thetennesseestar--2020-09-28--The New York Times Claims It Has Obtained President Trump’s Tax Returns, Trump Organization Attorney

The New York Times Claims It Has Obtained President Trump’s Tax Returns, Trump Organization Attorney Says ‘The Facts Appear to be Inaccurate’

The New York Times published a lengthy report over the weekend based , they say , on tax documents they obtained from “ sources.
” Breitbart News reports that The Times “ found no evidence of any links to Russia , ” as has been consistently claimed by multiple news outlets have claimed over the course of the Trump ’ s term in office .
However , they add that the documents do show the extent of the entrepreneur ’ s Russia connections are limited to the 2001 Miss Universe pageant held in Moscow – which were “ the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s time as co-owner , and that it generated a personal payday of $ 2.3 million.
” Michael Cohen .
Prosecutors in New York have subpoenaed the tax returns for a criminal investigation — most likely , having to do with payments via Trump ’ s former lawyer , Michael Cohen ( now a convicted felon ) , to alleged lovers ( including Stormy Daniels ) .
The Times noted : “ The materials obtained by The Times did not include any itemized payments to Mr. Cohen.
” It added : “ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improperly included in legal fees written off as a business expense.
” That ’ s it .
The Audit .
Democrats and journalists have mocked Trump ’ s long-standing claim that he could not release his tax returns because he faced an Internal Revenue Service audit .
The Times confirmed the audit : “ Also hanging over him is a decade-long audit battle with the Internal Revenue Service over the legitimacy of a $ 72.9 million tax refund that he claimed , and received , after declaring huge losses .
An adverse ruling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million.
” It is real , just as Trump has claimed .
There are likely other shoes to drop — and it is no accident that the Times has produced this exposé , featuring the Moby Dick of Trump ’ s opponents , roughly 48 hours before the first presidential debate .
Trump ’ s tax returns , if real , and if summarized correctly by the Times , do not paint a flattering financial picture .
Yet they also debunk many cherished left-wing fantasies — and they may confirm what Trump supporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has sacrificed his personal fortune to serve .
Speaking at a news conference Sunday at the White House , Trump dismissed the report as “ fake news ” and said he has paid taxes , though he gave no specifics .
He also vowed that information about his taxes “ will all be revealed , ” but he offered no timeline for the disclosure .
For its part , The Times said it refused to provide a full copy of the documents to Trump Organizations attorney Alan Garten “ in order to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what the news outlet did share , the attorney said that “ most , if not all , of the facts appear to be inaccurate.
” He said in a statement to news organization that the president “ has paid tens of millions of dollars in personal taxes to the federal government , including paying millions in personal taxes since announcing his candidacy in 2015.
” In a separate , public statement , Garten elaborated , “ While we tried numerous times to explain this to the Times , they refused to listen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show us any of the documentation they purport to be relying on the substantiate their claims.
” The Times ’ report claims the New York billionaire paid $ 750 in federal income taxes the year he ran for president and in his first year in the White House , and that he paid no federal income taxes in 10 of the past 15 years .
In subsequent reports about the income tax filing details , media have described the disclosures as a complication to President Trump ’ s brand as a “ shrewd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show a “ series of financial losses and income from abroad that could come into conflict with his responsibilities as president.
” Among the specifics are details from his 2018 returns , where The Times claim he earned at least $ 434.9 million in , “ but the tax filings reported a $ 47.4 million loss.
” The Times ’ report comes days before the pivotal first debate between Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden , who has been battling rumors of illness and dementia in the months leading up to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the presidency and since in office , Mr. Trump has fielded court challenges against those seeking access to his returns , including the U.S. House , which is suing for access to Trump ’ s tax returns as part of congressional oversight .
The Times reports that in his first two years as president , Trump received $ 73 million from foreign operations , which in addition to his golf properties in Scotland and Ireland included $ 3 million from the Philippines , $ 2.3 million from India and $ 1 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paid $ 145,400 in taxes in India and $ 156,824 in the Philippines , compared to just $ 750 in U.S. income taxes .
Trump is the only president who has refused to make his tax returns public since the practice was started in the late 1960s by Michigan ’ s then-governor George Romney as a failed gambit to gain support from the Republican primary voters in a bid for the presidential nomination in 1967-68 .
The rationale , Romney said at the time , was that as a public servant , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was paying him .
In contrast , Donald Trump held no public office prior to his campaign for the presidency in 2016 .
During his first general election debate against Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016 , Clinton said that perhaps Trump wasn ’ t releasing his tax returns because he had paid nothing in federal taxes .
Trump interrupted her to say , “ That makes me smart.
” Christina Botteri is the Executive Editor of The Tennessee Star .
The Associated Press contributed to this report .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-28--Commentary: Barrett Will Sail Through Confirmation

As I write , President Trump has just confirmed what the rumor mill has been disgorging with increasing confidence over the last few days : Judge Amy Coney Barrett is his pick to replace the feminist icon Ruth Bader Ginsburg , who died at 87 a little over a week ago , as a justice on the U.S. Supreme Court .
The wheels of government tend to turn slowly , but Donald Trump has once again demonstrated that if need be , they can be made to turn with dizzying speed .
He did it last spring when he mobilized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ produce a mountain of medical materiel in record time to meet the emergency sparked by the Chinese virus .
And he just did it again by nominating Judge Barrett to meet the political emergency threatened by anti-democratic forces massing to upset the 2020 election .
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham ( R-S.C. ) has already announced that Barrett ’ s confirmation hearings will begin October 12 .
With the Republicans holding a 53-47 majority , and with no more than two likely defections ( at most ) , she is likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 .
It is imperative that the Supreme Court , which may be called to rule upon various electoral anomalies , be sitting with its full complement of nine justices .
Barrett graduated first in her class from Notre Dame Law School and then held two clerkships , the second for Justice Antonin Scalia .
She was in private practice briefly before returning to teach law at Notre Dame , where she still teaches .
In 2017 , President Trump nominated her for the 7th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement .
Her name appeared on a shortlist of candidates for Kennedy ’ s replacement .
In the event , President Trump nominated Brett Kavanaugh , whose disgraceful treatment during his hearings by Democratic senators and the media is still horrifying to contemplate .
Will Barrett face the same level of unhinged vituperation ?
I think it unlikely , though I remember a conversation I had with a well-informed legal observer in the immediate aftermath of Kavanaugh ’ s confirmation .
“ Well , the public was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s next nomination is likely to go more smoothly , ” I said .
“ No , ” insisted my friend .
“ Next time it will be much worse.
” Gosh .
Worse than Christine Blasey Ford claiming Kavanaugh assaulted her 30-odd years earlier at a high school party ?
Worse than Michael Avenatti ( remember him ? )
with his harem of stooges charging the mannerly Kavanaugh with all manner of sexual impropriety ?
Worse than Senator Kamala Harris ( D-Calif. ) haranguing him or Senator Sheldon Whitehouse ( D-R.I. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high school yearbook ?
I am not sure how it could be worse .
Doubtless , Barrett ’ s Catholicism will be an issue , as it was during her confirmation hearings for her current position .
We ’ re certain , I think , to get variations on Senator Dianne Feinstein ’ s “ the dogma lives loudly within you ” meme .
It was supposed to be a crushing remark—Dogma ?
Dogma ?
Who pays any attention to dogma in these sophisticated times ?
Its effect , however , was to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There are more than 70 million registered Catholics in the United States , some 22 percent of the population .
That is a reality that any politician will have to conjure .
Not all of them are “ devout ” in the way that Joe Biden says he is .
When he came to office , President Trump promised to nominate judges and justices in the stamp of Antonin Scalia—that is , jurists who saw their task as interpreting the law in light of the Constitution , not promulgating public policy from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And , as her record indicates , this is exactly what Amy Barrett will seek to do .
As she noted during her earlier confirmation hearings , the fact that she is Catholic is “ irrelevant ” to the job of being a judge or justice .
“ A judge , ” she said in 2019 , “ is obligated to apply the law as it is and not as she wishes it would be .
She is obliged to follow the law even when her personal preferences cut the other way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public criticism for doing so.
” It is early days yet .
But as of this writing , the response to Barrett ’ s nomination—it ’ s been building ever since Ruth Bader Ginsburg died and Barrett ’ s name was again in the mix—has been nearly comical in its combination of hysteria and nonentity .
A “ SCOTUS Rapid Response Action Guide ” has been circulating for a while with tips on how to protest President Trump ’ s nomination , whoever it might turn out to be .
To me , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Judge Barrett is her commitment to family .
She has seven children , two of whom are adopted from Haiti , and the youngest of whom has Down Syndrome .
Bizarrely , the Left has seized on this aspect of Barrett ’ s life , especially her adoption of two “ children of color , ” as grounds for criticism .
Someone on Twitter speculated about whether the adoption process in Haiti was on the up and up .
But it took a professional race hustler to crank up the absurdity to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , né Henry Rogers , author of the bestselling How to Be an Antiracist , really got the ball rolling with a Twitter thread that began with the declaration that Desperate , what ?
Take a generous act and filter it through your racialist scrim to turn it into something nasty and culpable .
It ’ s of a piece with the gambit that People of Praise , a Catholic group to which Barrett belongs , was the inspiration for Margaret Atwood ’ s dystopian novel The Handmaid ’ s Tale .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ! )
It wasn ’ t , as publications from Vox to National Review have acknowledged .
No , the Left is going to find Amy Coney Barrett a tough nut to attack .
She is smart .
She is pleasant .
She is competent .
Her personal history is an open book of service and commitment .
A sign of how hard a time the Left is going to have in any campaign to discredit her was a list of strategies I saw in the responses to Kendi ’ s tweet .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : she was critical of Obamacare , for example , but then so are a lot of people .
My favorite observation , though , was this : “ Name deceptively evokes Coney Island , a place that is good.
” Is that it ?
Is that all they ’ ve got ?
Pretty pathetic , I ’ d say .
I am looking forward to cheering Justice Barrett after she sails through her hearing and the Senate votes to confirm her nomination to the Supreme Court .
Roger Kimball is editor and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president and publisher of Encounter Books .
He is the author and editor of many books , including The Fortunes of Permanence : Culture and Anarchy in an Age of Amnesia ( St. Augustine ’ s Press ) , The Rape of the Masters ( Encounter ) , Lives of the Mind : The Use and Abuse of Intelligence from Hegel to Wodehouse ( Ivan R. Dee ) , and Art ’ s Prospect : The Challenge of Tradition in an Age of Celebrity ( Ivan R. Dee ) .
Photos “ Supreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2.0 and “ Amy Coney Barrett ” by Rachel Malehorn CC BY 3.0

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


thetennesseestar--2020-09-28--Gov. Newsom Falsely Suggests Barrett Once Opposed Tipping Court’s Balance of Power During an Electio

Gov. Newsom Falsely Suggests Barrett Once Opposed Tipping Court’s Balance of Power During an Election Year

Democratic California Gov .
Gavin Newsom falsely suggested Saturday that United States Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett once railed against tipping the balance of power in the court during an election year .
“ Here is Judge Amy Coney Barrett explaining why it ’ s wrong to fill a SCOTUS vacancy during a presidential election year , ” Newsom , wrote in a since-deleted tweet that included a video of Barrett in a 2016 media interview discussing the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia , who died that year of a heart attack at his Texas hunting resort .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other outlets falsely reported that Barrett said it would be inappropriate to nominate a Supreme Court justice who would flip the court ’ s “ balance of power.
” Barrett did not say that such a move would be wrong or inappropriate , noting instead that past confirmations can not inform present day ones due to the current contentious nature of the confirmation process .
“ I gather that there have been six in the 20th century , and 11 if you go back to the Civil War , of confirmations that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barrett said , according to a Sept. 23 CBS report .
“ But I think the question is , what does this precedent establish ?
And I don ’ t think it establishes a rule for either side in the debate.
” She also discussed how replacing Scalia with a nominee by former President Barack Obama would change the court ’ s ideological makeup .
“ Moreover , Kennedy is a moderate Republican and he replaced a moderate Republican , Powell , ” she said , comparing the differences in Supreme Court Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surrounding Scalia ’ s replacement .
Barrett added : “ We ’ re talking about Justice Scalia , you know , the staunchest conservative on the court , and we ’ re talking about him being replaced by someone who could dramatically flip the balance of power on the court .
It ’ s not a lateral move.
” Chris White is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photos “ Supreme Court ” by Kjetil Ree and “ Gavin Newsom ” by Tim Hurst CC BY-SA 2.0 Photo “ Amy Coney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3.0 Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact


thetennesseestar--2020-09-28--Commentary: Breaking the Administrative State Key to a Successful Second Term

President Trump , the great red pill for American society , has finally brought to the surface what has been simmering beneath for over a century .
Lost in the shuffle of this week ’ s breaking news is something Attorney General Bill Barr said last week in a speech calling out the dangers of the bureaucracy , even within his own department .
Eric Tucker of the Associated Press outlined the “ issue ” with Barr ’ s speech at Hillsdale College : “ Rejecting the notion that prosecutors should have final say in cases that they bring , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ‘ permanent bureaucracy ’ and suggested they need to be supervised , and even reined in , by politically appointed leaders accountable to the president and Congress.
” Yes .
That is precisely the problem .
Yet what we identify as the problem was in fact the goal for the Progressives who established our present-day bureaucracy .
Read the writings of Woodrow Wilson to understand the Progressive ideal .
It is this : to have a massive bureaucracy , an administrative state , filled with unelected , educated elites who would help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wilson was very clear about what he envisioned .
Scholar Ronald Pestritto writes that Wilson advocated “ a new kind of national administration—largely removed from popular consent and charged with making the policy requisite for national progress—that could be staffed by university men like himself , as opposed to the political operators of low character who populated the back rooms of Congress.
” This is the essence of the administrative state : an unelected elite bureaucracy drawn ( supposedly ) from the “ smartest of the smart ” institutions that will make all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from “ popular consent , ” i.e .
electoral accountability .
In other words , it ’ s a way to get you and your deplorable opinions out of the way .
What Barr hit upon is not a glitch of the Progressives ’ administrative state , it is the central feature .
It was always intended to work this way .
The problem with the administrative state approach is that eventually a large and powerful bureaucracy , with little real oversight from elected officials , and no electoral accountability by virtue of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , thinks that it is in charge .
It thinks that it decides all important questions that it can wield its power however it damn well pleases .
And isn ’ t that the case in practice even though they never legitimately overturned the Constitution ’ s assertion of the sovereignty of the people ?
This is the great tension that has exploded to the surface in the last four years when one Donald J. Trump showed up in D.C. in 2017 saying , essentially , “ I ’ m the duly-elected president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means laid out in the Constitution .
I make the decisions about foreign and domestic policy inside of my administration and how the laws will be carried out.
” In response , the administrative state actors said : “ We don ’ t think so .
We think we ’ re the ones who should make those decisions.
” All of this madness , from Russian collusion fairytales to Ukrainian quid pro quo hoaxes , revolves around one question : Who decides ?
In a constitutional republic , all power flows from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entrust them with deciding , whereas in an administrative state , it is the unelected bureaucrats who decide .
This tension was bound to have to play out in dramatic fashion .
So Trump , the great red pill for American society , has finally brought to the surface what has been simmering below it for over a century : you can not have an administrative state governing philosophy at the same time you pretend to be devoted to the Constitution as it was written .
They are oil and water—conflicting approaches to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives .
No republic can thrive , or even merely exist , when substantial numbers of powerful people believe that bureaucrats in various bloated government departments and agencies have the moral right to make decisions on the behalf of the American people who never voted for them .
What kind of a republic is that ?
This should be a priority in Trump ’ s second term : If he truly wants to drain the swamp , he needs to break apart the administrative state , the foundation of the swamp , by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is the only way to reaffirm and reestablish the idea that the people of this republic are sovereign .
Break the state , drain the swamp , restore the Republic .
Ned Ryun is a former presidential writer for George W. Bush and the founder and CEO of American Majority .
You can find him on Twitter @ nedryun .
Photo “ Trump Meeting ” by The White House


thetennesseestar--2020-09-28--More Than 300 People from 29 States Arrested for Crimes During ‘Mostly Peaceful’ Protests

The Daily Caller reports more than 300 people in 29 states and Washington D.C. have been charged with crimes including civil disorder , damaging federal property and attempted murder in connection with the nationwide demonstrations , the Justice Department said in a Thursday statement .
The charges were for “ crimes committed adjacent to or under the guise of peaceful demonstrations , ” says the DOJ ’ s statement .
More than 40 of the 94 U.S.
Attorneys ’ Offices filed charges with 80 people charged with “ offenses relating to arson and explosives , ” including a man who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a container of gasoline on U.S. Supreme Court police vehicles .
Other charges include felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition , among others , according to the Justice Department .
News of the charges were announced after months of protests and riots across the country following the killing of George Floyd in police custody , following promises by President Trump to enforce “ law and order ” and quell the unrest .
While peaceful protests have taken place , riots have erupted across the U.S. causing extensive damage to buildings , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in numerous deaths .
35 people were charged in connection with assaults against law enforcement officers , all but one of which are alleged to have occurred in Oregon which has had demonstrations for 110 days as of Thursday .
One man in Portland , is alleged to have struck a U.S. Marshalls Deputy from behind with a wooden baseball bat .
Nearly 30 people were charged with offenses related to civil disorder , which included using social media platforms to incite destruction and assaults .
“ In Cleveland , two Pennsylvania men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the intent to participate in a riot and commit acts of violence .
In their possession , authorities found a black backpack containing a hammer , two containers of Sterno Firestarter Instant Flame Gel , a can of spray paint , a glass bottle of liquor with a bar-style pour top , a Glock semi-automatic firearm and two magazines loaded with ammunition , ” the statement says .
On Monday , the DOJ classified New York City , Portland and Seattle as “ anarchist jurisdictions.
” The Trump Administration intends to try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Catherine Smith is a newcomer to Washington D.C. She met , and married an American journalist and moved to D.C from the U.K. She graduated with a B.A in Graphic , Media and Communications and worked in design and retail in the U.K. Photo “ Protest Arrest ” by Charles Edward Miller CC BY-SA 2.0


thetennesseestar--2020-09-28--Berkeley to Become First City in the Country to Ban Unhealthy Food in Supermarket Check-Out Lanes

Berkeley , California next year will implement a first-in-the-nation ban on junk food in supermarket checkout aisles , per a regulation passed this week by the city council .
The Healthy Checkout Ordinance seeks to “ eliminate the encouragement of unplanned purchases of unhealthy foods and beverages ” that proliferate at supermarket checkouts .
The ordinance , which will go into effect in January , directs “ stores over 2,500 square feet in size to sell more nutritious food and beverage options in their checkout areas.
” Under the rule , sodas will no longer be permitted in checkout retail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ no more than 5 grams of added sugars ” will be allowed .
No candy will be permitted , but “ gums and mints ” will be allowed , provided they contain no added sugar .
“ Stores can still sell candy and soda , just not at your child ’ s eye level in the checkout , ” City councilwoman Kate Harrison told media this week .
“ It ’ s not a ban , it ’ s a nudge , ” she said .
Daniel Payne is a reporter at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bars ” by Anthony Easton CC BY 2.0


thetennesseestar--2020-09-28--Trump Campaign Senior Advisor Brad Parscale Hospitalized

Police were called to the Florida home of Brad Parscale Sunday after the well-known Trump campaign operative allegedly threatened to harm himself .
Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Karen Dietrich told The Sun Sentinel that the “ encounter ” was brief and without additional incident .
“ We went out and it was very short .
We went and got him help , ” the police chief said .
The arrest was made under the Baker Act , which empowers authorities to arrest someone who could be a threat to themselves or others .
However The Sentinel added that Fort Lauderdale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he received a text “ saying that there was a SWAT team standoff at Parscale ’ s home.
” “ It was indicated to me that he had weapons , ” Trantalis told the news outlet .
Trantalis could not confirm it was the same Parscale associated with Trump but said he knows Trump ’ s former campaign manager does have a home in Fort Lauderdale .
“ Politics aside , this fellow obviously suffers from emotional distress , ” said Trantalis .
Reaction from both sides of the aisle flooded social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweeted their well-wishes to the Parscales : “ Regardless of the differences we have in our beliefs , we at the Biden War Room hope that Brad Parscale is safe , is with his family , and gets everything that he needs to get better.
” Joe “ Pags ” Pagliarulo , a close friend of Parscale , tweeted that although he had no additional information , he does “ plan to pray for him through whatever it is he ’ s facing.
” Meanwhile , Trump campaign Communications Director Tim Murtaugh issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding , “ The disgusting , personal attacks from Democrats and disgruntled RINOs have gone too far , and they should be ashamed of themselves for what they ’ ve done to this man and his family.
” Commonly known in Florida as “ The Baker Act , ” the Florida Mental Health Act was passed in 1971 .
Its provisions guide the voluntary and involuntary detainment and treatment of individuals suffering a mental crisis .
Typically , the initial detainment is 24 hours from the time a person his taken into custody @


thetennesseestar--2020-09-28--Senator Lindsey Graham Teases Bombshell Regarding FBI’s Trump Probe

Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham provided a slew of updates about the Senate Judiciary Committee ’ s investigation into Crossfire Hurricane on Sunday and teased “ damning ” revelations that he said will soon be made public .
“ There ’ s a day of reckoning , ” Graham said in an interview on Fox News “ Sunday Morning Futures.
” On Thursday , Graham released a declassified FBI memo that said that the bureau opened a counterintelligence investigation in 2009 against the primary source for dossier Christopher Steele , a Russia analyst identified as Igor Danchenko .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a Russian agent .
Graham said that the FBI ’ s Crossfire Hurricane team learned about the previous investigation in December 2016 but continued relying on Steele ’ s dossier for its investigation into the Trump campaign .
The FBI also failed to disclose the derogatory information in applications for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act ( FISA ) warrants against former Trump campaign aide Carter Page , according to Graham .
An FBI and Justice Department team interviewed Danchenko in January 2017 regarding his work for Steele , a former British spy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the investigation into the origins of the dossier , which was funded by the Clinton campaign and DNC .
Graham said Sunday that “ there ’ s something else coming more damning than this , believe it or not.
” The South Carolina Republican hinted that additional documents related to the dossier and the FBI ’ s investigation will be declassified .
Maria Bartiromo , the host of “ Sunday Morning Futures , ” reported that her sources say that U.S. Attorney John Durham , who is investigating the origins of the Trump-Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indictments or a report on his investigation .
Bartiromo , who did not identify her sources , said that there is an internal debate at the Justice Department about whether or not to release the information so close to an election .
The Justice Department did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation ’ s request for comment .
Durham has secured a guilty plea from former FBI attorney Kevin Clinesmith , who admitted to altering an email related to Carter Page in June 2017 .
Graham said he had no knowledge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added , “ I ’ ll be shocked if nobody ’ s charged with a crime at the FBI…for misleading the FISA court.
” Graham also previewed a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday for former FBI Director James Comey .
Graham said he plans to ask Comey what he knew about Danchenko , and why the FBI failed to disclose information about him to the FISA Court .
“ I ’ m going to ask James Comey , did you know that the man who put the dossier together for Christopher Steele @ @ @ @ @ @ @ payroll of the Democratic Party .
If you knew that why didn ’ t you tell the court ?
” Graham said .
He also said that former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe will testify before the committee on Oct. 6 .
McCabe directed many of the decisions in Crossfire Hurricane .
Graham told Bartiromo that he is also trying to arrange an interview with William Barnett , an FBI special agent who questioned the basis for the FBI ’ s investigation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn .
Barnett told U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sept. 17 that he “ did not understand the point ” of the investigation of Flynn .
He also said that the special counsel ’ s team had a “ get Trump ” mentality .
Chuck Ross is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation Photo “ Lindsey Graham ” by Gage Skidmore CC BY-SA 2.0


thetennesseestar--2020-09-28--Commentary: The Case for ‘Jefferson’ and ‘Greater Idaho’

The U.S. House of Representatives in June passed a bill in favor of statehood for the District of Columbia .
In response , historian Nicole Hemmer wrote , “ should Joe Biden win the presidency and bring with him majorities in the House and Senate , he should make statehood for D.C.—and for Puerto Rico—a priority for his first 100 days in office.
” Also in June , The New Republic published an opinion column stating “ D.C .
Statehood Is a Test of Biden ’ s Political Courage.
” The supposed moral rationale for adding two states to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ providing representation ” to these American citizens .
But Puerto Rico ought to become an independent nation , and perhaps the outer portions of Washington , D.C. can be trimmed , with the trimmings absorbed into Maryland and Virginia .
And “ representation ” isn ’ t the real reason Democrats want to turn Puerto Rico and Washington , D.C. into states , anyway .
They want more Democratic senators , and they want more Democratic congressmen .
Now that President Trump is going to attempt to fill a vacancy on the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is so late in his first term , Democrats in the U.S. Congress say “ all bets are off.
” If fact , some Democrats , such as former Bill Clinton spokesman Lanny Davis , are returning to the party ’ s roots and are calling for blue state secession while mocking red states as incapable of self-government .
Less-radical Democrats are merely threatening that if their party regains control of the White House and the Senate , they will turn Puerto Rico and Washington , D.C. into the 51st and 52nd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Electoral College and packing the Supreme Court .
When it comes to being governed without having a voice , there are plenty of acute cases across America .
As any votes-by-county map of the United States that tracks the last several presidential elections will attest , a handful of large cities control the fate of several state legislatures and , all too often , the U.S. presidency .
These cities are run by public sector unions , leftist billionaires , extremist environmentalists , and—if they behave—multinational corporations .
They have concocted an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , along with environmental fear-mongering , to con overwhelming majorities of their brainwashed urban populations into voting Democrat , year after year after year .
Two examples of underrepresented populations in America are in rural California , which is controlled by voters in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area , and in rural Oregon , which is controlled by voters in Portland .
In the rural heartland of these states—thanks to the passed down by the urban voters who outnumber them—productive , beleaguered residents struggle to survive .
They face punitive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are themselves victims of utterly corrupt “ programs ” supposedly designed to help them but actually designed in ways that only pour money into the hands of bureaucrats and cronies .
They face an impossible array of environmental regulations that have made them unable to productively earn a living on their own land .
And more recently , they ’ ve seen thousands of square miles incinerated thanks to years of state harassment that made it impossible for them to thin their forests .
There is a solution to this oppression .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a growing majority of citizens in rural counties across America are concluding may become necessary , and in California and Oregon , considerable progress already has been made .
The state of Jefferson is rural California ’ s answer to oppression from the state legislature .
The proponents of the state of Jefferson have produced a map slightly different from this one ; their latest does not include the counties of Humboldt or Del Norte .
Nonetheless , as momentum grows for secession , there ’ s a good chance the freedom-loving free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counties will embrace the opportunity .
The other 22 counties shown on this map appear on the state of Jefferson movement ’ s website as being “ counties with declarations.
” It isn ’ t clear to what extent local politicians have formally backed the State of Jefferson movement .
In 2013 , the Siskiyou County board of supervisors voted to withdraw from California .
In 2016 , the Nevada County board of supervisors asserted they had not voted to become part of a new state .
One thing is certain : if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in these counties , “ State of Jefferson ” signs are everywhere .
And then there ’ s the state of Greater Idaho .
This movement , based primarily in eastern Oregon , is motivated by the same grievances that animate California ’ s secessionists .
In this case , the area in and around Portland , where nearly half of Oregon residents live , elects the representatives who control the state legislature , and it makes their lives miserable .
While the “ Greater Idaho ” movement today wishes to become absorbed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Puerto Rico and Washington , D.C. become states , they will attract more support from across the United States if they decide to form their own new state .
And why not ?
With more than 1 million people and sprawling over 78,000 square miles , they ’ ve got a population larger than six states , and they ’ re virtually tied with two more—Montana and Rhode Island .
Although it only includes portions of Oregon , for the sake of recognition , “ Greater Idaho ” is the name showing on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the breakaway state only incorporates portions of Oregon , “ Greater Idaho ” is still a good name .
The regions would have a lot in common culturally and politically .
But other names can apply .
“ Cascadia ” has been proposed as the name of a new state to be carved out of Oregon , although that movement appears to have a diverse assortment of proponents , with widely differing objectives .
For example , some supporters of Cascadia want to become a new independent nation , with Oregon and Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ British Columbia , which would secede from Canada .
Proposals to add two new states with conservative rural populations will attract substantial new support in the event of a Biden victory combined with a Democratic takeover of the U.S. Senate .
There would be an explosion of new support even in the absence of statehood for Washington , D.C. and Puerto Rico , because if Democrats acquire total control of the federal government , the oppression rural residents are feeling in blue California and blue Oregon is going to be felt all over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secede will become popular from Southern Illinois to the backcountry of Minnesota .
As rural residents in states dominated by urban Democrats begin to visualize what life would be like if they could govern themselves , the populist momentum could become uncontainable .
Imagine living in a forest community , where if you haven ’ t yet been run off your land , you ’ re all just waiting to burn to death because you can ’ t afford to hire “ permit application facilitators ” and other assorted high-priced experts , along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope that you will get a forest thinning permit from a faceless , indifferent , multi-headed , implacable bureaucracy , staffed with malevolent fanatics and insatiable leeches , who barely work four days a week , live in virtuous condos in carbon-sipping virtuous cities , and have been taught their entire lives that you are the problem .
What if , instead , you just round up some crews in trucks with chainsaws , and , for example , clear the fire roads .
You just go do it .
Instead of spending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few men into the hills and the job is finished in a couple of weeks .
Without any fuss .
Then you cut firebreaks .
Then you send in revitalized timber companies to thin the forests , and open a new mill .
That ’ s how things used to get done in America .
Apply that example to everything .
Farming .
Logging .
Ranching .
Mining .
Construction .
Water and power infrastructure .
Hospitals .
Universities .
Schools .
Police .
Crime and punishment .
Government .
As described @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today .
But it doesn ’ t have to be .
Up until about 30 years ago , common sense and honest work mattered .
Results mattered more than process .
Actions mattered more than words .
Things got done , they were affordable , and they didn ’ t take forever .
But then the Democratic Party began its final , ignominious slide into what it is today—a festering parasite eating away the heart and soul of America .
The Democratic Party is now wholly taken over by thugs , crooks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anti-racists , sexist anti-sexists , “ gender ” -obsessed whackos , government unions with their insatiable need for more tax revenue , “ green ” fanatics and their crony “ green entrepreneurs ” slobbering over public subsidies and captive markets , homeless advocates and the depraved “ nonprofit ” “ supportive housing ” developers raking in billions from the taxpaying suckers and solving nothing , communists , globalist billionaires , whores for foreign money , and seditious traitors .
Go ahead .
Turn Puerto Rico into a state .
Turn Washington , D.C. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Reap the whirlwind .
Edward Ring is a senior fellow of the Center for American Greatness and co-founder of the California Policy Center , which he co-founded in 2013 .
Photo “ US Map ” by Will Dendis CC BY 2.0


thetennesseestar--2020-09-28--Judson Phillips Commentary: An Agenda for 2021

In Tennessee , the election hoopla is over , even though we haven ’ t had the election yet .
President Trump will carry the state .
Bill Hagerty will destroy his unknown Democrat opponent .
The Republicans will maintain a supermajority in the Legislature .
Conservatives need to think about 2021 and need to think about winning in 2021 .
Getting conservatives united is a difficult task .
Trust me , I know from personal experience .
To say it is harder than herding cats is an understatement .
Conservatives all have separate agendas .
Sometimes they overlap , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to unite on a conservative agenda for 2021 .
All conservative groups have an agenda .
It might be Second Amendment or Right to Life .
These are all laudable goals , but conservatives need to pick out five items or so that the Legislature must deal with in 2021 and not shirk on .
First , the Legislature should enact a taxpayer protection act .
Those of us who live in middle Tennessee have seen Nashville ’ s mayor and wannabe dictator , John Cooper , shove a 34 % tax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A taxpayer protection act should say that any city or county that wants to raise taxes , must put it on the ballot and have the voters approve the tax increase before it can take effect .
Second , the State needs a GRAC .
GRAC means government realignment and closure committee .
In the 1990 ’ s , Bill Clinton wanted to blow the peace dividend , but the military ’ s biggest expense was on bases and no Senator or Congressman would support closing a base in their state or district @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pick out bases that were unnecessary or duplicative .
And the hammer on that proposal was , the Congress could only accept or reject the entire package .
There could be no amendments to protect a base .
The state needs to do the same thing .
The state needs to create a government realignment and closure committee that will propose significant budget cuts by eliminating wasteful , duplicative or failed programs .
The recommendations must be accepted or rejected .
There can be no amendments .
In 2014 , Tennessee ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 billion .
In 2020 , the state ’ s budget had shot up to over $ 39 billion .
The state has shown a complete lack of willingness to confront the explosive growth in spending .
Third , redistrict Jim Cooper out of a job .
In 2010 , the Republicans had taken control of the Legislature and had an opportunity to slice the 5th Congressional District up and make it a Republican district .
Backroom deals were cut and the 5th remained a solidly Democrat district .
There is no reason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The legislature will redistrict Tennessee in 2021 and the top priority must be to make Tennessee ’ s Congressional delegation eight Republicans and that guy from Memphis .
Fourth , we need a many more elected officials .
The Legislature is considering a no-confidence vote in Penny Schwinn , the Education Commissioner .
Some are asking how she was even hired .
The question I ’ m asking is , why isn ’ t the Education Commissioner an elected position ?
Tennessee has the fewest statewide elected officials in the United States .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and two senators .
Why isn ’ t the Education Commissioner elected ?
Why aren ’ t the Lieutenant Governor and the Attorney General elected by the people ?
Why aren ’ t the Secretary of State , the State Controller , and the Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance elected ?
There are approximately 22 commissioners in the State Government .
Why aren ’ t all of those positions elected ?
Finally , we need to restrict the power of the Governor and city and county mayors to simply declare emergencies and rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has already indicated he will introduce legislation to limit the power of the governor to declare an emergency and use emergency powers .
While the governor ’ s abuses have been pretty bad , they pale in comparison to what Nashville ’ s mayor has done .
The legislature needs to limit emergency power declarations to ten days and provide a mechanism for citizens to sue if they are overbroad and have the state or city pay their legal bills if they successfully sue .
These are only a few suggestions .
These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all be able to agree on and support .
Conservatives should tell our legislators in no uncertain terms , that we want this agenda passed in 2021 .
And once we do this , we will be back in 2022 .
Judson Phillips is a long time conservative pundit and founder of Tea Party Nation .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-28--Richmond Bans Guns While City Collapses from Rioters

Richmond Police Department ( RPD ) officers were seen at the Robert E. Lee monument on Saturday morning posting signs on the recently-passed Richmond city gun ordinance .
The new ordinance , passed unanimously by the Richmond city council earlier this month , does not outright ban firearms in public spaces , but it does call for restrictions when a permitted event is taking place .
Specifically , the ordinance prohibits the possession , carrying , or transportation of any firearms in any public street , road , alley , sidewalk , public right-of-way , or any open public space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or is adjacent to , an event that requires a city permit .
The measure expands on restrictions prohibiting guns in city-owned buildings and parks , but does not apply to authorized military personnel , law enforcement officers as well as armed security guards who are contracted or employed by the City of Richmond .
“ The City of Richmond proudly hosts hundreds of public events each year , but I believe it ’ s in the interest of everyone ’ s safety to take guns out of these spaces when neighbors , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said previously while discussing the ordinance .
“ Under this proposed change , Richmond residents will be able to attend public events with a greater sense of security , knowing that the city is actively prioritizing their safety.
” The penalty for violating the ordinance , whether it be a civil fine or a misdemeanor , is not included within the specific language .
The full text of the ordinance can be found here .
According to VPM reporter Roberto Roldan , RPD officers were putting up the signs because a fish fry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afternoon .
While some saw the gun ordinance as a good measure intended to protect local residents and event attendees throughout Richmond , many gun rights activists and organizations strongly opposed the measure saying it makes legal possession of firearms more difficult and infringes on 2nd Amendment rights .
The Virginia Citizens Defense League said on their website the ordinance “ will have a massive spider web of gun control across the Commonwealth .
It makes carrying a gun such a headache because you have to know the gun laws of over 193 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And it reduces where you can carry.
” Jacob Taylor is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Follow Jacob on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ Robert E. Lee Statue ” by Martin Falbisoner .
CC BY-SA 3.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-28--Virginians to Decide Gerrymandering Amendment

An anti-gerrymandering constitutional amendment that would change the way legislative districts are drawn in Virginia will be decided on the ballot .
The amendment is intended to prevent gerrymandering by establishing a 16-person bipartisan redistricting commission that would propose redistricting plans to the General Assembly .
The General Assembly would be allowed to approve or decline the proposals , but would not be allowed to offer any amendments .
Eight members of the commission would be lawmakers : two House Democrats , two House Republicans , two Senate Democrats and two Senate Republicans .
The other eight members would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retired judges based on lists submitted by Democrat and Republican leadership in both chambers .
The commission would be required to submit state House and Senate proposals within 45 days of receiving census data and U.S. congressional plans within 60 days or by July 1 , whichever is later .
If lawmakers reject the plan , the amendment would provide additional time for the commission to submit new plans .
If the commission fails to provide a plan lawmakers agree on , the lines would be drawn by the Virginia Supreme Court .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ drawn by lawmakers , approved by the House and Senate with simple majority votes and signed by the governor .
If one party has control of both chambers of the General Assembly and the governor ’ s mansion , the party effectively can redraw the lines however it likes to retain power .
Democrats currently control the governor ’ s mansion and both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly .
Brian Cannon , the executive director of FairMapsVA , told The Center Square the current redistricting system is broken because “ politicians have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when it should be the other way around.
” FairMapsVA is one of the leading advocacy groups for redistricting reform in the commonwealth .
“ If approved by voters , it will create the commonwealth ’ s first-ever commission to reform our outdated and discriminatory redistricting laws by forming a fully transparent commission led by citizens to draw district lines in 2021 and beyond , ” Cannon said .
“ Further , this will mark the first time in Virginia ’ s history that voting rights protections will be specifically added to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legally-binding option to ensure that legislative district lines are drawn fairly and do not favor one party over the other .
It ’ s time to put people over politicians.
” Stephen Haner , a policy lobbyist and former Republican Caucus director when Democrats redrew district lines in 1991 , told The Center Square the amendment would force the majority party to concede compromises .
“ No process can eliminate all the politics , and legislators will still have great influence over this approach , ” Haner said .
“ But it should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under this method.
” The constitutional amendment originally had support from most Democrat and Republican lawmakers in the House and the Senate , but most Virginia House Democrats rescinded their support after gaining control of the chamber .
House leadership sought to include language in the amendment that mandated diversity , but this would have set the process back by one year and would have made it impossible to get the amendment on the ballot before redistricting is set to occur next year .
Tyler Arnold is a reporter at The Center Square @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taber Andrew Bain CC BY 2.0


thetennesseestar--2020-09-28--TRUMPDATE: Latest from the Trump Virginia Campaign for September 28

Welcome to the Saturday edition of our daily Virginia Trump campaign update !
We will provide our readers with daily updates on the Trump Virginia campaign from today to November 3 ( and after…if need be ! )
.
It ’ s officially 36 days until the election on November 3 – and one day until President Trump and Joe Biden square off in the first presidential debate .
Chris Wallace of Fox News will be moderating .
Team Trump Virginia will be holding a watch party for the debate at Atlas 42 in Richmond .
Nick Freitas , running @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seat against Democrat Abigail Spanberger , will be there talking to voters and watching the debate .
John Pence , Senior Advisor for the Trump 2020 campaign , spoke to The Virginia Star on Sunday .
Pence , the nephew of Vice President Mike Pence , spent Friday and Saturday in Virginia campaigning for President Trump and Freitas .
Pence was at the Trump campaign rally in Newport News on Friday , and he said the president traveled more than 1,600 nautical miles that day alone , meeting with hispanic and black leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night in front of thousands of supporters in Newport News .
Pence himself has been hard at work on the campaign trail , and he said it ’ s supremely important to not ease off the accelerator this close to the election .
“ If you are the first person an unregistered voter talks to , and you get them registered to vote , that person is 85 percent more likely to vote for your candidate , ” Pence said .
“ We have over 10,000 volunteers in Virginia , and we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ front of voters , making phone calls and knocking on doors.
” The Trump campaign announced the president will be speaking in Duluth , Minnesota this week , and Pence said making their presence felt beyond just a rally in a battleground state is of the highest importance .
“ We want to replicate the map of states President Trump won in 2016 and add some states that were lost , ” Pence said .
“ And so that involves organizing and training volunteers and getting the word out to vote and encouraging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ticket.
” Pence added being in areas the Biden campaign isn ’ t is what will give the Trump campaign the advantage in November .
Check back every day for more Trump Virginia campaign updates !
If you want to join the volunteer team or if you need signs email John Fredericks or Justin Rice .
To Donate to our Virginia campaign click here .
For more information , or to sign up to become a volunteer , click here .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-28--Auto Worker Files Charges Against UAW, Says Union Kept Taking Dues After She Quit Membership

A Michigan auto worker filed a federal unfair labor practice complaint Tuesday alleging that the United Auto Workers union continued charging her membership fees after she dropped her membership .
Meagan Holmes , an inspector at plastic auto parts manufacturer Ventra Evart , filed the charges against United Auto Workers ( UAW ) with the National Labor Relations Board ( NLRB ) , according to a press release .
Holmes is represented by the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation ( NRTW ) .
“ All workers under the UAW ’ s bargaining regime need to have the power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to cut off all union dues or fees , ” said NRTW president Mark Mix , according to the NRTW release .
Holmes sent a letter to United Auto Workers ( UAW ) leadership in May notifying them that she intended to resign from the union and requested that dues were no longer deducted from her salary , the release said .
The union ignored her request and continued taking her dues , according to her charges .
The National Labor Relations Act of 1935 granted workers the right to organize unions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refrain from any or all such activities , ” according to the NLRB .
Former Michigan Gov .
Rick Snyder signed freedom-to-work legislation in 2012 , which said workers can ’ t be required to pay union dues and can ’ t be fired for not paying dues , according to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs .
Holmes claims UAW violated both legal provisions , the NRTW release said .
Tuesday ’ s charges come just weeks after UAW and two other major unions sued Michigan over new regulatory changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the four-person Michigan Civil Service Commission approved the law changes in a 3-1 vote mandating that union workers manually reauthorize their union membership every year .
“ This is part of a long-running campaign against working families in Michigan and across the country , pushed by billionaire-backed anti-worker groups , ” the three unions said in a joint statement .
In 2018 , the Supreme Court ruled in Janus v. American Federation of State , County , and Municipal Employees that workers nationwide can not be forced to pay union dues as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Liberty Justice Center report .
Former UAW president Dennis Williams was accused of embezzling union members ’ dues between 2010 and 2019 , according to a Department of Justice indictment .
Another former UAW president , Gary Jones , pleaded guilty to similar charges in June .
“ Ms .
Holmes ’ charge clearly demonstrates that UAW officials ’ inclination to break the law is not just limited to the top bosses caught red-handed in the federal investigation , ” Mix said in the statement .
The UAW is one of the largest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assets totaling $ 1.1 billion , according to Department of Labor filings .
“ We as a matter of policy can not comment on pending legal matters , ” a UAW spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Thomas Catenacci is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Auto Worker ” by Oak Ridge National Laboratory CC BY 2.0


thetennesseestar--2020-09-28--Engineering Professor Under Investigation for Referring to COVID as the ‘Chinese Virus’

The University of Cincinnati placed an engineering professor on administrative leave and launched an investigation into him after he referred to coronavirus as the Chinese virus .
The public university told Professor John Ucker that he is on administrative leave with pay as of September 18 after a student , Evan Sotzing , posted a screenshot of an email from Ucker .
The University of Cincinnati health department ordered Sotzing to quarantine after his girlfriend tested positive for coronavirus , the student said on Twitter .
“ For students testing positive for the chinese virus [ sic ] , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote to Sotzing .
Sotzing tweeted the email on September 17 but an exact date is not visible on the email .
Sotzing claimed that he received a zero on his lab , but later admitted to the Cincinnati Enquirer that he didn ’ t know if Ucker ’ s message meant he would receive a grade of zero or the assignment would not count .
The engineering college dean , John Weidner , later told CNN that Sotzing would not be punished for missing the lab .
Sotzing did not respond to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday asking for a clarification on the dates of the email and his interpretation of the grading policy .
Weidner wrote to Ucker on September 18 to inform him of his investigation .
“ This matter has been referred to UC ’ s Office of Equal Opportunity and Access ( ‘ OEOA ’ ) for review , ” Weidner wrote , according to emails obtained by the Enquirer .
“ As such , effective immediately you are being placed on an administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of that review.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ university officials have publicly criticized Ucker for his statements .
“ These types of xenophobic comments and stigmatizations around location or ethnicity are more than troubling , ” Weidner told CNN .
“ There is no place for bigotry in our community or any other .
We are better than this .
Every Bearcat deserves to feel welcomed , respected and supported .
Greatness starts with inclusion .
And inclusion starts with each of us , ” Neville Pinto , the university ’ s president tweeted on September 18 , just hours after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and administrative leave .
Meanwhile , PEN America , the free expression group , criticized Ucker ’ s statement but warned the university against punitive measures .
“ There ’ s no question that this professor ’ s response was both dismissive and offensive , ” Jonathan Friedman , the nonprofit ’ s director of campus expression wrote in a press release , continuing on to criticize President Trump ’ s administration for using the phrase .
Friedman added that its usage “ reflects poor judgement and the university should speak out to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bigotry , and hate , ” Friedman said .
However , “ we caution against pursuing any formal reprimand based solely on the words in the professor ’ s email.
” President Donald Trump has referred to the coronavirus as the “ Chinese virus , ” while the New York Times previously referred to the coronavirus as the “ Wuhan Coronavirus , ” reflecting the knowledge that its spread started in the Chinese city of Wuhan .
The Enquirer article said there has been an increase in the number of Asian-Americans who “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amid political rhetoric blaming China.
” Madeline Mitchell , the author of the story , referred The Fix to several articles , including a USA Today article about a U.S. House resolution condemning anti-Asian harassment and a report from an advocacy group that detailed reports of harassment directed at Asian teens .
The Enquirer is part of the USA Today network .
Matt is assistant editor for The College Fix .
He previously worked at Students for Life of America , Students for Life Action and Turning Point USA .
While in college @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fix as well as his college newspaper , The Loyola Phoenix .
He holds a B.A .
from Loyola University-Chicago and a M.A .
from the University of Nebraska-Omaha .
He lives in northwest Indiana with his family .
Photo “ Cincinnati Engineering ” by joevare CC BY-ND 2.0 Photo “ Tweet ” by Evan Sotzing Twitter


thetennesseestar--2020-09-28--Interim Ohio Health Director Himes Succeeds in Moving Mask Lawsuit to His Home Turf

Interim Ohio Health Director Lance Himes succeeded in requesting that a lawsuit to overturn the use of masks in public schools be moved out of Putnam County Common Pleas Court and into his home turf , The Lima News reported .
The case has moved to Franklin County .
The plaintiffs live largely in Northwest Ohio , in communities including Leipsic , Berkey and Perrysburg .
According to the complaint , the plaintiffs asked for declaratory judgment , a temporary restraining order and injunctive relief , claiming the mask mandate is unconstitutional .
The docket information in the Putnam County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There are 30 plaintiffs , who are represented by attorney Michael H. Stahl .
Himes is the defendant .
Franklin County Common Pleas Court was listed as an interested party .
A search Sunday on the Franklin County Common Pleas case website did not yield any results .
Judge Keith H. Schierloh on Sept. 22 ruled in favor of transferring the location of the case , titled , Miller , Jennifer et al Himes , Attorney , Lance .
The affidavit of Lance Himes does indicate that he is the interim director for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as indicates that his business address is 246 North High Street Columbus , Franklin County , Ohio .
Case law would clearly indicate that based upon the principal place of business for a public official venue would be proper in that county .
“ Where a public officer is involved the appropriate venue rule appears in Civil Rule 3 ( 8 ) ( 4 ) .
It places venue in ; A county in which a public officer maintains his principal office if suit is brought against him in his official capacity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 26 Ohio Misc .
133 , 133-134 , 266 N.E.2d 273 ( C.P.1971 ) Schierloh denied the plaintiffs ’ motion to reconsider the venue change .
Stahl said the citizens of Ohio did not receive due process in the issuing of the mask mandate , Statehouse News Bureau reported .
Lawmakers , not Himes or Gov .
Mike DeWine , should create mandates .
In the complaint , the plaintiffs said that Himes is not a medical doctor but instead is a lawyer “ who does not appear to have any formal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the name of health , claims the sole personal authority to control every aspect of Ohioans lives en masse , yet could not lawfully prescribe an aspirin to an individual.
” Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years ’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-28--Pence Stumps Virginia: ‘It’s a Battleground State’

Donald Trump ’ s Senior Campaign Advisor John Pence , nephew to Vice President Mike Pence , visited Virginia last Saturday for two events encouraging citizens to vote .
The “ Get Out and Vote ” trail made stops in Amelia County and Fluvanna County , following President Trump ’ s Friday night rally in Newport News .
“ This is the ‘ jobs ’ President .
When he cut regulations , when he got the federal government out of the way , we saw an economy that reached historic low unemployment , ” Pence stated in his speech at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden is weak .
Donald Trump is standing up for our country , standing up for our jobs .
And he will do it every single day .
Peace through strength.
” Pence endorsed Republican delegate and congressional candidate Nick Freitas .
The delegate also spoke at Trump ’ s rally the night before .
Freitas predicted that his opponent , Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger ( D-VA-7 ) , would “ drop a ton of attack ads ” following their weekend of successful GOP events .
The two have yet to debate .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spanberger hasn ’ t agreed to one .
“ I understand why Democrats don ’ t want to take the stage .
Campaigning on a platform of 4 trillion in taxes and funding a Green New Deal – it ’ s not something you want to have to answer in a debate , especially when people are just trying to get back to work.
” Overall , Freitas described the energy as “ incredible ” throughout the weekend .
Freitas and Spanberger are scheduled to appear in a forum on October 20th .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire up voters during Republican congressional candidate Bob Good ’ s “ God , Guns and a Good Time ” rally .
The event also featured a performance from country music star John Rich , who subsequently introduced Pence .
“ I ’ m just here to ask you to go vote : to go vote for our conservative values , to go vote for what makes this country great , ” stated Pence .
“ And if we do that we can re-elect our president for four more years .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that he ’ s Christian , he ’ s conservative , and he ’ s Republican – in that order .
And that ’ s how he ’ s leading this country , this President.
” Pence also emphasized the significance of the turnout at Trump ’ s rally the night before .
The Virginia Star reported that 14,000 people showed up for the rally rather than the expected 5,000 .
Pence said the numbers reflected Virginians ’ awareness that “ freedom is up for a vote.
” Pence then shared with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominated Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court earlier that day .
In the midst of the controversy over Barrett as the next Supreme Court justice , President Trump ’ s campaign is positioning itself as the ardent defender of the Constitution .
“ This is someone that will be the first mother of young children serving on the court .
A mother of seven , a Christian woman that is going to keep the Constitution , that is going to interpret the law as written .
She ’ s not going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President is doing that every day , ” Pence stated .
Samantha Cotten , Regional Communications Director for the Trump campaign , affirmed that they have made over two million voter contacts in Virginia .
Insider polling for the Trump-Pence campaign classifies Virginia as a potential top-tier battleground state .
Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Network .
Follow her latest on Twitter , or email tips to [ email protected ] .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-28--Trump to Return to Minnesota for Duluth Rally on Wednesday

by The Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS , Minnesota ( AP ) — President Donald Trump will campaign in Duluth on Wednesday , his campaign announced Friday , marking his third visit to the key swing state of Minnesota in recent weeks .
The campaign said Trump will speak at a Make America Great Again rally at the Duluth International Airport at 5 p.m. Wednesday .
Doors will open at 2 p.m. Trump led an airport rally in Mankato on Aug. 17 and another in Bemidji just last Friday , the same day that Democratic challenger Joe Biden visited a union training @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the importance Trump has attached to winning Minnesota , Vice President Mike Pence , accompanied by presidential daughter Ivanka Trump , appeared at a “ Cops for Trump ” event in Minneapolis on Thursday and made an unannounced stop at a hair salon left in rubble by the violence that followed George Floyd ’ s death .
The events were aimed at driving home the president ’ s law-and-order message .
Ivanka Trump then traveled to Winona on Friday .
No Republican presidential candidate has carried Minnesota since 1972 .
But Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2016 .
The Trump campaign is trying to build on his support in greater Minnesota and the outer Twin Cities suburbs , while Biden is counting on strong Democratic turnout in the Twin Cities and inner suburbs .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-28--Virginia Society of Human Life Fights Potential Right-To-Abortion Amendment

Delegate Kathy Byron ( R-Lynchburg ) gave an insider ’ s view of Virginia right-to-life politics at a Zoom fundraiser for the Virginia Society of Human Life ( VSHL ) on Saturday evening .
100 people tuned in to the event , filling it to capacity .
The fundraiser is part of a broader effort within the VSHL to motivate voters for the November election and raise awareness of a likely proposed amendment to Virginia ’ s constitution coming in 2021 .
Byron said the amendment would be “ Roe v. Wade on crack , ” VSHL President Olivia Turner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they consider it likely that the pro-choice General Assembly will introduce the amendment soon .
“ It would not only eliminate all of the remaining standing pro-life laws in Virginia including our parental consent law , but it would also require taxpayer funding of abortions , ” Turner said .
“ It would actually make it impossible to pass any kind of rational or reasonable law in the future , like a ban on abortions after babies can feel pain in the womb , or even passing legislation that would protect babies who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempt in the later months of pregnancy and prevent us from providing them with appropriate medical care in those circumstances.
” Byron also described how a Virginia agency began sending out unsolicited mailers targeting households with teens , providing information about how to get an abortion without parental permission , according to Turner .
“ That ’ s a complete work-around to avoid a protective law that ’ s been on the books for close to 16 years in Virginia , and saved many many lives , and prevented teenagers from being manipulated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ [ The fundraiser ] was successful , ” Turner said .
“ We do believe that people are very strongly responding to the kinds of materials that we ’ ve been producing this fall .
Very often [ the public doesn ’ t ] know what ’ s going on with the pro-abortion agenda-driven legislative activity that we ’ ve seen in the last year in the General Assembly and that we expect to see next year again .
So , it ’ s very important to us to find messaging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t disclose financial results from the fundraiser , but she said , “ From my point of view as president , we really did feel like people connected , responded , and are continuing to connect .
” People who want to learn more should visit the VSHL website .
Turner said that because the VSHL has a political action committee , they ’ re able to endorse specific candidates .
“ We ’ re focusing very strongly on the down-ballot issues in Virginia this year .
We really want to see our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ removed and put a pro-lifer in there.
” Turner added , “ Of our 11 [ U.S. congressional ] districts , seven of them were pro-life congressmen before the last go-around .
So this is our goal this year , to regain some of those seats.
” Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Email tips to [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-09-28--Attorney: Nashville Mayor John Cooper Distorted Facts When He Said White House Influenced Him to Clo

Attorney: Nashville Mayor John Cooper Distorted Facts When He Said White House Influenced Him to Close Bars Due to COVID-19

This is Part Three of a three-part series .
Part One is available here and Part Two is available here .
A Nashville attorney who represents Kid Rock ’ s Big Honky Tonk owner Steve Smith said Mayor John Cooper misstated facts when he said White House officials influenced him to close bars on lower Broadway to contain COVID-19 .
That attorney , Kirk Clements , said so to The Tennessee Star and in a document he said he ’ s already disseminated to the public .
“ He [ Cooper ] claims the White House told him to shut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the White House ] didn ’ t make that phone call to the cities until July 22. Cooper shut the bars on July 2 , ” Clements told us .
“ Some information may have been disseminated between July 14 and July 22 , but it was long after July 2 when he shut down bars .
Cooper continues to mislead the public by claiming now it was the White House that directed him to close down the bars , and that is simply not true.
” Cooper spokesman Chris Song did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clements ’ remarks .
Clements said he plans to argue these points in a federal lawsuit he ’ s filed against Cooper and Tennessee Gov .
Bill Lee .
But Cooper , in a recent interview with the Nashville-based WSMV , said he acted consistently with White House guidance and that his COVID-19 restrictions have reduced the number of cases in the area .
As reported , Cooper ordered those bars and restaurants closed because he said they posed a health threat because of allegedly too many COVID-19 cases .
Metro Davidson County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — on June 30 — said they had traced only 19 cases of COVID-19 to bars in the city .
In contrast , at the time they had traced 1,159 cases to long-term care facilities and , as reported , 251 cases to the construction industry .
But Cooper told WSMV that bar patrons on lower Broadway — a tourist hotspot — could have carried COVID-19 to areas outside Davidson County , suggesting Metro Nashville ’ s contact tracers couldn ’ t find them .
Clements , in the document he submitted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no evidence that Cooper closed bars at the behest of the White House .
“ In the September 19 press conference , Cooper asserted that the closure of bars was , in part , in response to information provided by the White House and Dr. Deborah Brix of the White House Coronavirus Task Force .
Cooper closed bars on July 2nd , 2020 , ” Clements wrote .
“ The White House directive and that of Dr. Brix ’ s were made weeks after Cooper ’ s decision to close bars .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ article , The Tennessean reports the White House was recommending aggressive action .
Despite Cooper ’ s recent statement that he relied on the White House guidance , Chris Song , his press secretary , states clearly in the below article that not only did they not need such advice , Metro was not even on the call when the advice was given.
” Song , in The Tennessean article , said members of Cooper ’ s administration ignored the White House call because they had “ more pressing ” tasks .
Song @ @ @ @ @ @ @ input was “ nothing new ” and that “ frankly , they ’ re late to the game.
” As The Star reported in Part One of our three-part series , Clements alleged that Cooper and his senior advisor , Ben Eagles , misled the public .
Clements said the two men never intended to reveal the actual number of confirmed COVID-19 cases that Davidson County officials traced back to bars on Nashville ’ s lower Broadway .
As reported in June , Smith said in a federal lawsuit that city officials impose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — but they look the other way when it comes to allowing social justice protests .
Smith joined The Local Spot owner Geoffrey Reid in the lawsuit that Reid filed in May against Cooper and Lee .
As reported in Part Two of our series , Clements said Smith ’ s lawsuit brought out Cooper ’ s vindictive side .
Clements said Cooper wouldn ’ t hesitate to use the COVID-19 pandemic as a means to incapacitate those businesses , so Cooper imposed harsh restrictions on lower Broadway ’ s bars and restaurants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But Clements said in the document that it only contains his “ opinions and conclusions as a hired advocate of parties who have sued Cooper.
” “ Additional research and consideration should be given to these matters by readers and they should reach their own conclusions , ” Clements wrote .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
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thetennesseestar--2020-09-29--JUDGE: Tennesseans Who Live with a Virus-Susceptible Person May Mail Their Ballot

NASHVILLE , Tennessee ( AP ) — A judge has ruled that Tennessee officials have to change the absentee ballot application again to reflect their promise to let voters cast mail ballots if someone in their household has an underlying health condition that makes them more susceptible to COVID-19 .
In her decision Friday , Davidson County Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle sided with arguments from the plaintiffs in a months-long absentee voting lawsuit .
They pointed out that a deputy attorney general made the eligibility commitment for co-habitants in response to multiple questions in front of the state Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest ordered in court for Tennessee ’ s excuse-based absentee voting system , which has drawn heightened attention due to the jump in demand for mail voting during pandemic times .
Steven Mulroy , an attorney for plaintiffs in the case , said it now appears that roughly two-thirds or more of Tennessee voters can choose to vote by mail for November .
The form was updated on the secretary of state ’ s website Monday to incorporate the latest change .
“ Pretty much , if you ’ re not a twenty-something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in on grandma , you ’ re probably absentee eligible , ” Mulroy said .
In June , Lyle ordered that all eligible voters should have an absentee voting option during the health crisis , and that ruling was carried out during the Aug. 6 primary .
Then the state Supreme Court overturned the absentee expansion last month , restoring the excuse-based absentee voting system and citing the state ’ s promise — made for the first time in front of the high court — that people can vote by mail if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face a higher risk of COVID-19 due to underlying health conditions .
Justices did not specifically make note of housemates of people with underlying health conditions .
However , they did write that the state has to provide voters guidance that is “ consistent with the State ’ s acknowledged interpretation ” of who can vote by mail .
Republican Secretary of State Tre Hargett ’ s office said it ’ s been following the law and the Supreme Court ruling .
But with the absentee form change about housemates , Hargett ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wording on the absentee application that she ordered .
After the Supreme Court ruling , the state removed mentions of COVID-19 from the form .
Lyle then ordered the state to update it to note the disease and eligibility due to underlying conditions and caretaking .
“ To be unequivocally clear , Chancellor Lyle is amending her own language – not language that state election officials wrote , ” Hargett spokesperson Julia Bruck said .
“ In addition , the new language she added is nowhere in state law or the well-written , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office has pointed to guidance from the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention in advising voters about underlying conditions .
The CDC says conditions that increase the risk of severe illness from COVID-19 range from cancer to obesity , while those that might increase the risk range from asthma to smoking .
Under its excuse-based system , Tennessee typically requires voters to fit into one of more than a dozen categories to vote by mail , ranging from being 60 or older to being sick .
Tennessee also can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a court ruling .
This month , a federal judge blocked a state law that requires first-time voters to show an ID at the local election office first if they want to vote by mail .
Jonathan Mattise is a reporter with The Associated Press .

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


thetennesseestar--2020-09-29--Nashville Mayor Announces Review Committee to Select New Police Chief

Nashville Mayor John Cooper announced Monday that Metro Human Resources members have finalized a review committee to find the city ’ s next police chief .
Cooper said this in a press release that his staff published on the Metro Nashville website .
As The Tennessee Star reported last month , former Metro Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson vacated his position much sooner than he previously stated he would — without explaining .
Left-wing activists and Metro Council members pushed for either Anderson to resign or for Cooper to fire him .
The committee , according to Cooper ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ Fifty-seven applicants applied for the position of Chief of Police .
Metro HR staff evaluated all applications and qualified candidates in accordance with required Civil Service provisions .
The review committee will meet in person in early October , ” according to Cooper ’ s press release .
“ It will work with Metro HR staff to narrow the applicants to a list of finalists who will advance to in person interviews .
Finalists will meet with the interview panel and with Mayor John Cooper .
By Charter , the Mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported , members of the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee also called on Anderson to resign .
In particular , ACLU members expressed frustration with Anderson ’ s alleged refusal to collaborate with the Community Oversight Board , which was established in 2018 .
This , after the deaths of Jocques Clemmons and Daniel Hambrick .
The board has independent authority to investigate allegations of misconduct against the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department .
As The Star reported in July , Nashville Metro At-Large Council Member Steve Glover wondered if certain residents of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a say selecting a new police chief .
This , as Cooper announced what he called a roadmap to finding a new chief .
Cooper has said he will use former President Barack Obama ’ s principles on 21st Century Policing to guide him .
Those principles , among other things , warn against “ overly aggressive law enforcement strategies ” and encourage a diverse workforce that reflects community demographics .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email @ @


thetennesseestar--2020-09-29--Commentary: The Renewable Fuel Standard is not ‘Pro-Farmer’

With the election around the corner , the D.C. swamp is hard at work .
Various special interests are trying to make their pet issue look like an election asset or liability .
One interest group working overtime is the biofuel lobby .
The federal Renewable Fuel Standard – or RFS – is often falsely labeled as a “ pro-farmer ” energy policy that helps the Heartland .
In reality , the RFS has become a tool for lining the pockets of the global agribusiness complex at the expense of real American farmers .
It also puts domestically manufactured fuel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support of open borders immigration policies , the RFS further enables agribusiness giants to profit at the expense of rural Americans and heartland jobs .
Passed in 2005 and greatly expanded in 2007 , the RFS was meant to “ reduce America ’ s reliance on foreign oil ” and promote rural economic development in the process .
The law established increasing mandates for different types of biofuels , culminating in a requirement to blend 36 billion gallons of biofuel into the gasoline and diesel supply in 2022 .
Of that total , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corn based ethanol .
Unfortunately , after more than a decade of this law , it has become clear that the unintended negative consequences have outweighed the benefits .
First , the law was passed before America ’ s energy revolution .
Since the U.S. in now the world ’ s largest oil and gas producer , the law ’ s energy independence and security justification is no longer relevant .
Second , the law has actually worked to the detriment of most farmers .
The Clean Air Act and RFS – both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – have driven up farmland values , which have tripled since the 1990s .
However , cash rents have also gone up in concert ; rising more than 130 percent in Iowa alone since the mid-90s .
Since the majority of actual farmers are tenant farmers – which work over 54 percent of cropland nationally and 57 percent in Iowa – the rise in land values has just meant more money out of the average farmers ’ pockets as net farm income has plummeted over the last decade .
It is also the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ net return per acre over 300 times that of tenant farmers .
The erosion of farm income over the last decade , which has hit tenant farmers the hardest , has occurred despite the fact ethanol use in the fuel supply has increased by over 20 times its 1990 level .
Many of the same interests benefitting from the inflated land values attributable in part to the RFS are giant global and foreign agribusiness .
Foreign investors are increasingly buying up American farmland and agribusiness is increasing gobbling up massive swaths of soil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of farmland agribusiness owned grew from 20 to 40 percent between 2002 and 2017 .
Large , global agribusinesses are the same interests thwarting progress in controlling illegal immigration .
They are the same companies that often turn their backs on American workers to pay illegal immigrants substandard wages ; giving them an unfair and immoral advantage over the yeoman tenant farmer .
Finally , adding insult to injury , the RFS also advantages global oil companies and foreign biofuel interests over small to mid-sized American refiners .
Escalating compliance costs for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Philadelphia refinery in 2019 .
With refiners expected to post historic losses for the second quarter , RFS costs could be the straw that breaks the camel ’ s back for many other American refiners .
The cost for tradable credits needed to comply with the RFS have been skyrocketing all year .
Historically , paying for the RFS has often exceeded the payroll of independent American refiners .
Additionally , a quirk in the program allows global , integrated oil companies that own fuel retail outlets to generate more credits than they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forced to buy for compliance .
Unfortunately , bankrupting tenant farmers and domestic refiners may not even be the worst part of the program .
The true insult lies in the fact that we need foreign biofuel to comply with the RFS .
Since the program mandates more ethanol than can be blended into gasoline due to engine and infrastructure constraints , U.S. refiners have had to rely on at least half a billion gallons of FOREIGN BIODIESEL in each of the last three years to meet the programs overly stringent requirements .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ an America First energy policy .
The President promised to protect every manufacturing job and get tough on illegal immigration .
Reforming the RFS would help the American farmers that are actually working in the fields and the small US refiners that are disproportionately disadvantaged relative to the global oil giants .
Change is necessary to prevent global businesses and foreign interests that are already erecting barriers to sensible immigration controls from imposing additional threats real American farmers and domestic fuel manufacturers .
Rick Manning is the President of Americans for Limited Government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alternative CC BY-ND 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-09-29--Trump Campaign Sues to Block Mail-in Expansions in North Carolina

President Donald Trump ’ s campaign and the Republican National Committee on Saturday filed suit to prevent North Carolina officials from adopting measures that would allow a greater number of absentee ballots to be counted in November .
The State Board of Elections said Tuesday that it would allow November ballots with incomplete information to be fixed without requiring the voter to redo their ballot , leading Republicans to file suit arguing that the system would lead to “ fraud , coercion , theft , and otherwise illegitimate voting , ” the Associated Press reported .
Originally , voters who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ verification would have to request and complete a new ballot in order for their vote to be counted , but the guidelines adopted by the board allow for voters to submit an affidavit verifying their original ballot .
The Republicans ’ suit contends that the board ’ s guidelines are the result of a partisan “ backroom deal ” that erodes election laws passed by the state legislature , the AP reported .
“ While touted as allowing greater access to voters during the current pandemic – an objective already addressed in recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actual effect is to undermine protections that help ensure the upcoming election will be not only safe and accessible but secure , fair , and credible , ” the suit says .
The board ’ s decision also led to the resignation of two of its Republican members , U.S. News reported .
“ It is impossible to have true bipartisanship when both sides of the political aisle do not have the important and vital information needed to make the right decisions , ” ex-board member Ken Raymond wrote in his resignation letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carolina Reps. Greg Murphy and Dan Bishop , and lists the state elections board and Damon Circosta , its chairman , as defendants , AP reported .
The board did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation ’ s request for comment .
North Carolina was the first state to start mailing absentee ballots to registered voters who had requested them .
Over 1 million people have requested a ballot so far , and nearly 243,000 people have casted their vote as of Monday morning .
The state has also emerged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and senatorial levels .
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has held on to a slim lead in the state , while Democratic senatorial nominee Cal Cunningham consistently leads GOP Sen. Thom Tillis by single digits , polls show .
Andrew Trunsky is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation Photo “ Mail Ballot ” by Upupa4me CC BY-SA 2.0 .