Category: Tennessee

Unjustly Convicted J6 Defendant Stewart Parks Enjoys Last Minutes of Freedom Before Reporting to Prison

Kaitlin Housler
Stewart Parks

Stewart Parks, a local entrepreneur and former candidate to represent Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District, joined the newsmaker line on Tuesday’s edition of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy one hour before reporting to the Federal Correctional Institution in Memphis to serve an eight-month sentence for being present at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.

Parks was sentenced in November 2023 to three years imprisonment on misdemeanor trespassing, disorderly conduct, and theft charges by D.C. Circuit Court Judge Amit P. Mehta, who has presided over several trials related to the January 6 Capitol riots. Parks, however, will serve his sentence concurrently beginning on Tuesday, reducing his term to eight months behind bars.

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Tennessee State Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Make Blocking a Highway a Class D Felony Offense

Kaitlin Housler

Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) and State Representative Jody Barrett (R-Dickson) recently filed legislation to make blocking a highway a Class D felony.

Under current law, it is classified as a Class A misdemeanor when a defendant “intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly” obstructs a public highway, street, sidewalk, railway, waterway, elevator, aisle, or hallway.

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J6 Defendant Stewart Parks Imprisoned After Judge Amit Mehta Rejected Request for Freedom Pending Appeal; Mehta Claimed Parks Lied in Court but Cited No Evidence to That Effect

Tom Pappert
Stewart Parks FBI

In an order refusing his request to remain free while appealing his conviction, D.C. Circuit Court Judge Amit P. Mehta accused Stewart Parks, a Tennessee entrepreneur and former congressional candidate who was convicted in a January 6 trial, of lying in court and spreading “falsehoods” about the events of that day.

Parks (pictured above in the moments prior to his incarceration) complied with Mehta’s order and self-reported for incarceration at the Federal Correctional Institution, Memphis, Tennessee, on Tuesday, February 6 at 2:00 pm Central Time and is currently serving the eight-month prison term to which Judge Mehta sentenced him.

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Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor Urges TBI to Investigate, Arrest Pro-Palestine Protesters Who Blocked Traffic on I-40 in Memphis

Kaitlin Housler
Brent Taylor

Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) joined Monday’s edition of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy to discuss a letter he sent to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) regarding its response to a group of pro-Palestine protesters that blocked traffic in both directions on I-40 in Memphis over the weekend.

On Saturday, a group of pro-Palestine protesters commandeered the Mississippi River Bridge on I-40 in Memphis, shutting down traffic in both directions for nearly two hours and leaving motorists with no way to cross the Mississippi River as the I-55 river bridge was under construction.

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Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles Previews Upcoming Vote on Mayorkas Impeachment, Senate Border Deal Discussions

Kaitlin Housler
Rep. Andy Ogles

U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) joined Monday’s edition of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy to discuss the Senate’s so-called “border deal” and the House of Representatives’ upcoming vote on two articles of impeachment against Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

On the upcoming impeachment vote against Mayorkas, Ogles said the votes in the House “should be there” to impeach the secretary, adding, “We have an obligation to move forward and hold him accountable and put on the record that you can’t just ignore our laws in this country.”

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Former Trump Campaign Spokesman Steve Cortes Calls Senate Border Deal a ‘Monstrosity’

Kaitlin Housler
Steve Cortes

Steve Cortes, former senior spokesman and strategist for the 2016 and 2020 Trump campaigns and current head of the League of American Workers, joined Monday’s edition of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy to discuss the Senate’s recently unveiled border deal.

On Sunday, the Senate Appropriations Committee announced the details of the $118.3 billion emergency spending package that would fund U.S. national security efforts in Ukraine, Israel, and at the U.S.-Mexico border.

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Tennessee State Sen. Raumesh Akbari Files Bill to Allow House Arrest for Prisoners After Age 60, Including Murderers

Tom Pappert

Tennessee State Senator Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis) filed SB 2757 on Thursday, called the Restoration of Dignity for the Elderly Act, which would allow criminals who have served more than half of their sentence and are at least 60 to serve the remainder of their sentence under house arrest.

A summary for SB 2757 would require the Tennessee Department of Correction “to create a five-year pilot program for the release” of inmates who are defined as elderly, which the bill defines as over the age of 60, and have “served a minimum of 65 percent of the sentence imposed,” to be released under house arrest.

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Tennessee Lawmakers Blast Border Bill

Peter D'Abrosca

Tennessee’s elected Republicans are taking to the airwaves to oppose a 370 page spending bill that claims to address the crisis at the U.S. southern border with Mexico. 

“It is against the law for an individual to illegally cross into our country — it’s incredible that still needs to be said. We are a nation of law and order, yet the Biden administration has allowed over 8.8 million illegal immigrants to flood our border,” said Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) on X. 

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‘Civility is a Strength’: Tennessee Governor Bill Lee Delivers Sixth State of the State Address Amid Anti-School Choice Jeers

Tom Pappert

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee held his sixth State of the State Address on Monday, outlining his vision for Tennessee for the next year and the remainder of his administration. After highlighting the shared history and heritage of Tennesseans, and the strong economic position of Tennessee, the governor highlighted school choice, artificial intelligence (AI), and a streamlined regulatory framework among his goals for 2024. “As we enter our sixth year of working together, the State of our State is strong, and resilient, and ready for the future, and that is thanks to the hard work of the people in this room.” Lee began, “But there is more work to do, the world around us is changing every day, brings new challenges, unique challenges, Tennesseans are counting on us to face those challenges with wisdom and discernment.” “I’ve got three years left, there’s a lot to do, and we cannot, should not slow down, not for a second,” the governor declared. Throughout Lee’s address, he was repeatedly interrupted by hecklers, who first became vocal as the governor announced his plans to expand school choice and public education funding in Tennessee. As he attempted to turn to a different subject, a heckler appeared…

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24 Hours Before Reporting to Prison Unjustly Convicted J6 Defendant Stewart Parks Says ‘Judicial Elites in DC Want to Stomp Me Down’

Kaitlin Housler

Stewart Parks, a local entrepreneur and former candidate to represent Tennessee’s 5th congressional district, joined Monday’s edition of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy to discuss his last-minute plans and overall thoughts before reporting to the Federal Correctional Institution in Memphis on Tuesday to serve an 8-month sentence for being present at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.

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Trump Blasts Senate Border Bill: ‘Don’t Fall for It’

The Center Square

Many Republicans already are criticizing a border bill expected to be voted on in the U.S. Senate.

Former President Donald Trump blasted the proposed legislation Monday, and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., called it “dead on arrival.”

More than 11 million illegal immigrants have come across the border into the U.S. since President Joe Biden first took office, more than the population of about 40 U.S. states.

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Tennessee House Democrats Upset Over ‘Do Not Stand with Child Rapists’ Sign, Celebrate Refusal of State Rep. Jones to Lead Pledge of Allegiance

Tom Pappert

Tennessee State House Representative G.A. Hardaway (D-Knoxville) objected to signs urging lawmakers to stand against child rapists during a meeting of the House Criminal Justice Committee held just days prior to Haradaway’s defense of Representative Justin Jones (D-Nashville), who refused to lead the legislative body in the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Tennessee Faith and Freedom Coalition told The Tennessee Star that activists affiliated with the group were present at the Tennessee General Assembly last Monday, holding signs urging lawmakers, “Do not stand with child rapists,” following a subcommittee vote by Representative Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville) against HB 1663.

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Bullied, Targeted, and Harassed: A Turning Point USA Student Shares Her Story of Oppression at East Tennessee State University

Matthew Giffin
Lakie Derrick

Lakie Derrick, now 21, first traveled less than 30 miles to attend East Tennessee State University (ETSU) in the fall of 2020. She had always known her hometown of Kingsport, Tennessee, to be a relatively conservative city.

In 2016, the two counties that contain Kingsport overwhelmingly voted to elect Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States. Washington County, where ETSU is located, did the same that year and supported Trump again in 2020. Only two Tennessee counties held blue through the 2022 gubernatorial election.

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Convicted Georgia Sex Offender Dead After Kidnapping Tennessee Girl, Ramming Police

Peter D'Abrosca
Edward Aherns

A convicted sex offender from Georgia is dead after an encounter with Tennessee authorities during which he rammed several police cars, several sources have confirmed. 

Edward Ahrens was suspected of kidnapping an 11-year-old girl who was the subject of a Tennessee Endangered Child Alert, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). The missing child was identified as Aubriauna Mays. 

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U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles Introduces Bill to Designate the United Nations Relief and Works Agency as a Foreign Terrorist Organization

Kaitlin Housler
Rep. Andy Ogles

U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) introduced a bill on Thursday that would designate the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

Ogles’ bill, H.R.7206, comes after nine employees from the United Nations Relief Works Agency were fired last week after being accused of involvement in the terrorist group Hamas’ October 7 attacks on Israel.

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Ben Cunningham Says Light Rail from Downtown Nashville to the Airport May be Included in Mayor O’Connell’s Transit Plan

Kaitlin Housler
Music City Star

All-star panelist Ben Cunningham joined Friday’s edition of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy where he discussed what may be included in Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s anticipated transit plan.

O’Connell, who was elected mayor in last year’s runoff election, vowed during his campaign to address Nashville’s “infrastructure and transit concerns.”

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Sen. Blackburn Slams Big Tech Companies in Fox Interview

Peter D'Abrosca
Sen. Marsha Blackburn Fox News

A U.S. Senator from Tennessee took to Fox News to slam Big Tech companies over the dangers their platforms pose to America’s youth. 

“You know, I wish that each one of those [tech executives] would have taken their turn at apologizing to those parents,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) told Harris Faulkner on “The Faulkner Focus.” “You look at the amount of pornographic material on X, you look at what Snap has done, connecting kids to pedophiles and drug dealers, TikTok, with the kids that have done these TikTok challenges and lost their lives, Discord which is used for chats and gaming, and kids are meeting really bad actors. Every one of them owed those parents that were in that room an apology and those kids – friends of kids – who had lost their lives that showed up wearing those t-shirts. Some were worth more than $230 which is what [Meta CEO Mark] Zuckerberg said a teen was worth to them on social media.” 

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Neil W. McCabe Discusses James O’Keefe Going ‘Back to His Roots’ in Undercover Video of Top White House Cyber Official

Kaitlin Housler
James O'Keefe

National political reporter Neil W. McCabe joined Thursday’s edition of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy to discuss James O’Keefe’s recent undercover investigation involving a top White House Cyber Official’s depiction of the Biden administration.

O’Keefe, founder of O’Keefe Media Group, wore a disguise while on a “date” with Charlie Kraiger, cybersecurity policy analyst and foreign affairs executive office of the President, where Kraiger revealed the extent of the alleged coverup of President Joe Biden’s health and the tension between Vice President Kamala Harris and her staff.

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Neil W. McCabe, Dr. Carol Swain Analyze How Former Harvard President Claudine Gay Was Able to ‘Get Away’ with Plagiarism

Kaitlin Housler
Claudine Gay

National political reporter Neil W. McCabe and Dr. Carol M. Swain joined Thursday’s edition of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy to discuss the latest developments surrounding Swain’s battle with Harvard University regarding its former president’s alleged plagiarism of her and other scholars’ work.

In December 2023, writer and activist Christopher Rufo accused then-Harvard University President Claudine Gay of plagiarizing “multiple sections” of Swain’s Ph.D. thesis from 1997.

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Dr. Carol M. Swain: ‘You Can be Dumb as Rocks and Go to Harvard’

Kaitlin Housler
Carol Swain Harvard

Dr. Carol M. Swain joined Thursday’s edition of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy to discuss the latest developments surrounding her battle with Harvard University regarding its former president’s alleged plagiarism of her and other scholars’ work as well as the overall decline of the university as it attempts to implement a new “standard.”

In December 2023, writer and activist Christopher Rufo accused then-Harvard University President Claudine Gay of plagiarizing “multiple sections” of Swain’s Ph.D. thesis from 1997.

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Tennessee U.S. Senator Hagerty Endorses Kari Lake for Senate

Peter D'Abrosca
Sen Hagerty Kari Lake

A U.S. senator from Tennessee on Friday endorsed Kari Lake, who is running for U.S. Senate in Arizona.

“I’m honored to endorse my friend Kari Lake to be Arizona’s next U.S. Senator. Kari is a strong, principled conservative, who knows and loves the people of Arizona and will make them proud as their elected representative,” Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) said in statement. “Kari is fearless, she doesn’t back down, and she will fight tirelessly to secure our border and make our country safe and prosperous. The stakes could not be higher and it is now more important than ever that we retake the Republican majority and get our country back on the right track for all working American families and citizens.”

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Tennessee to Receive More than $9 Million from Settlement with Publicis Health

Kaitlin Housler
TN AG Skrmetti Settlement

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced Thursday his office was apart of a $350 million multistate settlement with Publicis Health to resolve investigations into the marketing firm’s role in the prescription opioid crisis.

The Volunteer State will receive more than $9 million from the settlement, with a majority of the funds placed into the state’s Opioid Abatement Trust Fund to support local efforts addressing the opioid epidemic.

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Jacksonville Sheriff Released Racist Manifesto Just Six Months After Shooting, Suicide

Tom Pappert
TK Waters

Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters released in January the manifesto written by Ryan Palmeter, who fatally shot three people in a racially motivated attack that happened last August at a Dollar General in Florida last year before turning the gun on himself.

The manifesto was released following the completion of an investigation into the circumstances that led to the shooting by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Department.

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Nearly 600 Illegal Aliens May Be Transported to Middle Tennessee, DHS Notice Says

Kaitlin Housler

A notice from last September by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported that a total of 573 “noncitizens” from Guatemala, Venezuela, Honduras, and Mexico intended on traveling to Franklin, Nashville, Davidson County, and Murfreesboro following their release from DHS custody.

The notice, dated as the week ending September 16, 2023, is titled “Intended Destination of Noncitizens Processed at the Southwest Border.”

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House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green Says He’s ‘Working Hard’ to Secure the Votes to Impeach DHS Secretary Mayorkas

Kaitlin Housler
Rep. Mark Green

Tennessee U.S. Representative and chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee Mark Green (R-TN-07) joined Thursday’s edition of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy to discuss his efforts in the impeachment process of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

Green, who led his Republican colleagues in voting to advance two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas out of committee on Wednesday, told Leahy that Mayorkas not only refused to enforce the law himself, but directed his staff to do the same.

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Former Belmont University Student Body President Says University is Not Salvageable

Kaitlin Housler
Belmont University

Chairman of the Tennessee Young Republicans and former Belmont University study body President Stevie Giorno recently joined The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy to discuss his experience at Belmont University during and after the time he served as the school’s student body president.

Giorno, who was bullied and called a “racist” for posting a pro-American social media message on Instagram on July 4, 2020, said the university used the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to bar him, the student body president at the time, from holding regular meetings.

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Stevie Giorno Discusses Plot to Oust Him from Belmont University’s Student Government Association Presidency Nearly Four Years Ago

Kaitlin Housler
Stevie Giorno

Chairman of the Tennessee Young Republicans and former Belmont University study body President Stevie Giorno recently joined The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy to discuss how students at Belmont University bullied him during the time he served as the school’s student body president.

While serving as Belmont University’s student body president in 2020, Giorno acknowledged the Fourth of July holiday with a post on Instagram that read, “Proud to be an American, celebrating the sacrifice of those that gave their all so that we may have freedoms and liberties intended for us on this day in 1776.”

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Matthew Giffin Details Socialist Group’s Fight with East Tennessee State University over Upcoming Event Featuring Kyle Rittenhouse

Kaitlin Housler
Kyle Rittenhouse

Matthew Giffin, reporter at The Tennessee Star and student at Middle Tennessee State University, joined Wednesday’s edition of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy to discuss a socialist group’s response to an event scheduled at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) next week featuring Kyle Rittenhouse.

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