thetennesseestar--2020-08-12--The John Fredericks Show: Steve Bannon Discusses the Chinese Communist Party and the Origins of the

The John Fredericks Show: Steve Bannon Discusses the Chinese Communist Party and the Origins of the Coronavirus

Live from Virginia Tuesday morning on The John Fredericks Show with John Fredericks – live weekdays on WNTW AM 820/ FM 92.7 – Richmond , WJFN FM 100.5 – Central Virginia , WMPH AM 1010 / FM 100.1 / FM 96.9 ( 7-9 PM ) Hampton Roads , WBRG AM 1050 / FM 105.1 – Lynchburg/Roanoke and Live Weekdays 6-10 am and 24/7 Stream – host Fredericks welcomed War Room Pandemic host Steven K. Bannon to the show to discuss the bombshell information in the latest read by Professor Guiseppe Tritto of Italy regarding the origins of the coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ K. Bannon .
Great to have you with us man .
Bannon : Thanks for having me on John .
Great news about The Virginia Star .
Can ’ t wait till it comes out .
Fredericks : I ’ m kind of excited about it .
A lot of people ask me why are you doing this .
You have to have a digital news component in Virginia .
And Steve the fake news out there .
The Richmond Times Dispatch Steve , once a very proud paper has just gone whack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Bannon : That ’ s my first paying job outside of cutting grass .
I was a paperboy for The News Leader , The Evening Paper , and then The Times Dispatch .
So I go way back .
I think I was 10 years old when I had my first paper .
Not so much today .
A great paper with those brands .
Not so much today .
Fredericks : Not so much today .
The other paper we have is The Virginia Mercury which is financed by pay to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s financing all the district attorneys and the left-wing .
He ’ s for not drilling and all this stuff .
Renewable energy .
Bannon : I don ’ t mind that .
If people want to put up the money and have a voice and they are on the left I ’ m fine with that .
That ’ s why people on the right have to do it .
That ’ s why I ’ m so proud of what you are doing .
And Michael Patrick Leahy and others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in digital because people are having a tough time how to pay for things you are expanding .
We love being with The John Fredericks Radio Network .
People don ’ t know this about John but he ’ s an entrepreneur that ’ s not averse to risk .
I thought the wackiest ideas and Fredericks literally goes let ’ s do it .
( Chuckles ) That ’ s why we love being part of the John Fredericks radio network .
Who ’ d a thought a literally regional radio network @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international phenomenon that the Chinese Communist Party fears every day .
They have a whole section in Chinese intelligence that literally watches the G news and GTV our Chinese partner ’ s telecast .
They re-broadcast it in real-time and taking notes and hammering us back on things we have on the show today .
And that ’ s what I sent you earlier .
We have big breaking news on the show today .
That ’ s why I wanted to come on the show and make sure everybody listens to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mosher who is one of the top experts on China who wrote a fabulous book called The Bully of Asia about the Communist Chinese Party .
He has read a new book released by Guiseppe Tritto .
Dr. Tritto in Italy who actually heads up a UNESCO operation .
So this is not some fringe character .
This is a guy that heads up a UNESCO .
I think the World Academy of Bio Medics that looks at the genetic engineering in humanity .
He is world-renowned and top one percent guy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And in this book , it all falls in the place of what we ’ ve been saying with different reporting for the last couple of months .
He just nails it .
He said , hey , this is a man enhanced biological weapon .
This was human manipulated to get this virus .
He puts it right back to Wuhan .
He goes right back to how it happened .
We ’ re trying to get sections of this translated into English because this is something that is going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the top experts in the world , and he ’ s relentless .
This book is in Italian .
We haven ’ t got it all translated .
But it ’ s incredibly detailed .
It talks about Dr. Fauci .
It talks about a doctor named Dr. Barky down at the University of North Carolina .
Bannon : These guys were all associated with the gain of function experiments that were going on .
Fauci is involved in this .
NIH is involved in this .
It ’ s going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have Dr. Mosher on .
I want everybody to listen to the first of many many exposes we ’ re going to have about this topic .
The Chinese Communist Party has literally destroyed the world ’ s economy .
We are up on Capitol Hill right now arguing about $ 1 trillion or if its $ 3 trillion or $ 6 trillion on the balance sheet of the federal reserve .
We ’ ve had experts on saying we ’ re going to have the Japanification of the American economy .
No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got the ten-year treasury that ’ s trading at what ?
50 to 60 basis points which shows that people don ’ t anticipate growth .
We are going to have a grind .
If President Trump wins the next term is going to be a grind .
If Biden wins it ’ s going to obviously be chaos .
But this was all driven by the Chinese Communist Party .
We have to stop playing games .
We have to start to focus on who did this , why they did this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be held accountable .
The polling on this is also off the charts .
We are actually contracting top pollsters to go out and do systematic polling .
But the test poling we ’ ve had , the American people are united on one topic .
China and the Chinese Communist Party need to be held accountable for what ’ s happened here .
And if people think this is going to go away quickly it ’ s not .
Let me give you the bad news from Tritto .
He says listen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manmade and because they haven ’ t given over the original genetic genome sequence .
Dr. Yong the defector from the Hong Kong lab says and he supports it 100 percent .
He says because that hasn ’ t happened don ’ t think you are going to get a vaccine .
He says right there the vaccines are going because this thing multiplies with so many variants of it .
He says I think right now you ’ ll only get I think 12 varients you have which won ’ t include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That is why Fauci is saying it ’ s only going to be 50 percent effective .
So people out there shouldn ’ t think that a fairy godmother is going to come in here and have a vaccine that ’ s going to solve this .
It ’ s not .
We need to start looking at this in reality and quit looking at it in fantasy .
The things going to be here .
It ’ s man-made .
And its time .
I realize there are people that are saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fine .
It ’ s a free country .
Do your no problem with it .
But we need to understand what it is .
This was part of a biological weapons program gone awry around the gain of functions experiments which we said on the show in the first week of February .
We had Cotton on .
We had Bill Gertz on .
Bill Gertz was mocked immediately .
And you ’ re going to see that all of this and the top experts in the world are not going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wuhan .
And this is why the Chinese have never turned over the original genome sequence .
And this is why they are hiding it .
We ’ ve got to get to the bottom of this .
And we ’ ve got to quit playing games with the Chinese Communist Party .
They have to be held accountable to their own people , to their hard-working people in China and what they ’ ve done to the citizens of our country .
Those are all mass casualties and blood on the hands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the rest of their henchmen .
They ’ re just like Hitler .
There ’ s no difference in this crowd then there was in the cadre of the Nazi Party that took us into World War II .
They ’ ve got to be held accountable .
And I think you ’ re going to start to see the righteous indignation of the American people start to get fired up here .
Fredericks : Let me ask you this .
Professor Giuseppe Tritto .
This is an internationally known expert in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s important .
He runs the UNESCO .
The United Nations and WHO can ’ t run away from this guy .
Bannon : He ’ s the head of this major genetic engineering institution that looks at genetic engineering institution for the United Nations .
This is not a guy from some medical school in someplace you ’ ve never heard of .
This is a top expert .
They can ’ t run away from this guy and he hammers them in this book .
Fredericks : So basically his thesis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying this was a weapon of war that was developed by the CCP in order to have a chemical weapon or this type of weapon .
Bannon : It started off with Dr. Barky at the University of North Carolina , Fauci , and the NIH .
This all came out of SARS .
What they were looking for were vaccines .
The way you get vaccines is you make these viruses even more lethal to get better vaccines .
It starts as a civilian operation .
It starts for the betterment of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have a bio-weapons program .
This book outlines how the French helped them build the lab because the French are some of the top people in the world under French supervision .
At the time that this was allowed to be done the Chinese had to come clean as they ’ ve had to do many times in the future about how they ’ ve had this bio-weapons program .
Against a treaty , they signed I think back in 1984 under Beng Sho Ping a global bio-weapons program in which we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their offensive bio-weapons program because they are so dangerous .
Many people have read Steven King ’ s The Stand .
These bioweapons programs were so dangerous that the world unlike nuclear weapons they were so dangerous the world agreed that we would stop the offensive capabilities .
And what they do is they look for vaccines .
They have a defense of things on how you stop it .
And what happened is the Chinese have an offensive bioweapons program .
The intelligence community is united by it .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we had on from Australian the news reporters were talking about the Five Eyes and the intelligence apparatus of the West has been focused on this maniacally since the beginning of the bio-weapons program .
Remember the bat doctor ?
The batwoman ?
In the West , these magazines have been writing about her like she ’ s some hero .
She ’ s not a hero .
she ’ s not a hero at all .
It was the gain of function experiment she was doing which basically then had human enhanced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She ’ s the one that was doing it .
And the PLA ’ s bio-weapons program was down there .
And that ’ s what went awry .
It was either purposely let go which is what Miles Guo believes .
Or it inadvertently leaked out of the Wuhan P4 lab which is what I happen to believe .
I still can ’ t believe they let it off on purpose .
But there are many Chinese expatriates who believe that this part of their plan to destroy the West .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spalding ’ s in the Miles Guo camp .
Both said hey they understood that with Trump in the West and now coming together with India , Japan , and Australia that the game was up .
And in five years they were going to be in deep trouble and they actually let this thing off .
If you look at what they ’ ve done to the Left and particularly to the United States and America , they ’ ve destroyed our economy .
Listen to the full interview here :


thetennesseestar--2020-08-12--Scientists Uneasy as Russia Approves First Coronavirus Vaccine

MOSCOW , Russia ( AP ) — Russia on Tuesday became the first country to approve a coronavirus vaccine , a move that was met with international skepticism and unease because the shots have only been studied in dozens of people .
President Vladimir Putin announced the Health Ministry ’ s approval and said one of his two adult daughters already was inoculated .
He said the vaccine underwent the necessary tests and was shown to provide lasting immunity to the coronavirus , although Russian authorities have offered no proof to back up claims of safety or effectiveness .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forms a stable immunity , ” Putin said .
“ We must be grateful to those who made that first step very important for our country and the entire world.
” However , scientists in Russia and other countries sounded an alarm , saying that rushing to offer the vaccine before final-stage testing could backfire .
What ’ s called a Phase 3 trial — which involves tens of thousands of people and can take months — is the only way to prove if an experimental vaccine is safe and really works .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the U.S. require studies of 30,000 people each .
Two vaccine candidates already have begun those huge studies , with three more set to get underway by fall .
“ Fast-tracked approval will not make Russia the leader in the race , it will just expose consumers of the vaccine to unnecessary danger , ” said Russia ’ s Association of Clinical Trials Organizations , in urging government officials to postpone approving the vaccine without completed advanced trials .
While Russian officials have said large-scale production of the vaccine wasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tatyana Golikova said vaccination of doctors could start as early as this month .
Officials say they will be closely monitored after the injections .
Mass vaccination may begin as early as October .
“ We expect tens of thousands of volunteers to be vaccinated within the next months , ” Kirill Dmitriev , chief executive of the Russian Direct Investment Fund that bankrolled the vaccine , told reporters .
The vaccine developed by the Gamaleya Institute in Moscow with assistance from Russia ’ s Defense Ministry uses a different virus — the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been modified to carry genes for the “ spike ” protein that coats the coronavirus , as a way to prime the body to recognize if a real COVID-19 infection comes along .
That ’ s a similar technology as vaccines being developed by China ’ s CanSino Biologics and Britain ’ s Oxford University and AstraZeneca — but unlike those companies , Russian scientists haven ’ t published any scientific information about how the vaccine has performed in animal tests or in early-stage human studies .
Dmitriev said even as Russian doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trials are set to start Wednesday that will involve “ several thousand people ” and span several countries , including the United Arab Emirates , Saudi Arabia , the Philippines and possibly Brazil .
The Associated Press couldn ’ t find documentation in the Russian Health Ministry ’ s records indicating that permission to start the advanced trials was granted .
The ministry has not responded to a request for comment .
Putin said one of his daughters has received two doses , and had minor side effects such as slight fever , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has a high number of antibodies.
” It wasn ’ t clear if she was one of the study volunteers .
The Health Ministry said in a statement Tuesday that the vaccine is expected to provide immunity from the coronavirus for up to two years , citing its experience with vaccines made with similar technology .
However , scientists around the world have been cautioning that even if vaccine candidates are proven to work , it will take even more time to tell how long the protection will last .
“ The collateral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was less than safe and effective would exacerbate our current problems insurmountably , ” Imperial College London immunology professor Danny Altmann said in a statement Tuesday .
The World Health Organization said all vaccine candidates should go through full stages of testing before being rolled out .
Experts have warned that vaccines that are not properly tested can cause harm in many ways — from harming health to creating a false sense of security or undermining trust in vaccinations .
Becoming the first country in the world to approve a vaccine was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as it tries to assert the image of Russia as a global power .
Putin repeatedly praised Russia ’ s effective response to the outbreak in televised addresses to the nation , while some of Moscow ’ s top officials – including the country ’ s prime minister and Putin ’ s own spokesperson – became infected .
And the U.S. , Britain and Canada last month accused Russia of using hackers to steal vaccine research from Western labs .
Russia has denied involvement .
Russia has so far registered 897,599 coronavirus cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Institute ’ s director , Alexander Gintsburg , raised eyebrows in May when he said that he and other researchers tried the vaccine on themselves before the start of human studies .
Those trials started June 17 with 76 volunteers .
Half were injected with a vaccine in liquid form and the other half with a vaccine that came as soluble powder .
Some in the first group were recruited from the military , which raised concerns that servicemen may have been pressured to participate .
The test was declared completed earlier this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too early stage to truly assess whether it ’ s going to be effective , whether it ’ s going to work or not , ” Dr. Michael Head , senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton .
It ’ s not Russia ’ s first controversial vaccine .
Putin has bragged that Russian scientists delivered an Ebola vaccine that “ proved to be the most effective in the world ” and “ made a real contribution to fighting the Ebola fever in Africa.
” However , there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccines approved in Russia was widely used in Africa .
As of 2019 , both of those vaccines were listed by the WHO as “ candidate vaccines.
” Vladimir Isachenkov and Daria Litvinova are reporters for The Associated Press .
AP medical writers Maria Cheng in London and Lauran Neergaard in Alexandria , Virginia , contributed to this report .
About the Headline Photo : In this handout photo taken on Thursday , Aug. 6 , 2020 , and provided by Russian Direct Investment Fund , a new vaccine is on display at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Microbiology in Moscow , Russia .
Russia on Tuesday , Aug. 11 became the first country to approve a coronavirus vaccine for use in tens of thousands of its citizens despite international skepticism about injections that have not completed clinical trials and were studied in only dozens of people for less than two months .
( Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/ Russian Direct Investment Fund via AP )

A dozen individuals have been charged in a gun-running conspiracy that funneled firearms from Tennessee and Kentucky to Chicago, according to a release from the Department of Justice (DOJ).
In total, the 12 individuals are facing a 21-count indictment with charges for dealing in firearms without a license, transporting and receiving firearms into another state, making false statements to a federally licensed firearm dealer, and multiple other offenses.
Three of the alleged members of the gun pipeline were enlisted members of the U.S. Army and were stationed at Fort Campbell in Clarksville.
Demarcus Adams, Brandon Miller, and Jarius Brunson, along with other individuals charged in the indictment, allegedly purchased legal firearms from dealers in the area. After securing the guns, the DOJ contends the group would deliver the firearms to individuals in Chicago.
Law enforcement officials also claim the scheme was connected to gang violence in Chicago, saying that “the defendants conspired to purchase and deliver over 90 illegally obtained firearms to the Chicago area to facilitate the ongoing violent disputes between the Pocket Town Gangster Disciples and their rival gangs.”
Authorities detailed that at least two deaths were connected to firearms distributed in the movement from Tennessee to the Chicago area.
In addition to Clarksville, the organized crime circle operated in Oak Grove, Kentucky:
“The indictment further alleges the methods used by co-conspirators to purchase firearms from federally licensed firearms dealers in the Clarksville, Tenn. and Oak Grove, Kentucky areas, which included communicating via text messages to coordinate the purchase and delivery of firearms to the Chicago area; providing false information on firearms purchase application forms; and using apps such as Zelle and CashApp to facilitate payment for the illegal transfer of firearms. On one occasion, the indictment alleges that in addition to several firearms available for sale, Brandon Miller had 1,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition available for purchase,” the release from the DOJ details.
— — —
Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected]com.
Photo “Justice Department Announces Superseding Indictment Charging 12 in Gun-Running Conspiracy to Supply” by The Justice Department.


thetennesseestar--2020-08-12--GOP Senators Press FBI Director Christopher Wray to Produce Trump-Russia Documents

Republican Senators are pressing FBI Director Christopher Wray to provide documents related to the Trump-Russia probe .
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham on Monday sent a request to Wray for documents related to a briefing that the FBI provided to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence ( SSCI ) in February 2018 regarding the primary source for former British spy Christopher Steele .
The request follows on the heels of a subpoena that Sen. Ron Johnson , who chairs the Homeland Security Committee , issued to Wray for all documents related to Crossfire Hurricane , the counterintelligence investigation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subpoena calls for Wray to turn over the documents by Aug. 20 .
According to Graham , the FBI memo of the Senate briefing indicates that the bureau downplayed discrepancies between what Steele reported in his dossier and what the primary source for the document , Igor Danchenko , told the FBI in a series of interviews in 2017 .
Graham has accused the FBI of lying to Congress about the dossier both in the briefing to the Senate intelligence panel as well as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court .
In his letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FBI chief arranged the Feb. 14 , 2018 briefing about the dossier source to the leaders of SSCI .
“ What is particularly troubling about this briefing is that the outline of the briefing indicates that at least three material misrepresentations regarding the Primary Sub-source and what he told the FBI about the Steele dossier in 2017 were made to the committee , ” Graham wrote .
The memo prepared for the briefing said that Danchenko “ did not cite any significant concerns with the way his reporting was characterized in the dossier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” It also said that the FBI believed “ that the dossier was not fabricated by Steele.
” Graham said that the statements are “ clearly inaccurate ” based on information revealed in a Justice Department inspector general ’ s report of Crossfire Hurricane .
“ More importantly , however , is the fact that , based on its interviews with the Primary Sub-source , the FBI knew each of these statements was inaccurate at the time they were included in the outline for the briefing of the Intelligence Committee , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide the name and position of everyone at the FBI involved in drafting the briefing outline , as well as those who attended the briefing .
While it is unclear who took part in the briefing , former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe was interviewed by the Senate intelligence panel on Feb. 14 , 2018 , according to a report from the committee .
Senate Republicans have largely avoided criticizing Wray , who took over as FBI director in August 2017 .
House Republicans have been more openly critical of Wray , accusing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ related to Crossfire Hurricane .
“ It is well past time that you show the leadership necessary to bring the FBI past the abuses of the Obama-Biden era , ” Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan and Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson wrote in a letter to Wray on May 4 following the revelation of FBI documents in the investigation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn .
Chuck Ross is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .

A dozen individuals have been charged in a gun-running conspiracy that funneled firearms from Tennessee and Kentucky to Chicago, according to a release from the Department of Justice (DOJ).
In total, the 12 individuals are facing a 21-count indictment with charges for dealing in firearms without a license, transporting and receiving firearms into another state, making false statements to a federally licensed firearm dealer, and multiple other offenses.
Three of the alleged members of the gun pipeline were enlisted members of the U.S. Army and were stationed at Fort Campbell in Clarksville.
Demarcus Adams, Brandon Miller, and Jarius Brunson, along with other individuals charged in the indictment, allegedly purchased legal firearms from dealers in the area. After securing the guns, the DOJ contends the group would deliver the firearms to individuals in Chicago.
Law enforcement officials also claim the scheme was connected to gang violence in Chicago, saying that “the defendants conspired to purchase and deliver over 90 illegally obtained firearms to the Chicago area to facilitate the ongoing violent disputes between the Pocket Town Gangster Disciples and their rival gangs.”
Authorities detailed that at least two deaths were connected to firearms distributed in the movement from Tennessee to the Chicago area.
In addition to Clarksville, the organized crime circle operated in Oak Grove, Kentucky:
“The indictment further alleges the methods used by co-conspirators to purchase firearms from federally licensed firearms dealers in the Clarksville, Tenn. and Oak Grove, Kentucky areas, which included communicating via text messages to coordinate the purchase and delivery of firearms to the Chicago area; providing false information on firearms purchase application forms; and using apps such as Zelle and CashApp to facilitate payment for the illegal transfer of firearms. On one occasion, the indictment alleges that in addition to several firearms available for sale, Brandon Miller had 1,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition available for purchase,” the release from the DOJ details.
— — —
Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].com.
Photo “Justice Department Announces Superseding Indictment Charging 12 in Gun-Running Conspiracy to Supply” by The Justice Department.


thetennesseestar--2020-08-12--Host Leahy Goes One on One with Pastor Raleigh Washington to Discuss His Past and Present Life in th

Host Leahy Goes One on One with Pastor Raleigh Washington to Discuss His Past and Present Life in the Military and Ministry

Live from Music Row Tuesday 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 Pastor Raleigh Washington to the newsmakers line .
During the second hour , Washington reflected on his time in the military as an African American officer in the Army and his later dedication to ministry .
Leahy : We are joined now by Pastor Raleigh Washington of Jacksonville , Florida .
Good morning Raleigh .
Washington : Good morning my brother .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Thank you for joining us .
You have quite an interesting career .
I ’ m looking at your biography Raleigh and it said that you went to Florida A & M University in the 1950s .
Was that the Rattlers ?
Washington : You better believe it .
( Laughs ) Leahy : The Rattlers !
You were there I think a little bit before Bob Hayes .
Didn ’ t Bob Hayes go there ?
Washington : Yes .
Bob Hayes , when I was a senior he was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Or was he fast ?
Washington : He was faster than a speeding bullet I ’ ll tell you that .
( Chuckles ) Leahy : Man , I tell you what .
He was one of my sports heroes because he came out of Florida A & M and the Rattlers and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys and boy was he fast .
He was a good wide receiver .
He was really spectacular .
What kind of guy was Bob Hayes ?
Washington : Bob was a real decent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Florida just like myself .
Leahy : Oh , you were both from Jacksonville ?
Washington : Oh yeah .
Jacksonville , Florida .
And he was a great man .
He did some great things in the community .
Loved by all .
Really respected .
And his later days he was trapped by substance abuse which got the best of him .
But his legacy was a solid legacy because he came from an inner-city neighborhood of Jacksonville , Florida , and lived on the east side .
He gave back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ played as a sportsman .
He really talked to young people .
He wanted young people to do the right thing .
Not be in gangs etc .
So he was a real community spokesman and activator .
And he was a person that we really looked up to .
Leahy : So you actually walked onto the baseball team in Florida A & M in the late 50s .
You got a scholarship .
What position did you play ?
Leahy : Ah , OK. Then the Chicago Cubs offered you a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down and you stayed and got your degree .
Washington : That is exactly correct .
And when I graduated they came back to me and offered me a contract at the end of my sophomore year and I said no I ’ m going to finish college .
And I really was thinking about it .
But when I graduated I also did four years of ROTC .
I had a commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army .
So I had a choice of going to the Cubs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a second lieutenant .
And I chose to go into the Army .
Leahy : You know it could have been Ernie Banks at shortstop and a Raleigh Washington at third base instead of Ron Santo .
Washington : ( Chuckles ) Well you know I thought about that a lot .
Sometimes I look back and say I wish I had considered that because I had a tremendous batting eye .
I had blazing speed .
And I had a lot that would have served me well as a professional baseball @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made to go into the Army turned out to be the best choice that I could have made because I had a two-year commitment initially .
This was in 1960 when I really went into the military as an officer .
There weren ’ t very many African American officers .
Especially in the Adjutant Generals Core which I was a part of in the administration .
You learn discipline and leadership .
You learn men .
You understand as an officer you were required to be an officer and a gentleman .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ year before I got out of the military .
I ended up staying there for 20 years .
But I lived a solid moral life because to be successful as an officer you needed to do that .
So I learned some very good traits about leadership .
About leading men .
About doing things the right way that would be successful as an officer .
So I think I made the right choice .
And it served me exceedingly well when I got out of the military 20 years later and went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ graduated in 1983 from the Evangelical Free Church and then you went on to found The Rock Church .
Was that in Chicago ?
Washington : That was in Chicago .
That ’ s right .
I planted a church on the west side of the Evangelical Free Church of America .
And I did it in 1983 .
They have about 1300 churches in that denomination .
But I was the only African American pastor .
I was really Jackie Robinson of the Evangelical Free Church .
Leahy : ( Laughs ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Robinson of Evangelical preachers .
And then in 1998 , you left the rock church to join Promise Keepers .
That was the Bill McCartney , the coach of the national championship Colorado football team , wasn ’ t it ?
Washington : That is correct .
I really joined them in 1994 .
My church was very successful on the west side of Chicago and it was diverse .
65 percent African Americans and 35 percent were white .
And we were located in a 99 percent African American neighborhood .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well .
My partner minister Glen Kerhein who was White .
We worked together .
We co-opted a book called Breaking Down Walls : Moral Reconciliation in an Age of Strife .
That developed eight principles of reconciliation .
And that was something that interested Promise Keepers when they got started .
So in 1993 , Glen and I went and we shared when they had the first full stadium of 50,000 men in Boulder , Colorado .
They had 5,000 pastors there and we spoke to them on that Friday before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And about two or three weeks later they invited me to join the board of directors for Promise Keepers .
I joined them in 1994 .
And in 1996 I went on staff full-time to take over the reconciliation department and I was the vice president of Reconciliation in 1996 for Promise Keepers .
Leahy : Where were you then ?
Were you in Chicago ?
Washington : In that time I was in Denver , Colorado .
I lived in Aurora .
But Promise Keepers is based in Denver , Colorado .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Denver , Colorado , and was full-time there .
I continued to travel every weekend back and forth until they could get someone to replace me at my church .
But I was really full time as vice president of Reconciliation for Promise Keepers .
Working for Bill McCartney .
And he ’ s the one that really recruited me .
Leahy : So you stayed there until just recently ?
Washington : From ’ 94 I joined the board .
’ 96 I joined the staff .
And I was on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McCartney and I left Promise Keepers .
We were best friends and we launched a ministry called The Road to Jerusalem .
All about reconciling Jewish believers and gentile believers .
We did that for five years from 2003 to 2008 .
In 2008 the chairman of the board of Promise Keepers called both of us back .
The coach went back to Promise Keepers as chairman of the board .
And then I came back in 2008 as president of Promise Keepers and stayed in that role for the next 10 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a little bit about if you would what you are doing now .
Washington : Michael Patrick I think I understand my qualifications really to speak on how things are going now .
When I was in the military and Adjutant Generals Core I was almost always the only African American .
It ’ s an elite branch of the military and I always worked for the headquarters and worked for the generals .
And throughout my 20-year career , I was almost always the only African American officer .
The military is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the enemies I had in the military were White .
But all of the friends that I had in the military were White .
So I learned at an early age that you don ’ t judge people by the color of their skin .
But rather by the content of their character .
I advanced rapidly in the military .
I was moving up the line very fast .
I commanded a battalion at Fort Bragg in North Carolina .
It became the number one battalion at Fort Bragg North Carolina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I commanded the San Juan District Recruiting Command in San Juan , Puerto Rico .
It was the number one recruiting command in the military .
One White colonel said and it ’ s on record if you don ’ t stop Raleigh Washington he ’ ll be the first Black general in the general ’ s core .
And a conspiracy ensued and they came after me with bogus allegations that just were not true .
These allegations resulted in a number of investigations .
I ended up before the Adjutant board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generals on that board .
For one week they interrogated me and could not really find anything that would stick .
But after a week of investigation , they subjectively found me guilty of conduct unbecoming of an officer .
In the Adjutant Generals Corps , I knew the regulations .
There are four separate sets of regulations that must be found against an officer for an officer to be determined as guilty of conduct unbecoming .
None of those four criteria were in my record .
So they subjectively found that on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they offered me retirement in lieu of being discharged .
I had become a believer in Jesus just one year before all of that took place .
And my wife and I both believers said , you know , they are offering me a retirement .
They want to offer me a retirement in lieu of being discharged .
And so I turned it down .
After serving 19 years , 11 months , and 29 days one day short of 20 years which is mandatory retirement I was discharged from the military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Envy .
Jealously .
Racism .
Well , I had a choice to make at that time .
I could become bitter or become better .
And I chose to become better .
I went into the seminary and got a master ’ s divinity degree at Trinity Divinity School and then I planted the church .
Met a Jewish lawyer after having an accident by the name of Jeff Strain and I was telling him that story .
And when Jeff heard it he said , that ’ s not fair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I said Jeff what are we going to do ?
He said I know nothing about military law but we need to do something .
We are going to take them on .
And I said well Jeff , I have no money to hire you for that .
He said I didn ’ t ask for any money .
This Jewish lawyer by the name of Jeff Strain took my case on a pro bono basis .
Fought the military for nine years .
And at the end of nine years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They reversed themselves and called me back for to active duty to serve one day so that I might retire .
He hooked up with another lawyer in Washington , D.C. and they made my retirement three months later retroactive for the entire nine years .
They also expunged my records .
Today in Washington , D.C .
I have an immaculate record without any of those allegations spot of a blemish .
And I am now a retired lieutenant colonel .
Who else could do that but a holy God ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .
Photo “ Raleigh Washington ” by Raleigh Washington .

A dozen individuals have been charged in a gun-running conspiracy that funneled firearms from Tennessee and Kentucky to Chicago, according to a release from the Department of Justice (DOJ).
In total, the 12 individuals are facing a 21-count indictment with charges for dealing in firearms without a license, transporting and receiving firearms into another state, making false statements to a federally licensed firearm dealer, and multiple other offenses.
Three of the alleged members of the gun pipeline were enlisted members of the U.S. Army and were stationed at Fort Campbell in Clarksville.
Demarcus Adams, Brandon Miller, and Jarius Brunson, along with other individuals charged in the indictment, allegedly purchased legal firearms from dealers in the area. After securing the guns, the DOJ contends the group would deliver the firearms to individuals in Chicago.
Law enforcement officials also claim the scheme was connected to gang violence in Chicago, saying that “the defendants conspired to purchase and deliver over 90 illegally obtained firearms to the Chicago area to facilitate the ongoing violent disputes between the Pocket Town Gangster Disciples and their rival gangs.”
Authorities detailed that at least two deaths were connected to firearms distributed in the movement from Tennessee to the Chicago area.
In addition to Clarksville, the organized crime circle operated in Oak Grove, Kentucky:
“The indictment further alleges the methods used by co-conspirators to purchase firearms from federally licensed firearms dealers in the Clarksville, Tenn. and Oak Grove, Kentucky areas, which included communicating via text messages to coordinate the purchase and delivery of firearms to the Chicago area; providing false information on firearms purchase application forms; and using apps such as Zelle and CashApp to facilitate payment for the illegal transfer of firearms. On one occasion, the indictment alleges that in addition to several firearms available for sale, Brandon Miller had 1,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition available for purchase,” the release from the DOJ details.
— — —
Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Justice Department Announces Superseding Indictment Charging 12 in Gun-Running Conspiracy to Supply” by The Justice Department.


thetennesseestar--2020-08-12--Virginia Football Season Still up in the Air with No Decision from ACC Yet

Uncertainty still looms over the Virginia football program with no official decision from the Atlantic Coastal Conference ( ACC ) about the fastly-approaching 2020 fall season .
Just like many other Division 1 football teams , Virginia is waiting for a decision on whether a modified season will be played as athletic directors , school presidents and chancellors and the league continue discussions .
“ I have not been told yet where the ACC currently stands , ” head coach Bronco Mendenhall said in audio of a zoom call with media obtained by The Virginia Star .
“ Carla lets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and gives me an idea sometimes of what athletic directors and other leagues are thinking as well.
” Mendenhall continued to discuss the current unpredictability of college football .
“ [ The situation ] changes so quickly and so rapidly .
I wouldn ’ t be surprised to have decisions made today , tomorrow , next week in relation to where we stand.
” There are some signs that the ACC will decide move forward with the season , however .
According to Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports , an ACC official said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the fall .
“ We are trying to move forward [ with playing ] absolutely , ” the official told Dodd .
“ I don ’ t know if there is a drop dead time period [ to decide ] .
We don ’ t start play until Sept. 12 as a league.
” No official decision has been announced as of Tuesday afternoon .
In his zoom call with media , Mendenhall took a straight forward , realistic approach to the situation .
He stressed that health and safety comes before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that will occur once regular students return to campus for classes and the players return to their more normal daily routines .
Another key point for Mendenhall was the team ’ s mental health .
Mendenhall emphasized that the players mental health has risen to the forefront of things he is managing during this period filled with uncertainty and many outside distractions .
Virginia State Senator Chap Petersen ( D-Fairfax ) , who has followed the Cavaliers for over 30 years , believes the team should play football this year while giving players @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choice opt out of the season without losing their scholarships .
“ If it ’ s possible I ’ d like to see them play , sure , ” Petersen said in an interview with The Star .
The presidents and chancellors of the league are expected to meet on Wednesday to discuss the options , according to ESPN .
Jacob Taylor is a reporter at The Virginia Star .
Follow Jacob on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ University of Virginia Football Players Taking the Field ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Staff .
CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-12--Attorney Defending Ohio Governor Mike DeWine Called to Testify in Epstein Accuser Case

John Zeiger is a partner at Zeiger , Tigges & Little LLP , the law firm the Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost ’ s office hired to defend the State of Ohio in litigation popping up around the state as a consequence of Ohio ’ s COVID orders , mandates and policies – lawsuits naming as defendants Governor Michael DeWine , Ohio Department of Health Interim Director Lance Himes , former Director of Health Amy Acton , and certain health districts .
John Zeiger is also Leslie Wexner ’ s family lawyer .
Leslie Wexner is a billionaire business titan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brands , the parent company of , among other notable brands , Victoria ’ s Secret .
On Monday , August 10 Wexner and Zeiger were subpoenaed by a United States District Court Judge Loretta Preska in the legal battle between Virginia Roberts Giuffre and Alan Dershowitz .
Victoria Roberts Giuffre is an outspoken accuser of convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein .
Giuffre claims Epstein trafficked her to Prince Andrew , Duke of York , when she was 17 , as well Alan Dershowitz .
Alan Dershowitz , professor emeritus at Harvard Law School @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defended multimillionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein in his 2006 sex trafficking lawsuit , who now finds himself the accused – Giuffre says Dershowitz procured sex with her through Epstein ’ s sex ring .
Dershowitz ’ s legal team filed the subpoena in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on June 8 , 2020 to compel Leslie Wexner , and his family attorney John Zeiger , to submit documents and sit for depositions .
Wexner and Zeiger are targets of subpoenas because , according to The Daily Beast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Epstein , a convicted sex offender , trafficked her to other men—including Dershowitz and Prince Andrew—the lawyer has denied the claims .
Hitting back , Dershowitz accused Giuffre of hatching a plan to “ falsely accuse him of sex trafficking ” in order to “ extort a settlement from another party , namely Wexner.
” Wexner had close ties with Jeffrey Epstein for decades , beginning his relationship with Epstein in the 1980s .
Epstein owned a home adjacent to the Wexner family property , had significant control over Wexner ’ s fortune @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Judge Preska wrote “ The court has reviewed letters submitted under seal by Defendant Alan Dershowitz , Plaintiff Virginia Giuffre , and nonparties Leslie Wexner and John Zeiger , concerning Mr. Dershowitz ’ s request for a pre-motion conference on a motion to compel Mr. Wexner and Mr. Zeiger ( 1 ) to disclose certain materials requested in various Rule 45 subpoenas and ( 2 ) to provide deposition testimony.
” Preska continued : “ [ F ] irst , the Court sees no reason for that correspondence to remain under seal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letters on the public docket as soon as is practicable.
” Judge Preska requested the attorneys confer with their clients and report to the court no later than August 13 .
In 2019 Wexner wrote to the Wexner Foundation Community ( below ) “ I am embarrassed that , like so many others , I was deceived by Mr. Epstein.
” Wexner later said Epstein misappropriated $ 46 million from his family .
“ I condemn his abhorrent behavior in the strongest possible terms.
” The Ohio Star reached out to the Governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision to seek special counsel in the civil case in the Franklin County , Ohio Court of Common Pleas : Pins Mechanical Co. , LLC , et.al .
v. Governor Michael DeWine , et.al .
Governor DeWine ’ s Press Secretary Dan Tierney indicated outside counsel decisions are made by the Attorney General ’ s office and deferred comment on the questions to that office .
The Ohio Star also contacted the Ohio Attorney General ’ s office to determine what factors drive selecting special counsel , criteria considered when selecting special counsel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case ( Pins Mechanical v. Governor Michael DeWine ) and the total budget allocation for the state ’ s defense of COVID lawsuits .
Dave O ’ Neill , Senior Public Information Officer at the Ohio Attorney Generals ’ Office wrote , “ [ W ] e appoint special counsel as needed by state clients .
They are hired as a matter of capacity and because of expertise .
After consultation with the governor ’ s office , Zeiger was hired because of its proven track record and proximity to the majority of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 98,000 for the referenced case .
The total budget for all firms that may represent the state in matters involving COVID-related litigation is $ 864,000.
” Jack Windsor is Managing Editor and an Investigative Reporter at The Ohio Star and an Investigative Reporter at WMFD-TV .
Follow Jack on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .
Photo “ John Zeiger ” by Ohio State University .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-12--Whitmer Vetoes Bill Seeking to Give Health Care Workers Immunity During COVID-19 Pandemic

Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer vetoed Senate Bill 899 , a bill intended to shield health care workers from liability during a state of emergency .
The immunity granted to health care workers and facilities would have stretched from March 10 , 2020 , to Jan. 1 , 2021 , as the state battles COVID-19 .
Sen. Michael MacDonald , R-Macomb Township , sponsored the bill the Senate passed in May , and Whitmer vetoed on Monday .
The Michigan Health and Hospital Association , the Michigan State Medical Society , and 16 health care facilities throughout the state supported the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t have applied for willful misconduct , gross negligence , intentional criminal misconduct or intentional harm .
Whitmer said the bill went too far since it would have provided legal immunity for all declared emergencies .
“ If this bill only attempted to restore the protections I offered under my orders , I would consider signing it .
But the bill goes much further in ways that are directly counter to the interests of those receiving care , ” Whitmer wrote in a letter .
“ For example , this bill would give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employ them broad immunity every time an emergency or disaster is declared , regardless of whether the circumstances demand this extreme measure , ” Whitmer wrote .
Whitmer said she extended liability protections through the Emergency Management Act during Michigan ’ s COVID-19 peak to ensure hospitals weren ’ t overwhelmed .
“ Senate Bill 899 would endanger patients and workers unnecessarily , making it nearly impossible to obtain relief from injury during a state of emergency , ” Whitmer said in a statement .
“ As always , I will continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michiganders and their families during this crisis.
” MacDonald said he was disappointed Whitmer “ has decided to protect trial lawyers instead of the front-line health care workers who are making critical decisions each day to save lives from COVID-19.
” “ By vetoing this measure , the governor is just making it harder for medical professionals to do their job , ” MacDonald said in a statement .
“ As this global pandemic continues , our doctors and nurses should be able to focus on providing the best care possible for their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield , R-Levering , also criticized the veto .
“ Michigan ’ s healthcare heroes are working on the front lines under incredibly difficult conditions and doing the very best they can to protect lives and keep our families safe , ” Chatfield said in a statement .
“ They deserve to know we all have their back and that we support them as they focus their time on providing top notch care , instead of worrying about politics , evolving legal opinions and frivolous lawsuits.
” He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the governor felt our frontline healthcare workers deserved this protection two months ago but not today , since she did not include any legitimate explanation of her veto.
” 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 .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-12--Minnesota Department of Health to Allow Visitors into Nursing Homes at the End of August

People wanting to visit their loved ones residing in nursing homes and assisted living facilities will be able to starting August 29 , the Minnesota Department of Health ( MDH ) announced Monday .
This will be the first time visitors have been allowed into long-term care facilities since March 31 .
MDH ’ s latest guidance assigns levels to nursing homes and assisted living facilities according to the number of reported COVID-19 cases over a 28-day period .
If any facility experiences active cases or exposure in the past 28 days , they are ranked “ Level 1.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2.
” “ Level 1 ” facilities must adhere to restrictions similar to those currently in existence : outdoor and window visitations only , social distancing between all residents , no trips off of facility property , personal protective gear ( PPE ) for staff , and medical screenings twice a day .
The difference for facilities ranked “ Level 2 ” is that residents are allowed visitations without social distancing and some trips off of facility property .
Visitors must wear face coverings but do not have to wear PPE .
Hugging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” however , kissing and holding hands are prohibited .
The MDH explained that the “ unintended harms of social isolation ” was “ an urgent priority ” in their recent decision to reconsider visitation guidelines .
Additionally , they cited a concern with a sizable decrease in the number of maltreatment reports , which occur when loved ones are able to visit and identify any potential maltreatment .
MDH ’ s new guidance comes after reports of residents in long-term care facilities dying from social isolation , or “ loneliness , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Residents have been isolated for months , and that presents significant risks for their emotional and social well-being , ” said MDH Commissioner Jan Malcolm .
“ This guidance helps facilities keep their COVID-19 guard up while taking cautious steps toward ensuring residents have more social connections and interaction.
” In the first two months of state-imposed pandemic guidelines , no visits of any kind were allowed .
Then on June 12 , the state allowed for “ window visits ” where visitors could walk up to residents ’ windows ; five days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visits .
However , both types of visits were limited by mandatory six feet of distance and face coverings for both the visitor and resident .
Two weeks ago , the MDH released “ Long-term Care COVID-19 Response Update ” with data indicating that the number of COVID-19 cases and related deaths in congregate care facilities have been in decline since the end of May .
Half of the nursing homes and 77 % of the assisted living facilities in the state had no reported cases throughout the pandemic .
The MDH plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its new guideline .
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 ] .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-12--Protesters Gathered Outside Richmond Councilwoman Kim Gray’s Home

A large group of protestors amassed outside the home of Richmond councilwoman and mayoral candidate Kim Gray in the Jackson Ward neighborhood during a mid-July protest , Gray said during an interview with The Virginia Star .
Gray was first alerted to a possible threat via phone call from a someone at a protest in another part of Richmond who was told that Gray ’ s house had been burnt down .
The councilwoman , who was in her home when she answered the call , immediately notified Richmond police , she said .
On the same day , Gray @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the area was gathering down her street , which she thought as an indication that protesters would be coming to her house .
Later that night around 10 p.m. , Gray estimates there were roughly 200 protesters in front of her Jackson Ward home with four children in the house at the time .
Gray said she was on the phone with a police lieutenant who told her to go inside and not come back out , she said .
The crowd of protestors was a mix of different groups with some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pointers that were being pointed in her children ’ s bedroom windows , according to Gray .
In councilwoman Gray ’ s interview with The Star she had a direct message for the protestors .
“ I am available to meet at any point in my council office to discuss relevant policy and that family is off limits , ” she said .
“ People ’ s homes should be protected , not just mine but everyone ’ s .
I had neighbors who were impacted , and the street was blocked so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condition.
” Despite being on the phone with Richmond police during the protest , Gray said she had not see any uniformed officers amongst or around the crowd , even after elderly neighbors also called the cops .
Releasing a statement the two days later on Twitter , Richmond police refuted Gray ’ s claim that no officers arrived .
According to the published statement , Richmond police received calls from Gray and other residents in the area around 10:35 p.m. , dispatching officers to the scene to monitor the actions of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone .
The statement also says that the crowd was only in front of Gray ’ s home for 15 minutes .
Gray maintains that no officers showed up and that the crowd of protesters were outside of her house for longer than 15 minutes .
Gray said that she has over 35 minutes of security camera footage of the group and that one of her daughters was livestreaming the protestors on Facebook live for nearly 27 minutes .
The organizers of the protest sent out a statement the following day .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up of “ black feminists , disable people , clergy members and LGBTQ+ youth , ” and protesters stopped in front of Gray house “ to highlight her misrepresentation of the movement and her lack of action toward community demands.
” On the same day that Richmond Police released their statement to Twitter , Mayor Levar Stoney , who dealt with a similar situation in June when protestors gathered outside his home , put out a message about the incident speaking out against protesting outside of elected officials ’ homes .
Almost a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Gray ’ s primary issues is not with the protest its self , but more so that it occurred in front of her home and in a residential area .
“ I support everyone ’ s constitutional right to freedom of expression and protest but , residential areas are off limits for these types of displays because its considered illegal picketing.
” Disturbing a person ’ s right to tranquility in their home is a class 3 misdemeanor , according to the Code of Virginia .
Jacob Taylor is a reporter at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .
Photo “ Kim Gray ” by Kim Gray .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-12--Virginia Lawmakers Consider Removing Qualified Immunity for Law Enforcement Officers

The Virginia legislature is considering laws that would remove qualified immunity for law enforcement officers .
The proposed legislation would remove protection for police officers that prevents individuals from suing an officer in civil court under certain circumstances .
It should be noted that even with qualified immunity , individual police officers can be sued in civil court for clearly violating police guidelines .
Qualified immunity protects officers that act in good faith and according to police regulations from being sued in civil court by offenders .
State Delegate Jeff Bourne ( D-Richmond ) will carry the legislation in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of qualified immunity “ is one of those things that has to be changed if we ’ re really talking about reform and we ’ re really talking about fairness.
” State Senator Scott Surovell ( D-Fairfax ) is expected to carry the bill in the Senate .
Neither Surovell nor his office responded to a request for comment as of press time .
Opponents of the proposed legislation have expressed concerns on the effect such a repeal would have on police forces across the state .
Senator Bryce Reeves ( R-Spotsylvania ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hurdle to retaining police officers .
Citing police forces he ’ s spoken to in Fairfax and Prince William , Reeves said that many officers are either considering retirement or have already “ put in their paperwork ” to leave their department .
Reeves stated that he is not opposed to looking at qualified immunity policies to “ see if [ they need ] some tweaks.
” However , Reeves believes that “ if you were to just wipe away immunity , you are going to wipe away your police forces.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been told “ morale has been at its all-time lowest ” among Richmond police officers .
Reeves sees the proposed legislation as a “ detrimental to recruiting , ” which he said will be Virginia police ’ s “ number one issue.
” Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman echoed these sentiments , saying that repealing qualified immunity would “ open all law enforcement to lawsuits ” and remove “ incentives for anybody to get into law enforcement.
” Chapman points out that officers called to a scene sometimes have seconds to respond to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ develop instantaneously ” and must make “ snap judgments on circumstances [ they ] often know little about.
” Removing qualified immunity could hinder an officer ’ s reaction time or could negatively impact their decision-making as they may worry about a potential civil suit .
“ You ’ re open to a civil lawsuit which then could just devastate you and your family and everything you ’ ve worked for , ” said Chapman .
“ It ’ s not like law enforcement officers are making a ton of money , either… @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the citizens .
They ’ re doing the best they can under very difficult circumstances.
” Chapman said that morale among law enforcement across Virginia “ is very bad.
” He said that departments throughout the state “ are having a hard time recruiting ” and retaining officers .
“ Why would you want to put yourself through that if you ’ re going to… get civilly sued for a mistake you make out there ?
” asked Chapman .
“ It ’ s very problematic.
” “ They ’ re having a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people are retiring early , ” said Chapman .
If the proposed legislation passes , Chapman asserted that it “ would be problematic for everybody.
” “ To take that protection away is unconscionable , ” Chapman said .
The Virginia Legislature will meet in a special session to discuss this and other bills on August 18 .
Sam Medley is a journalist at the Tennessee Star and Star News Network .
You can follow Sam at Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ Scott Surovell ” by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” by Jeff Bourne .
Background Photo “ Virginia House of Delegates ” by Germanna CC .
CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-12--Steve Cohen Wants the Feds to Send More Benefits to Memphis

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen ( D-TN-09 ) wants federal officials to continue sending $ 600 a week to unemployed people .
Cohen also wants more people in Memphis to fill out their 2020 Census forms — so that city residents can continue to qualify for the same amount of government benefits they ’ re already getting .
Cohen said this to the Memphis-based WATN this week .
“ I think it ’ s better if we compromise to make sure first the $ 600 is there on unemployment as we get the money there to people who are out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to everybody with jobs or out of jobs , ” Cohen told the station .
As The Tennessee Star reported this week , U.S. President Donald Trump cut the enhanced federal unemployment benefit from $ 600 a week to $ 400 a week after Democrats in the House failed to make a deal with the Republican-controlled Senate on the matter .
Trump signed four executive orders on Saturday , one of which lowers the enhanced unemployment benefit by a third through the end of the year , with states required to contribute $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 600 per week through the CARES Act , which expired July 31 .
Cohen also told WATN that only 60 percent of people in Shelby County have submitted their Census forms .
“ This means a lot of money to Shelby County , to Tennessee , in terms of what we get in terms of Medicaid , SNAP payments , all kinds of federal funds , TANF funds .
They are distributed based on your population , ” Cohen said .
“ And if our people don ’ t sign up in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lose out on federal funds.
” As The Tennessee Star reported in June , Cohen announced the feds would send more than $ 100,000 of taxpayer money to the University of Memphis to study how COVID-19 affects employee morale .
As reported in April , Cohen announced that as part of the Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security Act , the already publicly-funded Memphis Area Transit Authority would receive nearly $ 36 million in taxpayer money .
MATA is Memphis ’ public transportation provider .
Members of the Federal Transit Administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Cohen held a Coronavirus Town Hall where he touted mail-in voting and warned that Russians are in America putting out misinformation about COVID-19 .
Cohen warned that Russians are trying to make Americans believe Pentagon staff caused or created COVID-19 .
Later that month , Cohen announced that the feds would send the Memphis International Airport nearly $ 25 million in COVID-19 relief money — even though the facility had struggled for years because far fewer people use it .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ email protected ] Photo “ Steve Cohen ” by Local 24 Memphis .


thetennesseestar--2020-08-13--Tennessee General Assembly Wraps up Extraordinary Session, Passing the Anticipated Legislation

The second session of the 111th Tennessee General Assembly wrapped up Wednesday evening after passing the legislation called for in Governor Bill Lee ’ s proclamation .
Over the course of three legislative days , the state Senate and House passed measures related to COVID-related liability protection , expansion of telemedicine and criminal laws related to protests .
The Senate addressed the legislation through its existing standing committees , while the House used a combination of standing committees and those established specifically for the extraordinary session , including COVID Related Liability Committee , Public Safety Committee and Electronic Delivery of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bills were passed in the second extraordinary session of the 111th Tennessee General Assembly .
SB 8001 / HB 8006 – a governmental entity , defined as a governing body , board , commission , committee or department of a municipality , county or other political subdivision of the state , shall not intentionally prohibit or prevent law enforcement or fire and rescue services from accessing a specifically bounded area within the entity ’ s jurisdiction during a public demonstration , unless the services are replaced by like services of another governmental entity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be held liable for the resulting damages , injury or death .
This bill was not included in the governor ’ s call for the extraordinary session , but was structured narrowly to fit into the scope of the session .
While Democrats objected to the legislation throughout the process , it went on to pass by a vote of 27-4 in the Senate and 68-19-1 in the House .
SB 8002 / HB 8001 – “ Tennessee COVID-19 Recovery Act ” requires that in any claims for any loss , damage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the claimant proves by clear and convincing evidence that it was caused by an act or omission constituting gross negligence or willful misconduct .
The main sticking point on the legislation during the June session of the General Assembly was when to make it effective .
The Senate and House agreed during the extraordinary session to make it effective as of August 3 , the day of the call for the special session by Lee , although any lawsuit filed prior to the effective date could continue .
Among other failed amendments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Representative John Ray Clemmons ( D-Nashville ) sought to rename the measure the “ Tennessee Influenza Recovery Act , ” with the sponsor calling out his colleagues for their hypocrisy in saying COVID-19 is no worse than the flu .
The bill went on to pass in the Senate with a 27-4 vote and in the House with an 80-10-1 vote .
As the most non-controversial bill of the special session , it passed the Senate with a 30-1 vote and the House with a 91-0-1 vote .
SB 8005 / HB 8005 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activities that go beyond being peaceful to damaging public property , assaulting a first responder , or camping in undesignated areas and authorizes the attorney general to investigate crimes when the victim is a state employee , state property was damaged , or the administration of state government was delayed as a result of the crime .
As the most controversial piece of legislation taken up during the extraordinary session , the intense discussions from the day prior in the House Public Safety Committee carried forward to the floor session Wednesday .
Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , First Amendment rights would not be infringed upon and that the legislation does not pertain to law-abiding citizens participating in peaceful protests , but rather increases punishment for bad actors .
Democrats in both the House and Senate , however , pushed back against the proposed legislation .
Mentioning nothing of the damage caused to private and public property and the laws broken during recent protests and riots , another amendment filed by Clemmons blamed the recent overnight camping , in violation of existing state law , and the constant presence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lee for his “ refusal to meet with Tennessee citizens and discuss issues concerning social justice.
” The governor ’ s refusal to have a meeting and his orders to provide 24-hour security , said Clemmons in his amendment , have cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars .
State Representative Bo Mitchell ( D-Nashville ) , a vehement opponent of the Education Savings Account ( ESA ) legislation , didn ’ t miss the opportunity to file an amendment to derail the program .
Mitchell ’ s amendment called for an investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the adoption of the ESA program and all crimes that may have been committed by a public official during the adoption or implementation of the program .
A strong supporter of the ESA program for many years and at what was likely his last House floor session , retiring state Representative Bill Dunn ( R-Knoxville ) rose to address Mitchell ’ s amendment .
Reminiscent of the Russian collusion narrative against President Trump , Dunn pointed out that for over a year Mitchell has said that the FBI is conducting an investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with the FBI ’ s tactics and tools , they haven ’ t found evidence of a crime .
Dunn went on to mention that during this time of the coronavirus pandemic , it would be great if parents had the ESA so that they could gather together in pods to get the education that their child needs .
At least four more House Democrats spoke against the legislation , before former Democrat Representative John DeBerry , Jr. rose to speak .
DeBerry didn ’ t speak on the legislation or question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the inspirational speeches he is known for .
Reflecting on his real-life experiences during the time of Dr. Martin Luther King , DeBerry talked about the peaceful way that the men and women changed the world at that time and called into question the activities of today .
After a few minutes of speaking , when DeBerry concluded , he received a standing ovation from Republicans .
SB 8004 / HB 8003 – appropriations for the first year of funding for any act passed during the special session that has a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bill included $ 692,500 to implement SB 8003 / HB 8002 relative to electronic delivery of health care ; $ 474,400 for incarceration costs in implementing SB 8005 / HB 8005 ; and , $ 68,000 to fund the state share of increased expenditures for laws passed during the extraordinary session will be split in half between municipalities and counties on the basis of population .
After floor sessions began at 2 p.m. for the Senate and 2:30 p.m. for the House , both chambers recessed about four hours later to wait @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agree on amendments .
Just before 7 p.m. , the speakers of each house appointed committees to notify the governor and the other chamber of the completion of its business and preparedness to adjourn sine die .
Laura Baigert is a senior reporter at The Tennessee Star .

by Scott McClallen
About $13.5 million in taxpayer grants from the Going PRO Talent Fund will help train 8,500 workers across nearly 300 Michigan businesses to earn industry-recognized credentials and strong wages.
“The Going PRO Talent Fund is an investment in our state’s greatest asset – our people – helping them develop the skills they need to advance their careers and ‘make it’ in Michigan,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement. “These grants help us put thousands of Michiganders on paths to good-paying jobs and empower hundreds of Michigan businesses across the state develop the talent they need to compete in the global economy.”
The program launched in 2014. Since then, more than 6,000 Michigan businesses have received Going PRO Talent Fund awards to train 175,000 new and existing workers.
More than 60% of the employers receiving funds are small businesses with fewer than 100 employees. Training must fill a demonstrated talent need experienced by the employer and result in the employee acquiring a credential for a transferable skill recognized by the industry.
Susan Corbin, the director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, said these grants keep Michigan businesses competitive globally.
“Programs like the Going PRO Talent Fund help businesses throughout Michigan train the talent they need in order to stay competitive in the global economy,” Corbin said in a statement. “Investments like these help us connect individuals and business leaders with tailored opportunities and unique resources they need to prosper. Together, we are creating a competitive and innovative environment that improves the quality of life for people who live, work and do business in Michigan.”
The average training cost per worker is $1,250. According to 2021 data, average hourly wages for Going PRO Talent Fund participants increased by $5.71 six months after completing training.
“The Going PRO Talent Fund has continued to help Michigan employers retain their workers by providing the necessary support for them to help upskill their workforce,” LEO’s Office of Employment and Training director Stephanie Beckhorn said in a statement. “These trainings have also provided an opportunity for employees to gain industry-recognized credentials they need to grow and thrive in these in-demand careers.”
LEO makes Going PRO Talent Fund awards to employers through Michigan Works! Agencies. Participating employers play an integral role in defining their crucial training needs, then work with their local MWAs and other partners to develop strategic training plans.
David Worthams, director of Employment Policy for the Michigan Manufacturers Association, said the talent fund is “arguably the best talent development program the state of Michigan has to offer.”
“As we get into the next cycle of grants, employers and their employees will see huge strides in new skills that we need as we move into the future of manufacturing in the state, Worthams said in a statement. “This is another reason why Michigan is one of the best states to do business in.”
– – –
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. In 2021, he published a book on technology and privacy. He co-hosts the weekly Michigan in Focus podcast.


thetennesseestar--2020-08-13--Commentary: Baseball Season, Our Distorted View of COVID-19, and What the Facts Tell Us

If you ’ re not convinced that Americans have been sold a distorted view of COVID-19 risk , consider Major League Baseball .
Most of the league ’ s players are among the 46 million Americans between ages 25 and 34 .
A total of 992 people in this age group have died with COVID-19 , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
That ’ s a mortality rate of 2 per 100,000 .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 5,569 people between 25 and 34 died in traffic accidents in 2018 , suggesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to die in a bus accident on the way to a game than because of the coronavirus .
Players are tested frequently .
Those who test positive are isolated .
Those with whom they ’ ve come into contact also are tested .
Major League Baseball ’ s COVID-19 manual runs 101 pages and sets forth excruciatingly detailed rules ( for example : no spitting , no high-fiving , no sharing rosin bags ) .
And yet MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is facing calls to cancel the season because some players have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extraordinary precautions .
COVID-19 is a highly contagious disease .
It spreads rapidly , even in communities under lockdown orders and in major league clubhouses , where strict rules prevail .
We can ’ t eliminate the risk of infection .
But although everyone is at roughly equal risk of infection , not everyone is at equal risk of serious illness or death with COVID-19 .
COVID-19 is a serious disease primarily for the elderly , especially those in nursing homes , and those with certain medical conditions .
Younger people have gotten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have died , but the consequences of infection are vastly different for a 75-year-old than for a 25-year-old or a 15-year-old or a 5-year-old .
Consider these data points from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention : • Those under 45 ( 58 % of the U.S. population ) account for less than 3 % of coronavirus deaths .
• Those under 35 ( 45 % of the population ) account for less than 1 % of coronavirus deaths .
• Children under 15 ( 31 % of the population ) account @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) of coronavirus deaths .
• More than 12,500 children have died so far this year ; 99.7 % of them from something other than COVID-19 .
Although the picture is not so bleak for younger people , it is very different for seniors , especially those living in nursing homes .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that , as of July 25 , those 65 and older had accounted for 80 % of COVID-19 deaths , although they make up less than 17 % of the U.S. population .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ all deaths among the elderly , making it one of the leading causes of death among those 65 and older .
Most of these deaths occurred among nursing home residents .
Indeed , the majority of all COVID-19 deaths are among nursing home residents , according Phil Kerpen of American Commitment , who publishes a daily online tally of COVID-19-related deaths in nursing facilities .
For whatever reason , most public officials and news outlets seem incapable of distinguishing between the risk of getting infected—which affects all age groups more or less equally—and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is predominantly a problem among the elderly .
Not only has this failure needlessly created widespread panic , but it has slowed , and sometimes prevented , the provision of more targeted public health interventions needed by those most at risk .
A recent study by Massachusetts Institute of Technology economists concluded that targeting interventions to those most at risk is the optimal policy approach : Government officials stubbornly have promoted uniform policies of widespread lockdowns , shunning policies tailored to the age-related risk disparities of COVID-19 .
They have perpetrated a distorted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions of Americans , stoking a climate of fear instead of rationality .
Major League Baseball so far has resisted demands to cancel its season , preserving the hope that reason may yet prevail in our pandemic response .
Doug Badger is a former White House and Senate policy adviser and is currently a senior fellow at the Galen Institute and a visiting fellow at The Heritage Foundation .
Norbert Michel studies and writes about housing finance , including the reform of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac , as The Heritage Foundation ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @


thetennesseestar--2020-08-13--As Virginia Public Schools Struggle to Reopen, Thales Academy Sees Strong Start to School Year

Many public schools in Virginia won ’ t start until the end of August , but Thales Academy in Glen Allen is already off to a strong start for the 2020-2021 school year .
Thales , which is a private school with campuses in Virginia , North Carolina , and Tennessee , started their school year on July 20 .
The Virginia campus , located in Glen Allen , currently enrolls students in kindergarten through second grade .
The institution is named after Thales of Miletus , who is widely regarded as the Father of the Sciences and Western Philosophy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students an affordable and high-quality education through the use of “ Direct Instruction and a Classical Curriculum that embodies traditional American values , ” according to Thales Academy ’ s website .
Thales Academy has instituted numerous precautions to keep students , parents , and teachers safe during the pandemic , including daily temperature checks , social distancing , frequent hand washing , no mass gatherings and more .
Bob Luddy , the founder of Thales Academy , told WRAL last month that the choice to reopen when so many public schools have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision between parents and teachers .
“ I think it ’ s very safe for children , ” said Luddy .
“ It ’ s pretty well documented .
We did surveys with our parents and teachers .
They wanted to come back to school.
” The first day of school at Thales saw happy parents , students , teachers , and staff .
“ I was in line the first day of school , ” Luddy said , “ and I was getting a lot of high fives and cheers.
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children back in school , ” Luddy continued .
Thales Academy offered students and parents the option for either in-person learning or virtual classrooms for their first quarter .
The private school ’ s in-person option was challenged by a positive case of COVID-19 at its Raleigh location .
A staff member who visited the Raleigh campus tested positive for the disease during the academy ’ s first week back .
However , Thales was prepared for potential cases of the coronavirus and handled this instance according to their precautions .
“ Having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new ventilation system where we ’ re pumping a lot of fresh air into the building , our parents dealt with it very well , ” said Luddy .
Commenting on many states ’ pushes to delay reopenings , Luddy said that Thales Academy had “ hundreds of parents calling ” and asking about enrollment .
“ Students need to be in school learning , ” replied Luddy .
“ It doesn ’ t make any sense to have millions of kids not in school , and they are safe in school if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Mike Pence said Thales Academy is at the “ forefront of reopening a school here in America ” during a visit to the Apex campus on July 29 .
This is in contrast to many public schools throughout Virginia ; school divisions have been encouraged to rely on remote learning as the “ dominant method of instruction , ” according to the Virginia Department of Education ’ s ( DOE ) Phase Guidance for Virginia Schools .
Most schools , such as those in Fairfax County , have postponed the start of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online instruction available for students .
Parents can register their students for in-person instruction in Fairfax County , but those students will receive instruction virtually for the foreseeable future .
Chesapeake , Gloucester , and others in the Hampton Roads area will echo Fairfax ’ s model and only offer online learning , at least for the start of the semester .
Not all public schools are keeping their physical campuses closed during this semester , though .
Hanover County Public Schools will allow students the option of either face-to-face instruction or online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sam Medley is a journalist at the Tennessee Star and Star News Network .
You can follow Sam at Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-08-13--Sumner Redstone, Who Built Media Empire Including CBS, Dies

Sumner Redstone , who joined his family ’ s drive-in movie chain in the 1950s and used it to build a vast media empire that included CBS and Viacom , has died .
He was 97 .
Under his watch , Viacom became one of the nation ’ s media titans , home to pay TV channels MTV and Comedy Central and movie studio Paramount Pictures .
ViacomCBS Inc. , which he led for decades , remembered Redstone for his “ unparalleled passion to win , his endless intellectual curiosity and his complete dedication to the company.
” Redstone built @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many headlines with his name focused on severed ties with wives , actors and executives .
In multiple interviews , he said he would never die .
His tight-fisted grip on the National Amusements theater chain , which controlled CBS Corp. and Viacom Inc. through voting stock , was passed to his daughter , Shari Redstone , who battled top executives to re-merge the two entities that split in 2006 .
The elder Redstone ’ s battles with his own family were as dramatic as his corporate maneuvers .
Son Brent Redstone once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media empire — then settled for a princely sum to give up his voting shares .
A lanky man with a thick Boston accent , Redstone often told interviewers that “ content is king.
” And he was right .
Despite sagging TV ratings at Viacom , his vast shareholdings in Viacom and CBS led Forbes magazine to estimate his net worth at $ 4.6 billion .
Besides being ruthless , Redstone was known for dogged determination .
In 1979 , he survived a fire at Boston ’ s Copley Plaza Hotel by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right arm still inside .
He suffered third-degree burns over half his body , his right wrist was nearly severed , and he was told he would never walk again .
But he eventually recovered , and was even able to play tennis by strapping the racket to his wrist .
“ I intend to live forever !
” he told Upstart Business Journal in 2009 .
Born in 1923 in Boston , Redstone was the oldest son of Michael and Belle Rothstein , who changed the family name to Redstone .
Redstone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Latin School in 1940 and completed his education at Harvard in less than three years .
He was selected to work on an Army intelligence team during World War II that cracked Japan ’ s military codes .
After three years in the Army , he went to Harvard Law School and became a partner at a Washington law firm .
He gave it up to join his father ’ s drive-in movie business in 1954 .
Redstone grew it into a major chain of multi-screen movie houses .
The privately held company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the source of all his family ’ s feuds .
He made a killing by trading in the stocks of Hollywood studios and in 1987 — the year he turned 64 — bought Viacom in a hostile takeover for $ 3.4 billion , most of it borrowed , ousting founder Ralph Baruch as chairman .
Critics said that a cable network based on music videos was doomed , but Redstone disagreed and rebuffed efforts from the company ’ s bankers to unload the fledgling MTV .
Instead , he expanded its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Asia , Latin America and Russia .
Redstone next went after Paramount Pictures , a four-year process that ended with a friendly offer from Viacom for $ 10 billion in 1993 .
He scooped up the Blockbuster video rental chain for its then-healthy cash flow , not knowing then that videotape rentals would collapse .
Viacom then swallowed CBS Corp. for $ 34.5 billion in September 1999 , then the largest media merger until the AOL-Time Warner union came months later .
The deal brought Redstone together with CBS chief Mel Karmazin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ By June 2004 , Karmazin was out , later to become head of Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. CBS and Viacom were split into two public companies both under his control in 2006 .
Another victim of Redstone ’ s rise : Tom Cruise , whose couch-jumping on “ The Oprah Winfrey Show ” and embrace of Scientology led Redstone to cut short a deal with Cruise and his production company .
“ We don ’ t think that someone who effectuates creative suicide and costs the company revenue should be on the lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Journal in 2006 .
The two later patched things up ahead of the making of “ Mission Impossible : Ghost Protocol.
” By 2010 , Redstone ’ s hand in the business became unwelcome .
He shepherded onto TV a show featuring a scantily-clad girl group , the Electric Barbarellas , over protests from within .
The day it aired , MTV Networks CEO Judy McGrath resigned .
Then he was scandalized further after reporter Peter Lauria made public a voicemail in which Redstone offered to bribe him to reveal the leaker of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was married and divorced twice — first to Phyllis Gloria Raphael , mother of his children — then to schoolteachers Paula Fortunato , a woman 39 years his junior .
In May 2015 , he released a statement saying that after he dies , his ownership stakes in CBS and Viacom , through National Amusements , would be managed by a seven-person trust .
The trust listed as trustees Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman , Shari Redstone , her son Tyler Korff and four lawyers .
It is for the benefit of his five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Abrams were kicked out of the trust in May amid legal squabbling .
In late 2015 , former companion Manuela Herzer sued Redstone after he kicked her out of his estate .
The suit revealed a strange , secluded life in his Beverly Park mansion that included frequent demands for sex and steak .
The suit alleged Redstone was hospitalized numerous times in 2014 , leaving him with a feeding tube , catheter and severe speech impediments .
Herzer described him as a “ living ghost.
” A judge rejected the suit , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Shari Redstone , alleging criminal racketeering .
Shari Redstone was locked in a legal battle to merge CBS and Viacom .
In May 2018 , she sued CBS for trying to strip her of control in a series of maneuvers orchestrated by CBS CEO Les Moonves , who opposed the merger because it would be detrimental to non-Redstone CBS shareholders .
Her aim was reportedly to re-unite the companies and then sell them off or merge them with a third company .
Moonves was fired by the board after The New Yorker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women ; Moonves denied the reports .
CBS and Viacom agreed to merge in 2019 , undoing the split Redstone carried out 13 years earlier .
National Amusements gave unanimous approval to the deal , with Redstone among the directors voting in favor .
Business Writer Seth Sutel in New York contributed to this report .
About the Headline Photo : In this Sept. 7 , 1999 file photo , Viacom Chairman Sumner Redstone smiles during the announcement of a merger between CBS and Viacom in New York .
Redstone , the strong-willed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members and subordinates made him a feared operator in Hollywood , died Wednesday , Aug. 12 , 2020 .
( AP Photo/Suzanne Plunkett )


thetennesseestar--2020-08-13--Crom Carmichael Talks ‘Moderate’ Joe Biden’s Tax Issues and His Double Standards

Live from Music Row Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed the original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael to the studio .
During the second hour , Carmichael discussed Joe Biden ’ s VP pick , Kamala Harris , while noting Biden ’ s tax issues and double standards of law .
Leahy : We are joined in the studio as we often are Monday , Wednesday and Friday by our good friend the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning Crom .
Leahy : Has anything happened since you were here on Monday politically ?
( Chuckles ) Carmichael : I learned how to pronounce Senator Harris ’ s first name because it ’ s been pronounced so many different ways .
Leahy : And what ’ s the right way .
Carmichael : It starts with comma .
That ’ s how I remember it .
Leahy : Start with comma .
Because she punctuates her speeches with pauses known as commas .
Carmichael : Oh well OK. Leahy : With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : There is so much that is interesting that she has said about Biden that will come up .
And it just shows you in politics that much of what is said is not actually meant .
Carmichael : And you know that ’ s kind of interesting in life .
There is probably not a profession that is replete with more people who say things that are false .
( Leahy chuckles ) The Left likes to claim that Trump has told over 10,000 lies .
By some counts , they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have friends on the other side .
Leahy : You do ?
As do I. Carmichael : And I ask them I say , tell me his three biggest lies .
And they can ’ t give me one .
Now I ’ d like three because there might be one that amounts to something .
But typically the lies that he tells are exaggerations about things that don ’ t matter very much .
For example , the Left still thinks that crowd size at the inauguration when he said it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Now it ’ s true that it was not accurate although from his perspective if you saw the camera angle from behind him there were no holes in the crowd .
In fact , I had no idea if there were holes at the time he was speaking or not because the other pictures that were taken could have been taken earlier .
But , that was a big deal .
And so my friends say I can not understand how you support a person who has told so many lies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he said in his campaign that he cared about and that he was going to do , I said , I can think of a single thing that he promised that wasn ’ t meaningful .
That he hasn ’ t either accomplished or tried very hard to do .
And here you have Biden whose life is a lie .
His entire political life is a lie which is why he has to plagiarize the lives of others .
His life is a life of such personal non-accomplishment except helping his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dollars .
Leahy : Millions and millions .
We can get into that .
Carmichael : And then help them not pay their taxes .
Leahy : We saw that in The Free Beacon had a story about that .
Carmichael : Yeah .
We ’ re talking about five different family members .
And you know , people get upside with the tax code .
That happens from time to time .
That ’ s not a big deal .
OK ?
Leahy : Understanding the tax code is a problem enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m just saying people get upside down .
But recently Hunter Biden ended up settling a $ 450,000 tax liability after only a couple of months ago claiming in court under sworn testimony that he was broke .
Leahy : Now a lien is serious stuff .
Carmichael : Well , it is .
Leahy : When they put a lien .
And they put a lien on any of your assets or your bank accounts .
This was put on by the District of Columbia for unpaid taxes .
Leahy : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in court that he was broke .
And yet , the $ 450,000 to remove this tax lien apparently appeared within days .
Leahy : How did that happen ?
Carmichael : So these are things to me that are fair discussions .
Because you can say whatever you want to about Trump , but Trump has been president now for over three years .
And so his record , his record speaks for itself .
So if you are somebody that believes that immigration should be controlled and Trump said when he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t need to have open borders and people flooding across our southern border taking jobs that Americans need and want .
And Biden and Kamala Harris have made it clear that they are more or less for open borders .
Leahy : Open borders .
I think Biden said he ’ ll stop building the wall and might even start tearing it down .
Carmichael : Not even not another foot .
But he ’ s also said and Kamala Harris has also said that any human living in the United States will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised her hand as did Biden in the debates saying that all illegal immigrants who were here now or come in the future will get free healthcare .
So let ’ s just put a magnet up in the United States and draw everyone .
Why would people who live in countries that have less income per capita then we do , and if you were poor , you hear that you will come to the United States .
You get free healthcare and free everything under Joe Biden and Kamala Harris .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ live .
You get food stamps .
You get free healthcare .
And you get free education .
The free education isn ’ t worth much because you have to go to a government-run school .
I don ’ t believe illegal immigrants are allowed to go to charter schools .
It ’ s going to really be an interesting race .
But if Joe Biden and Kamala Harris get into office they ’ ll do everything they can to destroy charter schools .
The New York Times is slanted but they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are moderates .
( Leahy laughs ) I mean that ’ s what they claim .
Can you think of a moderate policy ?
I can not think of a single moderate policy that Joe Biden has espoused unless its some inconsequential policy .
Let ’ s review .
He is more or less for open borders .
He is more or less for universal healthcare .
Which by the way , you can have universal healthcare as long as you are willing to have terrible quality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free healthcare then the other side of it is you can ’ t have great healthcare .
In fact , you end up with lousy healthcare .
And we see that in Britain where they ended up having to split their systems into half .
A private and a public .
And then in Canada , if you are a wealthy Canadian and you need a hip replacement or any kind of surgery that matters then you come down to the United States and you pay cash .
Carmichael : That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Now they do a good job of primary care .
But that ’ s not real healthcare .
That ’ s kind of maintenance and then finding out if you have a problem .
But if you have a problem in Canada you are out of luck .
Leahy : Unless you have money and can come to the U.S. Carmichael : Yes .
So on healthcare and taxes .
Biden has made a lot of money in the last few years .
When he did it he set up an LLC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he made flowed into an LLC and then could avoid paying the taxes on Medicare .
Because see , taxes on Medicare don ’ t have a cap .
So he avoided paying close to a million dollars in taxes on Medicare by setting up an LLC .
Carmichael : It ’ s legal but its the opposite of what he says others should do .
Leahy : But , you know .
That ’ s not quibble Crom .
Carmichael : OK , but it ’ s true .
They will call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
So I think the race is going to be interesting .
I don ’ t think that Biden can ’ t avoid the debates .
I think he would like to .
Just FYI , I saw his video clip of him riding his bicycle .
That apparently if you can ride a bicycle for 200 yards it proves that you are fit enough to be president .
I haven ’ t quite figured that one out but that ’ s the storyline of the Left .
But Biden was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are laws .
Now at his age , you are not required by law to wear a helmet .
But 600-800 people die a year in bicycle accidents .
Leahy : What kind of example is he providing ?
Carmichael : Yes .
He wasn ’ t wearing a mask either .
Leahy : He wasn ’ t wearing a mask ?
Isn ’ t that a law there or an order ?
Carmichael : No .
He says you should wear a mask .
So CNN was the one fortunate to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out there .
I think it was the same group that was at Roger Stone ’ s house .
( Leahy laughs ) Just happened to be there too .
But Joe Biden rode by on his bicycle without a helmet .
So , therefore , all the teenagers in Delaware can say I was just emulating the person who seeks to be president and I ’ m not wearing a helmet either .
Leahy : That will be their legal defense when arrested by the authoritarian government .
Carmichael : By the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bicycle accidents than die from COVID .
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 iHeart Radio .
Photo “ Joe Biden ” by Gage Skidmore .
CC BY-SA 2.0 .