Category: The South

Sen. Bill Hagerty: Trump Will Set Policy for ‘Loyal’ Cabinet Members to Follow

Tom Pappert
CNN's Jake Tapper interviews Sen. Bill Hagerty

U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) on Monday told CNN that those nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to serve in his cabinet will be enacting policies set by the White House after host Jake Tapper asked about potential policy disagreements between Trump and Tulsi Gabbard, who the president-elect nominated to serve as the Director of National Intelligence (DNI).

Hagerty told Tapper that Gabbard was selected by Trump “for a very specific job,” and referenced “questions” raised by Gabbard about the intelligence community that “need to be delivered upon.”

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George Mason Students Trespassed over Anti-Israel Vandalism Reportedly Owns ‘Several Firearms,’ Hamas and Hezbollah Flags

Tom Pappert
GMU Coalition for Palestine🇵🇸 protest

Police reportedly removed multiple firearms from the home of Jena and Noor Chanaa, where a police document states authorities found anti-American slogans and flags associated with terrorist groups.

The Chanaa sisters are two former George Mason University students who were criminally trespassed for four years over their alleged defacing of university property with an anti-Israel slogan. 

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Judicial Watch Claims Fani Willis ‘Hides’ Communications with Jan 6 Committee as Embattled D.A. Claims Records ‘Legally Exempted’

Tom Pappert
Fulton County D.A. Fani Willis

Judicial Watch on Tuesday said Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is hiding records of communications between her office and the House January 6 committee after Willis claimed records of such conversations are “legally exempted” in response to a court order demanding she respond to a freedom of information request related to her prosecution of President-elect Donald Trump.

Willis was ordered to respond to the information request filed by Judicial Watch in a December 4 court order. In a court filing submitted by Willis’ office, and published by Judicial Watch, the district attorney acknowledged the existence of “communication sent or received from the United States House January 6th Committee,” but asserted the records cannot be released, “because they arose from the investigation, subsequent indictment, and prosecution” of Trump and those who helped him contest the 2020 election results in Georgia.

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Time Wellness Tennessee Launches Residential Treatment Facility in Taft, Now Accepting Clients

Sponsored
A bright room with large windows and a circle of modern chairs arranged along the walls

by Allie Hinchman   Taft, TENNESSEE – Time Wellness Tennessee has officially opened its state-of-the-art residential treatment facility in Taft. Designed to offer a structured and supportive environment, the center provides comprehensive care for individuals seeking recovery and personal growth. Since its launch earlier this year, the facility has begun accepting clients, marking a significant step forward in providing innovative, client-focused treatment solutions in the region. Time Wellness Tennessee’s Comprehensive Approach to Recovery Time Wellness Tennessee’s residential treatment facility offers a unique approach to recovery by combining compassionate care, structured support, and innovative therapies. Designed to provide a safe and personalized environment, the center focuses on helping clients achieve lasting recovery through evidence-based methods and holistic practices. 24/7 Medical Care and Support Around-the-clock medical care forms the backbone of recovery at Time Wellness Tennessee. Clients benefit from constant access to skilled professionals who address their physical and emotional needs. The medical team works closely with each individual to guide them through every stage of recovery, helping them stay on track and build confidence in their progress. Having medical support available day and night gives clients peace of mind. It also allows them to focus fully on their recovery journey without…

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Georgia AG Chris Carr Asks Trump Nominees to Block Biden Admin’s Pay Raise for Foreign Farm Labor

Tom Pappert
Farm Workers

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr urged those nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the Department of Labor (DOL) and Department of Agriculture (DOA) to reconsider the decision by the Biden-Harris administration to raise the minimum wage for foreign farm labor in a Friday letter.

After congratulating Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Brooke Rollins on their nominations, Carr urged them to address “the continuously rising” wages the government mandates for temporary farm workers allowed to enter the United States through the H-2A visa program, which allows qualified foreign workers to fill agricultural roles.

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Rays on Fourth Stadium Proposal in the Tampa Bay Area

The Center Square
Tampa Bay Rays

With the Tampa Bay Rays’ $1.3 billion stadium plan in limbo, it’s easy to forget that the team is now on the fourth iteration of a new home.

The proposed stadium is to anchor a $6.5 billion development in St. Petersburg’s historic Gas Plant District. The Pinellas County Commission could vote on its share of the bonds to finance the new stadium Dec. 17, while the St. Petersburg City Council will take up its share Jan. 9.

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Virginia Bill to Require Physicians Affirm Biological Gender of Athletes, Ban Male-to-Female Transgender Students from Girls’ Teams

Tom Pappert
Softball

Legislation proposed in the Virginia General Assembly on December 1 by Senator Tammy Brankley Mulchi (R-Clarksville) would require student athletes to provide a written statement by a physician that affirms they seek to participate in a sports team that corresponds to their biological gender, prevents biological males from playing on teams designated for girls, under the threat of civil litigation.

Blankley Mulchi’s SB 749 would require schools to clearly state whether sports teams are male, female, or coed, and mandates any team participating in the Virginia High School Sports League which “is expressly designated for ‘females,’ ‘women,’ or ‘girls,'” must “not be open to any student of the male sex.”

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Cheatham Middle School Adopts ‘Musketeers’ Mascot Used by University of Cincinnati Rival After Cease and Desist

Tom Pappert
Cheatham Middle School PTO

Cheatham Middle School in Ashland City, Tennessee on Monday announced its students are now “The Musketeers” following a survey conducted after the University of Cincinnati (UC) ordered the school to drop its previous “Bearcats” mascot the Ohio university claimed too closely resembled its own.

Cheatham County Schools Athletic Director Jeff Hobbs confirmed the mascot change to The Tennessee Star on Monday, when he explained the rivalry between the Xavier University Musketeers and the UC Bearcats prompted serious consideration after it was suggested on the social media platform X.

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Tennessee U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn Thanks Elon Musk, X CEO for Help Updating Kids Online Safety Act

Tom Pappert
Sen Marsha Blackburn, Elon Musk

A new version of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), created by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), was announced on Saturday by Linda Yaccarino, the CEO of X, who said she collaborated with the senators to create legislation that would prioritize youth safety while preserving the First Amendment.

Revealing the new legislation in a post to X, Yaccarino noted the company, which was formerly known as Twitter, vowed it would help Congress establish new laws to protect children during a January appearance in Congress alongside Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and TikTok CEO Shou Chew.

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Federal Judge Allows Enforcement of Tennessee Ban on ‘Restorative Justice’ Bail Policy, Prompts Celebration from State Senator

Tom Pappert
Gavel court judge order

State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) confirmed on Friday that enforcement of his legislation prohibiting Tennessee judges from considering a defendant’s ability to pay when setting their bail was allowed by a federal judge.

The judge made the decision despite determining the lawsuit brought by restorative justice organization Just City against Tennessee over the law will proceed.

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Virginia Sheriff Calls for Strict Borders After Two Illegal Immigrants Arrested for Shooting in Alleged Road Rage Incident

Tom Pappert
Mike Chapman

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office on Friday confirmed the arrest of two illegal immigrants who were charged with firing at a moving vehicle during a road rage incident, causing damage to the vehicle but no injuries to its passengers, prompting Sheriff Mike Chapman to urge the federal government to improve border security.

In a press release, the sheriff’s office announced the arrests of Aldo Betancourth Rivera and Jimmy Paredes Madrid, who authorities described as, “both of Sterling and undocumented.”

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Tennessee Republicans File Legislation to End Grocery Tax in 2025

Tom Pappert
Grocery Shopper

Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly filed legislation this week that would abolish the sales tax on groceries in the state, and in a press release explain their legislation would maintain current funding for schools while avoiding tax increases for business owners. 

House Bill 21, submitted by State Representative Elaine Davis (R-Knoxville) on Thursday, would prohibit sales taxes from being levied on food and food ingredients in Tennessee, while simultaneously requiring the General Assembly to allocate “an amount substantially equal to the amount that would have been allocated” based on the 0.5 percent of revenue from taxing groceries that is earmarked for schools. Groceries are currently taxed at 4 percent in Tennessee.

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Tennessee U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett Worries ‘Congress Doesn’t Have the Guts’ to Enact DOGE Government Reforms

Tom Pappert
Tim Burchett

U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) on Thursday expressed doubt that Congress would have “the guts” to enact the cuts and reforms recommended by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a commission announced by President-elect Donald Trump that Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will helm.

Burchett voiced concern about his colleagues in a video posted to the social media platform X on Thursday, which the Tennessee Republican said he recorded after leaving the first meeting between Musk, Ramaswamy, and Congress.

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AG Jonathan Skrmetti ‘Absolutely Confident’ in How Tennessee Defended Law Banning ‘Gender Transition’ Puberty Blockers for Minors Before Supreme Court

Kaitlin Housler
Jonathan Skrmetti

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said he believes that Tennessee Solicitor General Matt Rice strongly defended Senate Bill 1 (SB1) in front of the Supreme Court. SB1 is Tennessee’s state law that bans irreversible gender transition-inducing puberty blockers and hormones for minors.

Governor Bill Lee signed SB1 into law last year, which forbids healthcare providers from performing or administering to underage children “gender-affirming” medical procedures or treatments – including puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and sex-change surgeries – for the purpose of enabling the child to identify with the opposite gender.

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Majority of Virginians Hopeful or Optimistic for Trump Admin as President-Elect Improves Favorability, Post-Election Poll Shows

Tom Pappert
Donald Trump in Virginia, 2024

Polling released Thursday by Roanoke College found the majority of Virginians are either optimistic or hopeful for the future of the United States ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s second term in the White House.

The survey found 60 percent of Virginians have a positive view of Trump’s reelection, with 32 percent of Virginians hopeful as they approach Trump’s second term in office, and an additional 28 percent telling pollsters they will respond optimistically to president-elect regaining the White House.

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Both Tennessee U.S. Senators Endorse Hegseth for Defense Secretary as Hagerty Says ‘Momentum is with Pete’

Tom Pappert
Pete Hegseth

Both Tennessee U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty have confirmed they will vote to confirm Pete Hegseth, who President-elect Donald Trump nominated to serve as his Secretary of Defense.

Blackburn and Hagerty both said they will vote to confirm Hegseth, with Hagerty declaring Trump’s nominee has the “momentum” to be confirmed when interviewed by CNN on Wednesday.

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Reporter Tom Pappert: Release of Full Covenant Killer Manifesto Will Allow a Glimpse into ‘What Went Wrong’ with Mental Healthcare Over the Last Decade

Kaitlin Housler
Reporter Top Pappert

Tom Pappert, lead reporter at The Tennessee Star, said the full release of the Covenant school shooter manifesto would allow a glimpse into how treatments for mental health diagnoses, specifically when it comes to transgender individuals, have dramatically changed over the last decade.

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Lawyers Representing Illegal Immigrant Jose Ibarra Request New Trial for Murder of Laken Riley

Tom Pappert

Attorneys representing Jose Ibarra, the Venezuelan illegal immigrant sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student killed while jogging on the University of Georgia campus, on Tuesday formally requested a new trial for their client.

Ibarra was found guilty of all charges related to his murder of Riley by Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Judge Patrick Haggard on November 20. The judge rendered his verdict after Ibarra waived his right to a trial by jury, and instead allowed the judge to determine his fate at a bench trial.

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Virginia Election Official Resigns After Report Found He Spent $500,000 on Alcohol, Hotels, Private Security, and Office Remodel

Tom Pappert
Keith Balmer

The top two election officials in Richmond, Virginia, resigned on Wednesday after a report claimed their office misappropriated $500,000 on expenses, including alcohol, unnecessary hotel stays, private security, and a luxury remodeling of office space leased by a government agency. Their resignations will reportedly take effect on December 31.

Richmond General Registrar Keith Balmer resigned on Wednesday, with the Richmond Electoral Board reportedly accepting both his resignation and the resignation of his deputy, Jerry Richardson. This comes just one week after Richmond Inspector General James Osuna released a report claiming their office wasted almost $500,000 in taxpayer money.

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Lawsuit Claims TSU Fired Financial Aid Director over Refusal to Request Federal Aid for Students Lacking Proof of High School Degree

Tom Pappert
Tanaka Vercher

The former Director of Financial Aid at Tennessee State University (TSU) filed a lawsuit against the institution on Tuesday, claiming she was fired in August after she refused to request federal financial aid for students who had yet to provide proof they were eligible to enroll at the university.

According to the lawsuit, Tanaka Vercher was a 21-year employee at TSU in 2024, when Tennessee auditors informed her the state was unable to provide evidence that up to 20 percent of first-year students enrolled at the university graduated high school or obtained an equivalent degree.

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Tennessee Firearms Association Joins Amicus Brief in Support of Smith and Wesson in U.S. Supreme Court Case

Kaitlin Housler
SCOTUS

The Tennessee Firearms Association and Tennessee Firearms Foundation joined an amicus brief on Tuesday filed in the U.S. Supreme Court in the appeal by Smith and Wesson in the case Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos.

The case stems from a lawsuit brought by the Mexican government in 2021, in which the government alleged U.S. gun manufacturers should be liable for “aiding and abetting” gun violence carried out by Mexican drug cartels.

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Police May Not Finish Covenant School Shooting Investigation by January 1 Goal as MNPD Spokesman Says ‘No Hard Date’

Tom Pappert
John Drake

The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) may not meet its “goal” of completing the Covenant School shooting investigation by January 1, 2025, according to spokesman Don Aaron, who told The Tennessee Star on Tuesday he was unable to offer a firm date or time for the lead detective to finish documenting the case.

Aaron previously told The Star in November that “some work” was necessary to complete the documentation phase of the investigation early last month, then on November 12 confirmed it was “the goal” of the department to finish the investigation before the end of this year.

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Virginia Republican Seeks to Ban Institutional Investors from Buying Single-Family Houses

Tom Pappert
Home for Sale

Virginia State Senator Glen Sturtevant (R-Midlothian) revealed on Saturday he intends to file legislation that would prohibit institutional buyers, like hedge funds and private equity groups, from purchasing single-family homes in the commonwealth.

In posts to the social media platform X, Sturtevant noted that Redfin found in August that one in six homes in the United States are purchased from such institutional buyers, and revealed that the figure increased to 11 percent of home purchases in Virginia Beach and 9 percent in Washington, D.C.

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Fani Willis Dealt Twin Losses as Judge Defaults D.A. in Judicial Watch Case, Jury Lets YSL Defendants Walk

Tom Pappert
Fulton County D.A. Fani Willis

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was dealt two losses on Tuesday after a Georgia judge found her in default in the freedom of information case case brought against her by Judicial Watch and her Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organizations (RICO) case against Young Slime Life (YSL) ended with acquittals for the final two defendants.

Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton first announced the organization’s victory in a post to the social media platform X, confirming a favorable judgment in their effort to obtain any evidence of communications or collusion between Willis’ office and Special Counsel Jack Smith, who brought a federal case against President-elect Donald Trump that legal pundits said bore striking similarities to her own case against Trump.

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Tennessee Lawmaker Files Legislation to Block State from Destroying, Relocating Historic Buildings and Monuments

Tom Pappert
Sam Davis Statue, Tennessee Capitol

Tennessee State Senator Adam Lowe (R-Calhoun) introduced a bill for the upcoming legislative session that would block the Tennessee Historical Commission (THC) from recommending the removal or destruction of any property deemed to be of historical, architectural, or cultural significance to Tennesseans.

Senate Bill 7 (SB 7) would limit the authority of the THC to the approval or recommendation of “certain renovations or alterations” to property deemed significant, according to its summary. It would also prohibit the commission “from taking adverse action,” such as fines, against properties boasting statues or monuments the THC wants removed.

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Rays Say in Letter That Stadium Deal Is Still in Effect

The Center Square
Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays ownership said in a letter that a $1.3 billion deal to build a new stadium in St. Petersburg is still in effect and the team is awaiting decisions by local officials on the bonds to help pay for the project.

The letter sent to the Pinellas County Commission on Friday said team Co-President “Brian Auld did not waver from our commitment to the new ballpark project” and blamed the commission for not honoring the spirit of the agreement reached in July to build a new stadium and multi-use development in the historic Gas Plant District.

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YSL Defendant Stabbed in Fulton County Jail as D.A. Fani Willis Seeks to Conclude Trial

Tom Pappert
Yak Gotti

One of the remaining defendants in the Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ racketeering trial of musical artists associated with Young Slime Life (YSL) and Young Thug was reportedly stabbed at the Fulton County Jail on Sunday as the district attorney seeks to conclude the trial.

Young Slime Life co-defendant Deamonte Kendirck was stabbed at the Fulton County Jail by another inmate, WABE reported his attorney revealed Monday after the rapper, who performs using the stage name Yak Gotti, appeared in court with multiple staples in his head on Monday.

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Tennessee U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn Warns of AI Scams Ahead of Holiday Season

Kaitlin Housler
Marsha Blackburn

Tennessee U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) is warning seniors of artificial intelligence (AI) scams and cyber-attacks ahead of this year’s holiday season.

Blackburn, a ranking member of the Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, discussed the increased threats of AI scams and cyber-attacks during a hearing last month titled “Protecting Consumers from Artificial Intelligence Enabled Fraud and Scams.”

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Sen. Marsha Blackburn Predicts Kash Patel Will ‘Release Epstein’s Flight Logs and Black Book’ as FBI Director

Tom Pappert
Kash Patel

U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) on Sunday predicted Kash Patel will release both the flight logs and client list kept by Jeffrey Epstein, the sex trafficker who allegedly committed suicide in a New York jail in 2019, after he was appointed to serve as FBI Director by President-elect Donald Trump.

Blackburn said during an appearance on “Sunday Morning Futures” that Patel had a unique level of experience working in government that qualify him for the position, then expressed optimism he would help secure the release of Epstein’s client list and flight records.

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Tennessee U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty Urged Trump to Nominate Kash Patel for FBI Because ‘Entire Agency Needs to be Cleaned Out’

Tom Pappert
Sen. Bill Hagerty of Meet the Press

U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) on Sunday revealed he urged President-elect Donald Trump to nominate Kash Patel to serve as the next FBI Director out of a desire to see the agency “cleaned out” by the next administration.

During his appearance on “Meet the Press,” Hagerty confirmed he will vote to confirm Patel to lead the FBI after the former Trump administration official was nominated on Saturday to lead the agency. The senator also revealed he urged Trump to include Patel in his administration.

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Kash Patel Argued FBI Director Should Release Full Covenant Killer Manifesto, Epstein Client List

Tom Pappert
Glenn Beck interviews Kash Patel

President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, said in a recently resurfaced interview that the FBI Director has the power to release major classified documents, including the manifesto left by Covenant School killer Audrey Elizabeth Hale and the client list once kept by disgraced financier-turned-sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, and urged Trump to promise full declassification upon entering office.

Patel made the remarks in a December 2023 appearance on “Glenn TV,” when he told host Glenn Beck that the FBI Director has the authority to declassify both the “black book” used by Epstein and the ten or more notebooks full of writings left by Hale, the biological female who identified as a transgender man when she killed six at the Covenant School on March 27, 2023.

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Tennessee Tax Preparers Allegedly Defrauded $65 Million in COVID-19 Relief Funds for Clients, Kept Commissions

Tom Pappert
Renata Walton

Two Mississippi women were indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) after they allegedly helped their clients obtain $65 million in pandemic relief funding, collecting commissions in the process, through their West Tennessee tax preparation business.

The DOJ announced on Wednesday that a Memphis grand jury returned a 53-count indictment charging Renata Walton and Nicole Jones, who both live in Olive Branch, Mississippi, with falsifying business and personal tax returns to obtain significant payments of relief funds designed for individuals and employers during the COVID-19 pandemic through their company, R&B Tax Express, in Moscow, Tennessee.

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Vivek Ramaswamy, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Question Biden’s $6.6 Billion Loan to Electric Automaker Rivian for Georgia Factory

Tom Pappert
Vivek and MTG

Vivek Ramaswamy on Tuesday questioned the $6.6 billion loan authorized by the Biden-Harris administration to the troubled electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian. The company will use the loan to fund the completion of its Georgia factory.

The Biden-Harris administration on Tuesday approved a $6.6 billion loan for Rivian after the construction of its electric vehicle factory in Georgia after progress stalled in March despite $1.5 billion in state tax incentives brokered by Governor Brian Kemp.

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Medical Professionals Organize Rally to Support Tennessee as SCOTUS Considers Law Blocking Kids from Transgender Surgery

Tom Pappert
Supreme Court

A nonprofit run by medical professionals who oppose transgender treatments and surgeries for minors is holding a rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court on December 4 to support Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti as he argues in favor of legislation that blocks such treatments in the Volunteer State.

Activist Chloe Cole, who previously identified as transgender before detransitioning to her biological female gender, confirmed the nonprofit Do No Harm will hold its rally on the steps of the Supreme Court in a post to the social media post X.

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Bonnie Brezina: Marsy’s Law on Track to be Presented to Voters in 2026

Kaitlin Housler
Bonnie Brezina

Bonnie Brezina, who serves as the state director of Marsy’s Law for Tennessee, said the proposed constitutional amendment that would expand the rights of crime victims is still on track to be presented to voters on the 2026 general election ballot.

Marsy’s Law, which passed the Tennessee House unanimously and the State Senate by a 27-3 vote earlier this year, must again pass both chambers by a two-thirds majority this upcoming legislative session in order to be presented to voters in 2026.

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Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell Sued in Lawsuit Accusing Transit Spending Referendum of Violating Tennessee Law

Tom Pappert
Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell

Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell, the Metro Nashville government, and the Davidson County Election Commission were sued on Wednesday by the Committee to Stop an UnFair Tax and its leader, Emily Evans, who asked a court to declare the mayor’s successful Choose How You Move transit referendum illegal under the 2017 IMPROVE Act.

The lawsuit notes the IMPROVE ACT, as passed by the Tennessee General Assembly in 2017, specifically allows local governments to fund transit systems by imposing a sales tax of up to 0.5 percent.

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Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin Backs Trump’s Tariff Threat Against Mexico, Predicts ‘Extraordinary Economic Expansion in America’

Tom Pappert
Glenn Youngkin

Governor Glenn Youngkin on Tuesday confirmed he supports President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to impose new tariffs against Mexico to compel the neighboring nation to cut the flow of fentanyl over the southern border. Youngkin argues that Trump’s plans will ignite an expansion in manufacturing for Virginia.

Youngkin reportedly confirmed his support for Trump’s tariffs during a Tuesday press conference, as he provided an update on the commonwealth’s efforts to curtail fentanyl overdoses with Attorney General Jason Miyares.

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