thetennesseestar--2020-08-25--Embattled State Senator Lucas and Daughter at the Center of Portsmouth Conflict

Portsmouth deputies served two misdemeanor charges against Portsmouth Vice-Mayor Lisa Lucas-Burke in her office on Monday , according to reporting by WAVY.com .
Lucas-Burke is the daughter of Virginia State Senator Louise Lucas ( D-Portsmouth ) .
The charges were filed at the Portsmouth Magistrate by resident Thomas Dubois .
The charges are based on Portsmouth City Charter § 3.11 , which states that city appointments and terminations must be handled through the city manager , and that violation is a class three misdemeanor .
If convicted , Lucas-Burke will face a fine and would be forced to leave her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lucas-Burke are the latest play in a battle in Portsmouth .
Lucas was charged with two felonies on Monday , August 17 by the Portsmouth Police Department .
The charges are linked to a June 10 protest at Portsmouth ’ s confederate monument .
After the charges were announced , Lucas-Burke began calling for Portsmouth Police Chief Angela Greene ’ s termination .
In an email sent on Monday to The Virginia Star , Lucas-Burke said , “ I meet with my attorney tomorrow at 3 p.m. and will have NO comment other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two ( 2 ) class 3 misdemeanors by a Thomas Dubois .
Depending on the advice from my attorney , I will cease from further comments until my attorney advised otherwise.
” In addition to Lucas , Greene ’ s August 17 announcement included charges against 13 other people , including local NAACP leaders , a school board member , and three public defenders .
The charges for some , including Lucas , are “ conspiracy to commit a felony ” and “ felony injuring to a monument in excess of $ 1,000.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ defenders , Greene did not use the conspiracy charge , only charging them with injuring the monument .
Lucas ’ lawyer , Virginia Delegate Don Scott ( D-Norfolk ) , said the charges against Lucas are politically motivated and are part of a move designed to prevent Lucas and other black leaders from being in power .
Scott said Portsmouth is going through a transition marked by conflict between racists and black leaders .
On May 26 , Minneapolis erupted in protests over the death of George Floyd .
The protests spread across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests in Portsmouth were in full swing , according to The Virginian-Pilot .
On June 4 , WAVY.com reported that Greene marched with the protesters .
On June 9 , Greene authorized protesters to enter the fence surrounding a local confederate monument to cover the four statues inside with bags and sheets , according to The Virginian-Pilot .
The following morning , June 10 , the statues were discovered uncovered .
Portsmouth NAACP President James Boyd and Vice President Louie Gibbs were arrested for trespassing when they attempted to re-cover the monuments , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that afternoon .
A defamation lawsuit by Lucas against Portsmouth lawyer Tim Anderson states that at 2:15 p.m. , Lucas learned of the arrests .
Lucas then drove to Portsmouth .
Police bodycam footage shows Lucas saying , “ I ’ m telling you , you can ’ t arrest them.
” “ Lucas asserted to the citizens of Portsmouth that they had the right to peacefully protest and that no one should be arrested , ” the lawsuit ’ s facts state .
Greene arrived at the monument around the same time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Greene speaking with Lucas .
According to the lawsuit , “ Lucas advised Chief Greene… that she had spoken to Dr. [ Lydia Pettis ] Patton , Portsmouth ’ s City Manager , who had assured Senator Lucas that no one would be arrested for trespass or for peacefully protesting.
” In the footage , Greene responds , “ I ’ ll give her a call , but I talked to [ Patton ] like five minutes ago , and no one is allowed onto the property.
” Greene ’ s bodycam footage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the statues .
The lawsuit states Lucas did not tell protesters to do anything illegal , and left the monument after just 30 minutes , and did not return .
At 5 p.m. , the Portsmouth City Council held a virtual meeting where they decided to consider relocating the monument .
In addition to the council members , Mayor John Rowe , Lucas-Burke , Patton , and City Attorney Solomon Ashby were present .
The protest continued , and at 9 p.m. , reporter Saleen Martin tweeted : “ All four [ statues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posted by Martin show a calm atmosphere as a brass band plays energetic music .
At 9:13 p.m. , Martin tweeted that a statue fell on a protester .
Chief Greene later said that this was the moment that SWAT officers intervened to save the man , Chris Green .
At 9:19 p.m. , Martin tweeted that Gibbs asked the protesters to disperse and allow first responders to rescue Green .
The following day , June 11 , Portsmouth officials requested a state police investigation .
Lucas began calling for Greene to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her responsibility to maintain the peace , ” WAVY.com reported .
Sergeant Kevin McGee emailed Portsmouth officials defending police actions , The Virginian-Pilot reported .
The same day , Rowe released a statement on Facebook explaining that the police did not intervene in the June 10 vandalism because the required use of force would have heightened tension and increased the risk of other incidents .
“ Our Police Department made the right choice — confine the vandalism to this one piece of public property so as to protect the remaining private property and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , lawyer Tim Anderson alleged in a Facebook video that Lucas had incited a riot .
Over the next few weeks , Anderson began circulating a petition to recall Lucas .
On June 23 , the city council appropriated $ 250,000 from a contingency fund to remove the monument .
On June 30 , Don Scott Law filed the defamation suit on behalf of Lucas against Anderson , claiming over $ 20 million in damages .
The suit states , “ Anderson stated falsely in his video and online interviews that Senator Lucas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the statue.
” Anderson shared copies of the suit with The Virginia Star .
He said his lawyers responded to the suit claiming that Anderson ’ s actions did not constitute defamation .
Because of the lawsuit , the Portsmouth Tea Party took over efforts to recall Lucas .
On July 1 , City Attorney Solomon Ashby sent police bodycam videos of the June 10 incident to the city council , according to a July 3 letter Mayor Rowe forwarded to The Virginia Star .
In the letter , Rowe said the videos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she had just talked with me about what was taking place at the monument that day .
She further suggested that I had given authority for the actions which followed .
These statements are untrue.
” According to an AP report , the trespassing charges against NAACP leaders Boyd and Gibbs were dropped on July 31 .
On August 2 , the Portsmouth Tea Party led a protest at the monument .
In a Facebook post , organizers wrote , “ We rally at the desecrated historic monument at Court and High @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our streets , our city , our historic monument , our freedoms , our rights , our birth rights as Americans.
” The Virginian-Pilot reported that three counter-protesters were arrested and released for disorderly conduct .
On August 17 , Chief Greene held a press conference where she announced the felony warrants against Lucas and the other leaders .
The charges were a result of an investigation by Sergeant McGee , the Washington Post reported .
Greene requested that Lucas and the others turn themselves in .
“ This investigation yielded the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our city accountable but was done in a safe manner so that my officers and no other members of the public were harmed , ” Greene said .
The department ’ s probable cause summary listed Portsmouth Commonwealth ’ s Attorney Stephanie Morales as a possible witness , disqualifying her from being involved in the case .
The charges immediately received attention from politicians and media .
@ VASenateDems tweeted a quote from Senator Mamie Locke ( D-Hampton ) : “ This thinly veiled attempt to intimidate and silence the most powerful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emblematic of the deep need for change.
” The Republican Party of Virginia called for Lucas to turn herself in , quoting chairman Rich Anderson .
“ Senator Lucas ’ s behavior is far from what leaders of our Commonwealth should strive for .
Felony charges leveled against a sitting State Senator are to be taken seriously , and should not be sought out for political gain , ” Anderson said .
Lucas turned herself in on August 18 , according to CNN .
She was released on bond , according to WTKR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ session of the Virginia Senate later that day .
Meanwhile , former Governor Terry McAuliffe called for Virginians to sign a petition showing support for Lucas .
The same day , Morales ’ office published a press release responding to the charges and claims that she was a witness .
“ Mrs .
Morales was not on scene to be an eyewitness to any of the matters listed , ” the release states .
“ The Portsmouth Police Department chose their traditional process of securing warrants … in lieu of submitting complete investigative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 19 , Lucas-Burke posted an email from City Manager Patton on Facebook .
In the email , Patton states , “ I was surprised and troubled when I was informed that despite acknowledging a Conflict of Interest , Chief Greene and members of the Police Department continued to be engaged without my knowledge.
” The Portsmouth Police Department responded with a press release on August 20 .
In it , Greene clarified that although the department initially believed there were conflicts of interest for the department , it eventually determined that there were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exhausted to have a special grand jury appointed or an outside agency investigate the matter , it was evident that the investigation would be left up to our agency .
It then became the sworn duty of the Portsmouth Police Department to begin the comprehensive investigation , until such a time that an actual conflict arose in this matter , ” Greene wrote .
Greene concluded , “ As the head of the primary law enforcement agency in the City of Portsmouth , it is my obligation to investigate all crimes that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , present that evidence for the prosecution , which is what was done in this matter.
” On Friday , August 21 , lawyer Tim Anderson suggested that citizens could charge Lucas-Burke .
Anderson posted a video on his Facebook page showing Lucas-Burke saying the city manager should prioritize firing Portsmouth Police Chief Greene .
Anderson also posted Portsmouth City Charter § 3.11 .
On Sunday , Anderson told The Virginia Star in a text , “ The Vice-Mayor of Portsmouth ( Lucas ’ daughter ) may be charged today.
” That afternoon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dubois filed charges against Lucas-Burke with the Portsmouth Magistrate .
Dubois told WAVY.com his next court date is set for September 2 .
Lucas-Burke was served with the charges on August 24 .
Lucas ’ lawyer Don Scott told CNN that Lucas ’ next court appearance will be September 4 .
“ [ Lucas ] will be vindicated , ” Lucas ’ lawyer Scott told The Star .
State Senator Amanda Chase ( R-Chesterfield ) , an announced gubernatorial candidate , who serves with Lucas in the Virginia Senate , has called for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the Senate recently passed SB 183 , legislation allowing localities to remove or cover any monuments .
The law took effect on July 1 .
Chase said Lucas should have followed the processes set out in the law .
According to Chase , Lucas ’ conviction is inevitable .
“ I ’ ve seen the police footage , and I saw for myself what she did , and she clearly overstepped her bounds as a legislator .
You know , we don ’ t have the ability to tell law enforcement to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our purview , ” Chase told The Star .
Former Senator Bill Carrico , ( R-Grayson ) , another likely candidate for governor , told The Star that if Lucas thinks the laws are unjust , as a legislator , she can change them .
“ [ Lucas ] had to know that going down there and letting people deface the monument and stirring up the crowd and not letting the law enforcement officers do their job had to be something that she couldn ’ t do , ” Carrico said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ even lawmakers accountable for things like that .
That is anarchy in its worst form.
” Thomas Dubois did not respond to The Star ’ s request for comment by press time .
Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .
The Associated Press contributed to this report .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-25--U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper Attacks Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s Integrity During Hearing Monday

U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper ( D-TN-05 ) on Monday heavily implied , without solid evidence , that U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is a criminal .
Cooper then asked DeJoy if he secretly hoped U.S. President Donald Trump would one day pardon him — as the president did for Roger Stone .
Cooper and DeJoy exchanged words as DeJoy testified before the House Oversight Committee .
“ Mr .
DeJoy , as a mega-donor for the Trump campaign , you were picked along with Michael Cohen and Elliot Broidy , two men who have already pled guilty to felonies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Republican National Committee , ” Cooper said .
“ Did you pay back several of your top executives for contributing to Trump ’ s campaign by bonusing or rewarding them ?
” DeJoy said Cooper made “ an outrageous claim ” and that DeJoy resented it .
DeJoy then said no , he did not bonus or reward his executives for contributing to Trump ’ s 2016 campaign .
DeJoy then said he wasn ’ t even working at his former company while Trump ran for office in 2016 .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s campaign goal of hurting the Post Office , as stated in his tweets ?
Are your mail delays implicit campaign contributions ?
” Cooper asked .
“ I ’ m not here to answer these types of questions .
I ’ m here to represent the Postal Service .
All my actions have to do with improvements in the Postal Service .
Am I the only one in this room that understands that we have a $ 10 billion a year loss ?
” Cooper then asked DeJoy to hand over his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mark Meadows , Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and President Trump .
“ Mr .
DeJoy , is your backup plan to be pardoned like Roger Stone ?
” Cooper asked .
DeJoy laughed and said he had no comment .
“ It ’ s not worth the comment , ” DeJoy said .
As The Star reported last week , the USPS has lost more than $ 78 billion since 2007 .
DeJoy wanted to implement certain cost-saving initiatives but he delayed them until after the November election “ to even avoid the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ]

One of the principles asserted by Governor Haslam in support of his IMPROVE Act and its proposed increase of 7 cents per gallon in the gas tax is that “users” of roads should pay for road construction.
The gas tax is proper, he argues, because people who purchase gas to fuel their cars are the users of roads, and the gas tax is the best mechanism to charge them for that usage.
For at least a decade, however, revenue sources originally designed to fund highway construction have been intermingled, and that “user” fee principle has not strictly been applied to the funding of road construction. The IMPROVE Act does not fully address the co-mingling of funds.
The Highway Fund receives road construction “user fee” revenues from gasoline tax, motor fuel tax, gasoline inspection tax, motor vehicle registration tax and the motor vehicle title fees. At least 25 percent of those road construction “user fees” go to the General Fund, Education and Debt Service.
Though the majority of these “user fee” revenues have been allocated to the Highway Fund, between 25 percent and 29 percent of those fees -ranging from $177 million to $196 million annually– have been diverted away from the Highway Fund between FY 2011-12 and FY 2017-18, as Table 1 below illustrates.
Table 1
Highway Fund ‘User Fees’ Allocated to Funds Other than the Highway Fund
FY 2011-12 to FY 2017-18
Fiscal Year Highway Fund”User Fees ” Directed to General Fund, Education & Debt Svc. As % of Highway Fund Total Sales & Use Tax Revenues Sales Tax $ to Highway Fund % Sales Tax to Highway Fund Data Source (Link to Document) Page of Data Source 2017-18 $187,100,000 26.2% $8,861,100,000 $22,600,000 0.26% Estimated 99 of 558 2016-17 $195,200,000 26.5% $8,564,100,000 $22,600,000 0.26% Revised Est. 98 of 558 2015-16 $189,572,000 26.2% $8,267,224,400 $22,625,400 0.27% Actual 97 of 558 2014-15 $177,611,900 25.1% $7,706,018,700 $38,165,000 0.50% Actual 97 of 550 2013-14 $196,234,300 28.9% $7,286,164,500 $53,797,600 0.74% Actual 97 of 542 2012-13 $194,365,000 28.4% $7,012,028,700 $60,902,800 0.87% Actual 97 of 545 2011-12 $193,243,800 28.2% $6,899,944,000 $64,574,000 0.94% Actual 111 of 656
The state of Tennessee budget documents detail the revenue sources and the basis of apportionment for those revenues. For every one of the “user fee” revenues, the Tennessee Code Annotated that directs funds away from the Highway Fund is cited.
There are also allocations to the Highway Fund, such as Gross Receipts Tax-Other and Beer Tax, that would otherwise be considered General Fund revenues, as the majority of those revenues are allocated to the General Fund. However, the increase of 25 to 29 percent to the Highway Fund is net the General Fund dollars.
In the upcoming 2017-18 budget year, the redistribution of “user fees” strictly to the Highway Fund would increase the Highway Fund by $187 million, and combined with the past six years would have added a total of $1.3 billion to the Highway Fund, all without a gas tax increase.
The co-mingling of funds goes both ways.
“Sales and Use Tax” revenues have been and continue to be allocated to the Highway Fund.
During Gov. Haslam’s administration, the percentage of state sales tax revenues allocated to the Highway Fund ranged between 0.26 and 0.94 percent. Essentially, the alternate “Hawk Plan,” named for Rep. David Hawk of Greenville, which allocates 0.25 percent of the sales tax revenues to the Highway Fund has been in effect for years to an even greater extent.


thetennesseestar--2020-08-27--Jobless Claims Fall Slightly to About 1 Million, Still at Historic Levels

The number of Americans filing new unemployment claims decreased to 1,006,000 last week as the economy continues to suffer the effects of the coronavirus pandemic , according to the Department of Labor .
The Department of Labor figure released Thursday represented a slight decrease of 98,000 new jobless claims compared to the week ending on Aug. 15 .
The number was about where Wall Street analysts expected it to be , according to CNBC .
Economists estimated the number of jobless claims for the week ending Aug. 22 to come in at 1 million , CNBC reported .
New jobless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first week of August marking the first time the number was under 1 million since March .
“ We ’ re chipping away at the losses in terms of the number of jobs and some of the weaknesses there , but there ’ s still a long ways to go , ” said Sarah House , a Wells Fargo Securities senior economist , according to The Wall Street Journal .
Jobless claims hovered around 200,000 per week before the pandemic , according to WSJ .
President Donald Trump declared a national emergency in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world .
“ It ’ s massively concerning that five months into this crisis we are still seeing those levels , ” said AnnElizabeth Konkel , an economist at Indeed , WSJ reported .
“ It ’ s just really pointing to how much economic pain there is right now , and I don ’ t really expect that to change anytime soon.
” Wall Street is closely watching Capitol Hill this week as negotiations over a new coronavirus relief bill resume , according to CNBC .
White House Chief of Staff Mark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House Nancy Pelosi Wednesday to restart talks on the bill .
Thomas Catenacci is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .

by Thomas Catenacci
A group of 27 Republican congressmen urged President Donald Trump to order a Justice Department-appointed special counsel investigation of “legitimate questions” about election irregularities.
The Republican congressmen asked Trump to direct Attorney General William Barr to appoint the special counsel, according to a letter obtained by Politico that was sent to the White House on Wednesday. Reps. Lance Gooden, Paul Gosar, Louie Gohmert, Scott Perry and Jody Hice were among the 27 congressmen who signed onto the letter.
“The American people deserve a definitive resolution to the uncertainty hovering over the outcome of our election, but legitimate questions of voter fraud remain unanswered,” the congressmen wrote.
Barr said on Dec. 1 that the Department of Justice has yet to find any evidence of election fraud that could sway the result, sparking criticism from conservatives. Trump hesitated when asked if he still had confidence in Barr.
“The Department of Justice has been asked on multiple occasions to launch an investigation into this matter, but inaction from the Department along with public comments made by the Attorney General indicate a lack of willingness to investigate the irregularities your campaign and other elected officials across the nation have alleged,” the Republican congressmen continued.
“The appointment of a Special Counsel would establish a team of investigators whose sole responsibility is to uncover the truth and provide the certainty America needs,” they added.
Several news organizations including The Associated Press and Fox News declared former Vice President Joe Biden the winner of the election on Nov. 7. Trump’s campaign has filed numerous lawsuits alleging widespread fraud, but courts across the country have handed the campaign many defeats.
Texas filed a new lawsuit against Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin Tuesday arguing the states altered their election procedures illegally. Alabama and Louisiana have expressed interest in joining the suit, according to Newsweek.
“Our Country stands at an important crossroads,” the lawsuit said. “Either the Constitution matters and must be followed, even when some officials consider it inconvenient or out of date, or it is simply a piece of parchment on display at the National Archives.”
“We ask the Court to choose the former,” it continued.
– – –
Thomas Catenacci is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.


thetennesseestar--2020-08-27--Rep. Steve Cohen Endorses Tweet That Insults Sen. Tim Scott

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen ( D-TN-09 ) has reportedly deleted a tweet he wrote that prompted another person to say U.S. Sen. Tim Scott ( R-SC ) “ might as well be ” white .
And Cohen endorsed that other person ’ s comment by pressing the like button .
The tweet that Cohen liked also ridiculed Herman Caine ’ s death .
This , according to FOX News , which acquired screenshots of the conversation before Cohen deleted it .
Cohen , referencing this week ’ s Republican National Convention in North Carolina , called it “ a mirror @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as he likes to say , ‘ the poorly educated.
’ ” Another Twitter user then told Cohen that Scott , who is a Republican , “ is not white.
” Carla Hurst-Chandler , another Twitter user , then said the following : “ He might as well be .
He is [ President Donald ] Trump ’ s new black friend since he killed the last one with Covid.
” That ’ s when Cohen pressed the like button .
“ After Fox News requested comment from his office , Cohen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like from the response , ” FOX News reported .
In response , Scott , on his own Twitter , wrote the following : “ It is disheartening to see some of my Democratic colleagues box me in because of the color of my skin .
Narrow-minded politicians will not move this country forward nor help the American people .
We must all take the high road , find places of middle ground , and work to ensure every citizen has opportunities to succeed.
” As The Tennessee Star reported in May , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tenn. shared a video of actor Robert De Niro bragging he wants to punch Trump in the face .
The Twitter user , who goes by @ Jasonmjarrett , tagged Cohen and added his own commentary to the De Niro video : “ I believe my @ RepCohen would agree in Memphis .
I ’ m in Jackson and I feel this same sentiment.
” And , later that day , Cohen obliged and apparently endorsed De Niro ’ s tirade by retweeting @ Jasonmjarrett ’ s post .
Cohen offered no commentary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a visibly angry De Niro hurls a number of epithets toward Trump : “ stupid , ” “ punk , ” “ pig , ” “ con , ” and “ a mutt.
” “ He ’ s an embarrassment to this country .
It makes me so angry that this country has gotten to this point that this fool , this bozo , has wound up where he has .
He talks how he wants to punch people in the face ?
” De Niro said .
“ Well , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the face .
This is somebody that we want for president ?
I don ’ t think so .
What I care about is the direction of this country .
And what I ’ m very very worried about is that it might go in the wrong direction with someone like Donald Trump.
” As The Star has reported several times , Cohen takes political and personal jabs at the 45th president whenever and wherever possible .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @


thetennesseestar--2020-08-27--Commentary: America, Land of Heroes

Commentary: America, Land of Heroes

Last night , Tennesseans saw the Republican National Convention highlight America as the Land of Heroes .
I ’ m proud , as a Republican , that we are not only proud of our heroes , but we also celebrate them .
And I ’ m grateful to President Trump and Vice President Pence for working to ensure that America will continue to be a Land of Heroes for generation to come .
It ’ s been said : Not all heroes wear capes .
In fact , they ’ re all around us .
And Tennessee ’ s 7th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As I ’ ve traveled the district the last few weeks , I ’ ve had a chance to meet and thank many of these heroes .
I ’ ve visited school systems across the district .
Every August brings both challenges – and excitement – to our teachers and administrators .
This year , those challenges have been exacerbated by the coronavirus .
I heard firsthand from our educators about those challenges and all the preparations that are being made – different in each local community – to safely bring our children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teachers are heroes in normal times , but especially so today .
And I know parents with school-age children , having had to play “ teacher ” for a few months , know better today than ever before just how much of a hero our kids ’ teachers really are .
I have also spent time with law enforcement across the district , and just this week , was honored to go on a ride-along with Sheriff Frankie Gray in Dover .
Sadly , our brave men and women of law enforcement have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Tennessee , we know that they are heroes – for keeping our communities safe , and for risking their own lives in order to protect our families .
And we honor our men and women in blue for those sacrifices , each and every day .
I ’ ve stopped in hospitals and clinics to check in on our doctors and nurses .
As a former healthcare CEO , I know firsthand the challenges our healthcare workers face on a daily basis .
And this unprecedented pandemic has stretched and challenged us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deserve our utmost gratitude , and have rightly been saluted as heroes across our nation .
And finally , I have been honored to visit those who put on the uniform to defend our nation .
Last week , I had the unbelievable privilege to meet some of our newest soldiers , as well as one of our oldest .
I flew down to Fort Polk , Louisiana , to visit with soldiers from the 101st training down there .
These brave young men and women will soon be the tip of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I also had the privilege of presenting a proclamation and flag flown over the Capitol to one of our nation ’ s finest : Mr. Frank Zaller , a veteran of both World War II and the Korean War – one of the few men who was at both Iwo Jima and Inchon .
Mr. Zaller turns 100 this week , and we couldn ’ t be prouder to have him in our district .
And finally , I have been honored to visit those who put on the uniform to defend our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the unbelievable privilege to meet some of America ’ s elite warriors from the famed 101st Screaming Eagles , as well as one of our oldest .
I flew down to Fort Polk , Louisiana , to visit with soldiers from the 101st ’ s Strike Brigade taking on the OPFOR at JRTC .
These brave young men and women are the tip of the spear of the United States Army .
I also had the privilege of presenting a proclamation and flag flown over the Capitol to one of our nation ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a veteran of both World War II and the Korean War ‘ one of the few men who was at both Iwo Jima and Inchon .
Mr. Zaller turns 100 this week , and we couldn ’ t be prouder to have him in our district .
America is indisputably a Land of Heroes .
Let ’ s resolve to continue to celebrate and honor those heroes around us .
And I ’ m confident with four more years of the Trump-Pence Administration , we will continue to be that great land .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-27--UN Watchdog: Iran to Allow Access to Two Suspected Nuke Sites

BERLIN , Germany ( AP ) — Iran has agreed to allow inspectors in to two sites where the country is suspected of having stored or used undeclared nuclear material , the U.N. atomic watchdog agency said Wednesday .
The International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran was “ voluntarily providing the IAEA with access to the two locations specified by the IAEA and facilitating the IAEA verification activities to resolve the issues.
” It said in a joint statement with Iran that the dates for the inspections had been agreed , but did not say when they would take place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impasse between Iran and the IAEA , and the announcement came as the agency ’ s Director General Rafael Grossi was on his way home to Vienna after his first visit to Tehran since taking over the post in December .
Iran had been resisting providing access to the sites , which are thought to be from the early 2000s , before it signed the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers , maintaining the IAEA had no legal basis to visit them .
The head of Iran ’ s nuclear agency , Ali @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreed to the inspections , saying “ this will bring the case to an end.
” “ We are loyal to conventions and our commitments , ” he said , adding that he hoped the agreement would open a new chapter between Iran and the IAEA based upon “ good intentions and mutual acceptance.
” Iranian President Hassan Rouhani , who on Wednesday met with the IAEA chief , said Grossi ’ s visit had produced a “ good agreement that can help for moving on a correct and proper path and achieve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. and others continue to put more pressure on Iran , Rouhani urged the IAEA to continue its “ independence , impartiality and professionalism.
” Grossi told IAEA board members in March that it had “ identified a number of questions related to possible undeclared nuclear material and nuclear-related activities at three locations that have not been declared by Iran ” and had been pressing for access .
In its report in June , the agency said it had determined that one site had undergone “ extensive sanitization and leveling ” in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no verification value in inspecting it .
It said Iran has blocked access to the other two locations , one of which was partially demolished in 2004 and the other at which the agency observed activities “ consistent with efforts to sanitize ” the facility from July 2019 onward .
At the same time , it emphasized that Iran had been fully providing access to sites agreed upon in the 2015 nuclear deal , known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action , with the U.S. , Russia , China , Germany , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promised Iran economic incentives in return for the curbs on its nuclear program .
President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the deal unilaterally in 2018 , saying it needed to be renegotiated .
Since then , Iran has since slowly violated the restrictions to try and pressure the remaining nations to increase the incentives to offset new , economy-crippling U.S. sanctions .
The ultimate goal of the deal is to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear bomb .
Since the U.S. withdrawal , Iran has stockpiled enough uranium to produce a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insists it has no such goal and that its atomic program is only for producing energy .
The other members of the accord have been struggling to keep the deal alive saying , among other things , that even though Iran has violated many parts of the deal , the ability for inspectors to continue to visit its nuclear sites is critical .
David Rising is a reporter for The Associated Press .
AP writer Nasser Karimi in Tehran contributed to this report .
About the Headline Photo : In this photo released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Iranian Presidency , President Hassan Rouhani , right , welcomes Director General of International Atomic Energy Agency , IAEA , Rafael Mariano Grossi for their meeting in Tehran , Iran , Wednesday , Aug. 26 , 2020 .
The U.N. nuclear watchdog agency said Wednesday that Tehran has agreed to allow inspectors in to two sites where Iran is suspected of having stored or used undeclared nuclear material .
( Iranian Presidency Office via AP )


thetennesseestar--2020-08-27--ISIS Has 10,000 Members and Has Bolstered Propaganda Efforts, Attacks During the Pandemic, UN Warns

Members of the Islamic State have reportedly attempted to use the coronavirus pandemic to their advantage , increasing propaganda and attacks , a United Nations counter-terrorism official announced Monday .
Since ISIS reportedly began to rally in Syria and Iraq this year , there has been an increase in threats made to conflict zones and a decrease in threats to peaceful zones experiencing coronavirus related lock-downs and restrictions , Head of the U.N. Office of Counter-Terrorism Vladimir Voronkov said .
The coronavirus pandemic has reportedly made it difficult to continue counter-terrorism operations , though Voronkov said he is unsure how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have changed under the group ’ s new leader , Amir Muhammad Sa ’ id Abdal-Rahman al-Mawla .
“ This pandemic environment raises several strategic and practical challenges for counter-terrorism , which we discussed during the Virtual Counter-Terrorism Week organized by my Office last month , ” Voronkov said .
ISIS has reportedly regained control over parts of the Middle East , “ operating increasingly confidently and openly , ” Voroonkov said .
He predicts that over 10,000 fighters move freely in small groups between Iraq and Syria .
“ The global threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the international community fails to meet this challenge , ” Voronkov said , adding that “ opportunistic propaganda efforts ” by ISIS could be behind the increase in reported attacks .
The coronavirus pandemic has reportedly destabilized several thousand people supposedly connected to ISIS , including women and children , Voronkov said .
Countries are reportedly attempting to send children back to their home countries but are running into legal , political , and practical problems .
Kaylee Greenlee is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ United Nations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Counter-Terrorism .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-27--Commentary: Joe Biden Will Sell Out the American Worker Again

In 2016 , President Donald Trump won on an America first message on trade , uniting blue-collar union and conservative households to get over the top in the Electoral College in the Rust Belt states of Pennsylvania , Michigan , Wisconsin and Ohio .
Trump successfully made the case that America had gotten ripped off in prior trade dealings , particularly in the North American Free Trade Agreement ( NAFTA ) and in trade dealings with China , and that he alone could negotiate a better deal .
Now , almost four years later , Trump ended NAFTA with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pulled out of the Obama-Biden 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership and got China to agree to a phase one trade deal even though there ’ s still a 25 percent tariff on $ 250 billion of goods and another 7.5 percent on the remaining $ 300 billion of goods being levied , and even as the trade in goods deficit with China collapsed by more than 17.6 percent in 2019 , or $ 73.9 billion .
The trade pressure by Trump , especially the tariffs but also threatened sanctions — his art of the deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big time and he will surely have a good story to tell voters this fall .
As for former Vice President Joe Biden , he voted for NAFTA and permanent normal trade with China and helped to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership .
Biden further encouraged outsourcing with a sweetheart deal with Chinese President Xi Zinping ( then Vice President of China ) after meetings in 2011 and 2012 resulting in a 2013 Memorandum of Understanding by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board ( PCAOB ) , which is overseen by the Securities and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies being listed on U.S. exchanges with a market capitalization of $ 1.2 trillion , according to the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission .
This 2013 deal further capitalized production in China using child and forced slave labor .
According to the annual report on child and forced labor by the Department of Labor Bureau of International Labor Affairs , any investment in Chinese companies producing textiles are made by child labor , artificial flowers , Christmas decorations , coal , footwear and garments and nails are made by forced labor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fireworks and toys are made by child and forced labor .
The Biden-Xi 2013 deal effectively made Americans slave holders .
Given the chance , Joe Biden will sell out American workers again .
In 2020 , Biden barely mentioned trade at all in his acceptance speech on Aug. 20 or how he had created the very policies that produced almost a $ 2.5 trillion of trade in good deficit with China from 2009 to 2016 , according to U.S. Census Bureau data .
The most the American people got from Biden was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the COVID-19 pandemic here in the U.S .
In his speech , Biden said , “ We ’ ll make the medical supplies and protective equipment our country needs .
And we ’ ll make them here in America .
So we will never again be at the mercy of China and other foreign countries in order to protect our own people.
” So , even if Biden were to win , his proposal is to continue what Trump is already doing to bring essential medical manufacturing back to the U.S .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lately .
On April 2 , the U.S. ramped up production of ventilators as President Trump invoked the Defense Production Act in time such that everybody who needed a ventilator suffering from COVID-19 got one .
This addressed a shortfall that a 2015 paper published in Clinical Infectious Diseases predicted the potential supply shortage in the event of an influenza pandemic .
In 2020 , the U.S. under President Trump ’ s leadership acted with time to spare and is now exporting ventilators to countries that need them .
On Aug. 6 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on “ Ensuring Essential Medicines , Medical Countermeasures , and Critical Inputs Are Made in the United States.
” The order makes it the policy of the U.S. to “ accelerate the development of cost-effective and efficient domestic production of Essential Medicines and Medical Countermeasures and have adequate redundancy built into the domestic supply chain for Essential Medicines , Medical Countermeasures , and Critical Inputs ; … ensure long-term demand for Essential Medicines , Medical Countermeasures , and Critical Inputs that are produced in the United States ; … create , maintain , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Inputs , Finished Drug Products , and Finished Devices that are essential to protect public safety and human health and to provide for the national defense ; and … combat the trafficking of counterfeit Essential Medicines , Medical Countermeasures , and Critical Inputs over e commerce platforms and from third-party online sellers involved in the government procurement process.
” These measures will address shortfalls expressed in a 2019 letter from Sen. Chuck Grassley ( R-Iowa ) to the Department of Health and Human Services ( HHS ) Secretary Alex Azar , noting that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , writing , “ Unbeknownst to many consumers… 80 percent of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients are produced abroad , the majority in China and India ; however , the FDA only inspected one in five registered human drug manufacturing facilities abroad last year.
” It would also address a 2016 National Academy of Science paper that noted that 90 percent of our latex gloves are made in Malaysia .
Thankfully , the Trump administration is taking strong action to bring production back to the U.S. at a time when we need it the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress and then the White House to have the U.S. be independent of foreign producers on essential manufacturing .
Instead he outsourced American jobs to child and slave laborers in China .
It is President Trump who is ending that cruel injustice—and making America manufacture again .
Robert Romano is the Vice President of Public Policy at Americans for Limited Government .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-27--RNC Draws Six Times as Many Views as Its Democratic Counterpart

Even after just the first night , the 2020 Republican National Convention is already decisively dominating the Democratic National Convention in viewership , as reported by the Washington Free Beacon .
On C-SPAN ’ s official livestream , the RNC garnered more than 440,000 viewers simultaneously .
By contrast , the DNC in the previous week only reached around 76,000 on its first night .
The RNC received significantly more praise not only for its lineup of speakers , but for its production quality and more closely resembling the look and feel of a convention , in contrast to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conferences and pre-recorded video messages from studios .
The first night ’ s video introduction was voiced by actor Jon Voight , and several people affiliated with President Donald Trump ’ s former reality TV show , “ The Apprentice , ” are reported to have helped produce the convention .
The first night of the RNC included Congressman Matt Gaetz ( R-Fla. ) , Congressman Jim Jordan ( R-Ohio ) , House Minority Whip Steve Scalise ( R-La . )
, former NFL player Herschel Walker , Democratic Georgia State Representative Vernon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Patricia McCloskey , and Donald Trump Jr .
The speech widely considered the highlight of the first night was Maximo Alvarez , a Cuban immigrant who denounced the Democratic Party ’ s shift into socialist territory by comparing them to the late Communist dictator Fidel Castro .
The second night included Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , Senator Rand Paul ( R-Ky. ) , Eric Trump , Tiffany Trump , Covington Catholic teenager Nicholas Sandmann , and First Lady Melania Trump .
The third night is set to feature Senator Marsha Blackburn ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kellyanne Conway , Senator Joni Ernst ( R-Iowa ) , former Ambassador to Germany Ric Grenell , Governor Kristi Noem ( R-S.D . )
, Second Lady Karen Pence , Lara Trump , and Vice President Mike Pence , who will give his acceptance speech from Fort McHenry in Maryland .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-27--Woman Who Punched Philadelphia Churchgoer Will Not Be Charged, Police Say

The Philadelphia Police Department deferred charges against a woman who it says punched an unsuspecting churchgoer during Catholic Mass on Sunday .
Police chose not to charge the suspect , who they identified Monday , because of her mental health issues , The Philadelphia Inquirer reported .
The decision was made with Catholic Church officials and the Philadelphia District Attorney ’ s Office .
“ As this incident has not been referred to our office for prosecution , it would be inappropriate for us to comment further , ” a Philadelphia District Attorney spokesperson said , according to The Inquirer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul , was captured on the church ’ s livestream .
In the video , the woman , wearing a green sweatshirt , can be seen waiting near the front pews as the lectors who had read passages from scripture during the Mass walked toward her .
She then punched one of the lectors twice as several bystanders , including the priest who celebrated the Mass , looked on .
Finally , the woman yelled something that can not be heard in the video as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the other lector ran away .
The incident occurred 32 minutes into the live stream .
“ I saw somebody there that clearly seemed to be waiting there , and I was a little worried that she was going to attempt to make a scene of some sort , to disrupt the Mass , ” the victim , Sarah Contrucci , said , according to The Inquirer .
“ So I was thinking that I wanted to do whatever I could to keep the situation calm and respectful , and so I just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” She added : “ Please join me in praying for everyone involved in today ’ s incident and for respect for our fellow brothers and sisters.
” The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia didn ’ t respond to request for comment .
Thomas Catenacci is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Churchgoer Punched ” by Kearns Media Consulting LLC .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-27--Commentary: How to Recognize a Bad Teacher

The sign of a good music teacher , I was told as a teenager , is a willingness to allow parents to sit in on lessons .
A teacher willing to have parents observe their lessons demonstrates that she has nothing to hide , is open to critique or comments , and is one who partners with parents in helping students succeed .
Having witnessed this policy firsthand with my own piano instructor , a woman whose students won competitions and entered world famous music schools , I followed suit when I began teaching myself .
It paid off .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see that I was open and honest with them in my dealings with their children , it also helped me as the teacher – particularly on one memorable occasion when a parent saw the temper tantrum her daughter unwisely decided to exhibit during her lesson .
I thought of this policy upon hearing some of the repercussions of virtual school classes .
Many school districts are jumping into a second round of distance learning as the fall semester begins , but one that feels more official and buttoned down .
Yet in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at virtual schooling , an interesting picture is emerging , a picture which shows that teachers don ’ t want parents involved .
Fox News recently reported the following : A Tennessee school district is under fire for asking parents to sign a form agreeing not to eavesdrop on kids ’ virtual classes over concerns they could overhear confidential information .
After significant pushback , Rutherford County Schools is allowing parents to tune in with permission from the teacher but they can ’ t record the classes .
Before the classroom came into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for parents to get a good grasp on what was in their children ’ s curriculum .
If they became nosy investigators , they were often given the runaround through layers of school administration , a difficult process that would make any busy parent throw up their hands in disgust .
Yet now when parents have a front row seat to what their child is learning , and are still given the cold shoulder of secrecy , it ’ s no surprise that parents are saying , “ Wait a minute .
Why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ else is teaching our child ?
Is there something they don ’ t want us to hear ?
” Perhaps so .
At least that seems to be the message of one teacher ’ s musings posted on Twitter several weeks ago and pictured below .
Many of us find such admissions alarming .
How is it that we ’ ve sent our children to public schools for years , believing they would become educated , upstanding American citizens , only now to discover that they were simply being indoctrinated with ideas that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wouldn ’ t approve of ?
Unfortunately , such a response could have been avoided had Americans heeded H.L .
Mencken ’ s warning about the nation ’ s public schools nearly 100 years ago .
There is an “ erroneous assumption ” when it comes to America ’ s education system , says Mencken : That erroneous assumption is to the effect that the aim of public education is to fill the young of the species with knowledge and awaken their intelligence , and so make them fit to discharge the duties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manner .
Nothing could be further from the truth .
What then is the goal of public education ?
Mencken explains : The aim of public education is not to spread enlightenment at all ; it is simply to reduce as many individuals as possible to the same safe level , to breed and train a standardized citizenry , to put down dissent and originality .
That is its aim in the United States , whatever the pretensions of politicians , pedagogues and other such mountebanks , and that is its aim everywhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the purpose of public schools is visible in countries which had them long before America , one of which was Prussia .
Prussian schools , upon which the modern American school is modeled , had “ the quite different aim of putting down political and economic heresy .
Their purpose , ” Mencken continues , “ is to make docile and patriotic citizens , to pile up majorities , to make John Doe and Richard Doe as nearly alike , in their everyday reactions and ways of thinking , as possible.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of American schools that has crystalized since the pandemic brought public education home – even when teachers don ’ t want us to see that true picture – was predicted nearly a century before .
The funny thing is , Mencken wrote these words while reviewing a book by Upton Sinclair on America ’ s schools .
Although a prominent democratic socialist , Sinclair appears to have been aghast at the “ organized stupidity ” in the public schools .
Like Sinclair , we too can be aghast at such a situation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ grow up as free thinkers who don ’ t fit the cookie-cutter mold , then we must do more than express shock and outrage at such a situation .
Are we prepared to place our children under the care and instruction of those who truly want them to learn and grow , rather than simply parrot politically correct mantras , even if it means we must make sacrifices and teach them ourselves ?
Annie Holmquist is the editor of Intellectual Takeout .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-27--Kanye West Sues Ohio Election Head to Get on November Ballot

COLUMBUS , Ohio ( AP ) — Rapper Kanye West sued Ohio ’ s election chief Wednesday in an effort to be placed on the November presidential ballot after the Secretary of State deemed him unqualified as an independent candidate .
West ’ s emergency filing against Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose comes days after the election ’ s chief rejected the nearly 15,000 signatures and other paperwork the rapper submitted earlier this month in an attempt to run for president , citing mismatched information on the signature-gathering documents .
In the complaint , attorneys for West ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LaRose ’ s duty to accept any petition for an independent candidate as long as there is no protest filed against the petition and it doesn ’ t violate Ohio law .
Ohio was one of a number of states that denied West ’ s petition to appear on their ballot last week .
On Friday , the state elections board in Illinois said West hadn ’ t submitted enough petition signatures and wouldn ’ t be on the ballot .
On Thursday , Wisconsin election officials decided to keep West off the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his campaign turned in his nomination papers moments after the deadline , while officials in Montana also said he fell short of petitions .
Earlier this month , West without explanation withdrew his petition to appear as a presidential candidate on New Jersey ’ s ballot .
He also missed deadlines or was rejected in numerous other states this summer , including California , Florida and Pennsylvania .
West is currently on the ballot in states that include Arkansas , Colorado , Oklahoma , Utah and Vermont .
The business mogul publicly supported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own presidential bid on July 4 .
GOP operatives in various key states have been helping West with his White House bid in what Democrats see as an effort to siphon votes away from Democratic nominee Joe Biden .
While West has seen momentum in some states , it remains unclear what the status of his presidential campaign is less than three months from election day .
His wife , Kim Kardashian West , asked for the public ’ s empathy and said West is bipolar after he delivered a controversial address at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last month where he proposed a $ 1 million payout to mothers and decried Harriet Tubman for her work on the Underground Railroad .
Andrew Welsh-Huggins in Columbus contributed to this report .
Farnoush Amiri is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative .
Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues .
Photo “ Kanye West ” by David Shankbone .
CC BY 3.0 .
Background Photo “ Voting Booths ” by Tim Evanson .
@ @ @ @


thetennesseestar--2020-08-27--Gov. Evers Doubles National Guard Presence in Kenosha to 500 as Shooting Suspect Faces Murder Charge

There will be more Wisconsin National Guard troops in Kenosha , but not nearly as many as local leaders have requested .
Gov .
Tony Evers on Wednesday doubled the number of troops he ’ s sending to Kenosha to 500 to help police officers trying to quell riots and looting in the wake of the Sunday shooting of a Black man by police officers .
“ The Wisconsin National Guard may not be used to impede the ability of people to peacefully protest or impede the ability of the media to report on this situation , ” the governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Any Guard members called to active duty may only be used to provide support to local law enforcement and to protect critical infrastructure and cultural institutions necessary for the well-being of the community , and to provide support to first responders such as the Kenosha Fire Department.
” The governor ’ s office also said they are working with other states for more Guard support and more help for the state patrol .
“ Our county is under attack .
Our businesses are under attack .
Our homes are under attack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote in the letter .
“ Our law enforcement agencies need additional support to bring civility back to our community.
” Two people died and a third individual wounded from gunshots around midnight Wednesday in Kenosha .
Police in Lake County , Ill. , have arrested 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse , who is suspected of committing the three shootings and is being held on suspicion of first-degree murder .
Evers used the word “ violence ” for the first time when talking about that shooting , his earlier statements didn ’ t use the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and attacks from violent protesters in Kenosha .
“ I want to be very clear : we should not tolerate violence against any person , ” the governor said Wednesday .
“ I ’ m grateful there has already been swift action to arrest one person involved .
The individual or individuals whose actions resulted in this tragic loss of life must be held accountable.
” The top Republican in Wisconsin Assembly said despite the new words , Evers continues to put politics ahead of public safety in Kenosha .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Evers , and I have never been more disappointed and disgusted by the lack of an action by an official , ” Assembly Speaker Robin Vos told News Talk 1130 WISN ’ s Jay Weber Wednesday .
An industry veteran with two decades of experience in media , Benjamin Yount reports on Illinois and Wisconsin statewide issues for The Center Square .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-27--TN Star National Correspondent Neil W. McCabe on Roger Stone and the Republican National Convention

Live from Music Row Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed Tennessee Star National Correspondent Neil W. McCabe to the newsmakers line .
During the third hour , McCabe discussed some personal details from his growing relationship with Roger Stone and his takeaways from the Republican National Convention .
Leahy : We are joined on the newsmakers line by our good friend and long time colleague who is now the national correspondent for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based in the Washington , D.C. area Neil McCabe .
Good morning Neil .
McCabe : Michael and Crom .
Very good to be with you today .
What ’ s going on ?
Leahy : Well , a lot going on .
The first thing is I want to thank you for being the intrepid journalist that you are scoring all of these national interviews for us .
You spoke with Roger Stone and had an exclusive interview with him .
A great interview .
And thanks to you he ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning .
McCabe : And he ’ ll be in the Nashville Metropolitan region this weekend .
Leahy : Yes .
A church in Mt .
Juliet that was vandalized because apparently he will be speaking there this weekend according to the pastor .
He ’ ll be there this weekend .
Roger Stone who is very controversial , colorful , and brass knuckles political operative from the Republican side who was convicted on these trumped-up charges shall we say by a politicized jury .
McCabe : Lets put it this way .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago that Roger Stone was a courier for Russian intelligence between Vladamir Putin and the Trump campaign .
That ’ s what we were told .
In the end , he was convicted for threatening to kill his friend ’ s dog .
Leahy : Yeah .
And how serious did his friend take that ?
McCabe : Not serious at all .
I really got to know Roger .
I met him during the 2016 campaign .
Over the last four or so years , I ’ m not saying that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve really got to know the man .
He loves his country .
He loves his family .
He has a set of skills ( Leahy laughs ) that have made him valuable .
Leahy : He has a particular set of skills , doesn ’ t he ?
( Chuckles ) McCabe : Yeah .
He is one of the most lethal political operatives that has ever lived .
And that ’ s really why they went after him .
A lot of people think he was behind the taking down of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an example .
When Al Sharpton ran for president , Roger Stone financed it as a political stunt to create discord in the Democratic Party .
But he ’ s also a guy who has had personal troubles .
I ’ m friends with his first wife Ann Stone .
His personal life hasn ’ t been pristine .
Leahy : A mess would be another way to describe it .
McCabe : But yet , he has a personal story of redemption .
He ’ s still a practicing Catholic in Ft. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Graham revival held in January of 2020 with Franklin Graham .
And he met with Reverend Graham .
He said that Graham gave him the same advice he received from everybody else including his parish priest .
But because he heard it from Graham he took it to heart and he attended the revival in Boca and reaffirmed his conversion to Christ .
And he says it what got him through it .
He told me that was right after the revival experience in January when it came out that the jurors in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That got the attention of President Trump and that led to his sentence being commuted .
So he credits the Lord with saving him from his persecutors .
It ’ s a wonderful story .
Leahy : We will have him on tomorrow thanks to you .
And that will be an interesting segment .
What else is going on today in the Washington , D.C. area ?
What do you see are the big stories coming out this week ?
McCabe : It ’ s hard to ignore the Republican convention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve talked about this before that one of the devastating questions in the polls .
Remember Pat Cadell would tell us while we were doing the polling together .
Leahy : At Breitbart in 2016 .
You and I with Pat Caddell and a polling team at Breitbart .
McCabe : Right .
We knew the people were lying to the pollsters so Pat would create these sorts of questions to try and tease out where they really were .
And one of the questions that told Caddell that Trump was going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Donald Trump cares about me ?
And those numbers were devastating for Trump and devastating for Clinton .
One way or the other .
And so Trump ’ s numbers were off the charts .
People believed that Trump cared about people like them .
This convention especially last night , Donald Trump cares about people like you .
And we also got to see him in a more personal intimate setting where this is supposed to be some angry mean guy .
And he ’ s a wonderful guy .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that bank robber .
That was not the act of a crazy .
What you hear on CNN all the time is that mean Mr. Trump wants us to die right ?
That ’ s not that the guy at the convention .
I thought Melania was fantastic .
Rand Paul was fantastic .
In fact , I talked to my former colleague at One America News the bureau chief John Hines and it was actually an enjoyable and interesting convention to watch .
The production is fantastic .
The message is strong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You have to be seeing the same things I ’ m seeing .
This is really well done .
Carmichael : Neil on your last point .
I think that ’ s right on the money because these speakers are people that virtually know Americans know who they are .
And they are fresh .
What they had to say is compelling .
Their own stories are very compelling .
And whereas with the Democrat convention they trotted out Bill Clinton who looks terrible .
They trotted out Hillary Clinton whose hairstylist has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leahy chuckles ) McCabe : She looks like a war criminal .
( Leahy laughs ) Carmichael : I ’ ll tell you what .
There are few people who look angrier .
She gets angrier looking every day and that takes a lot of work .
And then you had Michelle Obama essentially scolding us from her $ 15 million home about how terrible this country is to people like her .
And then you had Barack Obama .
And then you had the Hollywood people who think that the average person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Republican convention is exactly the opposite .
It is a bunch of hard-working people .
Hard-working politicians at the state level that nobody has heard of .
And then Tim Scott was fabulous the first night .
Daniel Cameron from Kentucky , gosh he was terrific .
Last night was riveting from the beginning to the end .
McCabe : I ’ ll tell you Crom , one of the things I was talking to John Hines about was that I couldn ’ t break away .
It ’ s like do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
I couldn ’ t turn it off .
Carmichael : After the first night the question was , gosh , what are they going to do to make it better than the first night ?
And they did .
Now the question is what are they going to do tonight to keep it as captivating .
I ’ m confident they will .
I will be tuning in just to see .
They ’ re covering so many topics that Americans care about .
And the Democrat convention covered topics that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care about .
It was like the Democrats sat around 10 powerful people in Washington and asked what are we going to talk about to make ourselves happy ?
Leahy : 30 seconds to wrap it up Neil .
McCabe : I thought it was also interesting that as our cities have become Benghazi the Democrats have turned our cities into Benghazi the convention is an upbeat , lighthearted , serious , but it is not angry like the Democrats are .
The people know what ’ s going on in Kenosha .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ aren ’ t taking that bait .
Listen to the third hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-27--POLL: Nearly Half of Americans Say They’ve Saved More Money or Paid Down Debt During Outbreak, Reces

POLL: Nearly Half of Americans Say They’ve Saved More Money or Paid Down Debt During Outbreak, Recession

About half of all Americans say they are saving money and paying down debt amid the coronavirus pandemic , according to an Associated Press poll published Tuesday .
Roughly 45 % of Americans surveyed said they saved more money than usual amid the pandemic , according to the poll .
Nearly 30 % of respondents in the poll said they are paying down debt faster than they were before the coronavirus pandemic , the poll showed .
Meanwhile , nearly a quarter of Americans surveyed said they have not been able to pay at least one bill , the poll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are unable to make a rent or mortgage payment , while another 14 % of Americans said they ’ ve been unable to pay a credit card bill .
Nearly half of respondents who said someone in their household was laid off due to lockdowns and the pandemic have been unable to pay at least one type of bill , according to the poll .
Coronavirus , or COVID-19 , originated in Wuhan , China before expanding to the United States , where it has reportedly killed more than 175,000 people , per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials across the United States instituted stay-at-home orders in early March to slow the spread of the virus , resulting in mass unemployment .
More than 400 million jobs have been lost worldwide while 13 million jobs have been lost in the United States alone , The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday .
Fears related to COVID and the lockdowns prompted Americans to spend less on restaurant meals , clothing and travel , AP noted in the poll .
“ It ’ s better than it was in March , a little bit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mother to four girls , Brynn Alexander , told AP .
“ A lot of my friends are getting back to work.
” The poll , conducted Aug. 17-19 , surveyed more than 1,075 adults and has a margin of sampling error of 4.1 percentage points .
Chris White is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-27--The Ohio Star’s Jack Windsor Points to Partners in Health’s Contact Tracing Contract and Ties to Soc

The Ohio Star’s Jack Windsor Points to Partners in Health’s Contact Tracing Contract and Ties to Social Justice

Live from Music Row Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed The Ohio Star Managing Editor Jack Windsor to the newsmakers line .
During the third hour , Windsor discussed his recent article where he discovered that Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed a contact tracing contract with a group that receives its donations from a George Soros foundation , the Clinton Foundation , and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation .
He stated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what the “ gift ” is between the state of Ohio and the company since the contract has been signed in late February .
Leahy : We are joined now by the man The New York Times fears and Governor DeWine wants to dodge .
Governor DeWine of Ohio .
Managing editor of The Ohio Star , Jack Windsor .
Good morning Jack .
Windsor : Michael Patrick Leahy .
Good morning sir .
Thank you for choosing me this morning .
Leahy : We are always delighted to have the man that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as we expand our conservative media empire and we are asking the questions that no other liberal media outlet will ask .
I think you are the guy that Mike Dewine the governor of Ohio doesn ’ t want to hear from .
You had a question for him yesterday at the press conference .
Tell us what the question was and then I want to know what his answer was .
Windsor : So my question had some background to it .
Five Texas Republicans sued Texas Republican Governor Abbot over $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signed during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic in Texas .
And legislators there say the governor skirted separation of powers agreeing to a contract without following state statutes .
I have been waiting for months now on information about a contract with a company called Partners in Health .
Partners in Health is providing inside guidance regarding Ohio ’ s contact tracing .
And I was assuming it was a multi-million dollar contract and our audience is interested in understanding the length of the contract and the value of the contract @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how much are we obligated to pay ?
How much have we paid Partners in Health ?
And how long is the contract ?
And the answer I got was I don ’ t know that answer but we can certainly get you that answer .
And I don ’ t see why we can ’ t get that answer to you by Thursday .
Keep in mind we are five months in .
And this agreement appears was signed in probably February or March of this year .
Carmichael : Jack , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you on contact tracing .
How exactly does the government claim the contact tracing works ?
And that it ’ s been beneficial and that it protects people ’ s health privacy ?
Windsor : Well you know the privacy issue is in an issue out of the gate .
And I ’ ll address the other stuff .
Not only is it a privacy issue to a lot of our listeners and viewers , it gets right in between that confidential doctor-patient relationship .
And so let me give you an example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive for COVID and if you let a contact tracer know .
Because they ’ ll knock on your door or they ’ ll call you .
And they ’ ll potentially send you a letter and they ’ ll ask who have you been around in the last 14 days .
And if you say , well Jack Windsor and I had lunch and we sat within five feet of each other and we were there for 45 minutes .
Well , they ’ ll assume that that ’ s close contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happen .
I ’ ll definitely get a phone call and I ’ ll get a letter indicating that I should quarantine because I was in close contact with someone who has a lab positive COVID result .
And then of course the state will count .
My understanding is they count it as a probable cause .
But if it ’ s backed up with other diagnostic information that would lead them to believe that I also have the virus then it would count as a case .
So there is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if I get a letter because I was in close contact with you it contains references to the Ohio revised code and how if I don ’ t comply with the request to quarantine that I will be violating the statute or the law and that there will be repercussions .
Leahy : Jack I want to follow up on the lead story today at The Ohio Star at theohiostar.com .
But we also featured it in the Battleground State section in The Tennessee Star .
Let me read these two paragraphs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record request was made to the Ohio Department of Health on April 26th of this year regarding the state ’ s agreement with Partners in Health .
On May 21st , you the reporter from WMFD TV and now The Ohio Star asked Governor DeWine about the relationship with Partners in Health particularly if it made sense given the organization ’ s penchant for altering the fundamentals of capitalism citing it as a source of structural violence resulting in many societal ills.
” Tell us about that .
Windsor : If you go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve revamped it a little bit .
I asked the question on May 21 .
And that is also in the article and a Twitter video that John Cardillo put out that you can click on and listen to and watch .
But this organization believes that the capitalistic structure of America is a structure of violence .
It ’ s a structure that produces homophobia .
That produces sexism .
That produces racism .
That produces greed .
That produces essentially all of the fundamental problems that society would have .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ root problem .
And they have this social agenda to fix that .
And so at the core , this is an organization that fundamentally disbelieves in the goodness or the power or the righteousness of capitalism and free choice and free markets .
And so their social agenda is to change that .
And they just happen to be in the business of contact tracing .
Leahy : And this is Partners in Health .
This is the group that Governor DeWine has signed a contract with .
He ’ s supposedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrat to me .
Some of the donors to Partners in Health include George Soros ’ Open Society Foundation , the Clinton Foundation and then the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation .
Why is Governor DeWine refusing to release this information to you ?
Windsor : I do not know .
We are going to find out .
I did get information this morning that would lead me to believe that there is a contract that is signed and that there is no monetary exchange in that relationship .
But you and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a free lunch right ?
So there is a reason that Partners in Health is coming here .
So what ’ s the value exchange coming from Ohio to them ?
Is it data and information on all of our medical histories ?
Is it that they are building a database of our blood or health profiles ?
I don ’ t know .
I need to dive into it to make sure that one , that document is authentic .
And two if it is authentic what is the gift .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was installed as governor in the state of Ohio .
He ran as a conservative Republican .
One of the first things he did is he was appointed to the directorship of the Ohio Department of Health a notorious abortion doctor .
Whether you think abortion is right or wrong , that ’ s not the issue .
The issue is that when you run as a conservative Republican and someone who is against abortion and then you appoint a director to the Department of Health who is a notorious abortionist , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : This is the recently departed and not lamented Amy Acton who The Ohio Star and your reporting when you were with WMFD in Ohio reporting on the contrast between what she said and what reality was helped I think to bring her down .
Windsor : Absolutely .
She came out from day one with a really scary looking chart indicating that we would see 62,000 new cases at the high point of this .
And if you run the projections I think that the expectation is that 35,000 to 80 or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this virus because it was pushed as highly contagious and 20 times more deadly than influenza .
It may have been and certainly may be extremely contagious .
Though the contagion factor on it has certainly gone below where it used to be .
Yes , she missed the mark from the beginning and never regained her footing .
Leahy : I ’ m looking at the number of deaths in Ohio to date and it ’ s 3,996 according to our data at The Ohio Star .
A little bit off of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing that we were able to find out about that .
Let me ask you this .
So DeWine seems to be a Democrat-Republican .
First , are they going to try to keep you out of these press conferences , Jack ?
Windsor : No .
There ’ s been a lot of tension with other members of the press corps .
I ’ ve requested a one on one with the governor but he has declined .
And at times I ’ ve gone through these stretches where we are supposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in order to determine what question we offer that day .
It was pretty uncanny .
For several days I was number 17 , 18 , 0r 19 .
Now yesterday I was number two so there was a break-in that luck streak right there .
There has been a ton of tension and there seems like there ’ s been some work required by my part .
As of right now , I ’ m still invited and I will still show up .
Listen to the full third hour here : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .
Background Photo “ Mike DeWine Speaking ” by Mike DeWine .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-27--Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act Takes a Big Step Toward Appearing on December Ballot

Americans for Prosperity-Tennessee ( AFP-TN ) this week announced that members of the group and other concerned citizens would turn in roughly 20,000 signatures to the Metro Clerk ’ s office in support of the Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act .
This , according to a press release that AFP-TN members published on their website .
Members of the group helped gather the requisite number of signatures for the initiative for the December 5 ballot .
The Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act would roll back Mayor John Cooper ’ s 34-37 percent tax increase and limit property tax rate increases to 2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the press release said .
As The Tennessee Star reported last week , Nashville attorney Jim Roberts revealed that he and others in the effort had , by that time , already acquired 19,500 signatures .
He also discussed whether Metro Nashville officials would ignore the signatures .
“ Well , that ’ s always a risk .
We are getting some pushback .
They clearly don ’ t like having power taken away .
And it would probably require a lawsuit to force the clerk to actually count the signatures like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Roberts said .
“ I don ’ t think they ’ ll do that .
I think they really believe that people want this tax .
And there are people who are out there .
It ’ s not going to win 100 percent .
But Metro government really thinks these people want this property tax initiative.
” Roberts also “ it ’ s clear that Metro has no intention of respecting this ballot if it gets passed.
” “ I think they are trying to decide whether they want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow it to get loaded on by the people and hoping it will overwhelmingly pass and then fight it at that point , ” Roberts said .
“ I just have a bad feeling that they have no intention of respecting the people ’ s wishes on this.
” Members of the grassroots group contacted more than 38,000 Tennesseans through canvassing , texting , and phone calls , according to the press release .
“ Punishing Nashville families with a massive property tax hike won ’ t solve the underlying issues that created @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unfair given that businesses have been forced to close and many people are out of work .
A property tax increase does not solve the underlying issues that put Nashville on the path to bankruptcy : cronyism , excess debt , and out of control spending , ” said AFP-TN State Director Tori Venable .
“ The Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act is the best way to address the root causes of our budget crisis , ensure voters have a say in how their tax dollars are being spent , and force lawmakers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nashville family is forced to do .
We look forward to helping Nashvillians turn out the vote on December 5 to protect their tax dollars and prevent further reckless spending.
” The Beacon Center examined Nashville ’ s budget in its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report .
“ Every year since 2007 , Nashville ’ s finances have weakened , with its Net Position becoming negative for the first time in 2018 , well before the tornado or COVID-19 shutdown , ” according to the report .
According to AFP ’ s press release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during his mayoral campaign last year that Nashville needs more fiscal responsibility .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-08-27--Judge Orders Tennessee to Mention Virus on Mail Voting Form

NASHVILLE , Tennessee ( AP ) — A judge has ordered Tennessee election officials to clearly communicate on absentee ballot applications that people can vote by mail if they believe they or someone in their care face a higher risk of COVID-19 .
State officials promised the Tennessee Supreme Court this month that they would inform voters about that eligibility , asserting for the first time that underlying health conditions could qualify someone to vote absentee under their plan .
Days later , the justices overturned a vote-by-mail option for all eligible voters that Davidson County Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state has described the process as an “ honor system ” in which voters decide individually if underlying conditions qualify them to vote by mail rather than risk infection at the polls .
State lawyers told Lyle that voters can ’ t be charged with perjury for determining their condition makes them eligible .
But Lyle said the state isn ’ t being clear enough with the voters , despite the high court ’ s order to ensure voters are aware that underlying health conditions qualify a reason for eligibility to vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t mention COVID-19 .
“ A prospective voter looking at the Form has absolutely no way of knowing that the Tennessee Supreme Court has held that if the voter determines for himself/herself that he/she has a ‘ special vulnerability to COVID-19 ’ or is a ‘ caretaker ’ of such a person , he/she is eligible to vote via absentee ballot during the November election , ” the judge ruled Tuesday .
The order gives the state until Aug. 31 to change the form , and until Sept. 1 to give county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had argued Lyle lacked authority to order the rewording , and said another change to the absentee application would confuse voters .
The state also noted underlying conditions are now mentioned on its website and that it has sent out news releases to publicize the change , which requires voters to check existing boxes on the form for either illness or caretaking .
The ruling by Lyle would add wording to those existing boxes , describing “ underlying medical or health conditions which in their determination render them more susceptible to contracting COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it.
” The issue brought the case back to Lyle ’ s virtual courtroom , where she and state attorneys butted heads multiple times over how to follow the vote-by-mail expansion that she ordered , the state opposed and the Supreme Court ultimately overturned .
One significant point of contention was the state ’ s decision to make its own changes to the absentee application outside of her orders , prompting a sharp rebuke from Lyle and an order to change the form so that COVID-19 wasn ’ t separated out from existing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tre Hargett ’ s office revisited that back-and-forth to criticize the judge ’ s most recent decision .
“ It is ironic to us that the same Chancellor who chastised us for changing the form is now upset because we did not change the form , ” Hargett spokesperson Julia Bruck said in a statement .
“ The Chancellor is legislating from the bench again.
” The American Civil Liberties Union , meanwhile , applauded the ruling and condemned the state ’ s opposition to it .
“ Our state should be working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for people to vote , not creating obstacles at every turn and requiring a court order to fix them , ” ACLU of Tennessee Executive Director Hedy Weinberg said in a statement .
Lyle also emphasized her dismay that the state waited until oral arguments before the state Supreme Court to reveal that underlying health conditions qualify voters to cast an absentee ballot .
If the state had taken that position in her court , she wrote , voting rights for those Tennesseans “ would have been settled and known to them much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concession before the Tennessee Supreme Court came after time-consuming litigation that delayed certainty on a matter critical to voters , ” Lyle wrote .
Lyle offered more criticisms about what she called “ confusing and misleading ” state guidance following the Supreme Court ruling , but said ordering more changes was beyond her purview .
For one , she said a new section of the absentee application about a reward up to $ 1,000 for reporting voter fraud leading to a conviction will have “ the effect of confusing and intimidating voters.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Associated Press .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-27--Sheldon Silver Begins Prison Sentence in Corruption Case

NEW YORK , New York ( AP ) — Former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver , once one of the most powerful politicians in the state , started his prison sentence Wednesday after years of fending off going behind bars .
Silver , 76 , reported to a federal prison in Otisville , New York , according to a statement from the Federal Bureau of Prisons .
He was sentenced earlier this year to 6 1/2 years behind bars in a corruption case .
The Democrat was ousted as speaker in 2015 and convicted later that year , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
His conviction in federal court in Manhattan was overturned on appeal before he was convicted again in 2018 .
Part of that conviction was then tossed out on another appeal , leading to yet another sentencing in July where he asked a judge not to let him die in prison .
His lawyers had sought a term of home confinement , arguing that sending him to prison would worsen existing health issues or risk having him die from the coronavirus .
But District Judge Valerie Caproni said she had no option but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called “ corruption , pure and simple.
” “ His time has come , ” Caproni said .
“ He needs to go to jail.
” In the part of the case that survived the appeal process , Silver was convicted in a scheme that involved favors and business traded between two real estate developers and a law firm .
He supported legislation in Albany that benefited the developers , who then referred certain tax business to a law firm that paid him fees .
The federal prison in Otisville is about 80 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York City , tucked in the lush countryside south of the Catskill Mountains .
Recent inmates there have included Michael Cohen , President Donald Trump ’ s former personal lawyer and fixer who pleaded guilty to tax evasion , campaign finance charges and lying to Congress .
Cohen is still serving his sentence , but was released to house arrest along with other prisoners to limit the spread of the coronavirus behind bars .
Another Otisville inmate recently released because of the virus was Dean Skelos , the Republican who led New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He , like Silver , was forced from office in a corruption scandal .
As a new inmate , Silver will be tested for COVID-19 and placed in quarantine for 14 days .
Tom Hays and Michael Balsamo are reporters for The Associated Press .
Balsamo reported from Washington , D.C. About the Headline Photo : In this July 27 , 2018 file photo , former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver arrives at federal court in New York .
Silver is due to report on Wednesday , Aug. 26 , 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , New York , after being sentenced earlier this year to 6 1/2 years behind bars in a corruption case that toppled him from his longtime position as one of the state ’ s most powerful politicians .
( AP Photo/Mary Altaffer , File )


thetennesseestar--2020-08-27--The Tennessee Star Report: Crom Carmichael Outlines Election Status as Described by the Constitution

Live from Music Row Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed all-star panelist Crom Carmichael to the studio .
During the second hour , Carmichael discussed election status and the legal provisions as outlined in the United States Constitution .
These specific provisions explained in his view , why the postmaster general was concerned about problems that could arise due to the lateness of mail-out and absentee ballots .
Carmichael : This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democratic Party have become the party of lawlessness .
By the way , Joe Biden has not condemned Hillary Clinton for saying what she ’ s said .
He has said nothing about it .
That ’ s gone viral .
So you have to assume that Joe Biden agrees with it .
But here ’ s what ’ s interesting .
Here is an article in The Wall Street Journal by David Rifkin and Lee Casey .
And they write a lot in the journal .
And all of them are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is what it says , Under federal law , the presidential election must take place on November 3 .
The reason it takes place on November 3 this year is that the Congress has said that the election will take place on the first Tuesday after the first Monday .
Carmichael : And so the first Monday is November 2 .
That ’ s why the election moves around .
It ’ s always on a Tuesday and its always on the Tuesday following the first Monday .
So it can not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November 2 to November 9 .
Carmichael : But then there is a set period of time between the election and when the electors must be chosen .
And that ’ s by the Constitution .
That ’ s by the law that the Democrats claim that they believe in the rule of law and that no one is above the law .
Leahy : And what is that set period of time ?
Does it vary by state ?
Carmichael : No .
No .
Under federal law the election this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s on November 3 this year the electors must vote on December 14 .
Leahy : There it is .
Carmichael : December 14 .
I think its six weeks .
It says these dates can not be changed without an act of Congress and the 20th amendment sets the inauguration day on January the 20th .
The Constitution ’ s 20th amendment does that .
Reading on .
Article two of the Constitution gives Congress the power to determine the time of choosing the electors and the day on which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day shall be the same throughout the United States .
So they can ’ t do it on different days .
Leahy : It has to be by December the 14th .
Leahy : And they meet in their state capitols .
Carmichael : But it ’ s on December 14 .
It ’ s not by then .
Leahy : But just to continue this , the legal wrangling that will happen will continue in my view from November third until December 14 .
Carmichael : That ’ s OK .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Leahy : It can ’ t be by law .
Carmichael : And the law which Hillary claims to revere and which Nancy Pelosi ’ s right-hand claims to revere .
( Leahy chuckles ) So Congress has done so by enacting laws mandating that electors of president and vice president shall be appointed in each state on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November .
That ’ s the election .
And that the electoral college must meet and vote on the first Monday after the second Wednesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ but it is very precise .
The first Monday after the second Wednesday in December .
That ’ s how this year ’ s December 14 becomes the date .
Carmichael : There was a Supreme Court case Foster versus Love which I ’ ve never heard of , in 1997 taken together with the mandate of the relevant provisions “ holding all elections for Congress and the Presidency on a single day throughout the union.
” Now , this is why that matters .
Because the election is on November the 3rd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November the 3rd .
So if ballots come in after November 3 and there is no postmark because return mail that ’ s already pre-stamped does not have postmarks , then it comes in .
So that ’ s why the postmaster general said the problems will come only because of the lateness in which absentee ballots can be requested .
Or , the lateness at which ballots are mailed in .
That ’ s the problem .
He said we will handle the mail .
But we don ’ t set the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And so the Democrats want to keep counting votes after the third .
Leahy : They want to keep counting and counting .
Carmichael : But that ’ s not what the law says they can do .
Listen to the full second hour : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .
Photo “ People Voting ” by Wyofile .
CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-27--Trump Delegation Chairman Fredericks Says Poll Predicting Gloom for Trump in Virginia Is Fake Narrat

Trump Delegation Chairman Fredericks Says Poll Predicting Gloom for Trump in Virginia Is Fake Narrative

A poll from Roanoke College would have you believe President Donald Trump and U.S. Senate candidate Daniel Gade are in trouble in Virginia ’ s November election .
The chairman of the Virginia Trump delegation refutes the findings .
The poll is available here .
It was conducted by the Institute for Policy and Opinion Research at Roanoke College .
Former Vice President Joe Biden leads President Donald Trump by 14 percentage points ( 53 % -39 % ) in Virginia according to The Roanoke College Poll .
Only 5 % said they were undecided about their vote , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for another candidate .
Almost 90 % of those who support either candidate are very certain of their vote intention .
The lead was 12 points in the May Roanoke College Poll .
U.S .
Senator Mark Warner leads Daniel Gade , his Republican opponent ( 55 % -34 % ) .
The Institute for Policy and Opinion Research interviewed 566 likely Virginia voters [ 1 ] between August 9 and August 22 and has a margin of error of +4.1 % .
More than 9 out of 10 ( 94 % ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wins the presidential election in November , and 97 % said it was very likely they would vote .
“ We aren ’ t paying attention to outside polls , ” Gade replied to The Virginia Star when asked about the poll ’ s findings .
“ Since I ’ ve been running to serve Virginians , we have seen unprecedented momentum in our campaign , ” he added .
“ We are confident Virginians will pick a career servant over a bought and paid for career politician in November.
” John Fredericks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Trump Virginia Delegation , called out the poll .
“ It ’ s another fake , phony poll done by another liberal college with no root in reality ; it ’ s simply designed to drive a false narrative that Trump is way behind and his workers and voters should make no phone calls and stay at home , ” Fredericks said .
The poll was done between August 9-22 .
A total of 566 likely voters in Virginia were interviewed .
Residents were called randomly .
The error level is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The data were statistically weighted for region , gender , race and age .
Weighting was done to match the 2016 Presidential election exit poll in Virginia .
The margin of error was not adjusted for design effects due to weighting , ” the poll announcement said .
The poll ’ s director , Dr. Harry L. Wilson , discussed the methodology with The Star .
This was a statewide poll , so that weights for any regional differences , he said .
Regarding the Senate race , Wilson said , Gade has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known .
Warner is up by 21 points , while two-thirds said they do not know enough about Gade to form an opinion .
The poll ’ s response rate depends on how you compute it , Wilson said .
Many people do not answer their phones these days .
Going by known households of those who do not complete the interview ( such as not answering the phone ) , the response rate is 9 to 12 percent , which is a national standard .
Going by those who answer the phone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not say what that rate was .
Those who self-identified as Democrat were 41 percent ; Republicans were 33 percent ; independent were 15 percent , Wilson said .
Those who said they were independent or other were asked if they leaned toward a party — the result was 51 percent Democrat and 42 percent Republican , Wilson said .
Responding to questions that the poll found more Democrats than Republicans , Wilson said , “ I say ‘ Of course , because more Democrats voted in 2016 ” and that probably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s showing has not really changed from 2016 within the margin of error , Wilson said .
Only 5 percent said they are undecided , and the poll was taken before the party conventions were over .
“ There ’ s no swing voters out there , ” Wilson said .
Wilson said , however , that both Trump and Biden need to make sure their voters mobilize .
Fredericks said he agrees that Trump needs to mobilize his voters , but he totally disagreed about the president ’ s chances in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same thing in 2016 , ” Fredericks said .
“ Trump was down ; he couldn ’ t win ” they said .
Trump pulled within 5 points in 2016 and Democrats had to scramble , Fredericks said .
Trump as well as independent Evan McMullin and the Libertarian candidate combined pulled 49 percent .
“ We ’ re in better shape today than we were in 2016 , ” Fredericks said .
“ Our vote total in Virginia has grown , not shrunk .
We have registered tens of thousands of new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re going to come out in massive numbers for Trump.
” “ We ’ re knocking on thousands of doors , and they ’ re hiding behind Hazmat suits locked up like their candidate in their basement , ” Fredericks said .
Virginia will be decided within 2 points , Fredericks said , and it will not be called until midnight .
Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years ’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes .
Photo “ Roanoke College ” by Roanoke College CC2.0 .
John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Virginia Star .
He is also a Trump 2020 delegate and the chairman of the Trump Virginia Delegation .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-27--Buckeye Institute Files Amicus Brief in Lawsuit Over CARES Act School Funding

An Ohio think tank has entered the fray in a federal lawsuit over a rule the U.S. Department of Education issued for Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security ( CARES ) Act funding .
The $ 2.2 trillion CARES Act includes an Education Stabilization Fund to help schools cover costs to safely reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
The law directed the education department to distribute these funds “ equitably ” between public and private schools and students .
Last month , the NAACP filed suit in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia , alleging an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harmful requirements on the emergency relief funds allocated to public school districts under ” the CARES Act .
“ As our coalition has argued in cases in Michigan and Washington , the U.S. Department of Education ’ s guidance is clearly consistent with the CARES Act and these lawsuits are doing nothing to safely reopen our schools and get our children safely back into the classroom , ” Jay R. Carson , senior litigator at The Buckeye Institute ’ s Legal Center , said in a statement .
The Buckeye Institute filed an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ v. DeVos , joining a coalition led by the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty ( WILL ) .
More than 40 state and national groups signed onto the brief .
“ COVID-19 ’ s impact on America ’ s students was not confined to public school sectors , ” Libby Sobic , director and legal counsel of education policy for WILL , said in a statement .
“ Congress allocated critical funding to both public and private schools with the intent of helping schools reopen safely and serve their students.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 121,000 teachers , faculty members and support staff at schools across the Buckeye State , applauded the NAACP ’ s efforts .
“ The CARES Act funding was intended to help lower income students who have been disproportionately hurt by the pandemic , whether they attended public or private schools , ” Scott DiMauro , president of OEA said in a statement to The Center Square .
“ The original rules for the disbursement of CARES Act funding were meant to ensure the money would be divided fairly and effectively based on where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , Betsy DeVos ’ unconscionable rule-change would wrongly siphon critical money from local public schools to boost her pet-project private and charter schools , ” DiMauro added .
Todd DeFeo is a contributor to The Center Square .