Politics
Lieutenant governor appoints bipartisan redistricting committee
Lt. Gov. Randy McNally appointed a bipartisan panel Friday to draw new state and federal district maps, naming a Memphis Democrat as a chairman to the panel and ordering the group to focus on public input. Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, and Sen. Mike Bell, R-Riceville, will be joined by Sen. Raumesh Akbari, chairman […]
Stockard on the Stump: Tennessee joins fight against John Lewis Voting Rights Act
Tennessee Attorney General Herb Slatery is formally opposing passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, signing on to a letter with Republican AGs saying it would allow the feds to “usurp” states’ authority over elections. “If these provisions are enacted, rest assured that the undersigned will aggressively defend our citizens’ rights to participate […]
Robinson trial to resume Friday in Memphis
The trial of state Sen. Katrina Robinson resumes on Friday in Memphis, after opening with jury selection on Monday. Robinson faces charges of embezzlement and wire fraud stemming from an FBI investigation opened in 2016. Robinson is defending herself against allegations that she improperly used funds awarded by the federal government to The Healthcare Institute, […]
Lieutenant governor continues to oppose COVID-issue special session
Lt. Gov. Randy McNally is staving off requests for a special session by conservative senators who believe the Legislature should react to what they consider government “overreach.” In response to letters by at least four senators, a McNally spokesman issued a statement Wednesday saying the lieutenant governor’s position hasn’t changed and that he doesn’t see […]
Legislators put bail bond industry under the microscope
West Tennessee bail bond agent Shelly Alexander wept Tuesday as she told lawmakers how she once refused to bail her daughter out of jail for a meth arrest. Alexander knew her daughter had a “habit” and would go right back to debilitating drugs if she bailed her out. In fact, she told other bail agents […]
Four candidates charged by ethics and finance commission
The Tennessee Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance of the Tennessee Ethics Commission on Tuesday filed suit against four local political candidates for failing to comply with campaign disclosure rules. The commission has the authority to assess civil penalties against candidates for failing to file campaign reports that provide a public accounting of a candidate’s […]
East Tennessee rep wants lawsuit to block Biden vaccine mandate
Kingston Republican Rep. Bud Hulsey is ready for Tennessee to go to court in an effort to stop President Joe Biden’s vaccination order from taking effect here. Just days after the president introduced an executive mandate requiring employers with at least 100 workers to make sure they’re vaccinated or show a weekly negative COVID-19 test, […]
Editor’s column: Presidential precedent exists for drastic action in times of crisis
On Thursday, President Joe Biden announced a six-prong strategy to try to get the current surge of COVID-19 under control. His platform includes fairly non-controversial steps that include making home COVID testing kits more readily available and extending the mask mandate in commercial air travel. But the leading piece of Biden’s plan is one that […]
Republicans call Biden vaccine plan “tyranny”
Gov. Bill Lee is criticizing President Joe Biden’s vaccine plan for employers, which could affect 80 million workers, and House Republicans are taking it a step further, calling it “tyranny.” Lee, a Williamson County Republican, said Thursday he thinks the Democratic president’s plan to increase vaccines nationwide is “a terrible idea.” The governor said he […]
Stockard on the Stump: Textbook commission sends ‘hands off’ message to Schwinn
Tennessee Textbook Commission Chairman Linda Cash sent a message to the state Department of Education Thursday, declaring the group’s independence and letting officials know that no vendors should get an advantage in the coming math book selection process. Under state law, “there are no pilots of anything to be pushed out during the 18 months […]
8 Tennessee public school employees dead from COVID in first month of school
Just before she went to bed on Tuesday, Tennessee Education Association president Beth Brown got word of yet another public school teacher who died this week as a result of COVID-19. Brown returned to what has now become a painful but familiar ritual since the pandemic first began. “One of the very last things I […]
Congressman pushes to keep Davidson County whole in redistricting
Democratic Congressman Jim Cooper urged a House redistricting committee Wednesday to keep Davidson County together rather than split it up to create a potential Republican seat. “We’re one community here. We’re one of the best communities in the world. To break that up would be tragic,” Cooper said. With a state population of 6.9 million, […]