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Steve Gill Commentary: T.E.A. Sticking It to Teachers and Taxpayers with Needless Lawsuits

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By Steve Gill   The Tennessee Education Association (TEA) often touts their legal prowess in order to justify the annual dues they extract from their union membership. To prove their claim they seem intent on creating lots of litigation through misuse of the 2011 Professional Educators Collaborative Conferencing Act. That Act was intended in part to replace contentious fights with collaboration and cooperation among the parties. Now, TEA seems to brag that PECCA is helping them generate lawsuits rather than prevent them. Most of these suits provide little, if any, actual benefit to their membership. The Maury County case mentioned in the article is a great example. TEA complained that the PECCA voting system used by Maury County was faulty and resulted in an inordinate number of votes for a competing teacher’s organization. After the complaint was raised, the “other side” responded simply and directly: “let’s revote.” That is exactly what the TEA had originally requested. However, TEA’s local affiliate, Maury County Education Association, didn’t see it that way and instead initiated a lawsuit asking for a revote. Why would the teachers’ union sue to get what had already been offered? Because these lawsuits are part of a marketing campaign…

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Lee Thomas Miller Drops Out of Congressional Race One Month After Announcing Candidacy

Tennessee Star Staff

Songwriter Lee Thomas Miller dropped out of the 7th Congressional District race on Monday, one month and four days after announcing his candidacy for the Republican nomination. “I looked forward to this race and the opportunity to change things that I think are broken. But as a husband and father it quickly became obvious that this campaign would require me to compromise far more of myself than I would ever be willing,” Miller said in a statement released by his campaign on Monday. “So, I will end my campaign for U.S. House of Representatives while taking with me the desire to protect faith, family and freedome that I have always had. I will also go back to using my voice and experience to defend the American songwriter,” Miller added. Miller’s abrupt departure from the race leaves State Senator Mark Green (R-Clarksville) as the only GOP candidate in the running to replace Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07), who is running for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by retiring Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN). “Lee Thomas Miller is a great American who captures in song the emotions of life’s challenges,” Green told The Tennessee Star on Monday morning shortly after Miller’s announcement. “I…

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Boyd-Endorsing Mayor May Help Humboldt, Tennessee Become a New Refugee Resettlement Site

Chris Alto

Tysons Foods recently announced the building of a chicken processing plant in Humboldt, bringing with it, 1,500 jobs to Gibson County’s largest city.  While GOP gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd was Commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development (ECD), business development money began flowing to Gibson County, an investment that has paid off for Boyd with it’s mayor supporting his run for governor. Tom Witherspoon, mayor of Gibson County was included on Boyd’s July list of county mayor endorsements. Locating a food processing plant in Gibson County may also continue a trend of transforming small rural towns by becoming a magnet for federal refugee resettlement contractors looking to place low-skill workers who don’t have to speak English. Tysons Foods has a demonstrated commitment to employing refugees; its Human Resources Manager, Gary Denton served on the board of the Nashville-based Center for Refugees and Immigrants of Tennessee. Representing the State of Tennessee Economic & Community Development, Lamar Alexander’s son, Will, while serving as Chief of Staff for Haslam’s ECD, served as Treasurer for the resettlement contractor, the Nashville International Center for Empowerment. The federal resettlement program allows refugee contractors to place refugees within 100 miles of the resettlement contractor’s office and that, “[re]gardless of their…

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Education Commissioner McQueen Convenes Testing Assessment Task Force

Tennessee Star Staff
McQueen

The role of state tests should always be to supplement other feedback loops that teachers, parents, and districts use to get a more complete picture of a student’s development, including classroom performance, report cards, portfolios, performances, and other ways students show their development. State tests are not meant to be the sole driver of instructional decisions. The information from an assessment should provide educators, parents, and students with a better perspective on how the students are succeeding academically compared to their peers across Tennessee.

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Former WSMV News Channel 4 Newscasters File Age-Discrimination Lawsuit

Wendy Wilson

Three former veteran newscasters at WSMV-TV News Channel 4 have filed an age-discrimination lawsuit in federal district court in Nashville. The former popular news personalities are Dennis Ferrier, Jennifer Johnson and Nancy Van Camp. The Meredith Corporation, the station owner, denies the allegations. “This case sheds light on some ugly truths about what is happening at Channel 4,” said attorney Brian Winfrey of Morgan & Morgan in a news release issued by the law firm Tuesday. “My clients are accomplished professionals. They don’t deserve this treatment after decades of dedicating their careers to Channel 4.” According to the lawsuit, station management in 2015 began a pattern of hostile behavior toward older broadcasters. Comments were made about getting rid of the “old timers” and hiring “faces that appeal to a younger demographic.” The suit alleges that a news director would say of Ferrier, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” A number of employees over 40 were removed and replaced by younger employees between 2015 and 2016, the suit says. In addition to ridicule, the workplace hostility included unfair job scrutiny and adverse job assignments, the suit alleges. Ferrier, Johnson and Van Camp were all forced off the air. Ferrier is…

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Roy Moore Challenges Late Night Host Jimmy Kimmel to Face Him and Alabamans ‘Man to Man’ After Interrupting Church Services

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Anti-Christian, progressive chauvinist Jimmy Kimmel sunk to a new low Wednesday night as he sent his stringer, toadie ‘comedian’ Rich Barbieri (a/k/a Jake Byrd) into an Alabama church to interrupt a worship service where US Senate candidate Roy Moore was speaking. But Roy Moore and his team won’t be letting Kimmel and company’s insults slide this time. “Jimmy Kimmel and the ‘Hollywood elite’ cross the line when they invade our Churches under a disguise and attempt to make a mockery of our worship services,” Drew Messer, a senior adviser to Moore, told Breitbart News on Thursday morning after the incident at the church on Wednesday night. “If Kimmel wants to mock our Christian values, he should come down here and do it man to man instead of hiding behind a camera in Hollywood,” Messer said. “And yes, Jimmy, we will still rebuild our military, build the wall, protect our gun rights, reform our tax code, and support President Trump whether you like that or not. Hollywood will not bully us around.” Senior Moore adviser Brett Doster agreed, saying in a separate email to Breitbart News: Last night, Jimmy Kimmel sent one of his goons to disrupt an Alabama worship service…

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Randy Boyd Fundraiser With Jeb Bush Closed to the Public, $4,000 Bought a Picture With Both

Wendy Wilson

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Jeb Bush on Thursday headlined a fundraiser for Republican gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd at the Omni Hotel downtown. Boyd, who is considered an establishment figure by grassroots conservatives, has faced criticism for turning to Bush to boost his campaign. The former Florida governor badly failed in his bid for the Republican presidential nomination last year. Thursday’s event was closed to the media, which a Boyd campaign spokeswoman reiterated in the hotel lobby when approached by a reporter and photographer for The Tennessee Star.  There did not appear to be any other journalists at the Omni. Several Boyd supporters and volunteers approached by The Star declined to be interviewed. Earlier in the day, Bush spoke at a conference on education at the Omni, where U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos also spoke. The conference, which concludes today, was organized by the Foundation for Excellence in Education (ExcelinEd), an initiative founded by Bush that promotes school choice and other education reforms. In the evening, Bush fans paid big bucks to mingle with him and Boyd and Boyd’s wife, Jenny, at the fundraiser. A photo reception cost $4,000 per person/couple. A general reception cost $1,000 per person/couple, and the dinner that…

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Former State Rep. Billy Spivey Joins Race to Replace Former State Senator Jim Tracy in Special Election

Tennessee Star Staff

Former State Rep. Billy Spivey (R-Lewisburg) announced today that he is a candidate for the Republican nomination in the special primary election scheduled to replace former State Sen. Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) in the 14th State Senate District. “Over two terms in the Tennessee House, I took on Common Core. I took on policing for profit, I took on the Hall Tax. And I won,” Spivey said in a statement released to The Tennessee Star early Thursday morning. “Not by being a bully and not by playing the games of the Establishment. I won these battles by listening, thinking, and standing on principle,” he added. “This is the passion and record that I now hope to bring to the Tennessee Senate,” the former State Rep. continued. “These are the reasons that I humbly request the votes of the good people of District 14, and promise, if elected, to bring true conservative, anti-Establishment change to Nashville . . . where we all know it’s desperately needed,” Spivey concluded. As The Star reported on Wednesday, the Republican and Democrat primaries will be held on January 25, and the general election will be held on March 13, “according to a writ of election issued…

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Tennessee Muslim Advisory Council Co-Founder Endorsed Islamic Proselytizing Organization

Chris Alto

Sabina Mohyuddin, long-time volunteer and former Youth Director at the Islamic Center of Nashville (ICN), co-founder of the Tennessee American Muslim Advisory Council (AMAC), and a featured panelist at a recent event held at the University of the South in Sewanee, endorsed the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), a U.S. based leader in dawah (Islamic proselytizing), at a 2013 event as an organization that “help[s] American Muslims stay true to their religious values while being uniquely American.” ICNA was named in a 1991 Muslim Brotherhood document, An Explanatory Memorandum on the General Strategic Goal for the Group in North America as one of the Brotherhood’s 29 likeminded “organizations of our friends” that shared the common goal of destroying America from within and turning it into a Muslim nation “so that … God’s religion [Islam] is made victorious over all other religions.” ICNA is also the organization that admits public school students should be targeted for dawah conducted under the guise of “sharing knowledge of Islam as an attempt to correct the misrepresentations often found in secular reading materials.” Mohyuddin offered the ICNA endorsement during her slide presentation Understanding the American Muslim Community, which was part of a 2013 AMAC sponsored forum in Manchester,…

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Vanderbilt Divinity School Faculty Among Signers of Progressive ‘Boston Declaration’ Denouncing ‘White Privilege’ and ‘Islamophobia’

Wendy Wilson

A group of progressive Christian theologians last week released a document called the Boston Declaration that calls on followers of Jesus to fight “poverty, economic exploitation, racism, sexism, and all forms of oppression.” Initial signatories included a handful of faculty members from the Vanderbilt Divinity School. While most of the signers were from liberal institutions, there also were several representing evangelical ones, including Wheaton College, Baylor University, Azusa Pacific University and Seattle Pacific University. The declaration was issued Nov. 20 at a meeting in Boston of the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Biblical Literature. The document took aim at evangelical Christians and political conservatives. “Many Evangelical Christians have embraced the politics of exclusion and hatred, such that the Good News of Jesus has become cover for a social and economic order that can only be understood as bad news for many,” said the Rev. Dr. Peter Goodwin Heltzel of the New York Theological Seminary in a news release. “Responding to Jesus’ courageous call to love ‘the least of these,’ we pray for the conversion of the converted.” The declaration denounced “white privilege,” lamented “national boundaries that make our worries about security a pretext for destroying the lives of others,” and…

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Southern Baptists’ ERLC Backs New Evangelical Group Calling for Acceptance of Young Illegal Immigrants

Wendy Wilson

On Thanksgiving Day, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) of the Southern Baptist Convention tweeted its support for a new evangelical group calling for Christians to embrace young illegal immigrants. Voices of Christian Dreamers claims to be grassroots, but in reality is the creation of powerful immigration activists. “As we celebrate Thanksgiving, this group of Christian Dreamers shares why they’re thankful,” said the ERLC tweet, which included a link to a video produced by the group. As we celebrate Thanksgiving, this group of Christian Dreamers shares why they’re thankful. Watch here: https://t.co/RnUqmaNF47 https://t.co/4sqOPIIDv4 — ERLC (@ERLC) November 23, 2017 ERLC President Russell Moore has frequently been criticized by conservatives for his support of progressive immigration policies. The ERLC is the Southern Baptists’ public policy arm and has offices in Washington, D.C., and Nashville. Voices of Christian Dreamers describes itself on its website as “a grassroots, Dreamers-led movement committed to changing the conversation about undocumented immigrants in the Church and beyond, through highlighting biblical teaching, personal stories and other helpful resources.” Its website explains: Dreamers—a term derived from the DREAM Act, a bill that has been repeatedly introduced but never yet passed into law—are individuals brought into the U.S. as children…

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Pilot Flying J Held Employee Training Sessions on Defrauding Trucking Companies, According to Recording Played at Trial

Wendy Wilson

Pilot Flying J held training sessions to instruct employees on defrauding trucking companies of promised diesel fuel rebates, according to a secret recording played for jurors last week and covered by the Knoxville News-Sentinel. Four former employees of the truck stop chain are on trial in U.S. District Court in Chattanooga in connection with the scheme. A total of 18 former employees were charged in the scheme and 14 pleaded guilty. CEO Jimmy Haslam, brother of Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and owner of the Cleveland Browns football team, has denied knowledge of the fraud and has not been charged, although a recording played for jurors earlier this month indicated he did know about it and endorsed it. Former sales director Vincent Greco was wired by investigators to make secret recordings, including of training sessions. The recording played in court last week featured a conversation between former vice president of sales Scott Wombold, one of the four currently on trial, and Jason Holland, an employee who was being introduced to the fraud scheme and expressing discomfort with it. The Knoxville News-Sentinel reports: Wombold suggested that if Holland wasn’t comfortable lying, he could instead be vague with his trucking firm customers. He used an…

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Students in Tennessee And Across the Country Are Targeted By Proselytizers of Islam Claiming to Address ‘Misconceptions’

Chris Alto

Last month, students from Nashville’s Meigs Middle Magnet School received a presentation about Islam during a field trip to the Islamic Center of Nashville (ICN). The mosque’s Director of Operations, Dina Sirois, told the students that they would “talk about beliefs and practices in Islam” and that “another little piece of your brain that has some new little storage compartment” would get “filled with Islam stuff.” Anna Shepherd, Chairman of the Metro Nashville School Board, defended the ICN presentation  when questioned by The Tennessee Star, saying that “[Sirois] was addressing any misconceptions the students/parents might have had in the context of the [social studies] standards.” U.S.-based Islamist organizations proselytize Islam to public school students through presentations alleged to “correct misconceptions,” “supplement the curriculum in the context of social studies standards” or “correct inadequate and biased” teaching resources. Rashed Fakhruddin, president of the ICN is also a founding member of the Tennessee American Muslim Advisory Council (AMAC),  which in 2012 became a formal affiliate of the Islamic Networks Group (ING) and established an Islamic speaker’s bureau with training using ING’s prepared presentations. ING claims that its outreach to middle and high schools will correct “inadequate and biased” teaching resources, supplement the curriculum in the context of the standards…

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Gubernatorial Candidate Mae Beavers Blasts Rumored Hire of Greg Schiano at Tennessee: Next Coach Should Not Be Someone ‘Potentially Complicit’ in Abuse

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

Conservative Republican gubernatorial candidate Mae Beavers blasted the rumored hire of former Rutgers head coach and Penn State assistant coachGreg Schiano as head coach of the University of Tennessee football team on Sunday. “Tennessee’s next football coach should be someone with a strong record of achieving success for our kids, both on and off the field,” Beavers said in a statement released by her campaign late Sunday. “But most importantly, the next coach should absolutely NOT be someone who was potentially complicit in the abuse of countless children by disgraced child molester and former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky,” Beavers added in the statement. The statement continued: Beavers’ comments followed reports, including by the Washington Post, that revealed testimony stemming from the Penn State abuse scandal that indicated that Schiano was aware of Sandusky’s abuse. Beavers did acknowledge that these allegations against Schiano have not been proven. Yet in response, Beavers stated that, if true, “Schiano should be behind bars and not on the sideline of any football team.” In addition, Beavers pointed to numerous other reasons that UT should concentrate their hiring efforts on other candidates, including Schiano’s lackluster career at Rutgers and with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.…

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Tennessee State Senator Frank Niceley Lists ‘Eight Ways to Annoy Liberals’ in Fun Thanksgiving Tweetstorm

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In response to Senator Chuck Schumer’s tweet encouraging Thanksgiving revelers to challenge their family members regarding the Republicans’ developing tax reform package, our own State Senator Frank Niceley (R-Strawberry Plains) delivered a series of eight well-crafted suggestions for Trump supporters to do and say in return. “There have been so many articles about politics at the Thanksgiving table and how Trump has divided friendships and everybody’s afraid to talk politics,” Niceley told the Knoxville News Sentinel. “I think everybody’s taking it too seriously and we just need to lighten up a little bit.” “Everybody talks about how strained relationships are over this Trump making America great again,” he said. “It’s almost like some people don’t want America to be great again. I’ve been in politics 30 years and I’ve never seen it so divided. But there are a lot of good things going on. The stock market is up. Unemployment is down.” Niceley’s suggestions touch on all the liberal hot buttons, from Russia to climate change, Trump’s talking style, Hillary Clinton, and more. And so, without further delay… Frank Niceley’s Eight #WaysToAnnoyFamilyLiberalsAtThanksgiving #WaysToAnnoyFamilyLiberalsAtThanksgiving Let's get this party started! 1. Wear your #MAGA cap to the dinner table2. End the blessing with "even the…

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Commentary: Paul Ryan at the Center of the Greatest Political Scandal of the 21st Century

Tennessee Star Staff
Paul Ryan

by George Rasley, ConservativeHQ.com Editor   Wednesday, one of the most remarkable political events of the 21st Century played out in an obscure Capitol Hill hearing room, and no one in the establishment media paid the least bit of attention to it. Two months have passed since the August 17 indictment of Pakistani national Imran Awan and his wife Hina Alvi, who were technology staffers for Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (FL-23), former Chair of the Democratic National Committee. House IT ScandalBrothers Abid, Imran, and Jamal Awan were barred from computer networks at the House of Representatives, The Daily Caller News Foundation Investigative Group reported on Tuesday, February 7, 2016. The brothers and Hina R. Alvi (Imran Awan’s wife) are suspected of serious violations, including accessing members’ computer networks without their knowledge and stealing equipment from Congress reported our friend Luke Rosiak of the Daily Caller News Foundation. Alvi was a House IT employee who works for many of the same members as the three brothers, as well as the House Democratic Caucus. Also implicated in the investigation are Natalia Sova, a Ukrainian national who is married to Abid Awan and Rao Abbas, also a Pakistani national often described as Imran Awan’s…

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Tennessee Doctor Loses Medicare Reimbursement Privileges Over $670 in Billing Errors

Tennessee Star Staff

A West Tennessee doctor has lost his Medicare reimbursement privileges over $670 in billing errors, and the consequences are devastating for his practice and the rural community he serves. “After an unblemished 31-year career in medicine a local doctor is faced with accusations of Medicare billing fraud. On April 16, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) accused Dr. Bryan Merrick of 30 counts of wrongful Medicare billings over the course of 20 months,” the McKenzie Banner, located in rural Carroll County, reported last week: During the 20 month period in question, Dr. Merrick’s office filed approximately 30,000 Medicare claims for patients. The 30 claims account for less than one tenth of 1% of all billings. In other words, 99.9% of the 30,000 billings were filed correctly and in accordance with CMS guidelines. The estimated value of the wrongful billings is $670, which was never paid to Dr. Merrick or McKenzie Medical Center (MMC). All 30 counts are the result of clerical errors made by others, not Dr. Merrick directly. The penalty of these infractions is suspending Dr. Merrick’s Medicare billing privileges for at least three years. Meaning, he has a medical license and can see patients but no…

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Steve Bannon on Hannity: ‘If Bob Corker Has Any Honor, Any Decency, He Should Resign Immediately’

Tennessee Star Staff

Appearing on Fox News’ Hannity show on Monday, former White House chief strategist and Breitbart executive chairman Steve Bannon told host Sean Hannity “if Bob Corker has any honor, any decency, he should resign immediately.” Bannon was reacting to a series of reckless attacks made on President Trump by Senator Corker  (R-TN), the first coming in several Twitter exchanges with the president on Sunday morning, the others coming in an interview with the New York Times, which released the audio transcript of the conversation. “In a time of war, we have troops in Afghanistan, in the Northwest Pacific in Korea. We have a major problem,” Bannon said. “It could be like World War I. In the South China Sea, in the Persian Gulf – we have American lives at risk every day. He tweets on Sunday that it’s like the adult center and somebody didn’t have the morning shift. Then he has the audacity to go to The New York Times?” the former White House chief strategist asked rhetorically. “These people have no respect for the working men and women in the United States. I tell you what – Senator Corker is an absolute disgrace. And I agree with Jason…

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Reason Magazine: Nashville Mayor Megan Barry Wants Taxpayers to Help Fund $225 Million Major League Soccer Stadium, Despite Team’s Two Billionaire Owners

Tennessee Star Staff

Reason Magazine notes that Nashville Megan Barry’s vigorous support for the propose publicly subsidized $225 million soccer stadium represents a complete about face from the position she took when she was a member of the Nashville Metro Council. “Megan Barry used to oppose public subsidies for professional sports, but now she’s a cheerleader,” the libertarian publication notes: When the Nashville Metro Council extended tax breaks to the Nashville Predators, a financially struggling pro hockey team, a councilwoman named Megan Barry was skeptical that the deal was in the public’s best interest. “Is Nashville a better place with the Predators?” she said on the council floor before voting against the proposal. “Probably. But I’m not voting on that question. I’m voting on whether further public subsidies for this particular for-profit enterprise represents good public policy. And I’m going to vote no.” But that was in 2008. Now that Barry is the mayor of Nashville, she’s become the lead cheerleader for subsidizing a new Major League Soccer stadium. A more cost effective alternative, Reason argues, is the existing Nissan Stadium, home to the NFL’s Tennessee Titans. “If Nissan Stadium is good enough for world-class soccer teams, surely it’s good enough for Major…

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Fed Up Donors Tell GOP Senate Leaders Pass Bills Or Resign

Tennessee Star Staff

  by ConservativeHQ.com Staff   Earlier this week we told you about how Nick Ayers, Vice President Mike Pence’s Chief of Staff had bluntly told a group of major donors that they should tell Capitol Hill’s Republican establishment that they would “…not only stop donating, I would form a coalition of all the other major donors, and just say two things. We’re definitely not giving to you, No. 1. And No. 2, if you don’t have this done by Dec. 31, we’re going out, we’re recruiting opponents, we’re maxing out to their campaigns, and we’re funding super PACs to defeat all of you.” More than one of those donors got the message. According to an article in yesterday’s POLITICO, “Tensions reached a boiling point at a recent dinner at the home of Los Angeles billionaire Robert Day. In full view of around two dozen guests, Thomas Wachtell, a retired oil and gas investor and party contributor, delivered an urgent message to the night’s headliner, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell: Just do something.” “Anybody who was there knew that I was not happy. And I don’t think anybody was happy. How could you be?” Mr. Wachtell told POLITICO. Mr. Wachtell has…

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Mike Huckabee Meets Heartland in Nashville Show

Wendy Wilson

HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee — Mike Huckabee went before a studio audience Friday evening at Trinity Music City to tape his first show for the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). And what a show it was. The debut kicked off with Huckabee speaking with President Trump in the White House in a pre-recorded interview. By the end of the show, he was jamming on bass guitar with in-studio guest Chuck Negron of Three Dog Night. In pre-show remarks to the crowd, the former Republican governor of Arkansas and two-time presidential candidate said he has been wanting to do a show in America’s heartland. He previously had a show on Fox News and like his old show, his new one is simply called “Huckabee.” Huckabee, who lives in Florida’s Panhandle, will travel regularly to Music City for his new gig here. “These days I’m primarily known as Sarah’s dad,” he joked with the studio audience, referring to his White House press secretary daughter, Sarah Huckabee Sanders. He introduced several notable guests in the crowd, including his wife of 43 years, Janet, as well as U.S. Rep. David Kustoff (R-TN-8) and Republican gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd. “I’m excited and honored to be here to witness…

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Mae Beavers Calls on Randy Boyd to Return and Refuse Donations from Haslam Family

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Tennessee Star

Mae Beavers released the following statement today on the NFL protests, Randy Boyd, and the Haslam family’s support for the radical leftists pushing the un-American protests of the National Anthem. “Randy Boyd should immediately return any donations the Haslams have made to his campaign,” Beavers opened. “What’s more, Randy Boyd should refuse to accept any further financial support from the Haslam family,” Beavers said. Jimmy and Dee Haslam, the owners of the Cleveland Browns, have embraced the radical, un-American NFL protests against the National Anthem and the American Flag,” Beavers asserted. “The NFL remained silent when the Rams attacked law enforcement with their “hands up don’t shoot” demonstration, the NFL refused to allow the Dallas cowboys to honor fallen officers massacred by Black Lives Matter, and defying belief, the NFL even barred their players from honoring 9/11 victims,” Beavers said. “Browns owner Jimmy Haslam has not only refused to condemn the disrespectful actions of his players, he has encouraged them “The Haslams have been involved in a variety of business deals with Boyd over the years,” Beavers noted. “Governor Haslam appointed Randy to his position at ECD by  and the Haslam family has been one of Boyd’s largest contributors.” “Randy Boyd needs…

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Commentary: Are the Haslams the First Family of the Never Trumpers?

Tennessee Star Staff

There may be plenty of “Never Trumpers” on the Republican side of the aisle, with John Kasich and Jeb Bush immediately coming to mind, but no family can claim more current political power in the “Never Trumper” sphere than the Haslam family of Tennessee. The controversial NFL protests against the National Anthem and the American Flag have been embraced by Jimmy and Dee Haslam, the owners of the Cleveland Browns. Jimmy Haslam is Governor Bill Haslam’s older brother. The family owns Pilot-Flying J, the 14th largest privately owned company in the country. Jimmy Haslam is the company’s CEO. The Haslams have supported their players’ protests and issued a harsh statement speaking out against Trump’s comments where he called for NFL owners to fire any players or employees who take a knee or don’t stand at attention during the National Anthem. Statement from Dee and Jimmy Haslam pic.twitter.com/QvCmKPkKwc — Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 24, 2017 “We must not let misguided, uninformed and divisive comments from the President or anyone else deter us from our efforts to unify,” the statement said in part. The Haslam family’s animosity towards President Trump is nothing new. During the 2016 Presidential election Governor Bill Haslam announced…

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Commentary: Corker Retirement Sends Shockwaves Through Tennessee Political Landscape

Tennessee Star Staff

U.S. Senator Bob Corker’s announcement Tuesday that he will not seek a third term next year has sent shockwaves through the political landscape of Tennessee. With an open Governor’s race, at least two open U.S. House seats, and the likelihood of two dozen State House and Senate seats being open, spending in next year’s GOP Primary election season was already expected to approach $70 million. Now, that number may approach $80 million! The impact of the Corker announcement has already fueled speculation about who might run for his seat, and what impact that the decisions of potential Senate candidates could have on other races. Here is a quick rundown of some names already in the mix of discussion. 1. Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn (R- TN-07). Marsha might not clear the field, but with over $3 million in her federal congressional account and strong con-servative credentials and name recognition courtesy of her many appearances on cable news networks, she would certainly give others pause if she gets into the race quickly. (If she hesitates, does Diane Black jump from the Governor’s race and with her personal funding advantage block Marsha from entering? That seems unlikely, unless Marsha hesitates for a while. Even…

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Senator Bob Corker Will Not Seek Re-Election

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Several news outlets are reporting Senator Bob Corker will not seek re-election in 2018. The embattled junior senator from Tennessee released the following statement Tuesday: After much thought, consideration and family discussion over the past year, Elizabeth and I have decided that I will leave the United States Senate when my term expires at the end of 2018. NBC News tweeted Senator Corker’s statement in full: JUST IN: Sen. Bob Corker announces he will not seek re-election in 2018 pic.twitter.com/DKI3aWlJYf — NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) September 26, 2017   DEVELOPING…      

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Commentary: Immigrant From Former Trump Travel Ban Country Shoots Up Tennessee Church

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by George Rasley, CHQ Editor   An immigrant from Sudan, Emanuel Kidega Samson, has been arrested for shooting-up the Burnette Chapel Church of Christ in Antioch, Tennessee. One woman, identified as Melanie Smith, 39, of Smyrna, Tennessee was killed in the attack. Also shot were three men and three women, police spokesman Don Aaron said.  The church’s minister Joey Spann, 60, and his wife, Peggy, 65, were both injured in the shooting, in addition to the Spanns, police identified the victims as William Jenkins, 83, Marlene Jenkins, 84, Linda Busch, 68, Katherine Dickerson, 64 and Robert Engle, 22, an usher who heroically confronted Samson, who in the struggle shot himself. Sudan, along with Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen is among the original six countries covered by President Trump’s “travel ban,” that expired on Sunday. A new ban on travel from five of those six countries, plus Chad, North Korea and Venezuela was announced Sunday evening. You can read the proclamation through this link. You can read a fact sheet on the proclamation through this link. You can read answers to frequently asked questions through this link. Citing an attack in London earlier this month, President Trump seemed to call for an expansion…

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Media Lauds, Fans Outraged as Aspiring Country Music Singer Meghan Linsey Takes a Knee at Tennessee Titans Game

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  The Tennessee Titans decided as a team to boycott the National Anthem Sunday, but that was not the only protest fans were treated to prior to the game. Aspiring country music star and habitual singing competition contestant Meghan Linsey who – by her own admission “didn’t even think about it that much” – took a knee on the final note of her performance of the Star Spangled Banner. Both the Titans & Seahawks remained in their locker rooms during the national anthem while the singer took a knee during her performance. pic.twitter.com/zeBQhYbKPN — FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 24, 2017 The singer has been hailed by several news outlets for her demonstration, earning no less than a 1200+ word love-fest on Yahoo News: That thing was taking a knee at the end of the anthem, as the singer best known for taking Season 8 of The Voice down to the wire locked arms with her guitarist, Tyler Cain, who also got down on one knee. Linsey had expected to have more company on the field during her action, but she got word right before she went out that the Titans and the Seattle Seahawks had been chosen to stay…

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Immigrant from Sudan Allegedly Murdered Woman in Parking Lot of Church in Antioch Sunday, Wounded 6 Before Capture

Tennessee Star Staff

Emanuel Kidega Samson, 25, an immigrant from Sudan, allegedly shot and killed Melanie Crow Smith, 39, in the parking lot of the Burnette Chapel Church of Christ in Antioch, Tennessee around 11:15 am on Sunday. Samson, who was wearing a mask, then went inside the church, where he shot and injured six more people, including Pastor Joey Spann and his wife. Pastor Spann remains in critical condition. Witnesses say Samson pistol whipped 22-year old Caleb Engle as he entered the church, but Engle ran to his car in the parking lot where he retrieved his legally permitted gun, returned to the inside of the church building, and was able to keep Samson at bay until police arrived. Some reports indicate that Samson may have accidentally shot himself during his shooting spree. If so, the injuries were minor, as he was seen walking unaided after being taken into police custody. Engle was taken to a local hospital for treatment of head wounds received from the pistol whipping. His injuries are not life threatening. WKRN anchor Nikki Burdine sent this tweet out about Engle late Sunday: https://twitter.com/NikkiBurdine/status/912081956975804416 “In addition to being a minister, Joey Spann teaches at the Nashville Christian School,” WKRN…

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Titans Boycott National Anthem, Judd Matheny Blasts NFL Team for ‘Disrespect for Those Who Fought’ for Their Rights

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  The Tennessee Titans made the politically charged decision to boycott the national anthem in their home NFL home game against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, choosing instead to remain in the locker room while the rest of the game’s attendees honored the flag. “As a team, we wanted to be unified in our actions today,” the Titans organization said in a brief statement, released via Twitter. “The players jointly decided this was the best course of action. Our commitment to the military and our community is resolute and the absence of our team for the national anthem shouldn’t be misconstrued as unpatriotic.” Statement from #Titans organization on Titans vs. Seahawks national anthem. https://t.co/DPTG14HDoO — Tennessee Titans (@Titans) September 24, 2017   Reaction from fans and elected representatives in Tennessee was fierce. “Unfortunately, Tennesseans were subjected first hand today, to the disrespect to those who fought for the right for these players, to even be in uniform.  The TN Titans wanted us to believe that their ‘unified decision’ still reflected a commitment to the military, in the absence of our TN team from America’s National Anthem and that it shouldn’t be misconstrued as unpatriotic,” State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) and a…

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Home Schooler Noah Farley Wins Tennessee Star Constitution Bee

Wendy Wilson

  PLEASANT VIEW, Tennessee — Sixteen students competed Saturday morning in the inaugural statewide Tennessee Star Constitution Bee sponsored by the Polk Foundation. The event was held at Sycamore High School between Nashville and Clarksville. The school is part of Cheatham County Schools. On the auditorium stage near a panel of judges, the sharply-dressed young contestants recited the Preamble and answered trivia questions about the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights and Founding Fathers. They also tackled oral short answer questions on topics that required a bit of analysis. The first-place winner was Noah Farley, a 17-year-old homeschooled senior from Spring Hill, who won a free trip to Washington, D.C., along with a parent. Second place went to Alexandria Anderson, 14, a freshman at Stewart County High School, and third place went to Sunshine Coombs, 17, a senior at Stewart County High School. Another standout was Lauren Hunsicker, a 17-year-old Sycamore High School senior, who beautifully sang the Preamble instead of saying it and won “Most Creative” in the Preamble category. She sang the classic Schoolhouse Rock version. Bracey Hughes, who also goes to Sycamore High School, won “Most Persuasive” for her impassioned, dramatic recitation. Home schooled sisters Madalyn and Abagail Falletti…

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Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security Improperly Used Asset Forfeiture Funds, DOJ Says

Wendy Wilson

  The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security inappropriately used $112,614 in asset forfeiture funds on catering, a luncheon, banquet tickets and retail food, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Justice. The report released this week looked at expenses from 2014 through 2016. Through the DOJ’s Equitable Sharing Program, state and local law enforcement agencies directly involved in cases resulting in federal forfeiture can claim a portion of federally forfeited cash, property and proceeds. But guidelines restrict using the assets for law enforcement purposes only. The purchase of food and beverages is included on a list of unallowable expenses. “The use of equitable sharing funds to purchase catering, a luncheon, banquet tickets and retail food is contrary to the Equitable Sharing Guide and its goal of promoting and maintaining the integrity of the Equitable Sharing Program to merit public confidence and support,” the report notes. When the DOJ presented its findings to the state Department of Safety, its controller said he did not know food-related purchases were not allowed, according to the report. Other officials said they considered catering expenses to be in support of law enforcement activities. The DOJ report also noted that the state Department…

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Nashville’s University Presidents Criticize Trump For DACA Decision

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

  Nashville’s private liberal arts universities weighed in on President Trump’s DACA decision this week, saying ending the program is a mistake. In sentimental, emotional statements, the presidents of Vanderbilt, Belmont, Lipscomb and Trevecca described ending DACA as an offense to the values of their universities. They’re not the only ones reacting negatively. Several hundred protesters condemned Trump during a march Tuesday along West End Avenue organized by immigration activists. However, conservative Tennessee politicians and others are praising Trump or are offering more nuanced reactions. The Trump administration announced Tuesday morning that it would begin winding down the program in March unless Congress acts. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program has allowed young people brought to the U.S. illegally as children to obtain temporary permission to live and work in the U.S. if they meet certain criteria. Many are now young adults. There are nearly 800,000 DACA recipients nationwide and more than 8,300 in Tennessee. DACA was started by former President Obama with an executive order, which critics said was an unconstitutional overreach of his authority. Trump made a campaign promise to end DACA but as president had sent mixed signals before his administration announced early Tuesday that it would effectively…

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Union University Faces Backlash From Alumni Over Faculty Signing Nashville Statement

Wendy Wilson

  More than 400 Union University alumni have signed a letter of protest over the president and three faculty members signing the Nashville Statement, an evangelical declaration that upholds traditional marriage and describes homosexuality and transgenderism as sinful. Union University is a Southern Baptist school in Jackson, Tennessee. The letter of protest illustrates the challenges faced by conservative religious institutions as they seek to continue being an influence at a time when progressive ideas are becoming entrenched in the culture. Signed by recent graduates as well as some who graduated decades ago, the letter calls the Nashville Statement “a declaration of bigotry and condemnation that is a far cry [from] the faith, hope, love, and acceptance we were taught was the hallmark of the faith of Union University.” The Nashville Statement was approved Aug. 25 at a meeting of evangelical leaders in Nashville and was named for the city in keeping with a historical Christian practice of naming doctrinal statements for the places where they were written. Many of the initial signatories were Southern Baptists. The Union University alumni letter takes issue with various aspects of the Nashville Statement, including a section that says faithful Christians cannot agree to disagree about homosexual behavior…

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Constitution Series: The Fourteenth Amendment – Original Intent and Unintended Consequences

Tennessee Star Staff
Constitution Series 14th Amendment

  This is the nineteenth of twenty-five weekly articles in The Tennessee Star’s Constitution Series. Students in grades 8 through 12 can sign up here to participate in The Tennessee Star’s Constitution Bee, which will be held on September 23 from 9 a.m. to noon at Sycamore High School, 1021 Old Clarksville Pike, Pleasant View, Tennessee. by John Harris   The Fourteenth Amendment was one of three amendments made to the United States Constitution in the five years following the end of the Civil War. These amendments were the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth amendments. These three amendments were all adopted as part of the Northern efforts to address circumstances in or related to the Southern states following the war. The Thirteenth Amendment, which was ratified in 1865, abolished slavery. The Fourteenth Amendment addressed several issues concerning the former slaves including the issue of citizenship. The Fifteenth Amendment prohibited discrimination in voting rights of citizens on the basis of a person’s race, color, or previous condition of servitude. The Fourteenth Amendment was proposed and then passed just as the Civil War was ending. It was proposed at the same time that the federal Civil Rights Act of 1866 was enacted. Congress proposed it to the States as an…

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Tennessee State Legislators Caved to Leftists on ‘Soft Amnesty’ Instead of Upholding Constitution

Chris Alto
Tennessee Star

  Sixteen Republicans in the State Senate and twenty-seven in the House caved to the demands of the TN Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) when they voted to give in-state tuition to illegal aliens with deferred deportation under DACA, or who might become eligible for DACA. DACA does not alter a grantee’s illegal immigration status. Ignoring the illegal immigration issue and offering a “soft amnesty” to DACA illegal aliens, the forty-three Republicans voting “aye” for the Gardenhire/White 2015 in-state tuition bill, also voted to violate federal and Tennessee law. These lawmakers also ignored the fact that Obama’s DACA policy was neither a statutory nor Constitutional exercise of executive authority. Republican Senators voting for the 2015 in-state tuition bill:  Janice Bowling, Richard Briggs, Rusty Crowe, Steve Dickerson, Todd Gardenhire, Mark Green, Dolores Gresham, Ferrell Haile, Ed Jackson, Brian Kelsey, Becky Duncan-Massey, Randy McNally, Frank Niceley, Doug Overbey, Steve Southerland, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey. Republican House members voting for in-state tuition: Harry Brooks, Kevin Brooks, Kent Calfee, Dale Carr, Mike Carter, Bill Dunn, Jimmy Eldridge, Andrew Farmer, Marc Gravitt, Mike Harrison, Ryan Haynes, Patsy Hazlewood, Bud Hulsey, Curtis Johnson, Sabi Kumar, Pat Marsh, Gerald McCormick, Steve McDaniel, Steve McManus, Bob Ramsey,…

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Gubernatorial Candidate Mae Beavers Raises Questions About Legalizing Medical Marijuana in Tennessee

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

  Last month, Republican House Speaker and candidate for Governor Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) announced her support for consideration of legalizing marijuana for some medicinal uses in Tennessee. Now, she and Lt. Governor Randy McNally have established a legislative committee to study and report on the subject. The Joint Ad Hoc Committee on Medical Cannabis is “authorized and directed to study, evaluate, analyze and undertake a comprehensive review regarding whether the legalization of cannabis for medicinal purposes is in the best interest of the state.” The committee will be chaired by Sen. Steve Dickerson, R-Nashville, and Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby. It also will include Reps. Sheila Butt, R-Columbia; Bob Ramsey, R-Maryville; Sam Whitson, R-Franklin; Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis; and Sens. Richard Briggs, R-Knoxville; Rusty Crowe, R-Johnson City; Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald; and Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville. Rep. Faison has said that he expects the medical marijuana issue to be among the top 5 issues on voters minds in the 2018 race for Governor. “Obviously we see jobs and infrastructure as probably going to be number one, and abortion and gun rights are way up there when it comes to Republican values,” Faison said. “I do see a lot of sick people making this issue…

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Susan Gingrich Commentary: The Country Never Imagined

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Tennessee Star

by Susan Gingrich   My husband Jim and I were among the more than one million conservatives who marched to the US Capitol on September 12, 2009. We peacefully gathered in protest of President Obama’s attempts to move our country towards socialism, especially by changing the health care system. It was a wonderful event with great speakers, patriotic music, and many new friendships made that day with people across the country. We left united and determined to act as patriots to preserve the America we loved. I remember a few counter-protesters, but they were peaceful protesters who behaved respectfully. We could never have imagined the harm to our country by one president and complicit leaders, including many republicans in congress. There was not a day that many others and I weren’t sorry Obama was our president, but he was elected twice to be our leader. Obama made political correctness and his authority all powerful, discarding our Constitution, laws, states’ rights, and American values. I believe political correctness has become evil, destructive, and the opposite of commonsense. President Obama was a divisive president who never attempted to unify the country. By championing the rights of minorities and fringe groups, he deprived…

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Sumner County Commission Approves Zoning Change to Accommodate Developer, Despite Citizen Opposition

Laura Baigert

  GALLATIN, Tennessee – With dozens of citizens in attendance opposing the Westbrook development, the Sumner County Commission, by a margin of 19 to 4, voted to approve a zoning change for property on Long Hollow Pike from R1A to Planned Unit Development (PUD)-medium density to accommodate developer TN Homesites. The four Commissioners who voted against the zoning change were Moe Taylor and Mike Akins (District 1), Kevin Pomeroy (District 6) and Merroll Hyde (District 8). Commissioner Jim Vaughn (District 6) was absent, but voted against it previously at the Legislative Committee meeting of July 10. The rezoning to PUD-medium density will permit the Westbrook development site-specific plan to include 99 homes on the 45.34 acres that would have otherwise been limited to 49 homes under the R1A zoning, which requires 0.92 acres as a minimum lot size. Meetings on the topic have been ongoing for months, and there has been consistent, ongoing and significant opposition from concerned citizens in the area who have organized as Protect Historic Shackle Island with a Facebook page that is currently up to 1,025 members. At last Monday’s County Commission meeting, dozens were in attendance and 13 citizens spoke on the issue, 12 of…

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Teach For America Says Their ‘DACAmented’ Trainees Can Tell Tennessee Students About Living Illegally in U.S.

Chris Alto

  Teach For America (TFA)  is “actively recruit[ing]” illegal aliens who have been granted temporary deportation through the unconstitutional DACA program. After one month of TFA summer training the “DACAmented teacher” can be placed in a Tennessee public school. Over one hundred “DACAmented” trainees are currently teaching in schools around the U.S. to date, and TFA is actively working to find more schools that are willing to employ illegal aliens who were given temporary work permits. In 2006, Memphis began partnering with TFA and three years later, Metro Nashville Public Schools followed. In 2014, the Islamic Center of Nashville whose president Rashed Fakhruddin helps train Metro middle and high school teachers, hosted TFA recruits at the mosque. Passionate about supporting the “DREAM Act” and educating “undocumented students,” TFA tells its DACAmented recruits that a personal story of living in the U.S. illegally can influence students : Picture standing in front of a classroom, having grown up undocumented. Imagine having the opportunity to share your story from fearing deportation to the day you graduated from college, and what it was like to get admitted to Teach For America. Think about the impact your story could have on your students, both those born in…

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Tennesseee Attorney General Wants Congress to Grant Amnesty and Legitimize Unconstitutional Action by Obama Administration

Chris Alto
Tennessee Star

  Tennessee’s Attorney General Herbert Slatery, III, by letter dated September 1, 2017, informed Sens. Alexander and Corker that he is willing to forgo upholding the Constitution and the rule of law in favor of supporting Obama’s unilateral action that established the 2012 DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program. Slatery has elected to leave the coalition of ten state Attorneys General and the Governor of Idaho, which in a June 29, 2017 letter to U.S. Attorney Jeff Sessions, requested a phase out of the 2012 DACA program because there was no statutory authority for the executive branch to unilaterally confer lawful presence and work authorization on illegal aliens. It was estimated that the 2012 DACA extended to over one million illegal aliens. The Attorneys General also requested that the memorandum and order establishing DACA be rescinded and that no new DACA permits or renewals be issued. The administration was also put on notice that the AG coalition would sue if the requested actions regarding DACA were not undertaken by September 5, 2017: This request does not require the Executive Branch to immediately rescind DACA or Expanded DACA permits that have already been issued. This request does not require the Secretary to alter the…

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Conservatives Blast Senator Lamar Alexander’s Plans for Obamacare ‘Bailout’

Tennessee Star Staff

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) will try to build consensus next week around narrow tweaks to Obamacare that could draw bipartisan support and fix the health law’s biggest flaws. It is unlikely such an effort will produce anything meaningful, however, according to conservative activists and health care scholars. “It’s going to be vey small,” said Michael Tanner,…

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Progressives Draft Statement To Counter Evangelical Nashville Statement Supporting Traditional Marriage

Wendy Wilson

  Three Nashville progressives have created a left-wing alternative to the Nashville Statement, a declaration signed by evangelical Christian leaders that upholds traditional marriage and describes homosexuality and transgenderism as sinful. Corey Pigg (pictured above, left), Melissa Greene, and Matthew Paul Turner drafted The Accurate Nashville Statement and are collecting signatures from around the city and across the nation. “On behalf of those that are religious – we want you to know that you are created in the image and likeness of God (however you define it) – and that there is nothing wrong with you,” reads part of the brief statement. “God does not need you to change. God loves you just the way you are – no matter where you land on the spectrum of the LGTBQIA+ continuum. There is great diversity expressed in humanity through our wide array of unique sexualities and gender identities.” Greene is a former Christian recording artist who performed with the group Avalon and until recently was pastor of worship and arts at GracePointe, an evangelical church whose membership plummeted when it endorsed LGBT inclusion in 2015. Greene recently co-founded a spiritual community called Imaginarium. On his Facebook page, Pigg describes himself as an “INFJ Ex-Missionary. Jesus Mystic.…

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Bill Hennessy Commentary: In 3 Minutes You’ll Be Able Fend Off Any Verbal Attack About Trump

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  You probably don’t believe it. You’re probably reading just to argue. But three minutes from now, you’ll be armed. Armed and ready to do verbal combat. Armed and ready to defend your Trump vote. Armed and read to win any intellectual confrontation. Think it’s impossible? Keep reading. You’ll find out defending your vote for Trump is easier than you could imagine. Your opponent will be standing there, jaw moving, lips quivering, voice lost, brain scrambled. You’ll be giggling. Scott Adams Blows Everybody Out of the Water You know Dilbert. Its creator, Scott Adams, is a persuasion expert. He persuaded millions to read a stupid cartoon every day for decades. He knows what he’s doing. Adams made a periscope today that did the impossible. He explained the entire Tea Party movement. Without mentioning the Tea Party, he told the whole world what we wanted. Adams’ Periscope video has expired, sadly. But here is a summary of Scott’s thoughts: Trump is a builder Building projects begin with demolition Trump is in the demolition phase Trump demolished the GOP, the DNC, the old idea of “presidential” and lots more When Trump’s done demolishing everything that needs to be demolished, he’ll start building beautiful new…

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Tennessee American Muslim Advisory Council Board Member Says Constitution is Document of White Supremacy

Chris Alto

Tennessee’s American Muslim Advisory Council (AMAC) board member Drost Kokoye says the U.S. Constitution “is a document that writes white supremacy into law.” Those were the exact words Kokoye used in a tweet sent from her Twitter account on September 17, 2014–the 227th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution at the close of the Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787: #ConstitutionDay to celebrate a document that writes white supremacy into law. — so many consonants (@foreverafugee) September 17, 2014 Kokoye is a Kurdish refugee who, as a young child, came to live in Nashville, grew up there and was educated in Nashville’s public schools. While attending college at Middle Tennessee State University, she worked for the TN Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) as a “Multicultural Organizer.” TIRRC offers workshops encouraging immigrants to become citizens and assists them through the naturalization process, after which TIRRC says they can represent “the immigrant vote” in elections. In 2012, Kokoye was featured in TIRRC’s “New American Voter” campaign: Voting gives me the opportunity to voice what not every immigrant or refugee can yet. It’s my chance to choose the people and laws that will allow others to practice this freedom I now have.…

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Mayor Megan Barry Slams ‘Nashville Statement’ Backed By Many Evangelicals Who Support Traditional Marriage

Wendy Wilson

  Nashville Mayor Megan Barry on Tuesday criticized the Nashville Statement written and signed by evangelical Christians to show support for traditional marriage and maintain that homosexuality and transgenderism are sinful. The document was approved Friday at a meeting in Nashville of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW). The meeting was hosted by the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commision (ERLC) during its annual conference. Barry, a progressive Democrat, tweeted that the statement and its name reflect poorly on Nashville because the declaration “does not represent the inclusive values of the city.” The @CBMWorg's so-called "Nashville Statement" is poorly named and does not represent the inclusive values of the city & people of Nashville — Megan Barry for Congress (TN-7) (@MeganCBarry) August 29, 2017 In 2015, when she was a Metro councilwoman and a mayoral candidate, Barry officiated the first same-sex wedding in Nashville just hours after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that the 14th Amendment extends the right to marry to same-sex couples. Denny Burk, president of CBMW, wrote on the organization’s website that naming the statement for the city of Nashville follows historical practice. He said: There is a long Christian tradition of naming doctrinal…

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Corker Insists ‘I Have Not Lost Support’ in Tennessee Over Anti-Trump Statements

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Tennessee Star

  U. S. Senator Bob Corker was in Hendersonville Tuesday when, during a question-and-answer period following prepared remarks, he asserted he has not lost any support due to his recent onslaught of criticisms undermining his fellow Republican, President Donald Trump. “I feel very supported in this state,” Corker told the Associated Press. “I’m going to continue to be the independent person I am as long as I’m in public service,” he said; adding, “I think what’s what Tennesseans have come to know.” Amid an ongoing investigation into some questionable, “too-good-to-be-true” real estate stock trades, the incumbent junior Senator has not yet announced whether or not he will run for a third term. However, in 2012, with no serious challenger, Senator Corker didn’t not launch a re-election campaign until a mere six weeks before the August primary. Currently, Corker is a middling performer in terms of popularity, ranking at #54 of 100 in a July poll conducted by Morning Consult. But in terms of re-election, a Tennessee Star Triton poll revealed the Senator may be ripe for an ouster. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, who won the state in 2016 handily by 26 percentage points, continues to enjoy high approval numbers across Tennessee of over 50%.  

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Illinois First State to Legislatively Discriminate Against All Religions Except Islam

Chris Alto
Tennessee Star

The “Muslim American Advisory Council Act” (MAACA), signed by Illinois Republican Governor Bruce Rauner last week permanently establishes a formal role for Muslims to influence the state’s policy: The purposes of the Council is to advise the Governor and the General Assembly on policy issues impacting Muslim Americans and immigrants; to advance the role and civic participation of Muslim Americans in this State; to enhance trade and cooperation between Muslim-majority countries and this State; and to build relationships with and disseminate information to, in cooperation with State agencies, boards, and commissions, Muslim American and immigrant communities across this State. In 2014, the Urban Muslim Minority Alliance endorsed Rauner over Democrat Governor Pat Quinn. As written, the MAACA law claims that the state’s public policy is to “promote diversity and to ensure inclusion of all religious, racial, and ethnic groups within this State” even though there are no other legislatively sanctioned religious councils inside the state government. The new law requires political appointments of twenty-one people to the Muslim council along with liaison personnel from multiple state agencies. Additional state government employees will provide administrative and technical support. A staffer from the Governor’s office will serve as the ethics officer. No fiscal note…

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Conservative Presbyterian Seminary in St. Louis to Hold Conference Featuring Leftist Teachings on Race

Wendy Wilson

  A conservative Presbyterian seminary in St. Louis will host a conference on leadership and race this weekend organized mostly by African Americans who are asking white attendees to recognize that their participation “means hearing, repenting and listening more than you speak.” Whites are also being asked to devote one seminar hour to “intensive training in anti-racism,” according to guidance for whites on the conference website. The website features a letter from Joel Littlepage, a white North Carolina pastor, to his “white brothers and sisters” in which he explains, “For whites, our position as majority-culture citizens of America grants us privilege and safety that people of color are not afforded. It is good and wise that we have time together, as white people, to have honest discussion and explore the ways that we can expose our own biases and be effective in the fight for racial justice.” The conference will be held at Covenant Seminary, which is affiliated with the conservative Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) and which recently started offering courses in Nashville. PCA churches in the Nashville area include Christ Presbyterian in Nashville, Covenant Presbyterian in Green Hills and Christ Community in Franklin. Called LDR Weekend, the fairly new annual gathering is “designed…

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Vanderbilt University Criticized for Lack of Openness to Conservative Viewpoints

Wendy Wilson

  Vanderbilt University was criticized in a recent report that analyzed the extent to which conservative views are welcomed on university campuses. The Heterodox Academy (HxA) in June released its second Guide to Colleges, which ranks the top 150 U.S. universities based on their acceptance of viewpoint diversity. The HxA is a group of scholars that advocates for “a more intellectually diverse and heterodox academy.” The HxA gave Vanderbilt a score of 43 on a 100 point scale. The higher the score, the more likely you are to find intellectual diversity and dissent, according to the study. The study draws from publicly available sources of information. Vanderbilt earned praise for endorsing the Chicago Principles on free expression this spring when updating the faculty manual, reports Vanderbilt Hustler, the student newspaper. But the school took a big hit because it is considered an “unsafe zone” for conservative students by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) guide to Choosing the Right College 2014-2015. That came as a result of a 2011 policy that required campus religious organization to not only accept members regardless of their beliefs, but also to open up leadership positions to those members, limiting the groups’ ability to consistently uphold their values. Vanderbilt also lost points because of…

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