Category: TN LEAD

AOC, Ilhan Omar Endorse State Rep. Justin Pearson for Redrawn TN-9, Further Consolidating Progressive Support

Tom Pappert

U.S. Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) have joined the growing list of nationally recognized progressive Democrats throwing their endorsements behind State Representative Justin Pearson (D-Memphis), who seeks his party’s nomination to represent Tennessee in the newly redrawn 9th Congressional District.

Ocasio-Cortez’s endorsement of Pearson was announced via the New York Democrat’s congressional campaign account on the social media platform X.

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Metro Nashville Council Yet to Determine Whether Records Exist Justifying $1.5 Million in Grants for Pro-Illegal Alien Nonprofits, Sets July 1 to Respond

Tom Pappert
Nashville Metro Council in session

The Metro Council Office on Wednesday said it was still working to determine whether it has records showing its justification for the nearly $1.5 million in grants Nashville awarded two pro-illegal immigrant nonprofits in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 budget passed earlier this month. The office said it will need until July 1 to make this determination and provide a response. 

In a response to the Tennessee Public Records Act (TPRA)-pursuant request sent by The Tennessee Star on June 12, the Metro Council Office on Thursday announced, “It has not yet been determined whether the records responsive to your request exist.”

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Metro Nashville Estimates 18 Business Days to Produce Records on Nearly $1.5 Million in Grants to Pro-Illegal Alien Nonprofits After Tennessee Star Request

Tom Pappert
Mayor Freddie O'Connell

Metro Nashville on Tuesday told The Tennessee Star that Metro estimates it will need until July 10 to provide documents justifying the nearly $1.5 million in grants awarded to the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) and Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors (TNJFON) in the fiscal year (FY) 2027 budget passed earlier this month.

The response from Metro came six business days after Metro confirmed receipt of the public records request on June 12, at which point the request had been sent to the Metro Department of Finance, the law department, the mayor’s office, and the Metro Council.

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Civil Rights Lawyer Ben Crump Claims Tennessee Law Requiring English Proficiency Test for Driver’s License Could Undo ’30 Years of Progress’

Tom Pappert
Ben Crump

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump on Saturday claimed Tennessee’s new law requiring those applying for a driver’s license to demonstrate their lawful residence status in the country and take an English proficiency exam has the potential to undo “30 years of progress” in the Volunteer State. 

Crump made the comments on social media while sharing an article about House Bill (HB) 1708, the legislation signed into law by Governor Bill Lee earlier this year. Once effective in January 2027, it will require those applying for a Tennessee driver’s license to submit documentation providing citizenship, and to complete an English proficiency exam.

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Ex-South African Air Force Member Pleads Guilty to Acting as Foreign Agent While Working at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Tom Pappert
Oak Ridge Facility

A former Brigadier General in the South African Air Force has been sentenced to six months in federal prison and two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to acting as an agent of the Republic of South Africa and making false statements in an application to obtain a security clearance, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee announced Thursday.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the sentence was imposed after 59-year-old Portia Anyamba admitted to regularly communicating with an intelligence officer of the South African State Security Agency (SSA) in 2023 and 2024, when she was working as a program management operational specialist in the National Security Program Office at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

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DOJ Says White House UFC Drone-and-Sniper Plotters Named Marsha Blackburn Among Potential Targets for Attack

Tom Pappert
Sen. Marsha Blackburn

U.S. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) was considered as a target by those accused of planning a drone-and-sniper attack at the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC): Freedom 250 event held on the White House lawn on Sunday, according to criminal complaints filed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) against two of the alleged plotters. 

All four of the criminal complaints against the five named defendants appear to contain similar allegations, including the DOJ complaint filed in the Northern District of Nebraska against the plot’s alleged ringleader, Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, who illegally remained inside the United States after his visa expired in 2001, and was later granted Deferred Action Against Childhood Arrivals (DACA) by the Obama administration in 2014.

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Metro Nashville Council Passes Budget with Nearly $1.5 Million for Pro-Illegal Alien Nonprofits

Tom Pappert
Freddie O'Connell

The Metro Nashville Council approved a modified version of the budget submitted in May by Mayor Freddie O’Connell, including the nearly $1.5 million he requested to appropriate as grants for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) and Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors (TNJFON).

In a 35-2 decision on Tuesday, the Metro Council approved a $3.8 billion budget after adopting a substitute budget filed by Council Member Kyonzte Toombs that replaced the version submitted last month by O’Connell.

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EXCLUSIVE: Blackburn Co-Sponsors Election Security Bill Offering Bonus Funding to States That Verify Voter Citizenship

Kaitlin Housler
Voting booth

U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) spoke exclusively to The Tennessee Star’s CEO and Editor-in-Chief Michael Patrick Leahy on Tuesday, promoting a new bill that would provide additional federal election security funding to states that submit voter registration data to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for citizenship verification.

During an interview on The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, Blackburn discussed the Election Security Partnership Act, legislation she introduced with U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) that would provide bonus election security funding to states that participate in DHS’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program.

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Shelby County General Sessions Clerk Tami Sawyer Indicted by Grand Jury in ‘Significant’ Corruption Case, Faces Up to 20 Years in Prison

Tom Pappert
Tami Sawyer

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee told The Tennessee Star on Monday afternoon that Shelby County General Sessions Clerk Tami Sawyer was named in a six-count indictment it described as a “significant public corruption case,” following the release of video showing Sawyer at the federal courthouse in Memphis with her attorney on Monday morning.

According to the indictment, Sawyer is accused of using county procurement and travel systems to steal or misdirect nearly $45,000 between August 2024 and June 2025.

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Tennessee Star Files Public Records Request Seeking Justification for Proposed $1.5 Million in Grants for Pro-Illegal Alien Nonprofits

Tom Pappert
Freddie O'Connell

Metro Nashville on Friday confirmed receipt of the request filed by The Tennessee Star pursuant to the Tennessee Public Records Act (TPRA), seeking records explaining the purpose of the nearly $1.5 million in proposed grants in the 2027 budget released by Mayor Freddie O’Connell for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) and Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors (TNJFON), which both support illegal aliens living in the Volunteer State.

The budget proposed last month includes a $735,000 grant for TIRRC and $718,000 for TNJFON. While a spokesman for O’Connell told The Star the grant for TIRRC would not support lawyers for illegal aliens, the Metro Clerk Austin Kyle told The Star on Monday that the new grant only represented a change in funding source but otherwise extensions of its previous grant, which was signed in 2022 and is set to expire on June 30.

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Financial Technology Association Sues Tennessee over Law Taxing Money Transfers Sent Out of Country

Tom Pappert
Wiring Money

A lawsuit filed on Wednesday by the Financial Technology Association (FTA) claims Tennessee’s new law to tax money sent from the state to foreign destinations will violate the dormant Commerce Clause and Import-Export Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

The lawsuit claims that FTA-member companies, with the filing specifically naming PayPal and Remitly, are already being harmed as they prepare to comply with the law by January 2027, with investments in engineering, software, and other infrastructure needing updates over the next six months.

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Memphis Safe Task Force Arrest over 10,000 Since Deployment Began, U.S. Marshals Reveal

Tom Pappert
Tennessee National Guard

The U.S. Marshals Service announced that more than 10,000 arrests have been made by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies participating in the Memphis Safe Task Force (MSTF) since its deployment in September 2025.

According to the Wednesday press release, authorities have made 10,017 arrests since the MSTF was deployed last year. These include 92 homicide arrests, 105 for sex offenses, 962 involving firearms violations, and 1,012 for controlled substances.
According to the Monday press release, authorities have completed total of 10,017 arrests since the MSTF deployed last year. These include 92 homicide arrests, 105 for sex offenses, 962 involving firearms violations, and 1,012 for controlled substances. 

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Steve Cohen, Justin Pearson Join Tennessee Democratic Party in Dropping Lawsuit Challenging New Congressional Map

Kaitlin Housler
State Rep. Justin Pearson and Rep. Steve Cohen

U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN-09), State Rep. Justin Pearson (D-Memphis), the Tennessee Democratic Party, and several other voters and candidates moved to voluntarily dismiss their federal lawsuit seeking to halt the implementation of the state’s newly enacted congressional map and election law changes ahead of the 2026 election cycle.

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Nonprofit Urging Tennessee to Rescind Illegal Alien Benefits Reporting Directive to Receive $60,000 from Nashville Under Proposed Budget 

Tom Pappert
Nashville Mayor

Under Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s budget proposal, the Tennessee Justice Center (TJC) would receive a $60,000 grant through the Metro Nashville Health Department.

On Tuesday, TJC was revealed by The Tennessee Lookout to have urged the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) to drop a new directive regarding the implementation of House Bill 1710, which passed earlier this year, and will require local government agencies to confirm the lawful presence or citizenship status of those applying for public benefits and report potential violations of benefits-verification requirements. The law takes effect on July 1.

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Nearly $1.5 Million in Proposed Nashville Grants Would Continue Existing Program Funding Lawyers for Illegal Aliens, Metro Clerk Says

Tom Pappert
Illegal immigrant lawyer

The Nashville Metropolitan Clerk on Monday confirmed to The Tennessee Star that the over $1.4 million in grants proposed for two nonprofits that support illegal aliens in Tennessee are continuations of previous grants awarded by the city. However, the proposed grants for Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 will shift the funding source from Biden-era stimulus money to Nashville taxpayers.

It was reported last month that the budget proposed by Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell requests $735,000 for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) and $718,000 for Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors (TNJFON), who previously received a combined $3.7 million as the result of a contract with the city. 

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Metro Nashville Budget Documents Contradict Mayor’s Claim that Proposed $735,000 ‘Grant’ for Pro-Illegal Alien Nonprofit is ‘Not New’

Tom Pappert
Mayor Freddie O'Connell, Davidson County Courthouse/Nashville City Hall

The claim by Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s office that the proposed $735,000 grant for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC), a nonprofit that supports illegal aliens, is “not new” spending appears to contradict Metro Nashville’s own Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Expenditures Overview, which lists no spending in the TIRRC funding account for FY 2024, FY 2025, or FY 2026, before the proposed $735,000 appears in FY 2027.

In light of criticism from Tennessee State House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville), as well as U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05), WKRN on Thursday reported, “the mayor’s office said the funding proposal is ‘not new,’ adding that Metro has supported immigration legal services for years.”

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Nashville Metro Clerk Says No State-Required TIRRC Funding Filing Exists in His Office for Proposed $735,000 Grant

Tom Pappert
Freddie O'Connell

After a spokesman for Mayor Freddie O’Connell on Wednesday told The Tennessee Star the $735,000 item in his proposed budget for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) is actually a “grant” and subject to oversight from the city, the Metropolitan Clerk of Nashville told The Star his office does not have state-mandated appropriations records from the nonprofit.

Asked whether the proposed spending would be used to advocate or provide legal assistance to illegal aliens on Wednesday, a spokesman for the mayor’s office told The Star, “The Office of Financial Accountability conducts fiscal and programmatic monitoring of grants administered by the various Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County government agencies to ensure compliance with federal, state and local laws, regulations, stated outcomes and results, and specific requirements of the grant program.”

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Eva Romero Outlines Priorities in Bid for Tennessee House District 60

Kaitlin Housler
Eva Romero

Eva Romero, a Republican running for the Tennessee House of Representatives, outlined her background, policy priorities, and reasons for seeking office during an exclusive interview Thursday with The Tennessee Star’s CEO and Editor-in-Chief Michael Patrick Leahy.

Romero, who is running for Tennessee House District 60, said during Thursday’s edition of The Michael Patrick Leahy Show that the district she is running for includes Old Hickory, Hermitage, and Donelson, describing it as “lake to lake.” The district is currently represented by Democratic State Representative Shaundelle Brooks (D-Hermitage).

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Nashville Mayor Claims $735,000 ‘Grant’ for Pro-Illegal Alien Nonprofit to Provide ‘High-Quality Legal Services’ and Community Support

Tom Pappert
Freddie O'Connell

A spokesperson for Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell on Wednesday told The Tennessee Star that his request for Metro Nashville Council to pass a budget including $735,000 for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) reflects a potential city grant, which the spokesperson said would allow oversight of how the nonprofit organization that advocates for illegal aliens is able to use the money.

The mayor’s request was first reported by The Pamphleteer last week, and after U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) amplified the reporting, O’Connell’s office defended his request in a statement to Fox 17, stating the money would support those “working to adjust or maintain their lawful immigration status or U.S. citizenship.”

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Pro-Trump Hawkins County Retains SELC to Defend Crypto Mining Ban amid Environmental Group’s Role in Lawsuits Against Musk’s xAI, EPA

Tom Pappert
bitcoin

Despite more than 84 percent of Hawkins County, Tennessee, voters casting their ballots for President Donald Trump in November 2024, the county’s government officially agreed to be represented by a progressive legal group, the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), which will defend its prohibition on data centers and cryptocurrency mining operations.

The Hawkins County Commission voted to accept the offer by the SELC to defend the county in the lawsuit on May 18, only weeks after local attorney Crystal Jessee described the environmentalist group as a legal “sledgehammer” to defend the county in the lawsuit filed by ExoticRidge, the Kentucky-based cryptocurrency mining company, during a commission meeting in April.

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The Atlantic Defendants in Kash Patel’s Defamation Lawsuit Granted Two Additional Months to Submit Response

Tom Pappert
Kash Patel

The publisher of The Atlantic and reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick were granted until July 27 to respond to the lawsuit filed by FBI Director Kash Patel, after a filing revealed that the defendants’ lawyers had reached an agreement with Patel and his attorneys to accept service of the lawsuit on their clients’ behalf.

By the new July deadline, The Atlantic and Fitzpatrick will have had more than three months to respond to the defamation lawsuit, which was filed on April 20, shortly after the outlet published an article claiming Patel has a serious drinking problem that impacts his job performance and leaves him unavailable to staff for extended periods of time.

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Farmers for Marsha Back Blackburn’s Gubernatorial Bid at Kickoff Event

Michael Patrick Leahy
Marsha Blackburn

Farmers for Marsha announced their support for Senator Marsha Blackburn’s (R-TN) gubernatorial bid at a kickoff event held Saturday at the Double Barrel Angus Sales Barn in Williamson County.  Tim and Serena Humerick, owners of the Double Barrell Farm in College Grove, Tennessee, hosted the event, attended by over 300 Tennessee farmers and political leaders.

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Huge Crowd from Across the USA Attends The Glock Store’s 6th Annual Nashville Open House

Michael Patrick Leahy
Glock Store Open House 2026

A huge crowd of more than eight hundred people from across the United States attended The Glock Store’s 6th Annual Open House in Nashville on Saturday. While the majority of the Second Amendment practitioners in attendance were Tennessee residents, a survey of the jam-packed parking lot and streets surrounding The Glock Store showed cars driven in from Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia, West Virginia, Illinois, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Texas.

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Nashville Mayor Funds Pro-Illegal Alien Nonprofit TIRRC with $735,000 in City Budget After ‘Years’ of ‘Successful Collaboration’

Tom Pappert
Mayor Freddie O'Connell

Metro Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell included more than $700,000 in his annual budget for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC), a nonprofit supporting illegal aliens living in Tennessee.

TIRRC partnered with the city last year to provide relief for those impacted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), was asked by the Biden administration to support the release of aliens into Tennessee’s interior, and whose affiliated political action committee endorsed O’Connell during his successful 2023 race for mayor.

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Abrego Garcia Asks Obama-Appointed Judge to Declare Costa Rica Only Legal Destination for Deportation amid Appeal

Tom Pappert
Kilmar Abrego Garcia

The immigration attorneys representing Kilmar Abrego Garica on Wednesday asked U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, to issue a ruling declaring that Costa Rica is the only legal destination for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to deport their client, citing his decision to designate the nation his preferred destination after it made diplomatic assurances to the State Department during failed negotiations for a plea deal last year. 

Abrego Garcia’s attorneys submitted the request in response to Xinis instructing the plaintiffs to update the court following the decision by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to appeal her order blocking Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from detaining Abrego Garcia. 

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Shelby County DA Alleges White House Pressured Tennessee Lawmakers over ‘Political Differences’ in Lawsuit Challenging Accountability Bills

Tom Pappert
Steve Mulroy

Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy on Tuesday filed a lawsuit seeking to block new accountability laws, passed this year by the Tennessee General Assembly and recently signed by Governor Bill Lee, arguing his office is being unfairly targeted.

The lawsuit lays partial blame on top members of the Trump administration, who it claims instructed state lawmakers to “deal with” Mulroy.

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Tennessee U.S. Attorney ‘Evaluating Appeal’ After Obama-Appointed Judge Drops Human Smuggling Case Against Abrego Garcia

Tom Pappert
US Atty Braden Boucek

U.S. Attorney Braden Boucek on Monday told The Tennessee Star that prosecutors in the Middle District of Tennessee are evaluating plans to appeal the Friday ruling by Obama-appointed District Court Judge Waverly Crenshaw, who dropped the federal human smuggling case against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, determining the Department of Justice (DOJ) “failed to rebut the presumption of vindictiveness.”

“The undisputed evidence shows that the decision to charge Abrego was made by a career prosecutor based solely on the facts and the substantial evidence that a serious crime had been committed and deserved prosecution,” said Boucek.

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Obama-Appointed Judge’s Dismissal of Human Smuggling Case Against Kilmar Abrego Garcia Ignored Evidence Biden-Era FBI Quashed Investigation into 2022 Traffic Stop

Tom Pappert and Michael Patrick Leahy
Judge Wavery Crenshaw and Kilmar Abrego Garcia courtroom sketch

U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw omitted key evidence from his Friday ruling dismissing the federal human smuggling case against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, including reporting by The Tennessee Star that was seemingly referenced during testimony, revealing the “Biden-era FBI” directed Tennessee authorities to release Abrego Garcia during a 2022 traffic stop despite suspecting human trafficking. Instead, the Obama-appointed judge sided with the foreign national, ruling the Trump administration failed to overcome a presumption of vindictive prosecution.

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DOJ Promises Appeal After Obama-Appointed Judge Tosses Abrego Garcia Case Despite Insufficient Evidence of Vindictive Prosecution

Tom Pappert
Kilmar Abrego Garcia

The federal human smuggling indictment against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the citizen of El Salvador accused of participating in a human smuggling ring for years, was dismissed for vindictive prosecution on Friday by U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama.

A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Justice told The Tennessee Star on Friday that the federal government intends to appeal Crenshaw’s decision. 

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Litigants in State Court for Tennessee Redistricting Lawsuit Told to Expect Quick Decision from Three-Judge Panel

Tom Pappert
Judge James Gass, Chancellor Ann Davis, and Chancellor Tony Childress

The litigants in the lawsuit seeking to block the newly-approved congressional districts, arguing the General Assembly exceeded the mandate authorized by Governor Bill Lee in their special legislative session, were reportedly told to expect a quick decision on Wednesday by a panel of three Tennessee state judges appointed to oversee the case. 

Arguments were made on Wednesday before the three-judge panel (pictured above, left-to-right), which reportedly consists of Judge James Gass of Sevierville, Chancellor Anne Martin of Nashville, and Chancellor Tony Childress of Dyersburg.

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Purported Manifesto Left by San Diego Mosque Shooters Names Antioch High School Killer Among Inspirations

Tom Pappert
Islamic Center San Diego

The Tennessee Star on Wednesday obtained a copy of the manifesto purportedly written by one of the teens who attacked the Islamic Center of San Diego, killing three before taking their own lives shortly after, revealing the Antioch High School killer was listed among the author’s inspirations to commit violence.

Law enforcement has identified the attackers in San Diego as Caleb Vazquez, 18, and Cain Lee Clark, 17. The FBI has additionally confirmed that law enforcement recovered a manifesto and extremist writings connected to the suspects, and multiple news outlets have claimed to receive a copy of the manifesto from law enforcement sources that matches the document obtained by The Star.

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UTC Requires Students Seeking Bachelor’s Degrees to Complete Diversity, Inclusion Curriculum Despite Federal DEI Crackdown

Tom Pappert
UTC students

More than one year after President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders aimed at ending all federal funding for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), including in academia, the University of Tennessee – Chattanooga (UTC) continues to require students seeking a bachelor’s degree to complete a curriculum that appears to be influenced by the controversial ideology.

The university’s website explains that, since 2023, the UTC general education program has included four desired outcomes for students. In its third desired outcome, the university says its students should be educated to, “Cultivate inclusion by recognizing, examining, and reflecting on the diversity of cultural and individual experiences.”

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Candace Owens Retains Nashville ‘Super Lawyer’ Whose Focus Includes ‘Crisis-Driven Litigation,’ Clients ‘Facing Reputational Risk’

Tom Pappert
Rob Peal

Federal court documents released on Monday reveal that Candace Owens has retained Robert A. Peal, recognized as a “Super Lawyer” from the Nashville firm Sims Funk, to represent her in the defamation lawsuit by Brian Harpole, the former head of security for Charlie Kirk.

Peal announced his appearance on behalf of Owens in a notice to the court last week, confirming he will represent Owens personally, as well as the associated limited liability company (LLC) and the incorporated entity named as defendants in Harpole’s lawsuit.

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Democrat U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen to Retire from Congress amid Tennessee Redistricting

Kaitlin Housler
Rep. Steve Cohen

U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) said he has requested his name be taken off the ballot for Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District amid the state’s implementation of a new congressional map.

In a press conference Friday, Cohen, from his D.C. office, called his decision to retire from Congress “by far the most difficult moment” he has had as an “elected official.”

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Congressman Andy Ogles Says Biden DOJ Tried to ‘Willfully Violate the Constitution’ When FBI Seized Phone, Emails

Tom Pappert
Andy Ogles

Leading the “Weaponized and Wiretrapped” press conference featuring congressional Republicans, U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) on Wednesday recounted how he was targeted by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) under former President Joe Biden, which he said caused the FBI to serve a search warrant at his residence to seize his cell phone following his 2024 primary election victory. 

“I’d been outspent four to five to one, [and] we’d won overwhelmingly, so it was a day with my family that should have really been a celebration and and relief. My son, our little one, goes outside, takes the dog out, and across the street – we live out in the country on top of a hill on a farm – so these cars were out of place, and he comes in and says, ‘Dad, there’s some cars across the street,’ said Ogles.

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Tennessee AG Skrmetti Says Redistricting Lawsuit Must Be Heard by Three-Judge Panel, Eliminating Chance for Quick Injunction

Tom Pappert
Skrmetti NAACP

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti moved to halt progress in the lawsuit by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to block Tennessee’s new congressional map from taking effect, arguing the litigation cannot move forward until the Tennessee Supreme Court decides whether to appoint a three-judge panel to oversee the case.

Citing 2021 legislation requiring any civil litigation challenging the constitutionality of a state statute to be assigned to such a panel, as well as newly passed legislation imposing the same requirement for challenges to redistricting, Skrmetti’s Friday filing will automatically halt progress on the lawsuit until the state Supreme Court makes its decision.

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NAACP Sues Tennessee over New Congressional Maps over Legality of Mid-Decade Redistricting

Tom Pappert
NAACP Protest

On behalf of a litigant from Memphis, the Tennessee State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) on Thursday sued Tennessee over its new congressional maps, which have been signed by Governor Bill Lee, and will likely see U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN-09), Tennessee’s last Democratic representative in the U.S. House, lose his seat to a Republican.

In a press release announcing the lawsuit, NAACP attorney Kristen Clarke accused the Tennessee General Assembly and Lee of passing “a direct attack” aimed at dismantling “majority-black districts.” Clarke stated, “democracy without black representation is not a democracy.”

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Blackburn Expands Substantial Lead in Upcoming GOP Primary for Governor, New Poll Shows

Kaitlin Housler
Sen. Marsha Blackburn

A new poll released by the Nashville-based Beacon Center of Tennessee shows U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) continuing to dominate the Republican field in the upcoming 2026 gubernatorial primary, expanding her already significant lead.

The latest Beacon Poll finds Blackburn now earning 63 percent support among Republican primary voters, up from 56 percent in January. Her nearest competitor, U.S. Representative John Rose (R-TN-06), garners 10 percent, while Tennessee State Representative Monty Fritts (R-Kingston) trails with 5 percent. Just 22 percent of voters remain undecided.

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Man Once Ruled Incompetent for Trial Pleads Guilty to Second Degree Murder in Death of Belmont University Student Jillian Ludwig

Tom Pappert
Shaquille Taylor

Shaquille Taylor pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the death of Jillian Ludwig, the 18-year-old Belmont University student who was fatally struck by a stray bullet fired by Taylor while jogging near the university campus in November 2023.

Amid reports Taylor pleaded guilty on Monday, Davidson County Criminal Court records show he pleaded to the lesser charge, with the offense downgraded from felony murder. The records additionally show the evidence tampering charge appears to have been dropped as part of the plea agreement.

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Tennessee Lawmakers to Convene Tuesday for Special Session to Rework Congressional Map

Kaitlin Housler
Bill Lee

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee ordered state lawmakers to convene next week for a special legislative session to formally review the state’s congressional map in the wake of a high-stakes ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court opening the door for states to redraw racial gerrymandered districts.

In the case of Louisiana v. Callais, the Court ruled Wednesday that Louisiana’s revised congressional map, which was designed to create a second majority-black district, constituted an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.

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Nashville Electric Service Under State, Federal Investigation for DEI Practices: Source

Tom Pappert
NES Lineman During Winter Storm Fern

Nashville Electric Service (NES) is being investigated by both the offices of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee and the Tennessee Attorney General, who are determining whether its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies could rise to the level of discrimination, according to a source familiar with both investigations who was granted anonymity to discuss the sensitive legal matters. 

Legislation passed last year notably authorized the Tennessee Attorney General to accept and act on discrimination complaints made under the Tennessee Human Rights Act and Tennessee Disability Act, and the source told The Tennessee Star that its investigation into NES came as a result of the new authority. 

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Trump Says Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee Agrees to Redraw 9th Congressional District After Supreme Court Decision

Tom Pappert
President Donald Trump, Governor Bill Lee

President Donald Trump announced in a Thursday post to his social media website, Truth Social, that Governor Bill Lee confirmed he will work to redraw Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District after the U.S. Supreme Court decision that narrowed how the Voting Rights Act can be applied when drawing congressional districts. 

“I had a very good conversation with Governor Bill Lee, of Tennessee, this morning, wherein he stated that he would work hard to correct the unconstitutional flaw in the Congressional Maps of the Great State of Tennessee,” wrote Trump. 

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