Politics
Referendum proposal on shaky legal footing before Election Commission vote
A referendum that would give Nashville voters the ability to approve property tax increases and bond issuances is on shaky legal footing before it ever gets added to the ballot. The Metro Department of Law, led by Director Bob Cooper, has advised the Election Commission not to put the referendum on the ballot in December […]
Commentary: Let’s Get Debates Right in Tennessee
You might be surprised to learn that I’m a veteran of the NFL and lettered at Penn State. Lest you think I was a linebacker, let me explain the letter was for the debate team and the NFL stood for National Forensic League (established in 1925). The name was changed in 2014 to the National […]
‘We’re not through this’: Governors plead with Congress for emergency assistance
WASHINGTON — Democratic governors on Thursday begged Congress to come to the aid of ailing states, which face unexpected expenses as they attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19 as well as massive revenue shortfalls due to the pandemic. But Republicans at a House hearing rejected their pleas, arguing that states have yet to spend […]
The Memphis miracle: Marquita Bradshaw
Marquita Bradshaw knows what it’s like to be left out, to be the person whose voice is ignored by the power structures. After years of fighting politicians from Memphis to Washington with mostly disappointing results, she’s decided to do something about it. Bradshaw is the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in what she calls […]
Tennessee ACLU launches voter turnout project
Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Jason Isbell is working with the ACLU Tennessee on a campaign to mobilize Tennesseeans to vote via mail-in ballot or early voting for the November election. The campaign, called “Vote Like Your Rights Depend on It,” will feature a video from Isbell, virtual events, educational materials, social media tips and the […]
State senator proposes court for “harassing” open records requests
A proposal by Sen. Ferrell Haile, R-Gallatin, would allow state and local authorities to take individuals seeking public records to court if their repeated requests for government information is found to constitute “harassment.” Haile sought input on his proposed legislation Wednesday from the the Advisory Committee on Open Government, which works with the Tennessee Office of […]
Marsha Blackburn is getaway driver for Russian meddling
The U.S. Senate’s Intelligence Committee in mid-August released the fifth and final volume of its bipartisan and hair-raising report on Russian active measures to interfere with the 2016 election. This volume focused on counterintelligence vulnerabilities and threats. It should have been a huge story raising alarms about both President Trump and the forthcoming election, but […]
Recall effort launched against school board member Pupo-Walker
Pandemic politics are coming home to roost in Nashville as a group of parents have launched a recall effort against school board member Gini Pupo-Walker following frustration over Metro Nashville Public Schools remaining in virtual school. The notice of intent to recall Pupo-Walker, who represents the West End-Green Hills area on the school board, was […]
Gov. Bill Lee administration defends emergency powers used to combat COVID-19
Members of the administration of Gov. Bill Lee on Thursday provided testimony justifying the sweeping emergency powers adopted by the governor in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the onset of the pandemic in Tennessee, Lee has drawn on the state’s 20-year-old Emergency Powers Act to issue 44 executive orders that have had direct impact […]
Alexander seeks emergency federal help for private school tuition
WASHINGTON — Sen. Lamar Alexander is pushing Congress to underwrite private school tuition as part of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic —-one of his final acts as the Tennessee Republican heads for retirement from Congress. Alexander, the powerful chairman of the Senate panel that oversees education policy, is a leader in a growing drive […]
Nashville career educator Nabaa-McKinney-McKinney acclimates to public life
After the unexpected death of District 4 school board member Anna Shepherd, Berthena Nabaa-McKinney found herself in a difficult position. She recalled Shepherd as a wonderful person and was in the middle of processing Shepherd’s death when she was asked about stepping into the vacancy on the school board. Nabaa-McKinney didn’t think about the fact […]
Political organizations sue TN over law making it a crime to provide someone with an absentee request form
A group of political organizations and voting rights advocates sued the state of Tennessee in federal court on Friday over a law making it a felony to provide a voter with an absentee request form. The plaintiffs claim the law violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution, protecting free speech. Under Tennessee law, […]