thetennesseestar--2020-08-28--Carol Swain and Michael Patrick Leahy Discuss Virginia and Thomas Jefferson’s Lineage

Live from Music Row Thursday 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 Dr. Carol Swain to the studio .
During the second hour , Swain discussed the decline of her home state of Virginia at the hand of the Democrats .
She also commented about how the Left loves science unless it doesn ’ t prove whatever narrative they are pushing out there such as former President Thomas Jefferson ’ s genealogy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a slave .
Leahy : Thursday is my favorite day of the week .
Why is that ?
Because I ’ m joined most Thursday ’ s at 6:30 by the all-star panelist , good friend , a former professor at Vanderbilt and Princeton and formal mayoral candidate Carol Swain .
Swain : Good morning Michael and Tennessee Star Report listeners .
I miss you all too when I ’ m not here .
Leahy : We ’ ve got to have you here every Thursday .
We miss you .
Tell us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been ?
Swain : Where have I been ?
I spoke at the Council of National Policy .
Swain : It is a big deal .
I was on the big stage .
Leahy : You were on the big stage !
That ’ s been around for a decade .
And its where all the big thinking conservatives and very influential people attend that .
Swain : Well based on the comments and the reaction it was a very successful presentation .
I was told I knocked the ball out of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( Laughs ) Leahy : Our listeners Carol know that you are a star .
They ’ ve known that for some time .
Swain : Well you know my view is a little bit different from many of the people that are out there speaking .
And so I think the sense was that I was hitting some things that needed to be addressed .
Leahy : How many people were at this event ?
And where was it held ?
Swain : It was held in D.C. And I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it seemed like more .
Leahy : Was it like at a big hotel or a big well-known hotel ?
Swain : It was a hotel that opened up just for us .
Leahy : Really ?
( Swain chuckles ) This is what a big deal it is .
Swain : But I ’ m not supposed to tell all the details .
Leahy : You can ’ t tell the details .
Swain : I think Wikipedia says that the National Council on Policy is a secret society that is trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theological society .
Theocratic .
Leahy : Yeah .
You know .
But Wikipedia , I mean c ’ mon .
Wikipedia ?
Swain : No , I ’ m saying people that have come out of CNP .
There is a whole list of conservatives over the years that have gone through CNP .
And it ’ s a group that you can ’ t join and you have to be invited to be a member .
So I ’ ve calm a long way since Bedford County , Virginia .
Leahy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learned a little something about this .
Those that listen know we ’ ve done a little genealogical research about your background .
And your great , great , great grandfather was a man named Thomas Jefferson who we think lived about from 1801 to 1870 .
So that Thomas Jefferson was not necessarily the Thomas Jefferson .
Well , he was not the Thomas Jefferson .
But we are wondering if he was related to Thomas Jefferson .
I think you did a little bit of investigative work over the last couple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Swain : I visited Monticello and doing the presentations , what I learned is that most of the slaves were housed in I think Poplar Forest , Virginia which is in Bedford County .
Leahy : Which is where you are from .
Swain : That ’ s where I am from .
But the side of the family that had Thomas Jefferson as an ancestor they were from Rockbridge County .
Leahy : Oh yeah , that ’ s right .
It ’ s very close but in different counties .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rockbridge County to Bedford .
Leahy : So there is a group that we are looking at for the origin of this Thomas Jefferson .
Your great , great great grandfather .
Swain : The Giddings Project or something like that ?
Leahy : We are going to be looking into that .
And you have something very interesting to talk about .
Swain : Here is what I feel about Virginia .
I love my state and as a child , I was proud to be a Virginian because that was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Booker T. Washington and his impact on the nation .
Leahy : Wasn ’ t he born in Bedford County also ?
Or close to ?
Swain : It was very close .
About 10 miles away .
So my state is so rich with history and I don ’ t like what the Democrats are doing to it at this point in time .
They are destroying Virginia .
Leahy : And you know we launched The Virginia Star on August 17 ?
So we have The Virginia Star now .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ listeners to get behind a congressional candidate named Bob Good .
Leahy : Oh , Bob Good is good .
Isn ’ t that the fifth district ?
Swain : It ’ s the fifth district and it includes the part of Virginia of where I was born and raised .
Leahy : From all accounts , he ’ s a really strong conservative candidate .
Swain : He is and he defeated a Republican RINO that officiated at a gay wedding .
Leahy : What was that guy ’ s name ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t he ?
Swain : He was an older guy too .
He was clearly someone that infiltrated the Republican Party .
Swain : He didn ’ t share the views of Republicans when it comes to the family .
Leahy : In the beginning , he represented himself as a conservative .
Swain : They do it all the time .
All they have to say is Jesus .
That ’ s all you have to say to get some votes .
Leahy : Absolutely on that .
What I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this yourself .
The third President of the United States Thomas Jefferson born in 1743 and died in 1846 .
He built the beautiful Monticello .
And there has been a historical controversy there .
His first wife died .
And then the half-sister of his first wife was a slave by the name of Sally Hemmings .
The general belief has come to be subsequently and its the official position of Monticello even though you looked into the DNA and it ’ s not quite there .
The official position is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ father of three or four of her children ?
Swain : They present it as a fact that he fathered four of her children .
But the DNA shows a link with only one child .
I think the older one .
Leahy : So there is only a DNA link to one of those four children to the Jefferson line .
Not necessarily Thomas Jefferson .
Swain : And here ’ s the interesting things .
The Left loves science unless it doesn ’ t prove whatever narrative they are pushing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ want Thomas Jefferson ’ s DNA to prove that he fathered all of these children with a slave woman and then you do the DNA analysis and it doesn ’ t support the narrative .
And what does the Left and politically correct people do ?
They continue with the narrative .
So I thin its problematic that we allow them to get away with that .
And then at Monticello that they would present it as fact when the evidence doesn ’ t back it up .
Leahy : As you know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But I looked at that .
And the official report at Monticello ironically asserts that he did father the children .
Swain : And you know why ?
Because with this political correctness and this Marxist ideology and critical theory the oral narrative from the slaves says that .
And that trumps the DNA evidence .
Leahy : That ’ s a very clever use of words there .
Swain : But I mean it does .
Then there is going to be this new controversy about George Floyd ’ s death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer ?
Or did he die of a drug overdose ?
Leahy : There is a report from the medical examiner that the cause of death that I saw this report just the other day was that the cause of death was a drug overdose .
Swain : Here is the thing that was shocking .
The doctors hired by the family did not look at the medical report basically and that they went by the video .
I mean all of us sat there and saw the video .
They did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t do any science .
And I feel like Benjamin Crump and those doctors should be held accountable for a lot of the violence and this narrative that ’ s out there that made it seem clear cut murder right before our eyes .
And people are framing this writing books and articles that a man was murdered before our eyes when the evidence suggests that he wasn ’ t .
And their autopsy did not prove that he was murdered .
Leahy : Back on the DNA science with Thomas Jefferson what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s OK. Our audience loves the way your brain moves Carol .
( Swain giggles ) But back on the Jefferson DNA .
About 10 years ago they had a big committee at Monticello .
Leahy : And the majority report said absolutely .
But the minority report written by a guy who followed the science was this .
Sorry guys the DNA simply shows that one of the children of Sally Hemmings did descend from the broad Jefferson line .
But there is no way you can prove it was Thomas Jefferson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It could have been his nephew .
It could have been somebody else in that line close to Jefferson .
That ’ s what the DNA shows .
Swain : I just think we have made such a mistake in this country by not recording truth that we make the truth whatever is politically correct .
Listen to the full second 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 @ @ @


thetennesseestar--2020-08-28--More Than 20,000 Coronavirus Cases Have Been Counted at Colleges Since Late July: Report

Colleges across the United States have reported more than 20,000 coronavirus cases since late July , according to The New York Times .
At least 26,000 cases and 64 deaths have been reported from more than 1,500 colleges since the pandemic started , according to the Times survey of reported cases at U.S. universities .
The University of Alabama at Birmingham had the highest number of reported cases at 972 total , according to The Times , but the school claims this number is misleading because it includes reported cases from the medical school and university hospital .
The university @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data could be misleading because it combines cases among non-clinical students and staff with cases at the medical school and hospital , which has treated 1,100 coronavirus cases in 2020 .
At Birmingham ’ s clinical enterprise , 733 faculty and staff have tested positive for the virus and 148 students and 91 faculty and staff at the rest of the university have tested positive since the pandemic began , according to the statement .
Including the University of Alabama at Birmingham , the Times said the data from 16 schools included cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in health care and are at greater risk of exposure.
” Colleges and universities across the U.S. are taking extra precautions in order to prevent the virus from spreading .
At the Ohio State University , 228 students were temporarily suspended for breaching social-distancing COVID-19 protocols , according to news outlet Cleveland.com .
Of the universities that responded to the Times , 150 reported no cases and at least 600 did not or declined to respond to the survey , the Times reported .
The Times found data for several colleges online .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ colleges , campuses should not be compared , according to the Times .
Mary Rose Corkery is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .

by Peter Hasson
Twenty-eight congressional Democrats signed a letter Wednesday condemning the Department of Education for ruling that public schools that allow biological males who identify as transgender to play girls’ sports are violating Title IX civil rights legislation.
Democratic Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal joined 27 House Democrats in signing the letter, which charged that the department’s order “discriminates against transgender youth” by restricting girls’ sports to biological females.
“The decision of the Department of Education to issue a determination targeting transgender student athletes on the eve of Pride Month is not coincidental. It is a transparent example of their campaign against the rights and dignity of LGBTQ+ children,” Connecticut Rep. Jahana Hayes, the letter’s lead signer, said in a press release.
The DOE on May 15 issued a ruling stating that public schools that allow biological males into girls’ athletics are violating Title IX, which protects women’s access to education and athletics.
The Department of Justice previously backed a lawsuit filed by high school girls in Connecticut who said the liberal state’s transgender policies violated their rights.
Sports across the country are on hold due to the novel coronavirus, but biological males who identify as transgender have previously racked up accomplishments in female athletics.
Franklin Pierce University runner CeCe Telfer, for example, won an NCAA DII women’s track championship in May 2019. Telfer is a biological male who identifies as transgender.
University of Montana runner June Eastwood, a biological male who identifies as a transgender woman, was named the Big Sky Conference’s female athlete of the week in October 2019. Both Eastwood and Telfer previously competed on their university’s men’s team before switching to the women’s team.
Rachel McKinnon, a biological male who identifies as transgender, won women’s cycling world championships in both 2018 and 2019.
Wednesday’s letter isn’t the first instance of Democratic politicians arguing in favor of allowing biological males into female athletics.
Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar in February 2019 called for an investigation into USA Powerlifting for barring biologically male athletes from women’s events.
A piece of Democratic legislation called the Equality Act, which passed the House with unanimous support from Democrats, would require schools to allow biologically male athletes into girls’ sports, if the male athletes identify as transgender.
Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, pledged to get the Equality Act passed into law within his first 100 days in office, if he wins the November election.
“Transgender equality is the civil rights issue of our time,” Biden wrote in a January tweet. “There is no room for compromise when it comes to basic human rights.”
– – –
Peter Hasson is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.


thetennesseestar--2020-08-28--Minneapolis Calls in National Guard to Stop Rioting

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announced Wednesday evening that the city asked the National Guard to assist in the unrest and rioting occurring on the streets of Minneapolis .
Minneapolis will also have a curfew that is going into effect immediately , KSTP reported .
“ What we ’ re calling for right now is peace , ” Frey said at a Wednesday press conference , according to the publication .
“ What we ’ re calling for right now is for people to return to their homes.
” The publication reports that Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo told those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to contact any loved ones who live downtown and tell them to immediately leave the area .
“ This is not an officer-related incident , ” the police chief said .
“ We ’ re compounding more tragedy by the destruction and folks wanting to do harm to our communities in our downtown sector this evening.
” He added , “ This is my city .
We will not tolerate that.
” The unrest comes after a murder suspect committed suicide as police approached him , according to the Minneapolis Police Department .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ committed suicide as police approached them at 8th & Nicollet , ” the Minneapolis Police tweeted Wednesday .
“ No officer weapons were fired .
This is a tragedy for our community that is still hurting .
Our condolences go to the families of the victims.
” *WARNING : This video contains graphic images* This evening , a murder suspect committed suicide as police approached them at 8th & Nicollet .
No officer weapons were fired .
This is a tragedy for our community that is still hurting .
Our condolences go to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mary Margaret Olohan is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-28--Carol Swain Compares the Themes of the Republican and Democratic Conventions

Live from Music Row Thursday 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 , Dr. Carol Swain , to the studio .
At the end of the second hour , Swain gave her opinion on the Republican congressional candidates Bob Good and Kimberly Klacik and offered her opinion on the differences between the Democratic and the Republican Conventions .
Leahy : And that ’ s South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem .
She ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t imposed any of these draconian executive orders to shut down the economy .
She ’ s a rising star .
Did you watch her ?
Swain : She spoke at CNP the Council of National Policy as well .
And she is quite impressive .
Leahy : When you look at these things and these conventions and you ’ re always looking at four years down the pike .
Leahy : What do you think ?
Does she have the star power even though she ’ s from the tiny state of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has the star power .
She ’ s a clear leader and she ’ s making a difference .
Leahy : Those are all good things .
But I hear that the crowd liked Carol Swain even more at that event .
Swain : I don ’ t know about that but I think the word should be that I was humbled by the fact that I was finally on the big stage .
Swain : Yes .
And I have been part of the break out sessions at CNP .
But it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : You were on the main stage .
You deserve it .
( Swain giggles ) Our listeners will agree .
Carol Swain deserves to be on the main stage .
Swain : I was nominated to speak at the RNC but I didn ’ t make the cut .
But God knows .
I had already committed to campaign for Bob Good .
So if the RNC would have contacted me I would have to have made a choice .
I ’ m glad I was in Virginia .
And I want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bobgoodforcongress.com .
That ’ s Bob Good for Congress and contribute something because the Republican Good is underfunded and the Democrat is a Black Democrat that worked with Obama has $ 2 million .
There is no reason why the Democrats should have all that money .
And a Republican in a Republican-leaning district that Republicans have held he ’ s scrambling around for money .
Leahy : Yes .
And by the way , we ’ ve talked about our company .
We own The Tennessee Star , The Michigan Star , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Star .
We have our first affiliate .
The Virginia Star is based in Richmond , Virginia .
It launched on August 17 .
Swain : Why not Roanoke ?
It ’ s closer to my home town .
I have connections in Roanoke .
Leahy : Our philosophy is to put our news organizations in the state capitol .
Leahy : And John Fredericks who is the owner of The Virginia Star and our affiliate in Virginia .
I ’ m sure you ’ ve been on his show in the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good guy .
And he ’ s really plugged in on Virginia .
And I know he ’ s supporting Bob Good .
He ’ s had him on the program there .
Leahy : I ’ d be interested in your reaction to this .
Some people watched the Democratic National Convention the week before and nowhere is the Republican National Convention .
I hear the ratings are much higher .
Leahy : There is a report that the CSPAN live stream was six times greater than the Democratic National Convention .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ two .
For our audience , why don ’ t you describe and compare the Republican National Convention theme with the Democratic National Convention theme ?
Swain : Well , I did not sit around my TV watching the Democrats .
I got snippets of them and it was just more of the same .
They hate America .
They want to destroy us .
They are behind everything that is bad in America .
When I watch the Republicans I feel like we have our nation back .
And I see our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I believe there is hope .
And I think the American people need encouragement .
They need the messages that they have been presented with from the RNC .
And so I would give the RNC planners an A-plus even though I was not selected to be a speaker .
They get an A-plus because they have done a great job of encouraging Americans at a time when we need it .
Leahy : I ’ ll give them an A-minus because they didn ’ t put you on .
If they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give them an A-plus .
( Laughs ) Swain : No .
They get an A-plus .
One of the things that you really learn as a Christian is that it is not about you .
God knows exactly where you are supposed to be and how .
The time is always perfect .
And I like the fact that Jesus Christ was lifted up by many of the speakers .
And the Republican Party is the party that traditionally has been dedicated to God , family , and nation .
And that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to ask you about another Republican candidate for Congress .
Kim Klacik running in Maryland ’ s seventh district .
That ’ s a district that was previously represented by the late Elijah Cummings .
He passed away .
There was a special election .
She ran against Kweisi Mfume who represented that district for about a decade before .
Swain : Is he one that had about five , six , 10 , 11 kids that were illegitimate ?
How many was it ?
Leahy : Quite a few .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Congress in ’ 86 .
Swain : He was one of the members of Congress when I wrote my first book , I did not travel around with him but was aware of his stances .
Leahy : He ’ s the traditional left-wing , systemic racism promoter kind of guy .
And kind of a tired ideology I think .
And Kim Klacik is running against him .
She had a viral video .
Did you see the video ?
Swain : I did .
And she ’ s very attractive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leahy : Now you are a fashion maven .
Swain : Yeah .
But I don ’ t look like that .
I don ’ t have a weave .
I don ’ t have a low cut dress .
And I ’ m not so sexy .
( Chuckles ) Leahy : I think her trademark was her red shoes .
Swain : Well , my trademark is my red suit .
Leahy : There you go .
( Laughter ) Listen to the full second hour here : Tune in weekdays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-28--Analysis: Beware of ‘Fact Checkers’

Analysis: Beware of ‘Fact Checkers’

We live in an age in which information is far more accessible than ever before in human history .
However , so is misinformation .
How can we sort out one from other ?
Well , some people who call themselves “ fact checkers ” claim to have the answer .
They say , “ Trust us.
” But all-too-often , they fail to get even basic facts correct .
Let ’ s look at three prime examples .
See if you notice a common thread between them .
Late during the Supreme Court nomination hearings for Brett Kavanaugh , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the media began publishing many “ facts ” about such crimes .
These supposedly showed that only a tiny portion of sexual assault allegations are false , giving the clear message that Kavanaugh ’ s accusers are probably telling the truth .
That ’ s when a “ fact checker ” called Snopes stepped in and reported that “ the most recent and credible research on this topic suggests that around 5 % of rape or sexual assault allegations are false.
” Snopes writer Alex Kasprak based this claim mainly on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the meta-analysis doesn ’ t say this .
Instead , it states that “ at least 5 % ” of such accusation are “ confirmed false reports ” and “ potentially many more false report cases ” exist .
In fact , the meta-analysis lists four different studies of “ suspected ” false allegations and “ found false reporting rates above 40 % .
” Surely , Snopes knows that the words “ at least 5 % and potentially many more ” don ’ t mean “ around 5 % .
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same Snopes article slanders Mississippi state senator Chris McDaniel by claiming that he said “ 99 % of rape allegations from women are false.
” McDaniel didn ’ t say that .
He was speaking about accusations dredged up by the “ American left ” at politically opportune times many years after the alleged incidents occurred .
He was not talking about all sex assault cases , and no competent , honest journalist could twist his words in the manner that Snopes did .
In the final presidential debate between Hillary Clinton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ half of all ” illegal immigrants in the U.S. “ actually pay federal income tax.
” A Pulitzer Prize-winning fact check organization named PolitiFact looked into Clinton ’ s claim and reported : “ While there is no official figure , experts estimate that about half of all undocumented workers pay federal income taxes , if not more.
” In reality , the polar opposite is true .
Data from the IRS , the Social Security Administration , and the Congressional Budget Office show that roughly half of illegal immigrants file federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them pay federal income taxes .
Instead , they file these returns to claim refundable child tax credits , which give them cash welfare payments for every child they have .
Are we supposed to believe that PolitiFact doesn ’ t understand that “ paying income taxes ” is not the same as “ filing tax returns to get welfare ” ?
Well after Obamacare was signed into law , the Congressional Budget Office estimated that it would reduce the size of the U.S. workforce by about 2.3 million full-time workers .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previous estimate .
As this negative news spread , the Washington Post ’ s head fact checker , Glenn Kessler , put a positive spin on it by claiming that this decline in workers “ initially would lead to higher wages as employers competed to hire people.
” In direct contradiction this , the same Congressional Budget Office report that Kessler cited says that the Affordable Care Act will cause “ reductions in wages or other compensation.
” Moreover , it explains that these wage reductions are among the main reasons why Obamacare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Since Obamacare cuts the money that people earn from working , less people will be willing to work .
Even a child can read a report that say “ wages will decline ” and know that it doesn ’ t mean “ wages will rise.
” Why can ’ t the Washington Post ’ s head fact checker or his editor do that ?
This is same media outlet that ran a Super Bowl ad praising journalists for empowering the public , helping us make good decisions , and keeping us free .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ bell and inexcusable under basic standards of honesty .
Worse still , when I brought these blatant falsehoods to the attention of these so-called fact checkers , not one of them made a correction .
So what ’ s the common thread here ?
They all mislead in ways that support progressive political agendas .
This is not a coincidence .
I ’ ve examined countless fact checks that are rife with deceit , and in nearly every case , it ’ s the same story : They mangle the truth in ways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they do this ?
I can ’ t read their minds , but this can only boil down to two factors : incompetence and/or dishonesty .
James D. Agresti is the president of Just Facts , a think tank dedicated to publishing rigorously documented facts about public policy issues .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-28--Carol Swain: ‘There Are People in the Black and White Communities Hoping to Ignite a Race War’

Live from Music Row Thursday 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 , Dr. Carol Swain , to the studio .
During the second hour , Swain weighed in on the recent incident in Philadelphia where a Black woman punched a White woman during church service .
She interpreted this and the reporting on the incident in Philadelphia of one that is encouraged by both Black and White people to help ignite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ am in the studio here on Music Row with our good friend Carol Swain .
Good morning Carol .
Leahy : We are always glad to have you back .
Our listeners are upset .
The rhythm of life is disrupted when you are not here on Thursday .
Swain : I ’ m happy to be here .
Leahy : I need to get your response to some of these things .
In the two weeks , you ’ ve been gone the world has gotten crazier .
It ’ s gotten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agree .
And the Democrats are just… Swain : They have lost their cotton-picking minds .
I ’ m Black .
I can say cotton-picking minds .
You can say it too but I know you don ’ t have the courage .
Cotton picking minds .
( Leahy laughs ) Leahy : I ’ ve just got to read some of these headlines at The Tennessee Star .
The tennesseestar.com .
Here is the headline .
Woman Who Punched Philadelphia Church Goer Will Not be Charged Police Say .
There is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ church walking down the middle of the aisle .
Next to her is a Black woman wearing a mask .
And you can see the fist of the Black woman coming out like inches away from connecting with the face of the White woman .
Swain : Did she actually make contact ?
Leahy : Oh yeah .
Oh yeah .
Let me continue and read the story .
The Philadelphia Police Department deferred charges against the woman who punched it says had said punched an unsuspected churchgoer during Catholic mass on Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspect who they identified Monday because of her mental health issues The Philadelphia Inquirer reported .
The decision was made with Catholic officials and the Philadelphia District Attorney ’ s Office .
Swain : What about the woman that was punched ?
She may have forgiven the woman and decided not to press charges but that ’ s very different if she decided not to press charges .
Swain : But it didn ’ t say that .
Leahy : Well , let me read the rest of the story .
This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The district attorney is not prosecuting any rioter doing anything bad .
Swain : Here is the thing .
Do you remember in 2002 I published a book called The New White Nationalism in America : Its Challenge to Integration ?
Maybe the book was mistitled because White people think its picking on them .
It wasn ’ t picking on them .
It was about what was taking place in our country and where we were headed .
There were people in the Black and White community that are really hoping to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems to me that the way the Democrats and the way the Left are handling these incidents where White people are attacked by Blacks and they are not prosecuting .
They are not giving it attention .
They seem to me that they are trying to ignite greater racial tensions .
And they are making everyone unsafe .
It ’ s unsafe when I walk down the street because I might encounter someone that ’ s upset about one of these incidents and they want to retaliate .
Leahy : Let me read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ ll get to what ’ s going on in Minneapolis .
More craziness there .
“ Since this incident has not been referred to our office for prosecution , it would be inappropriate for us to comment further.
” A Philadelphia spokesperson said according to The Inquirer .
The incident occurred at The Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul were captured on the church ’ s live stream .
In this video , the woman wearing a green sweatshirt can be seen waiting at the front pews as electors read passages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then punched one of the electors twice as several bystanders including the priest who celebrated the mass looked on .
Finally , the woman yelled something that can not be heard on the video as the victim of the punch kept walking and the other elector ran away .
What that report from The Philadelphia Inquirer does not say is that the attacker was a Black woman wearing a mask and the victim is a White woman .
Swain : There are all sorts of things that ’ s wrong .
One the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so the priest should have come and taken authority over the demon inside of that woman that attacked this innocent person .
So the Church could have handled it that way if the woman was deranged as she obviously was .
And even if you have a mental illness you are supposed to get charged with a crime if you commit one .
And then the judge can decide whether or not you need to go to a mental hospital or a regular jail .
Leahy : Here ’ s the other story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after police released a video of homicide suspect apparently taking his own life .
This is crazy .
Swain : Everything is the police ’ s fault .
No individual has any responsibility for what they do .
You didn ’ t like what I said about the exorcism in the Catholic Church .
I thought it was rather clever myself .
( Giggles ) Leahy : I was neutral on that one .
( Laughter ) Listen to the full third hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-28--American CEO of TikTok Resigns Amid Trump Pressure on Chinese-Owned App

TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer resigned from the Chinese-owned application after less than four months on the job , CNN reported Thursday morning .
“ The role that I signed up for — including running TikTok globally — will look very different as a result of the US Administration ’ s action to push for a sell off of the US business , ” Mayer said in memo to employees obtained by CNN .
“ I ’ ve always been globally focused in my work , and leading a global team that includes TikTok US was a big draw for me.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump threatens to ban the app if parent company , ByteDance , doesn ’ t sell it to an American institution .
“ Against this backdrop , and as we expect to reach a resolution very soon , it is with a heavy heart that I wanted to let you all know that I have decided to leave the company , ” said Mayer , who was hired in May after leaving an executive position at Disney .
“ We appreciate that the political dynamics of the last few months have significantly changed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role would be going forward , ” a TikTok representative said in a statement to CNN .
TikTok filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration Monday alleging Trump ’ s Aug. 6 executive order that would ban the app was not made with national security concerns in mind .
TikTok laid out many of the app ’ s primary legal complaints in a blog post , claiming the ban violates the company ’ s constitutional rights .
Trump signed a pair of executive orders Aug. 6 prohibiting individuals from communicating with the social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ByteDance , after 45 days .
The orders bar “ any transaction by any person , or with respect to any property , subject to the jurisdiction of the United States , ” with ByteDance and Tencent Holdings , the parent company of WeChat .
The president extended the timeline in an Aug. 14 order , giving the app 90 days instead of 45 days for ByteDance to divest from TikTok before being banned , the Verge reported .
Some lawmakers and American officials believe the app is a threat to national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The president suggested on Aug. 3 that he is open to the idea of Microsoft purchasing the upstart Chinese company , so long as the acquisition comes by Sept. 15 .
Twitter and Oracle have also expressed an interest in buying the app ’ s U.S. operations , media reports show .
It ’ s a “ huge setback for the company , ” Edith Yeung , a major investor who has experience investing in Chinese companies , told CNN , referring to Mayer ’ s resignation .
“ [ A ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most critical time for a company , ” said Yeung , a partner with Race Capital , which invests primarily in US firms , according to CNN .
Vanessa Pappas , the former YouTube executive who joined TikTok in 2019 , will serve as interim head for TikTok globally , CNN reported , citing Mayer ’ s memo .
Chris White is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-28--AP Source: NBA Players Decide to Continue Season at Disney

LAKE BUENA VISTA , Florida ( AP ) — A person with knowledge of the situation says NBA players decided Thursday that they want to continue the season , coming to that consensus one day after three postseason games were postponed in a protest of racial injustice .
It was not clear yet when the season would resume , according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the league nor the National Basketball Players Association had announced anything publicly .
The NBA ’ s board of governors were meeting separately Thursday to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games on Thursday ’ s schedule , and the league did not immediately say if they would be pushed back .
But with the players exiting their meeting around noon , and the first game of the tripleheader scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. Eastern , it seemed most unlikely that the day ’ s slate would not be disrupted .
One potential remedy for the schedule , the person said , was to play the three games that were postponed Wednesday on Friday , and the three games scheduled for Thursday on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decided .
Starting with the Milwaukee Bucks , who refused to take the court for their game Wednesday against the Orlando Magic , players from six teams made the extraordinary decisions to protest the shooting by police in Kenosha , Wisconsin on Sunday of Jacob Blake , a Black man , apparently in the back while three of his children looked on .
Kenosha is about 40 miles south of Milwaukee .
NBA players didn ’ t come to Disney solely for a restart to their season .
They also wanted social reform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of which followed the NBA ’ s lead Wednesday by calling off games .
Some NFL teams did the same Thursday , choosing not to practice .
It followed a similar pattern as what happened in March : The NBA was the first league to shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic , and other sports followed then as well .
“ The biggest thing that we all understand is if we ’ re not playing , what are we doing ?
What are we doing to show and to help what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
” Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams said , shortly before the Bucks were scheduled to tip off their game against the Magic .
Instead , the Bucks players remained in the locker room , finally emerging hours later to read a statement demanding action from lawmakers and encouraging voting by citizens .
They changed the narrative across the entire sports landscape , putting the focus squarely on social justice reform in protest of the shooting of Blake .
While players and teams from baseball , the WNBA and MLS sat out their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coaches met for nearly three hours in a Disney hotel to determine next steps , including whether the season should continue .
They did not come to a consensus , a person with knowledge of the meeting told AP on condition of anonymity because details weren ’ t revealed publicly .
More talks took place in the early hours of Thursday , followed by the player meeting that morning to decide to continue the season .
The Western & Southern Open won ’ t be played Thursday , with the U.S. Tennis Association @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tours , announcing play would be paused after two-time Grand Slam women ’ s champion Naomi Osaka had already said she wouldn ’ t play her semifinal match .
“ I don ’ t expect anything drastic to happen with me not playing , but if I can get a conversation started in a majority white sport I consider that a step in the right direction , ” Osaka tweeted .
“ Watching the continued genocide of Black people at the hand of the police is honestly making me sick to my stomach.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ NBA players wrestled for weeks about whether it was even right to play , fearing that a return to games would take attention off the deaths of , among others , Breonna Taylor and George Floyd in recent months .
They ultimately decided coming to the bubble and playing televised games would give them the largest platform , though now at least some are wondering if that ’ s still true .
It appears now they will find out if that ’ s the case .
Brian Mahoney and Tim Reynolds are reporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Headline Photo : An empty court and bench are shown following the scheduled start time of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series , Wednesday , Aug. 26 , 2020 , in Lake Buena Vista , Fla. All three NBA playoff games scheduled for Wednesday were postponed , with players around the league choosing to boycott in their strongest statement yet against racial injustice .
( Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP )


thetennesseestar--2020-08-28--Minneapolis Riots Reignite After Video Release of Homicide Suspect’s Death

The video of a Black homicide suspect ’ s death reignited riots in Minneapolis on Wednesday .
His identity has not been disclosed .
Rumor spread quickly that a police officer who drew his weapon moments prior to the incident was really the one who shot the man , according to KTSP .
The Minneapolis Police Department ( MPD ) tweeted a street camera video to stop the rumor .
In it , the suspect heads into a street corner with a gun .
Bystanders flee as he proceeds to face a wall and fire the gun into his own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their original post of the video .
The suspect died while evading arrest for a deadly shooting in a parking garage earlier that day .
Two other suspects – a man and a woman – weren ’ t at the scene .
Officers later apprehended the female suspect .
Even after police released the footage of the probable suicide , belief that police shot and killed the suspect reignited riots throughout downtown Minneapolis .
Rioters set fires , looted stores and malls , setting a landscape similar to the first Floyd riots downtown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been arrested .
“ Minneapolis , it ’ s time to heal .
We must rebuild and recover .
Dangerous , unlawful behavior will not be tolerated , ” the governor tweeted .
“ The State Patrol is headed to Minneapolis to help restore order .
I remain in close contact with the city and every state resource stands ready to help bring peace.
” Not long after Walz deployed the Minnesota National Guard , he warned citizens that anyone downtown after curfew would be arrested .
Certain city leaders said though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were still to blame for the public ’ s reaction .
City council member Jeremiah Ellison ( Ward 5 ) said that the previous night ’ s riots are “ proof ” that the city does not have a trustworthy public safety system .
“ MPD did not kill him , but people assuming they did is rooted in a steep distrust .
That distrust is our failure to own .
Seeing windows broken and items stolen can be beyond frustrating , especially when all that rage was sparked ( this time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ But so often our policing institutions have themselves been the source of misinformation .
We forfeited our goodwill and this is the ugly cost.
” Mayor Jacob Frey issued a four-hour press conference Thursday morning .
In addition to status reports of the city ’ s damages , all speakers agreed that the rioters ’ behavior was not only unacceptable , but unjustified .
“ We are no longer going to tolerate lawlessness , ” said Chief of Police Medaria Arradondo .
“ We can no longer have productive , real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relations , about peace and policing .
We can ’ t have that when we have individuals who try to hijack the narrative.
” Frey has declared a 72-hour state of emergency , after which the Minneapolis City Council will determine whether to extend or terminate the order .
Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Minnesota Sun and the Star News Network .
Follow her latest on Twitter , or email tips to [ email protected ] .
Photo “ Shooting Video ” by The New York Post .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-28--Dems Again Blast Secretary of State LaRose Over Postage for Ballots

State Democrats are again blasting Secretary of State Frank LaRose after the state Controlling Board did not hear his request for authority to pay return postage for absentee ballots .
Last week , LaRose said he wanted to use up to $ 3 million to pay for postage for absentee ballots cast in November ’ s election .
In May , following the much-maligned primary , LaRose made several recommendations to state lawmakers , including allocating general revenue fund ( GRF ) dollars to cover the cost of postage for absentee ballots .
However , state lawmakers did not act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really breeding confusion .
Don ’ t throw out promises that you can ’ t keep , ” state Rep. Paula Hicks-Hudson , D-Toledo , said in a statement .
“ That is exactly the kind of thing that created so much confusion during our primary .
“ LaRose is weeks away from sending ballot applications to Ohio voters without the return postage that should be included , ” Hicks-Hudson added .
“ I don ’ t know if we are where we are because of GOP infighting or GOP collusion but , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ohioans who stand to lose.
” LaRose plans to come back to the Controlling Board in mid-September .
A spokesperson for LaRose did not immediately respond to requests for comment .
In recent weeks , Democrats and Republicans in Ohio have sparred about absentee ballots and voting by mail , mirroring their respective national counterparts ’ talking points .
Democrats previously said LaRose already has Controlling Board approval to use federal Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security ( CARES ) Act funding for postage .
In 2016 , 1.2 million Ohioans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and LaRose has told boards of elections across the Buckeye State they should expect that number to double this year .
Despite asking for $ 3 million , election officials do not think the total cost for postage will exceed $ 2 million .
Meanwhile , state Rep. Thomas West , D-Canton , sent a letter to Gov .
Mike DeWine asking him to consider deploying members of the Ohio National Guard to work as poll workers if local boards of elections have difficulty recruiting workers .
“ For those Ohioans who choose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is absolutely crucial that we ensure our polling locations are adequately staffed .
We must consider all options at our disposal to ensure that happens , ” West said in a news release .
“ As we continue to monitor poll worker staffing levels for our counties , I hope the governor will take this suggestion under careful consideration.
” Todd Defeo is a contributor to The Center Square .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-28--Prison Union Calls for Removal of Michigan Prison Director for Coronavirus Response

A union representing Michigan prison officers has called for the removal of Corrections Department Director Heidi Washington due to the state ’ s handling of the coronavirus pandemic inside prisons .
According to a letter obtained by the Detroit Free Press , the Michigan Corrections Organization says it has lost confidence in Michigan leadership .
“ The Michigan Corrections Organization will be submitting a vote of no confidence to the Michigan Legislature and governor ’ s office regarding your continued appointment as Director , ” union president Byron Osborn said in the letter .
“ We believe that we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with you on issues and offer solutions .
Unfortunately , we are at a point where the current work conditions are unacceptable for our members.
” Osborn specifically cited unsafe staffing levels , refusal to grant paid leave for mandatory quarantine periods , failure to extend hazard pay and a refusal to accurately report prisoner disturbances , among other reasons , according to the Detroit Free Press .
Osborn also criticized the department ’ s media spokesperson for “ making reckless comments in the media placing blame on employees for introducing the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a failure to use a new wellness unit to address high numbers of mental health issues among employees .
Whitmer said in April that she has “ great confidence ” in Washington and other corrections officers .
The state prison system has seen more than 5,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 69 deaths , according to data from the Michigan Department of Corrections .
The state has tested more than 37,000 prisoners and received more than 32,000 negative tests .
The system has more than 37,000 prisoners in it , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was appointed as the department ’ s director in 2015 , under then-Gov .
Rick Snyder .
She was re-appointed by Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer in 2018 .
Jordyn Pair is a reporter at The Michigan Star and Star News Digital Media .
Follow her on Twitter at @ JordynPair .
Email her at [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-08-28--Michigan Taxpayers to Foot Major Portion of $20 Million Lincoln Motor Co. Redevelopment

Bruce Walker is a regional editor at The Center Square .
He previously worked as editor at the Mackinac Center @ @ @ @ @ MichiganScience magazine and The Heartland Institute ’ s InfoTech & Telecom News .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-28--Senate Advances Bill on Election Voting Provisions after Nearly Two Hours of Debate on Amendments

RICHMOND , Virginia – The Senate advanced House Bill ( HB ) 5120 , sponsored by Sen. Janet Howell ( D-Fairfax County ) , to its third and final reading after spending more than half of the three hour session debating Thursday morning .
The topic which garnered the most discussion during the session was not the bill itself , however , rather one of the multiple amendments within Howell ’ s legislation .
Specifically , the floor amendment from Sen. Stephen Newman ( R-Roanoke County ) , which provides that mailed absentee ballots should be returned by mail to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the voter in person to the registrar or a drop-off box location , or by commercial delivery service The primary debate over the amendment centered on the requirement that if a voter does not want to use the mail they must drop off their absentee ballot in person , instead of allowing a family member or someone else .
Most Senate Republicans backed the amendment while their colleagues across the aisle did not .
So many members spoke in favor and opposition and responded to points from other Senators that the core @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost at times .
“ First , I believe that if we do not make the floor amendment today , we are going to have fraud in the election , I think that is pure and simple , ” Newman said during his opening statement .
“ Number two , we will make a leap that we , in this General Assembly , have never made when it comes to the Privileges and Elections Committee when it comes to this floor or the House of Delegates and that is : we will for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ custody between a voter and the ballot box.
” Newman continued by expressing doubts on whether the drop-off boxes will work , if the boxes were safe from someone attempting to destroy ballots and if the costs of the boxes are worth the effort .
While Senate Republicans largely focused on the potential for voter fraud and ballot harvesting by third party groups , Democrats brought up the fact that 30 other states already use drop-off boxes , raised concerns about older or disabled people that require assistance to go outside and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am not willing to put a provision in place that puts yet another barrier in the place of already vulnerable people to exercise the right to vote , ” said Sen. Jennifer McClellan ( D-Henrico County ) .
The amendment was not adopted by an initial voice vote , but eight Senators immediately raised their hands , majority being Republican , which triggers a standard recorded vote .
The amendment was not adopted by a vote of 15-Y 21-N , right down party lines of the Senators that were present .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also not adopted along party lines , the actual bill was engrossed by the Senate and advanced to its third reading by a voice vote .
The bill calls for the appropriation of two million to the Department of Elections to provide financial assistance for localities for prepaid postage for the return of absentee ballots , as well as provisions about drop-off boxes and other voting processes for the upcoming November 3rd election .
If the General Assembly wants to pass new legislation pertaining to voting or ballot delivery , the timing is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be mailed out to Virginia voters who already applied on September 18 .
Jacob Taylor is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Network .
Follow Jacob on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-08-28--Arlington County Enforcing Social Distancing on Crowded Sidewalks

Arlington County is beginning enforcement of a new ordinance mandating social distancing in some of its busiest areas .
For now , the law is focused on three sections in the Clarendon neighborhood , a zone with several restaurants and bars .
The ordinance requires pedestrians to stay six feet away from each other and to be in groups of three or less .
In a press release , County Manager Mark Schwartz said these measures are the result of people standing outside businesses , not the businesses themselves .
The specific areas where the law is in effect are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have scheduled a warning period this weekend , hoping that people will cooperate without being fined .
However , violation of the ordinance can result in a fine up to $ 100 , and is a traffic infringement .
The ordinance provides for the law to be in effect during either a state emergency or a county emergency declared “ based on public health risks associated with the spread of contagious illness.
” There is no provision for a specific end date ; instead the law is a permanent part of the county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ordinance is in effect are selected from observations by the Arlington Restaurant Initiative Staff and data from an online complaint tool .
The complaint tool can be used by anyone to identify violations including churches , restaurants , and retailers that are not complying with current COVID-19 guidelines .
Specific locations where the law is in effect include : the east side of 10th Street between the south side of Wilson Boulevard and N. Irving Street ; the north side of Wilson Boulevard between N. Irving and N. Hudson streets and west side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side of Wilson between N. Garfield and N. Fillmore streets and west side of N. Fillmore Street ; and the south side of Wilson between N. Fillmore and N. Edgewood Street and east side of N. Fillmore Street .
“ Arlington will continue to review the data over the coming weeks and additional areas of enforcement are anticipated , ” the press release warns .
Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ Social Distancing Measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-28--Virginia Trump Delegates Celebrate the Last Night of the GOP Convention and Trump Nomination

INNSBROOK , Virginia – Members of Virginia Trump delegation gathered at a local Innsbrook bar Thursday evening to celebrate the fourth and final night for the Republican National Convention , and the official nomination of President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence .
Bishop Leon Benjamin , a congressional candidate in Virginia ’ s fourth district , was the main speaker and crowd-pleaser of the event , offering a plethora of proclamations about the upcoming election and the efforts of delegation .
“ This is our greatest hour , ” Benjamin announced to the crowd .
“ Every delegate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wonderful .
This is a sure win on November 3rd , a landslide !
” The overall feelings and sentiment of guests on the Republican convention and the job Trump has done during his term so far were as one would expect : extremely positive .
“ The convention has been phenomenal so far because the little people [ the convention ] has focused on makes the point that people across America support President Trump , ” said Michael Thielen , executive director of the Republican National Lawyers Association and state-wide alternate Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Norfolk , specifically mentioned the privilege she felt being part of the delegation .
“ It ’ s the honor of it , ok. ” Brown said in an interview with The Virginia Star .
“ You realize that 330 million people [ in America ] , only 2,542 people get to be on the convention floor to nominate the candidate for your party .
That ’ s pretty special , there is nothing quite like it.
” After Benjamin had handed off the mic , he expressed his own pleasure with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ The convention ] has gone great , I believe that it has definitely put out there the contrast between where our nation can go and where we don ’ t want it to go .
So , I believe it ’ s been a great display of not just diversity but unity because that ’ s what our nation needs right now.
” Bill Cleveland , former vice mayor of Alexandria and Vietnam War veteran , also spoke at the event , garnering loud applause from guests .
As much as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night of the convention , it was equally a celebration for the Virginia delegation and their work .
“ It ’ s disappointing nobody got to go to Charlotte , ” Tim Hugo , a former member of the Virginia House of Delegates and one of the sponsors for the event , told The Star .
“ That ’ s [ one of the reasons ] I wanted to help sponsor tonight , just to give everybody a little boost and say thank you , because these men and women [ were ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into going to the convention .
“ I ’ m sorry it didn ’ t work out , but we can have a little fun , watch a great speech tonight and then get ready for election day ” When asked what people were looking forward to the most if Trump were to win a second term in the White House , many of the answers revolved around the same themes : securing America ’ s borders , continuing to strengthen the economy and the need for law and order .
Jacob Taylor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Star News Network .
Follow Jacob on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] John Fredericks is the publisher and editor-in-chief of The Virginia Star .
He is also a Trump 2020 delegate and the chairman of the Trump Virginia Delegation .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-28--Mayor John Cooper Calls Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act ‘a Poison Pill’

Nashville Mayor John Cooper on Thursday disparaged a referendum to roll back the city ’ s property taxes and called it “ a poison pill ” that would stagnate the city and threaten future progress .
Cooper said this at a press conference .
As The Tennessee Star reported Thursday , Americans for Prosperity-Tennessee announced that members of the group had turned in roughly 20,000 signatures to the Metro Clerk ’ s office in support of the Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act .
Members of the group helped gather the requisite number of signatures for the initiative for the December 5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would roll back Cooper ’ s 34-37 percent tax increase and limit property tax rate increases to 2 percent every year without voters approving it .
Cooper , at Thursday ’ s conference , said he expected that the topic “ will be actively discussed in the community.
” “ Ultimately , I do worry that the result of this is just forcing a stealth election on Nashville , a very expensive stealth election on Nashville , in order to give the city a poison pill .
And it ’ s not just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all kinds of stuff on it that is , quite frankly , a poison pill for our city , ” Cooper said , although he did not elaborate .
“ Everyone who serves the city , every teacher , every police officer , [ and ] every citizen of the city would need to be deeply concerned that this is a poison pill .
We want to create a great city — going forward in the 21st century — and not create a backwater here and have us swallow , unintentionally , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election.
” As reported last week , Nashville attorney Jim Roberts said that Metro officials “ clearly don ’ t like having power taken away.
” Roberts said more on Thursday , after Metro officials received the signatures .
“ Nashville is on its way towards financial stability .
The citizens have clearly rejected Mayor Cooper ’ s big-spending spree put on the backs of home owners and renters , ” Roberts told The Star in an email .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-08-29--Tennessee Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn Served Under Liberal U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein

Tennessee Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn interned for U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein ( D-CA ) almost 20 years ago , according to a resume that Schwinn posted online .
Schwinn posted that resume to a document more than 10 years ago .
Schwinn ’ s LinkedIn profile , however , does not mention this internship as a part of her official resume .
Tennessee Department of Education officials did not return The Tennessee Star ’ s request for comment on the matter Friday .
Schwinn submitted the resume to the Sacramento City Unified School District in January 2010 as part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , geared for kindergarten through eighth-grade students .
In her resume , Schwinn said she worked for Feinstein from 2001 through 2002 as a senior intern .
Her duties included managing incoming communications and creating project designs and procedures for the senator .
Schwinn also said she represented Feinstein ’ s office with constituents and other stakeholders .
As The Star reported this week , Schwinn may have lost the confidence of some influential people in Tennessee , at least according to the Professional Educators of Tennessee ( PET ) .
The Nashville-based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ educators , according to its website .
PET cited , among other things , a high turnover rate within the Tennessee Department of Education ( TDOE ) under Schwinn ’ s leadership .
Members of the group also cited a growing number of assistant commissioners making six-figure salaries and the way Schwinn has managed state education during the COVID-19 pandemic .
PET said that members of the Tennessee General Assembly might consider submitting a letter to Tennessee Gov .
Bill Lee expressing no confidence in Schwinn ’ s leadership .
As The Star @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called Schwinn a leftist and a statist who wants the government to have too great of a role developing public school students .
As reported last year , Schwinn , a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley , began her career in education working as a teacher for Teach for America .
Teach for America is a controversial non-profit organization that pays new college graduates to teach in urban schools as part of its mission to address “ educational inequity ” and “ help children overcome obstacles like systemic racism and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ]

by Scott McClallen
First, COVID-19 disrupted classes in 2020, and now it’s teachers keeping kids out of class in 2022.
More than 29,000 Minneapolis students couldn’t attend class Monday as a teachers’ union strike entered its 10th school day.
The striking teachers are seeking a “living wage,” smaller class sizes, and “safe and stable schools.”
The strike began March 8 with the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (MFT) and Education Support Professionals (ESP) saying the groups were demanding “a living wage” for ESPs, smaller class sizes, and “safe and stable schools,” the union posted on Facebook.
In a video posted on Facebook page Sunday, union officials said they want ESPs to have a minimum $35,000 annual salary.
Teacher Chapter President Greta Callahan said parties have been negotiating.
“This contract needs to get settled,” Callahan said. “We want kids back in school and it feels like we are the only ones acting like that right now.”
Average teacher salaries in St. Paul are $85,000, compared to the average Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) teacher salary of $71,535.
World Population Review says the average Minnesota teacher makes $59,221.
The Sahan Journal reported that despite the high teacher salary, raises for the Minneapolis district have lagged in recent years.
MPS said it shared its “last, best, and final” offer on Sunday that includes: 2% cost of living increases, with up to 12% raises for new teachers, in year one of the contract and 2% increases for all in the second year.
Increase starting wages for 85% of current ESPs to $23 per hour or more, bringing most full-time ESPs close to $35,000 annually.
Increase wages over two years between 8.2% and 34.6% (depending on job classification), with an average increase of 15.6%.
Move the lowest-paid ESPs from $15.45 per hour to $18 per hour.
Pay ESPs $6,000 in bonuses ($3,000 in each of the next 2 years).
$3.5 million to additional hours for ESPs.
Four additional paid duty days for professional development.
“We know that our students want to be back in school with their teachers and ESPs and our staff desperately want to see our students,” Minneapolis School Board Chair Kim Ellison said in a video. “We believe this is the fastest way possible to get our students back to school.”
The proposal would cost $9.3 million in the first year and $13.4 million in the second.
“MPS is reaching beyond its financial means on behalf of our ESPs and will need to make more than $10 million in reductions for the next school year as a result,” the MPS website says.
“We’ll be back out on the line tomorrow fighting for safe and stable schools!” the MFT tweeted Sunday.
The state’s education funding formula is based on enrollment, which has declined at MPS from 32,732 in 2019 to in 2022, 29,100.
The school doesn’t have data on where the roughly 3,632 kids who left went, MPS media coordinator Crystina Lugo-Beach told The Center Square in an email.
MPS said all pre-K through 12th classes would be canceled “for the duration of the strike.” Axios reported that the district is facing a a $21.5 million budget deficit for the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
– – –
Scott McClallen is a staff writer covering Michigan and Minnesota for The Center Square. A graduate of Hillsdale College, his work has appeared on Forbes.com and FEE.org. Previously, he worked as a financial analyst at Pepsi.
Photo “Minneapolis Public Schools” by Minneapolis Public Schools.


thetennesseestar--2020-08-29--Commentary: Trump for the Win

Commentary: Trump for the Win

The Republicans have now forced the Democrats to change course and tactics , shed their narcissistic complacency , and recognize that they are in the fight of their lives .
When the history of this astonishing political year is written , there will be amazement that the Democrats ever imagined that they could preserve the entire election as a referendum on Trump based on the question of whether the population is content , and leave the president floundering in blustery self-justification while their nominee fielded soft pre-agreed questions from his home .
The Democratic National Convention was essentially centered in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ procession of former officeholders , incanting that Donald Trump had completely failed in the coronavirus crisis and was personally responsible for 180,000 unnecessary deaths and massive unemployment .
The nominees socially distanced from each other and the party heaved a sigh of relief when their candidate limped monotonously through a teleprompter acceptance speech .
The Obamas , the Clintons , and the nominees all repeated variations of the theme that it was self-evident that the incumbent president was a corrupt and incompetent reactionary , and they adjourned to wave to a parking lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their victory in November .
This will be exposed as the most mistakenly overconfident launch of a major party campaign for the White House since the renomination of Governor Thomas Dewey of New York against President Harry Truman in 1948 .
The combination of the two sequential conventions and the performance of the Democratic media in covering them will be a shattering blow to the Democratic strategists who retrieved Joe Biden and Kamala Harris from the prenomination ash heap and put them forward as a respectable camouflage for the party ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to imagine that they could avoid any comment on the most widespread and most destructive urban rioting in America in over 50 years , could lay the public health crisis entirely upon the president , could maintain their advocacy of an immigration policy that would ultimately result in every poverty-stricken person in the world moving to the United States , while ignoring this administration ’ s reduction of illegal immigration by 90 percent ; all of this and many other issues will be as much a matter of interest to psychiatrists as to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talents as a showman ; he actually turned a virtual convention to advantage : an extraordinarily interesting group of speakers succeeded each other with brief and highly informative scripts .
No time was wasted with windy ex officio speeches , floor demonstrations , and public tumult , as occurs in regular conventions .
Most of the speakers told interesting and sometimes heartrending stories about themselves and each was targeted precisely at a block of voters .
Victims of foreign terrorists and mob violence made their points with great eloquence .
A female surgeon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the United States Army , and was now a nun , spoke ( in her habit ) to the nearly half of Americans who are pro-life .
Farmers , small businessmen , sports promoters , manufacturers , a fisherman , police chiefs , all unpretentious and persuasive advocates of their particular interests , alternated with the most attractive coming politicians in the Republican Party .
Women and representatives of minority groups together vastly outnumbered white males , who were chiefly represented by members of the articulate and highly presentable Trump family .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the failed McCain and Romney campaigns was in evidence and were not missed .
In the ragged procession of Democratic convention speakers , none was more pitiful than the second runner-up to the Republican nomination for years ago , former Ohio Governor John Kasich .
In American politics , traitors to their party have a brief afterlife as useful idiots and then vanish .
The Republicans made the most powerful pitch in their party ’ s history to women , African-Americans , and Latinos .
Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina and Kentucky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ succession of outstanding African American speakers who recounted the positive initiatives that the Trump Administration has taken for their community , especially economic incentives , and penal reform .
Where the Democratic speakers falsely stated that America ’ s COVID-19 performance was the worst of any country in the world , the Republican response from the president and many others naturally dwelt on the shambles of public health emergency response bequeathed to them , on Biden ’ s noisy denunciation of the closing of direct air travel from China and then Europe , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in producing everything necessary to combat the virus , the enormous expansion , and facilitation of testing , and the acceleration of the pursuit of a vaccine .
Biden made a catastrophic error in promising to shut down the country if the coronavirus could not be exterminated , and he will not be allowed to forget it .
And the Republicans hung the urban rioting and corrupt Democratic municipal misgovernment around Biden ’ s neck like a putrid albatross .
After Melania Trump ’ s tour de force on Tuesday night , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was a rift between the conciliatory Mrs. Trump and her bombastic husband .
After the president ’ s somewhat overlong ( 70 minutes ) closing on Thursday night , the same desperately predictable and rabidly biased commentators complained that the president ’ s audience on the White House lawn were not masked social distancers .
It was indicative of the dilapidation of Democratic confidence that their nominees went before television cameras and minimal numbers of viewers on Thursday afternoon , trying to preempt what they had finally realized would be a heavy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Biden attacked urban violence directly and let it be known that he would campaign in some of the so-called battleground states .
But the Democratic National Committee issued an unimaginably fatuous complaint as the Republicans closed with one of the greatest fireworks displays in American history over the Washington Monument that the absence of precautions against COVID-19 for the president ’ s speech was illustrative of his “ complete corruption.
” Their campaign of terror about the pandemic has failed with Biden ’ s quasi-promise to shut down the country again .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ urban violence and their encouragement of defunding of police forces .
Their cleverest and most egregious strategist , David Axelrod , whined that the Republicans were verging on racism by upholding the police ( though most newsworthy police chiefs are black ) .
The Democratic convention was full of gloom and national self-criticism and nominated relatively unfrightening figureheads and the Republican convention exposed this as scaffolding for a giant pustule of policy extremism , and countered with a comprehensive and optimistic program .
“ Orange Man Bad ” won ’ t do it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quavering geriatric mediocrity riding a mad tiger and an unabashed impresario who , like him or not , is a great star .
Trump exaggerates when he says this is the most important election in American history and he has had the most productive first term of any president in American history .
Without the election of Lincoln in 1860 the country would have broken up , and without the reelection of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940 Britain and Canada would have had to make peace with Germany and leave Hitler in control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had the fourth most successful first term in history , after Lincoln , FDR , and Richard Nixon .
And barring another providential catastrophe to favor the Democrats on the scale of the coronavirus , this president will be reelected , and he will finally enjoy a honeymoon and be the only chief executive in U.S. history whose second term was more successful than his first .
Conrad Black has been one of Canada ’ s most prominent financiers for 40 years , and was one of the leading newspaper publishers in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ newspapers , the Fairfax newspapers in Australia , the Jerusalem Post , Chicago Sun-Times and scores of smaller newspapers in the U.S. , and most of the daily newspapers in Canada .
He is the author of authoritative biographies of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Richard Nixon , one-volume histories of the United States and Canada , and most recently of Donald J. Trump : A President Like No Other .
He is a member of the British House of Lords as Lord Black of Crossharbour .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-29--Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act: Attorney Jim Roberts Receives 20,000 Petition Signatures

Live from Music Row Friday 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 Nashville attorney Jim Roberts to the newsmakers line .
At the top of the third hour , Roberts gave updates on the Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act petitions revealing he ’ s received 20,000 signed petitions which he ’ ll submit to the Metro Clerk ’ s office next Wednesday .
Leahy : Jim Roberts .
The man who has John Cooper scared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these .
So the Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act is a charter amendment that would repeal the 34 percent property tax increase and reduce it to two percent .
You ’ ve turned in with other groups you ’ ve turned in 20,000 signatures on those petitions .
They ’ d have to reject an awful lot Jim to get you off the ballot .
Roberts : That ’ s their plan .
I think they are going to have a hard time convincing people that its worth coming out and fighting for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think most people in this town know this is a bad idea especially at this time when our economy is hurt .
Our industry is down .
Putting a huge tax increase on everyone is a terrible idea .
Leahy : A terrible idea .
You turned in the petition with 20,000 signatures of Davidson County registered voters to the Metro Clerk ’ s office .
Along with Americans for Prosperity .
They are part of this effort and joined you ?
Roberts : They certainly came in .
After we had already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ almost as many as we needed .
We were at about 12,000 .
Leahy : You needed 11,500 according to the law .
Roberts : So we ’ ve hit about 12,000 and I ran into one of their folks and they said this is a great idea .
We ’ d like to help you .
And I said sure , I ’ d be happy to have the help .
So they did some additional mail outs .
Roberts : We are very appreciative .
A lot of different groups and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different people approached me and said how can I help ?
And I ’ d hand them a stack of petitions and said go get signatures .
Leahy : So on Wednesday you turn these into the Metro Clerk ?
Roberts : We go to the clerk ’ s office .
Leahy : How long do they have to go through the verification process ?
They ’ re going to have to throw out 8,000 signatures to keep you off the ballot in December .
Roberts : The clerk hands the over to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will probably start counting today .
They have to get those signatures verified before the next election commission meeting .
That ’ s when they vote to put it on the ballot .
That will be the third week of September .
Leahy : They ’ ve got till the third week of September .
Leahy : Do they actually count everyone ?
Or do they spot check them ?
Roberts : We don ’ t know .
We think they have a magic wand that they wave over them or something .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear to people to write clearly .
And they ’ ll check those signatures .
And once they hit 11,500 then they ’ ll stop counting .
Leahy : So this is the second week of September that they meet again ?
Roberts : Second or third .
So we should be on the ballot in a couple of weeks .
Leahy : What could possibly go wrong ?
Roberts : Metro is not happy about this and there is always a chance that Mayor Cooper will sic the Metro legal on us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop a ballot initiative before its actually been voted on because the law and the courts look at it and they say well it may not pass .
Why are we having a lawsuit over something that hasn ’ t passed ?
It ’ s going to be hard .
I ’ m sure they are thinking about it .
There is no doubt in my mind that Mayor Cooper does not want it to pass .
Leahy : Does not want it to pass .
We ’ ll get some spicy quotes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure the Metro Council doesn ’ t want this to pass .
No government officials want their powers restrained .
Leahy : But the election commission even though they made an error in judgment on the choice of the mayor ’ s special election that the Supreme Court basically said they made a mistake on .
The timing of it .
Are they going to be necessarily as opposed to this as the Metro government is ?
I would give them the benefit of the doubt I guess ?
Roberts : I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a half ago when they got the date wrong .
Leahy : Where we first met .
Roberts : And I had a very serious talk with a couple of the election commissioners .
We just disagreed .
I happened to be right and they happened to be wrong .
But they weren ’ t bad people .
Leahy : It wasn ’ t benevolence on their part .
Roberts : And I wasn ’ t involved in the litigation over that .
But the Supreme Court ruled pretty much on the reasoning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to do a good job .
They are not going to be sabotaging this .
The election commission is a partisan body that is more Republican-dominated .
So that ’ s a little bit of a check on the Metro government .
Leahy : But , there ’ s always an opportunity for skullduggery .
( Laughs ) Listen to the full 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 @ @ @ @ @


thetennesseestar--2020-08-29--Metro Councilman-at-Large Steve Glover About RNC Watch Party and Protest: We Want to Build Up Americ

Metro Councilman-at-Large Steve Glover About RNC Watch Party and Protest: We Want to Build Up America, Not Tear Down America

NASHVILLE , Tennessee – At the conclusion of the Republican National Convention watch party and protest Thursday evening , Metro Councilman-At-Large Steve Glover said of Republicans , “ We want to build up America , not tear down America.
” Glover was referring to the hundreds of attendees at the event that was his brainchild on the grounds of Barbara Mandrell ’ s former estate , Fontanel , in Nashville .
One of the largest gatherings of Nashville Republicans , Glover said , “ It ’ s got to be something we continue to do , because this is what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ addition to watching Donald Trump accept the nomination as the Republican candidate for president , the event was a protest against the COVID-19 restrictions and the 34 to 37 percent property tax increase .
As Glover summarized , “ There was no violence .
Nothing was damaged .
This is the way Republicans respond .
We don ’ t do like the other side .
We don ’ t tear things up .
We want to build up America , not tear down America.
” Long-time conservative leader Ben Cunningham was impressed with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the man !
” Cunningham told The Tennessee Star .
“ He had a vision and executed it beautifully , ” said Cunningham .
“ Best event of the year !
” About two weeks prior , Glover took to Facebook and proposed the concept of a watch party .
In light of COVID-19 , Glover quickly received criticism , even though he was committed to having a location that would allow for social distancing , The Star reported .
Just a week prior , 500 tickets with a cost of $ 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boxed barbecue dinner were made available for the event , which was hosted by the Davidson County Republican Party .
Founders of # FreeTN , Kimberly and Josh Edwards , also helped organize the event and told The Star that the tickets were sold out as of the day prior to the event .
About 3:00 p.m. , Glover said he got a call from Mayor John Cooper who said that attendees would have to stay in their cars and that the cars had to be spaced six feet apart .
Non-compliance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Glover made that announcement before the start of the event and had enough masks available for all attendees .
To keep attendees entertained prior to the official start , several videos played on the jumbo screen including one cartoon of a Joe Biden “ campaign vehicle ” blaring some of his many “ gaffes ” getting stuck on railroad tracks and being demolished by a Trump train .
Another was a self-produced “ My Corona ” parody of The Knack ’ s “ My Sharona ” by the Edwards .
The event began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Banner.
” As FOX Nation ’ s Tomi Lahren took the stage to make a few brief comments , a drizzle was added to the hot and humid weather .
Lahren , who recently moved to Nashville from California , said she was happy to be living in a free state .
She couldn ’ t say the same about Nashville , though , after calling the mayor “ a little tyrant ” in her Final Thoughts segment for how he has managed the city during the COVID-19 outbreak .
The Tennessee legislature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( R-Franklin ) and Representative William Lamberth ( R-Portland ) along with Senate Speaker Pro Tem Ferrell Haile ( R-Gallatin ) and Representatives Susan Lynn ( R-Mt .
Juliet ) and Brandon Ogles ( R-Franklin ) came out in support of the only metro councilmember who ran as a Republican .
Johnson also performed for the crowd with his band , The Austin Brothers , and said it was like they were the opening act for Donald Trump .
Haile , one of just two Republicans representing Nashville in the state legislature , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ average person ” while sitting out in the rain to participate in the event .
He cautioned that Republicans shouldn ’ t criticize other Republicans , saying it feeds the Left and confuses independents .
Lamberth encouraged attendees to meet two of Nashville ’ s Republican candidates in the audience – Donna Tees running against Democrat state Representative Mike Stewart and Diane Canada running against Democrat state Representative Bob Freeman for the district previously held by Beth Harwell before her departure to run for governor – who would give a chance to win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Talking about Trump , Lynn said she hears his Christian voice coming through the TV and recognized everyone has to return to God .
She also said Trump isn ’ t a typical Republican who gets run over .
“ Thank God , ” Lynn said , “ he runs the Republicans over.
” Freshman Representative Ogles got a great response from the crowd when he spoke briefly about a bill he introduced in the Second Extraordinary Session of the 111th Tennessee General Assembly , which had to be related to COVID-19 or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lee .
Ogles brought forward the legislation in light of the lawlessness that has been going on across the country .
The bill , which was signed into law by the governor last week , prohibits a government entity such as a mayor , council or department of a city or county from intentionally preventing law enforcement or other rescue services from accessing areas during public demonstrations .
Violations of the provision would result in the governmental entity being held liable for the resulting damages , injury or death .
Ogles said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the nation , but that other states should follow suit .
Other Republican leaders , Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Scott Golden and U.S. Senate candidate Bill Hagerty who was originally scheduled to speak at the event , were in Washington D.C. for the president ’ s acceptance speech .
Glover , one of eight who were outnumbered by a vote of 32 in favor of a 34 to 37 percent property tax increase , dependent on being in the general services district or the urban services district , asked who was prepared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 100 a month to metro government “ because they do such a good job.
” “ We have never cut spending ever , ” said Glover of Metro ’ s finances , adding that when more money is needed they turn to the taxpayer for more .
“ We don ’ t have a money problem in Nashville , we have a spending problem.
” Glover contrasted Metro Nashville to the state , saying , “ The state is phenomenal at this , lowering taxes and keeping more money in your pocket.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ special election for the Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act and in any upcoming recall elections .
Glover called for fighting back to move Nashville from deep blue to purple and then to red , which was met with enthusiasm from the audience .
The main act , county music singer and songwriter Kenny Lee , performed Trump ’ s pick for his 2016 campaign song “ Trump Card ” and 2020 “ We ’ re All Trumped Up ” as well as “ The Flag ” among others with a few of the attendees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of drizzle , a bit of a downpour had many of the attendees return to their cars , which created a drive-in movie type atmosphere .
Those who remained in their chairs , most of whom had umbrellas , stood , sang along to Lee Greenwood ’ s “ God Bless the USA , ” and cheered as Donald and Melania Trump emerged like they would if they could be seen and heard by the couple .
Several times during Trump ’ s more than an hour-long acceptance speech , attendees who stuck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10:30 p.m. applauded , beeped their horns and chanted “ four more years ” along with those in D.C. Laura Baigert is a senior reporter at The Tennessee Star .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-29--‘Totally Lawless Situation’: Father of Man Killed in CHOP Files $3 Billion in Claims Against Local G

‘Totally Lawless Situation’: Father of Man Killed in CHOP Files $3 Billion in Claims Against Local Government

The father of a young man killed in Seattle ’ s Capitol Hill Organized Protest ( CHOP ) zone has filed $ 3 billion in claims against King County , the city of Seattle , and Washington state .
Horace Anderson filed the lawsuit Thursday over the death of his 19-year-old son , Horace Lorenzo Anderson , alleging that the local government ’ s “ inactions ” and actions created a “ hazardous , and lawless situation ” that resulted in his son ’ s death , KING 5 news reported from a statement by the law firm representing Anderson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our government leaders accountable so this will not happen again , ” attorney Evan Oshan said in a statement , according to the publication .
“ Those in positions of power must not be allowed to hide from their duty to act responsibly and protect citizens .
With power and prestige comes responsibility !
” Anderson was shot inside the outskirts of CHAZ , which was later renamed CHOP , early in the morning June 20 and carried by bystanders to Harborview Medical Center , according to King5 .
The 19-year-old died at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The thing that we really need to focus on is that there was a , an individual who lost his life unnecessarily and he , it was predictable , it was preventable , and this should have never happened , ” Oshan said in an interview with KING 5 .
Oshan told King 5 that the police precinct near the zone was “ given up , ” and said emergency medical crews nearby did not provide aide to Lorenzo Anderson .
“ What I do know is that EMS did not come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he lay bleeding .
This was a totally lawless situation .
It puts him in great danger and it was just wrong , ” Oshan said .
An official with the city of Seattle told KING 5 the city can not comment on pending claims , though the official confirmed to KING 5 that the city received the claim .
The city of Seattle did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-29--Nashville Attorney Jim Roberts: ‘This Is a Fight Between the Power of the People and the Power of th

Nashville Attorney Jim Roberts: ‘This Is a Fight Between the Power of the People and the Power of the Government’

Live from Music Row Friday 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 Nashville attorney Jim Roberts to the newsmakers line .
During the third hour , Roberts explained the Taxpayer Protection Act and why it was needed to stop irresponsible spending and borrowing by the Metro government .
He added that this act will help keep Metro government spending restrained and in check by the taxpayers in of Davidson County .
Leahy : We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fantastic attorney here in Nashville .
And he ’ s the man behind the Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act that is likely to be on the ballot as a referendum December 5 where registered Davidson County residents can vote to repeal the reckless 34 percent property tax passed by Mayor John Cooper and the Metro Council .
Jim , let ’ s kind of assume that the election commission plays it straight .
And that the Metro legal efforts to engage potential efforts of skulduggery come up to not .
And then the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meets .
We ’ ll cover that by the way at The Tennessee Star .
They will determine whether or not you have enough signatures which you had more than enough and you are on the ballot December 5 .
What is that campaign going to be like ?
The side that says repeal the property tax increase of 34 percent and those that want it .
How much money is going to be spent against this charter amendment to stop the property tax increase ?
Roberts : Remember there are always out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spend spent spend .
There are always people with their hands in the pot .
I would expect that downtown business councils will probably spend two or three hundred thousand dollars against it .
I would say a minimum .
I promise you the folks in government do not want this to pass .
Governments never want their powers restrained at all .
Leahy : Never .
You know I wrote a book about that .
The concept of power back in 2012 .
The Covenant of Liberty : The Ideological Origins of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I argued what you are arguing right now .
Once the government has power in any governmental institution the natural tendency is to expand that power as much as possible .
Roberts : Almost worse than that but to expand it in a sort of an arrogant and uncaring way .
Look at what ’ s going on downtown and the shutdown of all these businesses .
You look around us .
We are the only city in the entire state that is still shut down like this .
A gentleman called me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ venue in Nashville and he met with Mayor Cooper and said that Mayor Cooper , every wedding venue in the entire state is open except Nashville .
Every wedding in Nashville is going to Williamson County or Sumner or Rutherford County .
And he asked why are you destroying Nashville businesses ?
And Mayor Cooper basically said I can .
I have the votes .
I can do whatever I want .
He does .
He ’ s destroying businesses because he can .
In a downturn , Mayor Cooper decides he wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Well , he did it .
And why .
Because he can .
And the council is too disorganized .
Leahy : Well , a lot of the council leans left-wing and they want to spend more money .
Roberts : It wasn ’ t like any of them were totally against him .
So we spent an extra $ 100 million when we are in an economic downtown .
Why ?
Because he can .
The Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act says no you can ’ t .
It ’ s going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and intentionally do that .
Not forever .
Just to be really clear , it doesn ’ t say that they can ’ t raise taxes more than two percent .
It says that if they want to raise taxes more than two percent they have to put it to the people .
Mayor Cooper will have to go and campaign and explain to the people why he needs a tax increase of more than two percent .
I think he could have done it .
He could have gone to the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mayor .
He could have gone to the people in Nashville and said , look the COVID thing has wiped us out .
We need a temporary tax increase to make up the difference .
And I think he might have been able to convince people to do it .
Instead , he just hit us with a brick with 34 percent written on the side .
That ’ s not even fair .
It ’ s 37 percent in the urban services district .
It ’ s just 34 percent .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 34 percent but it ’ s really 37 .
And he did it because he could .
So you know what , the people in this town got together and said we are going to take that power away from you .
Under Tennessee law , when we formed the metropolitan government back in the 60s , the legislature gave the people of Davidson County the power to create the metropolitan government but it also gave the people the power to abolish the metropolitan government .
Think about it .
What an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a right to get together with other citizens and say let ’ s abolish the metropolitan government .
Let ’ s go collect signatures .
Then the people could vote on that .
I ’ m not saying we should do that .
We are too far down the path on that .
But we have the power .
And if we have the power to abolish it , then we should have the power to restrain it .
This is a fight .
This is a fight between the power of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government .
I ’ m not expecting the power of the government to roll over and let us scratch his belly .
They are going to fight and fight hard .
Leahy : They are going to fight hard .
Leahy : Here ’ s the thing .
Mayor Cooper in his statement yesterday has already highlighted how he ’ s going to frame this very common sense charter amendment to repeal the ridiculous 34 percent property tax .
We talked about his quote .
He ’ s going to call it a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expensive stealth election .
And he ’ s going to say its a poison pill .
He doesn ’ t say why it ’ s a poison pill .
He doesn ’ t explain why all businesses are losing revenue .
The way to fix the city is to increase taxes and increase spending which is what he did .
Roberts : How is that strategy going to help Nashville ?
We have to grow ourselves out of this problem .
We can not fund ourselves through taxes .
That ’ s just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city .
We have to grow organically .
People working .
People paying taxes .
People buying things equals more taxes .
That ’ s how you get out of an economic downturn .
It ’ s not like when you raise property taxes , it ’ s not like it goes on somebody else .
I own a home .
My taxes go up .
I own a piece of rental property .
My tenants ’ rent goes up .
Everyone pays .
Nobody gets away from this .
So why are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve seen the mayor ’ s budget .
He throws a few dollars out here to a few groups .
In the end its just more of the same , crazy unbridled spending .
And we need to stop that .
The other day I sat down and looked at the cities that were comparable to Nashville .
above us and below us in population .
Just to sort of get an eye .
Where are we in this nation .
And looked at the budget for Nashville .
Our budget is two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Roberts : I don ’ t have the numbers in front of me .
We are so out of whack .
Leahy : Really ?
Now that is a compelling argument right there .
Roberts : Somebody had told me this .
So I started looking it up myself .
And I just couldn ’ t believe how much we ’ ve spent .
It ’ s because we are just wasting money .
If you ’ ve been in Nashville any length of time .
I ’ ve been here for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Middle Tennessee and talked about coming here when I was a kid .
We all know that Nashville is not the same town it was 25 years ago .
But is it better ?
It ’ s better in some ways .
But it ’ s also not better .
Leahy : There are a lot more venues downtown and construction .
When tourists came here there was a lot of happening .
Tourists aren ’ t coming now since the pandemic .
If you look at the measures of the success of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look at the school system .
Roberts : I don ’ t think they want you to do that .
( Laughs ) Leahy : But if the Tennessee Higher Education Commission looked at the performance of kids that have graduated from Metro Nashville High Schools .
And they looked at every school system in the state and they said of graduates of high school here in Nashville in 2017 that went on to Tennessee state community colleges or universities , what percentage of them needed remedial mathematics ?
What percentage needed remedial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state .
The only other one that was worse was Shelby County .
Sixty some odd percent of those who went on to college needed remedial math from Metro schools .
K-12 public schools .
And then 47 percent needed remedial reading .
Almost the worst in the state .
That ’ s a bad performance record .
Roberts : And that ’ s typical of government in general .
The Taxpayer Protection Act is not geared toward fixing the school system .
It may be in two years or four years from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this .
But right now it ’ s about reigning in the unbridled spending .
And one thing the Taxpayer Protection Act does is not just repeal the 34 percent tax .
It does that .
But it also limits the ability to use bonds for funding pet projects .
Again , we are $ 3.6 billion in debt .
How did we get there ?
Irresponsible spending and borrowing .
Listen to the third hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .