said, “I support the president on border security. I have urged him to build the 234 miles of border wall he has asked for in the fastest possible way by using $5.7 billion already approved by Congress.” I support the president on border security. I have urged him to build the 234 miles of border wall he has asked for in the fastest possible way by using $5.7 billion already approved by…
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Club for Growth Action, a conservative Super PAC, has a message for former Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam: You’re not welcome in the 2020 Senate race. Club for Growth Action last week released a 60-second digital ad, according to a press release here. The video is available to watch here. The PAC’s video shows what it alleges is a history of Haslam “profiting from his business interest, which had been infected with fraud, racist rants, and practices designed to exploit Hispanic and other customers,” according to the press release. The transcript of the video reads: Racist photos. Resignation refusals. Criminal allegations of rape and assault. Reprehensible slurs vile beyond belief. Liberal Democrats are up to their knees in dirty laundry. And liberal RINO Bill Haslam…he’s dirty, too. Prosecutors say the Haslam family business was infected with fraud. Over a dozen company executives and employees convicted for a conspiracy to defraud mom and pop truckers. Haslam got filthy rich as company co-owner, lining his pockets on the backs of working people. His campaigns for Governor fueled with fat contributions from the executive who masterminded the scheme, Haslam’s golfing buddy Mark Hazelwood. The same man caught on tape spewing racist, drunken rants…
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At least three members of Tennessee’s Congressional delegation came out in support of President Donald Trump’s offer Saturday to end the government shutdown with a compromise on immigration. U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander and U.S. Rep. Dr. Mark Green issued statements of support for Trump’s proposed compromise. Blackburn said: The president has once again shown he is willing to work with Democrats to end this shutdown and find a compromise that will secure our border,” said Senator Blackburn. “This proposal that has bipartisan support would provide the much-needed $5.7 billion for a border barrier. “The border patrol agents have repeatedly asked for three items: a physical barrier, more technology, and more agents and officers. As members of Congress we must deliver for them.” Green said: “The president has made yet another effort to engage Democrats on the crisis at the border, something I’ve called an arterial bleed. It’s time to stop the hemorrhage. Will Speaker Pelosi come to the table and negotiate? Do Democrats care about the American lives being devastated by crime and the drug trade? Do they care about our hard working govt. employees? Speaker Pelosi?” Alexander said in a statement: “The President has proposed…
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Former gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd will not run for retiring U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander’s seat because he is serving as interim president of the University of Tennessee system for a two-year period, the Chattanooga Times Free Press said Tuesday. Boyd finished in second place to Gov.-elect Bill Lee in the August Republican primary after spending an estimated $20 million on his campaign. Had he chosen to run for the U.S. Senate in 2020 to succeed Alexander, he would have been a first tier candidate, despite his primary loss. According to the Times Free Press: “It just seems so far removed from the state of Tennessee, I couldn’t see myself in Washington, D.C., arguing about things and not getting as in depth,” he said. Having only 24 months or less to tackle his goals adds to that sense of urgency, he said. Alexander (R-TN) on Monday said he would not run for a fourth term in 2020. Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill said, “Lamar just gave political consultants and media buyers an early Christmas gift as he just kick-started the 2020 campaign for his open Senate seat.” The University of Tennessee Board of Trustees on Sept. 25 appointed Boyd as…
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U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN-05) announced his re-election bid for 2020. A statement by the congressman’s spokesman Chris Carroll said, “Jim is honored to represent Cheatham, Davidson, and Dickson counties in Congress, and he looks forward to running for re-election in 2020,” according to a story in The Tennessean. Cooper handily won re-election Nov. 6 against Republican challenger Jody Ball by a margin of 67.8 percent to 32.2 percent, Ballotpedia said. Cooper is not the only Tennessee politician to make an announcement about 2020 this week. When U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) announced Monday he would not run for re-election, Cooper said this in a statement: Lamar is finishing a stellar career in Tennessee politics. I honor him for his service, but I also hope he will use his last two years in office to challenge President Trump the way that Bob Corker has done. I am worried that the Tennessee Republican Party is losing the legacy of Howard Baker: his willingness to investigate his own president, to insist on fiscal discipline, open markets, and civil rights. America needs that fair-mindedness now more than ever.” Cooper’s voting record is available here. Last month Cooper signed a letter with 17 other…
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State Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-TN-32) has been named as a new federal judge in the Western District of Tennessee, leaving his position open in the state senate, The Tennessean said. The U.S. Senate voted Thursday evening to confirm Norris in a close vote. The tally was 51-44. “I recommended Senator Norris to the president, and I strongly supported Mark’s nomination,” U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) said. “He is respected by his peers around the country, having been elected chairman of the Council of State Governments, and has been an advocate and a champion for federalism and for the separation of powers.” Lt. Governor Randy McNally (R-TN-05) made a statement following the confirmation of Norris. McNally said, “Congratulations to my friend Mark Norris on his confirmation as U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Tennessee. Mark has been a smart and thoughtful legislator. He will be a smart and thoughtful judge. I have proudly served with Mark for many years. I have always admired the care and thoroughness he brings to public service. As our Senate Majority Leader, Mark has been an indispensable asset not just to the Senate but to state government as a whole. While we will…
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On October 6, 2018, now-Associate Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh was formally confirmed by the U.S. Senate — in a rare Saturday session — with a slender vote of 50 yeas and 48 nays in the 100-member body. Both of Tennessee’s Senators, Republicans Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker, cast their votes in favor of Kavanaugh joining the highest court in the land. The last time that someone gained membership onto the High Court by such a close margin was on May 12, 1881, when Thomas Stanley Matthews (nominated by President James Garfield) squeaked by with 24 yeas and 23 nays in the Senate. Matthews went on to distinguish himself on the Court as a foe of racial discrimination when he wrote the Opinion in the 1886 case of Yick Wo v. Hopkins, striking down the City of San Francisco’s then-policies of restricting the ability of Chinese immigrants in that city — and placing extraneous procedural obstacles in their path — to establish businesses there, thus infringing upon the federal Constitution’s 14th Amendment. A short time after this past Saturday’s 50-48 vote, Chief Justice John Roberts administered the official oath to Kavanaugh as the 114th Justice of the Supreme Court, thereby…
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