thetennesseestar--2020-05-21--Walz Stumbles Incoherently Over Explanation for Why Churches Are Limited to 10 People, But Restauran

Walz Stumbles Incoherently Over Explanation for Why Churches Are Limited to 10 People, But Restaurants Can Host 50

Gov .
Tim Walz announced Wednesday that bars and restaurants can now host up to 50 people for outdoor dining , but churches are still required to limit both indoor and outdoor services to 10 people .
The governor was asked during his Wednesday press briefing why restaurants can host 40 more people than churches for outdoor gatherings .
Here was his response , transcribed word for word : We struggle on some of these and there is not a perfect answer .
Trying to figure it out and we have brought , just candidly – the way this was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and asked to follow the science , use courses of action from one that would be considered keep that pot still , don ’ t do anything , to be as aggressive as possible .
And this one waffs between both of them , between the two of them .
I think and I ’ m hearing strongly on this of trying to figure out how we make that happen because I think the logic behind it and I think , Jan , again , it was the predictability of who ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argue , ‘ Boy , I see the same people every Sunday at my congregation and in fact the Smiths sat in the same pew every year for 30 years , so we know exactly where they ’ re at , we know exactly where they are.
’ I just want to say that I think there is a very strong sense of urgency for us to figure this piece out around churches .
And I say that about all the businesses , but I do think these pieces of people ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it around .
So , Dave , I would just tell you I think it goes with the predictability piece of it .
I will , again , say that I don ’ t think that it ’ s perfect and I think there ’ s some things that we have to still continue to figure out .
It ’ s one of the reasons with the next phases that I don ’ t want to set a timeline on it , because I think if we get these things that many folks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implement the things that are being asked of them to get there .
And I think just to be on this one is we want to see what happens for a short period of time with the changes we made and want to get there .
But I will acknowledge the logic of that argument is sound , the concerns are there , and this is one that – we probably had more conversations about this and graduation ceremonies than maybe anything else .
Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Archdiocese of St. Paul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his administration “ have not yet engaged in dialogue ” on a proposal for reopening .
“ A plan to resume public Masses in a limited manner on May 18 – but only in places where parishes were willing and ready to follow a prescribed set of sanitization protocols – was submitted May 8 to the governor for feedback .
Four Lutheran denominations joined our letter to Gov .
Walz .
A number of other denominations and independent churches submitted plans May 8 , as well , ” Hebda said in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Minnesota then announced Wednesday that they would be allowing churches to resume public Masses on May 26 , effectively defying the governor ’ s orders .
“ We have attempted to engage in dialogue with the administration .
We have twice sent the governor letters asking for a dialogue , most recently last Saturday .
Though public health and public safety officials have listened to our concerns and have created opportunities for input and conversation , we have not received a concrete timeline and roadmap for resuming public worship that includes reasonable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bishops said .
Parishes will be required to follow the “ strict protocols we have published for sanitation and social distancing and will have to limit attendance to one-third of the seating capacity of the church , ” the bishops added .
New guidelines for bars and restaurants Under the new guidelines announced Wednesday , bars and restaurants can resume outdoor dining only on June 1 .
No more than 50 people total are allowed in an outdoor setting and tables must be situated six-feet apart .
Customers are asked to limit their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ families .
Reservations are required and walk-ins aren ’ t allowed .
“ We have clear evidence from the health experts that outdoor settings are a lot safer than indoor settings , ” said Department of Employment and Economic Development ( DEED ) Commissioner Steve Grove .
Salons , barbershops , and other personal care services can reopen June 1 , but must limit capacity to 25 percent of the building ’ s maximum occupancy .
Masks are required for both patrons and workers .
Like bars and restaurants , appointments are required @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and boat rentals are also allowed to reopen June 1 .
“ While it ’ s not perfect , it ’ s safe and it ’ s moving the dial , ” said Gov .
Walz .
“ I understand the frustrations , I understand the desire , but the science is too strong .
We can ’ t pretend like this isn ’ t a big deal .
We can ’ t pretend with 100,000 dead Americans that this is just going to go away.
” Wednesday ’ s press conference can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star .
Follow Anthony on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .
Photo “ Tim Walz ” by Fox 9 .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-21--Trump Criticizes Federal Funding Over Michigan Decision to Mail Absentee Voting Applications

President Trump slammed Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson on Wednesday , calling her a “ rouge ” official and threatening to withhold federal funding .
Trump originally tweeted that Michigan was planning to send absentee ballots to all of its residents , adding that “ this was done illegally and without authorization by a rogue Secretary of State .
I will ask to hold up funding to Michigan if they want to go down this Voter Fraud path , ” according to Politico .
He also tagged his chief of staff Mark Meadows , the U.S. Treasury and Russ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Management and Budget in a reply to his tweet , according to The Detroit News .
Michigan is actually planning to send absentee ballot applications , rather than the ballots themselves , as a way to encourage voting by mail during the coronavirus pandemic .
“ By mailing applications , we have ensured that no Michigander has to choose between their health and their right to vote , ” said Benson in a Tuesday statement announcing the mailings .
“ Voting by mail is easy , convenient , safe , and secure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right to do it.
” Trump later deleted his tweet , replacing it with one that read “ absentee ballot applications.
” Benson responded to the original tweet , saying that she was following the example of officials in other states .
“ President Donald Trump ’ s statement is false .
The Bureau of Elections is mailing absent voter applications , not ballots , ” said Jake Rollow , a spokesman for the Michigan Secretary of State .
“ Applications are mailed nearly every election cycle by both major parties and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like them , we have full authority to mail applications to ensure voters know they have the right to vote safely by mail.
” There are roughly 7.7 million register voters in Michigan , according to the department , with 1.3 million on the permanent absent voter list .
“ I assume [ the funding for the mailings ] will be from coronavirus funds the state received .
That money should be going to get personal protective equipment for health care workers and more tests for our state , not to do a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for something that usually comes from local clerks , ” said Sen. Ruth Johnson ( R-14-Holly ) in a statement on Tuesday .
“ It seems political to me.
” The secretary of state plans to use money from the federal CARES Act funding to cover the roughly $ 4.5 million price tag of the mailings , The Detroit News said .
“ Local clerks are the ones who have always handled these requests , not the secretary of state .
Like Gov .
Whitmer , Secretary Benson seems to be taking unilateral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and that is very troubling , ” Johnson said .
Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Michigan Star .
Follow her on Twitter at @ JordynPair .
Email her at [ email protected ]

by Tom Joyce
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich is leading a group of 21 attorneys general in an amicus brief regarding federal immigration law.
The attorneys general are asking the Supreme Court of the United States to uphold a federal statute to enforce federal immigration law in United States v. Hansen.
“In the middle of this man-made disaster at our southern border, we need every tool and law available,” Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said in a press release. “The last thing we need is anyone incentivizing migrants to come here illegally and further straining our social safety net. Border communities are being overwhelmed by the influx of people.”
A grand jury charged California resident Helaman Hansen with multiple crimes in 2017 for scamming hundreds of noncitizens out of more than $1 million by promising them a nonexistent path to citizenship.
According to the release, Hansen was charged under a federal statute for encouraging people to come to the United States illegally for “commercial advantage or private financial gain,” according to the release.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals then struck down the statute arguing that the words “encourage” and “induce,” in the law are too broad.
General Brnovich and the attorneys general argue in their amicus brief that the Ninth Circuit decision jeopardizes the constitutionality of criminal law in all 50 states. They worry that the decision may cause other state and federal courts to invalidate existing criminal laws.
The other attorneys general who signed the brief is from the states of: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming.
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Tom Joyce is a contributor to The Center Square.
Photo “Mark Brnovich” by Mark Brnovich. Background Photo “U.S. Supreme Court” by AscendedAnathema. CC BY-SA 3.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-05-21--Nashville Bar Owner Takes Bill Lee and John Cooper to Court Over COVID-19 Orders

Tennessee Gov .
Bill Lee relied on erroneous information about COVID-19 and acted against the state and U.S. constitutions when he passed down executive orders that forced one Nashville businessman to close his bar .
This , according to the federal lawsuit that The Local Spot owner Geoffery Reid filed this week .
The lawsuit names Lee and Nashville Mayor John Cooper , among others , as defendants .
“ The Defendants ’ plan of quarantining the entire population and closing all ‘ non- essential ’ businesses has resulted in the unprecedented and devasting deprivation of citizens ’ fundamental and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to travel , the freedom of association , the freedom of religion , the right to be free from illegal seizure , property rights , economic rights and other civil liberties protected by the U.S. Constitution and Tennessee Constitution , ” according to the lawsuit .
“ Further , Defendants ’ efforts have resulted in economic devastation to the state and county .
The Governor ’ s office estimates that 15 percent of Tennessee workers have filed for unemployment , retail businesses have lost $ 870 million in net sales and Tennessee GDP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dollars .
Plaintiffs likewise have experienced economic devastation , as has many other business owners.
” Reid did not return The Tennessee Star ’ s request for comment Wednesday .
His attorney , Kirk Clements of Nashville , said he had no comment .
No one in Lee ’ s office answered our request for comment .
Chris Song , spokesman for Mayor Cooper , said in an email that members of his office do not comment on pending litigation .
Reid said in his lawsuit that he was having a record year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the previous year , until the government forced him to close his business in March .
He also said his business does not get significant revenue from pick up or delivery .
“ Upon being able to apply for a loan through the federal Paycheck Protection Program , Reid did so , but the funds were depleted before he could be approved .
Reid was approved during the second round of funding of the Paycheck Protection Program , but , to date , he has not received such funds , ” according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ result of being closed by the Defendants ’ Orders , Reid has incurred significant monetary losses which exceed $ 200,000 .
Reid opened his establishment under severe restrictions on May 11 , 2020 pursuant to Metro ’ s orders .
If Reid is not allowed to fully open The Local as a live music venue and bar/restaurant in the near future , it is highly probable that Reid will have to close The Local permanently.
” Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Bill Lee ” by Bill Lee.Photo “ John Cooper ” by John Cooper .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-21--COVID-19 Unemployment Claims Approach 39 Million Since Mid-March

Even as much of the country eases restrictions and slowly begins to reopen state economies , new jobless claims continued their COVID-19 spike last week , increasing the total number of those filing for unemployment benefits to nearly 39 million since mid-March .
According to data released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Labor , an additional 2.44 million workers filed for benefits in the week ending May 16 .
That ’ s down 249,000 from the revised number of claims filed in the week ending May 9 .
The total number of jobless claims filed in the nine weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closed businesses deemed nonessential now tops 38 million .
California again led all states in the number of new claims filed last week , with 246,115 .
New York saw the second highest number of new claims with 226,521 , followed by Florida with 223,927 .
The number of claims has been so massive that nine state unemployment trust funds have already applied to borrow money from the U.S. Treasury to backfill their unemployment funds .
The states with the highest real-time unemployment rates as of May 9 , according to a 50economy.org @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , Georgia ( 40.3 % ) , Hawaii ( 35.8 % ) , Louisiana ( 34.8 % ) , Connecticut ( 34.7 % ) , Nevada ( 34.2 % ) , Washington ( 33.8 % ) and Pennsylvania ( 33.6 % ) , which each have more than one in three workers unemployed .
The restaurant , hotel and entertainment industries have been hit particularly hard .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-22--Tennessee Unemployment Rate More Than Quadrupled During COVID-19

Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development officials revealed Thursday that the state ’ s unemployment rate was at its highest-ever , because of COVID-19 , according to a TDLWD press release .
“ The preliminary seasonally adjusted statewide unemployment rate for April 2020 is 14.7 percent , which is an unprecedented spike of 11.4 percentage points when compared to March ’ s revised rate of 3.3 percent .
This is Tennessee ’ s highest unemployment rate in a generation .
Before the pandemic , the state ’ s all-time highest seasonally adjusted rate was 12.9 percent , which occurred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1982 and January 1983 , ” according to the press release .
“ Total nonfarm employment in Tennessee decreased by 376,900 jobs between March and April .
The largest decreases occurred in leisure/hospitality , manufacturing and professional/business services sectors .
Over the last 12 months , nonfarm employment decreased by 341,000 jobs .
Like the month-to-month data , the largest decreases for the year occurred in the leisure/ hospitality , manufacturing and professional/business services sectors.
” Since March 15 , Tennessee has seen an unprecedented surge in unemployment claims filed .
During the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paid more than 319,000 claimants nearly $ 359 million in unemployment benefits .
Nationally , seasonally adjusted unemployment experienced a similar spike as in Tennessee .
The April 2020 rate for the United States is 14.7 percent .
That figure represents a 10.3 percentage point increase from the previous month ’ s rate , the press release said .
The statewide unemployment rate is seasonally adjusted to eliminate the influences of weather , holidays , the opening and closing of schools , and other recurring seasonal events from an economic time series .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ April 2020 county unemployment rates at 1:30 p.m. Central Time on Thursday , May 28 , the press release said .
As The Tennessee Star reported last month , residents in Northern Middle Tennessee and East Tennessee have likely filed high numbers of unemployment claims because of their respective hospitality industries .
If tourists may not travel to those areas then , of course , Tennessee ’ s hospitality industry can not thrive .
“ There is no way to know for certain why these areas of Tennessee have seen more unemployment than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Northern Middle Tennessee region and the Smoky Mountains are part of the East Tennessee region , ” TDLWD spokesman Chris Cannon told The Star last month .
“ These locations are home to a majority of the state ’ s hospitality industry .
This industry has been one of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 health emergency in our state.
” Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ]

The Arizona U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) recently revealed that 22 Arizonans have been indicted for drug-related charges following a multi-year investigation of a South Phoenix criminal street gang.
“According to the criminal complaints filed last week, in January 2020, the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) began an investigation targeting a drug and firearms supplier in South Phoenix. In February 2021, in conjunction with the DPS investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Violent Street Gang Task Force began investigating the Lindo Park Crips (LPC), a criminal street gang operating in South Phoenix,” according to a press release from the USAO.
The release outlined that DPS and FBI investigators targeted LPC members and drug suppliers, ultimately leading to a major bust. Investigators reportedly found over 2,000 grams of cocaine, 35,000 counterfeit pills suspected to contain fentanyl, 26 grams of methamphetamine, four and a half grams of crack, 32 doses of MDMA (commonly known as Ecstasy or XTC), and weapons, including 17 firearms and eight Glock conversion devices.
All 22 defendants are charged with either conspiracy to distribute cocaine or fentanyl, and some are charged with actual possession of the drugs. Furthermore, several are charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and carrying a firearm in relation to drug trafficking.
According to the release, these charges incur heavy fines and jail time if convicted. For the drug charges, a conviction for conspiracy to distribute or intent to sell the amount of cocaine charged in the complaint carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine, while a conviction for the amount of fentanyl can be up to life in prison and a $10,000,000 fine. Moreover, a conviction for illegally possessing a firearm carries jail time up to 10 years and a $250,000 fine.
Most of the 22 individuals come from Phoenix, but others hail from cities across Arizona, including Avondale, Florence, Buckeye, and Goodyear. The youngest defendant is Jesus Salazar, 24, of Avondale, while the eldest is 62-year-old Terry Lee King of Phoenix.
The USAO stated that this case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCFETF) operation which seeks to dismantle the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States.
All defendants are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
As The Arizona Sun Times reported, Border Patrol agents recently seized 4.2 kilograms of fentanyl and 2.1 kilograms of heroin at a highway checkpoint at the El Centro Station. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBS) said the drugs confiscated had an estimated street value of $190,000. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) states that as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, depending on the person’s tolerance. Based on that statistic, this bust alone involved enough fentanyl to kill over 2 million people.
According to statistics from CBS, 3,513.15 kilograms of illicit fentanyl were confiscated in May, which would hypothetically be enough to kill 1,756,575,000 people under the DEA’s metric.
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Neil Jones is a reporter for The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Follow Neil on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Phoenix Police Department” by Phoenix Police Department.


thetennesseestar--2020-05-22--Commentary: America Needs to Build Its Own Stuff to Hold China Accountable

That ’ s what Brad Parscale said around 8 p.m. to the family and inner circle on the 14th floor of Trump Tower on November 8 , 2016 , as we were watching election returns trickle in from North Carolina , Florida , Pennsylvania and Michigan .
Parscale ’ s words came back to me with the news this week the Trump Administration awarded a $ 354 million contract to a private company to manufacture generic medicines and pharmaceutical ingredients in Richmond , Virginia .
It ’ s starting to happen—global supply chains are coming back to America .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making drugs used to treat COVID-19 .
They will be stored in a strategic stockpile of pharmaceutical ingredients to be used in the event of drug shortages or an emergency .
Those drugs , like so many others , are now made overseas , mostly in China and India .
China is the world ’ s main supplier of the active ingredients used in many common drugs from vitamin C to aspirin .
China produces 90 percent of the active pharmaceutical ingredients ( APIs ) for essential medicines used in serious coronavirus infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of China Rx .
Sedatives , antibiotics , anti-inflammatories , and medicines to raise blood pressure are among the medications .
The administration killed two birds with one stone by awarding the contract to this upstart company .
The first is ending America ’ s dangerous dependency on Communist China for essential medicines .
The second is breaking up the pharmaceutical oligarchy whose single-minded pursuit of profits led us to our foreign drug dependency in the first place .
The trade association of generic drugmakers attacked White House trade and manufacturing czar Peter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for bringing pharmaceutical manufacturing back to the United States .
They clutched their precious global supply chains like pearls , falsely claiming that rearranging those chains would spike drug prices , forcing Americans to eat cat food in order to afford their meds .
In fact , “ global supply chains ” are the end-product of a global monopoly .
Chinese pharmaceutical companies formed a cartel that sold essential products below-market prices on the global market and drove all U.S. , European , and Indian producers out of business .
Once the Chinese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prices increased .
American generic drug makers are happy to import active ingredients from abroad rather than make them .
“ There are not a lot of people wanting to bring back generic medicine manufacturing to the United States that has been lost to India and China over decades , ” Dr. Eric Edwards , the chief executive of Phlow Corporation , told the New York Times .
In standing up a competitor to the existing generic drug companies , the White House is following the strategy the federal government used to turn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won World War II .
In that earlier global conflict , aluminum was essential to the war effort .
But it was controlled by an international cartel led by Alcoa , itself a monopoly .
When Alcoa refused to increase production to the level needed to build 50,000 airplanes , the federal government lent millions to an upstart in the aluminum foil business named Richard Reynolds .
That gave Reynolds ’ company the boost it needed to make more than tin foil and it gave America the planes it needed to win the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ignore the pharma oligarchs clinging to their global supply chains .
He followed his instincts and the wishes of the American people .
The same day Navarro was announcing the historic contract to rebuild a truly American pharmaceutical industry , Bloomberg News released a poll showing , yet again , how hungry Americans are to bring manufacturing back to the United States , whatever the cost .
An overwhelming 86 percent of respondents said the United States relies too heavily on foreign supply chains .
In addition , the poll found : • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buy products from China .
• 55 percent don ’ t think China can be trusted to follow through on its trade-deal commitments signed in January to buy more U.S. products .
• 66 percent favor raising import restrictions over the pursuit of free-trade deals as a better way to boost the U.S. economy .
• 78 percent would be willing to pay more for products if the company that made them moved manufacturing out of China .
These findings confirm other surveys .
A Harris poll found 86 percent of Americans approve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to move their manufacturing out of China and back to the United States .
Pew Research Center found more than 7-in-10 Americans don ’ t trust Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping , a record disapproval for the Red dictator .
The globalists over at Bloomberg are shocked to find a supermajority of Americans supports protecting domestic industries .
Chad Bown from the free-trade-über-alles Peterson Institute for International Economics tried to explain the polls away by essentially accusing Americans of being racists , xenophobes , xylophones , or something .
“ Foreigners are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normal times , ” Bown told Bloomberg .
“ But once they become unpopular , politics can turn dangerous.
” In reality , Americans know they were sold a bill of goods by smarty-pants “ moderates ” like Bown .
It ’ s really not that difficult to understand : China took our jobs and all we got was a virus that canceled Easter and killed grandma .
Saying “ we need to collaborate with China ” sounds a lot like , “ let ’ s keep on kissing Xi ’ s ass.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ thanks , here ’ s what we ’ re going to do instead : We ’ ll build our own stuff , keep our jobs , and keep our money .
That ’ s how we ’ ll hold China accountable .
Curtis Ellis is policy director with America First Policies .
He was also a senior policy advisor with the Donald J. Trump presidential campaign in 2016 .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-22--FBI Offered to Pay Christopher Steele ‘Significantly’ to Dig up Dirt on Michael Flynn

An FBI offer to pay former British spy Christopher Steele to collect intelligence on Michael Flynn in the weeks before the 2016 election has been one of the more overlooked revelations in a Justice Department inspector general ’ s report released in December .
The reference to the FBI proposal , which was made in an Oct. 3 , 2016 , meeting in an unidentified European city , has received virtually no press attention .
But it might have new significance following the recent release of government documents that show that Steele peddled an unfounded rumor that Flynn had an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United Kingdom .
It is not clear how and when Steele came across the rumor , or if it was the result of the FBI asking him to look into Flynn .
The inspector general ’ s report , released on Dec. 9 , 2019 , said that FBI agents offered to pay Steele “ significantly ” to collect intelligence from three separate “ buckets ” that the bureau was pursuing as part of Crossfire Hurricane , its counterintelligence probe of four Trump campaign associates .
One bucket was “ Additional intelligence/reporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as [ Carter Page ] or [ Flynn ] ) involved in facilitating the Trump campaign-Russian relationship , ” the IG report stated .
FBI agents also sought contact with “ any individuals or sub sources ” who Steele could provide to “ serve as cooperating witnesses to assist in identifying persons involved in the Trump campaign-Russian relationship.
” Steele at the time had provided the FBI with reports he compiled alleging that members of the Trump campaign had conspired with the Kremlin to influence the 2016 election .
An FBI agent provided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the ongoing Crossfire Hurricane probe , according to the IG report .
The agent told Steele about the actions of George Papadopoulos , a Trump campaign aide , and said the FBI had undertaken a “ small analytical effort ” that centered on Paul Manafort , Carter Page and Flynn .
Some FBI agents who attended the meeting questioned whether the lead agent had disclosed too much to Steele about Crossfire Hurricane , according to the IG report .
Steele was not previously known to have deeply investigated Flynn as part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The former MI6 officer compiled 17 memos that focused instead on Donald Trump , Page , Manafort and Michael Cohen , a former lawyer for Trump .
But two documents released in recent weeks raise the question of whether the FBI ’ s request of Steele has any link to the rumors that Flynn had an affair with a Russian woman .
One of the documents is a transcript of longtime John McCain associate David Kramer ’ s interview with the House Intelligence Committee .
Kramer testified on Dec. 17 , 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 that he suspected that Flynn had an extramarital affair with a Russian woman .
“ There was one thing he mentioned to me that is not included here , and that is he believed that Mr. Flynn had an extramarital affair with a Russian woman in the U.K. , ” Kramer told lawmakers .
Kramer said that Steele conveyed that Flynn ’ s alleged mistress was a “ Russian woman ” who “ may have been a dual citizen.
” An FBI memo dated Jan. 4 , 2017 , contained another allegation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The memo , which was provided to Flynn ’ s lawyers on April 30 , said that an FBI confidential human source ( CHS ) told the bureau that they were present at an event that Flynn attended while he was still working in the U.S. intelligence community .
The CHS said that after dinner and drinks , Flynn “ surprised ” everyone by leaving in a cab with a person that the FBI source suspected had ties to Russians .
Lokhova became the target of a whisper campaign in early 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three years earlier , when he served as director of the Defense Intelligence Agency ( DIA ) .
The Wall Street Journal and The Guardian reported in March 2017 that Flynn had a suspicious encounter with Lokhova that drew the attention of American and British intelligence officials .
Lokhova has vehemently denied allegations of wrongdoing .
She has said that she met Flynn just once , at the Cambridge event .
Lokhova ’ s husband has told the Daily Caller News Foundation that he picked Lokhova up after the Cambridge dinner and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A DIA official who attended the Cambridge event with Flynn also told TheWSJ in March 2017 that Flynn did not engage in any improper behavior .
In the FBI memo , the Washington Field Office proposed closing a counterintelligence investigation of Flynn because investigators found no evidence that he was acting as an agent of Russia .
Peter Strzok , the deputy chief of counterintelligence , intervened at the last minute to keep the investigation open after the FBI obtained a transcript of Flynn ’ s phone calls in late December 2016 with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set the “ primary objectives ” for the FBI meeting with Steele in October 2016 , the IG report also stated .
The FBI source discussed in the Flynn memo has not been identified .
Steele was officially a CHS from 2013 until Nov. 1 , 2016 , when the FBI terminated the relationship because the ex-spy had unauthorized contact with the media regarding the dossier .
Steele ’ s handling agent , Michael Gaeta , told the House Intelligence Committee that the FBI decided not to pay Steele for his help with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the media .
Stefan Halper is another FBI source who was a co-convener of the Cambridge event that Flynn attended .
The FBI tasked Halper to meet with and record Page , Papadopoulos and Sam Clovis .
The IG report also said that Halper was previously acquainted with Flynn , but it did not make reference to Halper providing any intelligence on the retired general .
Halper told the FBI he was acquainted with Flynn , the IG report stated .
Neither Steele nor Halper are known to have attended the Cambridge event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the FBI source mentioned in the Jan. 4 , 2017 , memo on Flynn .
Both Halper and Steele have a relationship with Sir Richard Dearlove , the former chief of MI6 .
Dearlove hosted Flynn at the Cambridge event .
Steele ’ s firm , Orbis Business Intelligence , has declined repeated requests for comment about his knowledge of Lokhova .
A source familiar with Steele ’ s activities in 2016 previously told the DCNF that the retired spy was aware of Lokhova .
Chuck Ross is a reporter for the @ @ @ @ @


thetennesseestar--2020-05-22--Commentary: America’s Youth Experience a Great Awakening, Coronavirus-Style

History books tell us “ The Great Awakening ” was ( according to Wikipedia ) , “ The First Great Awakening ( sometimes Great Awakening ) or the Evangelical Revival was a series of Christian revivals that swept Britain and its Thirteen Colonies between the 1730s and 1740s .
The revival movement permanently affected Protestantism as adherents strove to renew individual piety and religious devotion .
The Great Awakening marked the emergence of Anglo-American evangelicalism as a trans-denominational movement within the Protestant churches .
In the United States , the term Great Awakening is most often used , while in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to as the Evangelical Revival.
” Sure enough , when Americans – at least those well-versed in studies of the past – hear the term “ Great Awakening ” they likely picture preachers starkly dressed in black suits positioned behind makeshift pulpits in crumbling old buildings ministering to flocks of congregants cowering in fear , the holy man pointing his finger skyward while admonishing them to get their sinful lives together or face judgment ( and damnation ? )
at the hands of an angry God .
Today ’ s media condescends on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ devotion and morality as paternalistic and “ so yesterday ” when pitted against today ’ s modern , enlightened novel sensibilities .
Hence the rise and spread of political correctness .
It ’ s gotten so bad we ’ re even ordered by the ruling elites to eliminate gender pronouns , and the Associated Press Stylebook is instructing journalists to cease using terms like “ mistress ” when referring to a man ’ s extra-marital dalliance .
Cultural erosion and eventual destruction has long been the Left ’ s aim , so conservatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tradition .
But there ’ s another type of “ Great Awakening ” occurring among recent graduates due to the economic catastrophe foisted upon the world by the Chinese Communist Party ( or Wuhan , if you prefer ) virus .
COVID-19 continues to keep many of us physically separated from our workplaces and social forums .
It turns out that young people are finding the perfunctory post-graduate job hunts to be exceptionally arduous these days .
This great awakening is reality-based and cruel to those who were reared in pampered public school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sacred and teachers are sometimes escorted away for speaking ancient truths .
And contemporary “ preachers ” , at least some of them , use racism and income inequality as propaganda tools to try and spread anxiety about the future .
Former president Barack Obama was particularly inspired when he spoke to this year ’ s shelter-in-place high school diploma recipients via remote connection last weekend .
CNS News staff reported , “ Obama gave a video commencement address to graduating high school students on Saturday in which he lamented what he called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ’ including ‘ massive economic inequality ’ and ‘ ongoing racial disparities.
’ “ ’ This pandemic has shaken up the status quo and laid bare a lot of our country ’ s deep-seated problems – from massive economic inequality to ongoing racial disparities to a lack of basic health care for people who need it , ’ Obama said .
“ ’ It ’ s woken a lot of young people up to the fact that the old ways of doing things just don ’ t work , ’ he said.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ come out and say it : “ Trump equals economic inequality and he ’ s increasing the racial disparities in America , too .
Therefore , those of you old enough to vote should register as Democrats and get behind my favorite lapdog , Joe Biden .
Who cares if he ’ s a ranting and raving doddering old coot who ’ s like a thousand years old in canine years ?
He ’ ll bring home the bacon , man.
” In all seriousness , Obama spoke like the true left-wing community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t he ?
To be fair , the content of the big O ’ s message didn ’ t differ markedly from commencement addresses I ’ ve suffered through in recent years when attending my daughters ’ ( one high school , one college ) ceremonies .
The sense of dread a right-thinking person undergoes when the program moves towards the keynote speaker is tangible , because experience teaches the lecture will invariably include arrogance and virtue shaming from the high and mighty authority figure ( who you ’ ve never heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and ribbons .
What Obama blubbered to ascending high schoolers isn ’ t surprising considering he based two presidential campaigns on cultivating as much envy , hatred and jealousy as he possibly could among the voters .
For if you ’ re poor and living in a deteriorating brownstone slum it must be because your skin color is black or brown or a perceived lack of opportunity .
All the while , the privileged in society purposely keep the helpless waifs in squalor for personal amusement alone .
Or something like that .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ exempted ! )
These are the same secular clergy who “ preach ” how illegal aliens shouldn ’ t be rounded up and deported and that the border deniers be called “ undocumented immigrants ” who merit legal status , all the government goodies they can consume as well as entitlement to free healthcare , liberal social services and education for their kids .
The fact that billions upon billions is sprinkled on uninvited squatters that have no legitimacy to be occupying space on Uncle Sam ’ s soil doesn ’ t matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Instead , the former White House occupant delivers further warnings to eighteen-year-olds about challenges of “ racial disparities ” and “ deep-seated problems ” as though sightings of KKK robes ( except in Virginia Gov .
Ralph Northam ’ s med school yearbook ) are commonplace and tribute is required to keep the goon squad from roughing up pedestrians .
The “ problems ” Obama mentioned do exist in cities like Nancy Pelosi ’ s San Francisco where vagrants defile sidewalks ( a sanitary way of saying it ) and children are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did this out-of-touch man ever win two presidential terms ?
Where ’ s the airy crapola about “ hope and change ” and transforming America into a post-racial society where everyone holds hands and sings Kumbaya on cue ?
Didn ’ t wife Michelle say , “ When they go low , we go high ” ?
What does it mean , anyway ?
Young Americans today are waking up to a new world alright , but it isn ’ t solely because COVID-19 has infiltrated the mindsets of people everywhere .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market it ’ s due in large part to government policies that have wreaked havoc on service industries that rely on human-to-human contact .
From day one , President Donald Trump offered optimism and confidence that the economy would recover from this panic and citizens shouldn ’ t be resolved to expecting today ’ s conditions to endure indefinitely .
It ’ s mostly Democrats who ’ ve hinted that lockdown orders will remain in place until they deem it safe to go out again ( one notable exception is Colorado ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liberal in every way but is taking a common sense approach to reopening ) .
The industries where many lower-income people work – and where newly graduated ex-students might find their transitional employment – have been especially offset by the arbitrary government edicts of the doomsayers .
Any locale that relies heavily on tourism is likely on its final footing .
Here in Williamsburg , Virginia , restaurants partially reopened last weekend but are operating at severely restricted capacity – and we still can ’ t go to the mall… because it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lots it ’ s sad to recall when the stores were full of shoppers .
What ’ s happened to the clerks and managers who staff them ?
The hotels are empty .
Resorts barren .
The College of William and Mary ( one of the oldest institutions in America ) is isolated and lifeless .
And for what ?
Further , the politically correct prison constructed by Obama and liberals has instilled in people an attitude that it ’ s beneath them to take temporary positions that will put food on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and better things .
Are these the “ old ways ” Obama referred to ?
Just look outside and you ’ ll see landscapers and construction trades still toiling as though there was no such thing as the coronavirus .
Business is booming for some workers .
And they don ’ t wear masks , either .
But don ’ t try going to Costco without a face covering these days .
Obama probably never worked a day in his life , who is he to lecture ?
Instead of trashing tradition and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should ’ ve given the youths a stern dose of realism – like a preacher in the Great Awakening — that it will take good ‘ ol fashioned hard work to get ahead and people shouldn ’ t expect the government to bailout everyone who doesn ’ t get exactly what they want every hour of the day .
And that sacrifice builds character and fosters a sense of community .
Previous generations were used to difficult periods and relied on skillsets to fill gaps in employment .
My grandpa ( a carpenter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a trade because there will always be work – and earning capacity – for those with willingness to sweat who possess skills people need .
It ’ s true – you don ’ t see many men and women with calloused hands in the unemployment line .
Government handouts are only intended to cover short periods of time , not to guarantee years of dependence .
How about asking young people to stop feeling sorry for themselves and pull together like previous generations did during wartime and depression ?
The extent of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s certainly true that those set to enter the workforce encounter enormous obstacles , but they aren ’ t permanently insurmountable .
Despair and desperation will inflict far greater injury than the virus – and the political class would do well to follow the example of President Trump in conveying a vision of strength and determination rather than helplessness and hopelessness .
Today ’ s “ Great Awakening ” is changing the world .
But it doesn ’ t have to be desperate .
Sometimes not getting what you want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( thank you , Dalai Lama ) .
Grampa Joe Biden ’ s poll numbers aren ’ t what they should be Amongst the oppressive doom and gloom in the media ’ s coronavirus coverage are polls showing Democrat nominee-to-be Joe Biden maintaining a slight lead nationally and in some key states as well .
But beneath the raw numbers are troubling signs for the former Obama veep .
Paul Bedard reported at The Washington Examiner , “ New York should be a ‘ softball ’ for former Vice President Joe Biden to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he is struggling with key groups , according to a new Zogby Poll .
“ Zogby suggested that what ’ s happening in New York could be a signal of other issues Biden could face nationally .
“ ’ Joe Biden is struggling in New York if you dig deep into the numbers .
Even as he enjoys a mini-moment leading in some polls against Trump , New York should be a softball , but he struggles with important groups like younger voters aged 18-29 , white voters , suburban voters and suburban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the ‘ Bernie Bros. ’ Could this be a sign of things to come for Biden in other states ?
’ said his analysis.
” In other words , Grampa Joe is underperforming , which proves his all-negative-all-the-time spiel isn ’ t winning any converts .
The voters that support him do so because they ’ re primarily anti-Trump , not because the basement bunker Democrat ’ s shaky interviews are inspiring them .
Trying times call for leaders with special qualities .
Trump ’ s signature bluntness and fondness for Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden ’ s frequent displays of anger and bitterness aren ’ t the solution .
Grampa Joe can ’ t match Obama ’ s talent for tearing down the world yet still coming across as an upbeat great guy .
The racism , economic inequality and dissing the “ old ways of doing things ” message sounds a lot less convincing when Biden says it .
And it looks like the younger demographic groups think Joe ’ s full of hot air .
Needless to say , if Obama and cohorts can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he can ’ t win .
Every day it seems we ’ re awakening to a new set of surprises during the coronavirus pandemic and resultant economic panic .
Recent graduates will have their own special challenges in the coming weeks and months and they don ’ t need more fear mongering .
Now more than ever , we need the optimism of President Trump .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-22--Michigan AG Bans Trump for Not Wearing a Mask, Calls POTUS a ‘Petulant Child Who Refuses to Follow t

Michigan AG Bans Trump for Not Wearing a Mask, Calls POTUS a ‘Petulant Child Who Refuses to Follow the Rules’

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said she is following through on a threat to keep President Donald Trump out of her state after he did not wear a face mask for part of a tour at a Michigan car plant .
The president is no longer welcome in Michigan , Nessel told CNN ’ s Wolf Blitzer on Thursday after saying earlier in the day on CNN that Trump would be asked “ not to return ” if he did not follow the state ’ s guidelines .
Not following the guidelines on social distancing and mask wearing can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This morning , you said right here on CNN that if President Trump doesn ’ t wear a mask , he ’ ll be asked not to return to any undisclosed facilities in your state .
Is the president no longer welcome in Michigan ?
” Blitzer asked .
Nessel responded : “ Speaking on behalf of my department and my office , that ’ s right — that ’ s exactly right.
” “ Today ’ s events were extremely disappointing and yet totally predictable , ” Nessel said , referring to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wear a mask in public while touring a Ford plant Thursday in Michigan .
“ The president is like a petulant child who refuses to follow the rules .
This is no joke.
” Nessel added : “ He ’ s conveying the worst possible message to people who can not afford to be on the receiving end of terrible misinformation.
” Nessel , a Democrat , said earlier on Thursday during a CNN interview that people who don ’ t comply with the masking laws could be held legally accountable before acknowledging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same level of legal accountability as everybody else.
” One of Ford ’ s executives explained that the president wore a mask during a private viewing of one of the automaker ’ s new models .
“ Bill Ford encouraged President Trump to wear a mask when he arrived .
He wore a mask during a private viewing of three Ford GTs from over the years , ” the company wrote in a statement Thursday .
“ The President later removed the mask for the remainder of the visit.
” More than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contracting coronavirus .
Chris White is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Dana Nessel ” by Dana Nessel .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-22--Carol Swain Describes Grassroots Movement to Stop the 32 Percent Property Tax Increase Proposal

Live from Nashville , Tennessee Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.– Leahy was joined in studio by former Vanderbilt professor Dr. Carol Swain .
Towards the end of the second hour , Swain further describes elements of her recent meeting with Mayor John Cooper and notes that any Democrat mayor at this point in history is stifled by constituency groups and high levels of deep corruption .
She advocated for listeners and citizens of Nashville to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Protection Act .
Leahy : I ’ m in the studio with our very good friend Carol Swain .
The first time in over two months Carol , isn ’ t this great ?
Swain : It is great to be back .
Leahy : The old gang is back again .
( Laughs ) So you wanted to add something about your meeting with Mayor John Cooper .
He ’ s actually invited you and others to provide some information that he could use .
Tell us about that .
Swain : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide the savings and identify areas where the city was spending money where cuts could be made and if he would reconsider his 32 % tax increase .
And so he has invited us to come up with a plan of how the city can fill the shortfall without raising taxes substantially .
And we are aware that the federal government will be providing Nashville with money related to COVID-19 .
I don ’ t know how many millions it will be but there would be money coming from that source .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where there can be cuts made .
As far as we can tell its business as usual .
So to Mayor Cooper ’ s credit he didn ’ t have to meet with us but he met with us .
Leahy : He did not have to meet with you .
Swain : And so we applaud the fact that he met with us .
Leahy : He thought he might be able to persuade you but I don ’ t think he succeeded in that .
Swain : Well he came with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much the bottom line would have been he has no other alternative but to raise taxes 32 % .
But we also were there with our own agenda to speak and it was that we should not raise taxes this year and that he should use the federal money and find other places in the budget that can be cut .
Maybe get more money from the tourism fund and to make the shortfall for this year .
One of the things that we know is that they are still building bike lanes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over fist on things that are not necessary .
Leahy : They are not changing their spending habits .
Swain : They are not .
The city does need an independent organization to do an audit .
And I believe it ’ s very difficult for a Democrat mayor at this point in history to do what needs to be done because of the fact that they ’ re so captured by constituency groups and the corruption level is so deep .
Leahy : See , it ’ s interesting though , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argument right ?
Because way back when a Democrat could not have gone to China to open that up back in the 1970s but a Republican could .
It seems to me that only a Democrat is the one who could withstand the left-wing forces if they were really interested .
Swain : It would take a real leader .
Leahy : It would take a real leader .
Swain : Yes .
It would take a real leader .
One that would be willing to become a hero later because they did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Right now it doesn ’ t look like Mayor John Cooper fits in that category .
Swain : I would like to say that for people that are listening if you have information about corruption or places where you believe Metro can save money to delay a tax increase we believe one would be inevitable in the future but it doesn ’ t have to be 32 % .
If its 32 % that ’ s permanent .
And so email me at [ email protected ] .
Swain : I would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have not drafted the petition but I ’ m helping collect the 145 signatures and the group that I ’ m really trying to help is NoTaxForNash .
We oppose a tax increase but at the same time we support anyone that is trying to work for a reduction of that 32 % such as Councilman Glover .
He has this plan and I ’ m not sure what it is .
Leahy : He will reveal that but it ’ s not going to be a 32 % increase .
Swain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tax and that it ’ s morally wrong especially when the city is preventing people from earning a living .
Leahy : This is I think a classic example of various grassroots groups coming up .
Leahy : Kind of each moving in the right direction .
Not exactly all on the same page but moving in the right direction which says , let ’ s not have a ridiculously high 32 % property tax increase .
Swain : And the other thing that listeners can do out there if you are affected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also the five at large members .
You need to write to them and phone .
You need to make them more afraid of you then they are of retaliation from the mayor .
Leahy : And speaking of Metro Council members at Large I saw incredulously Bob Mendes Metro Council member at Large .
A very smart guy .
A very far-left progressive guy and graduate of the University of Chicago law school .
He kind of comes from that Saul Alinsky branch of the world .
Left-wing progressive .
The state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ property by wait for it…46 % .
Did you see that ?
I saw that proposal .
Swain : Yes .
I understand that there are some other groups that want a great tax increase .
They ’ ve wasted so much money in Nashville .
Leahy : Did you notice that retail spending is down over 45 % in the past quarter in Nashville ?
Swain : I can believe that .
I mentioned to the mayor about the crime in Nashville and law enforcement .
His response was that crime in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Let me just stop for a moment .
There is a couple in Brentwood… Leahy : That might have a different view about that .
Leahy : This is a very tragic story where they were attacked with a machete in downtown Nashville by a homeless man .
They were in critical condition .
We pray for them .
We pray for them .
That ’ s an example of crime in Nashville .
Swain : Well Democrats across the country are starving police departments and they are using first responders to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe .
I fear the crime and what ’ s happening to Nashville more than any COVID-19 .
Leahy : For the Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act go to www.4goodgovernment.com .
You can sign the petition there .
Listen to the full second hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-22--Senate Confirms John Ratcliffe as Director of National Intelligence

The Senate confirmed Rep. John Ratcliffe ( R-TX-04 ) on Thursday as President Trump ’ s top intelligence official in a vote straight along party lines .
Ratcliffe became Trump ’ s second permanent Director of National Intelligence ( DNI ) in a 49-44 vote , with all Democrats opposed .
The vote along party lines was the first since the position was created following the 9/11 attack as generally there are never more than a dozen senators voting against a confirmation for the position , according to CNN .
Ratcliffe was congratulated by top Republicans for securing the role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a key player in decided what documents will be released publicly concerning congressional investigations concerning the Obama administration and former Vice President Joe Biden .
He will also be leading the intelligence community ’ s response to Russian meddling in the 2020 election , something he has said he believes will continue to happen , according to CNN .
Ratcliffe also received pushback for the confirmation among members of Congress , who said he was unfit to hold the position and too staunch of a support of Trump .
Ratcliffe was originally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former DNI Dan Coates in July 2019 .
Trump later withdrew his nomination , according to The Daily Caller , saying there would be a difficult nomination process .
He nominated Ratcliffe again in February .
Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Michigan Star .
Follow her on Twitter at @ JordynPair .
Email her at [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-05-22--House Democrats Urge Trump Admin to Stop Deportations, Release Immigrant Detainees

House Democrats urged the Trump administration Wednesday to stop all deportation flights , arguing that these repatriations contribute to the spread of coronavirus in Latin America .
In a letter sent Wednesday , members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus ( CHC ) asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf to discontinue deportation flights amid the coronavirus pandemic , and release illegal aliens currently in detention .
“ We call upon you to halt the deportation and expulsion of individuals .
Further , we urge you to swiftly and safely release individuals into the care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent the spread of COVID-19 , preserve regional stability , and save lives , ” the CHC members wrote .
The Democrats , led by CHC chairman Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas , cited news reports that the U.S. government had deported more than 100 individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 .
“ While the U.S. continues to deport and expel people , the list of destination countries appears to have expanded in the [ Latin America and Caribbean ] region in 2020 to include Mexico , Brazil , Nicaragua , Ecuador , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jamaica , ” the letter said .
The problem is exacerbated by the fact that these Latin American countries are ill-equipped to deal with the viral outbreak , according to the letter , which was signed by 16 members of the CHC .
President Donald Trump has not only continued deportation flights despite calls from Democrats to stop them , but has pressured other countries to keep accepting repatriated persons .
Trump issued a memo in April threatening visa sanctions against any government that refuses to accept U.S. deportees .
Repatriation flights , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s ( ICE ) Air Operations , have also served as a major resource for the rescue of Americans stranded across the globe due to the pandemic .
ICE said in April that more than 1,000 U.S. citizens and permanent residents had returned on the repatriation flight .
The coronavirus pandemic has prompted many Democrats and immigrant-rights activists to demand these flights stop and for the release of aliens in ICE custody .
Jason Hopkins is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-22--Wealthy Businessman Tim Kelly Runs for Chattanooga Mayor

Chattanooga businessman Tim Kelly is running for mayor , The Chattanoogan said Thursday .
The election is March 2021 .
Incumbent Andy Berke is term-limited .
Kelly drew only 6 percent in a recent poll of potential mayoral candidates , in a poll paid for by Nick Macco and Adam Boeselager of Legacybox , a Chattanooga company that converts camcorder footage into DVDs , according to a story by WRCB .
“ The purpose of the survey was to elevate the views of Chattanoogans and spur a discussion about our future , ” said Macco , who says the pair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affiliation with any of the names floated in the survey as potential candidates .
Fifty-six percent of the 445 adults surveyed were undecided , the poll said .
The poll is available here .
Kelly , who also is chairman of the Chattanooga Football Club , is the fourth candidate to announce , the Chattanooga Times Free Press said .
The others are City Councilman Russell Gilbert , businessman Andrew McLaren and Monty Bruell .
Columnist Roy Exum of The Chattanoogan says Kelly is into more than just automobiles and soccer .
Tim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is being encouraged by some but , because Kelly is in the thick of Chattanooga ’ s now-tainted “ liberal elites ” as the chairman of the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga , he may be best advised not to buy any political ads on credit .
The Tennessee Star reported in July 2019 that the Community Foundation was one of four foundations that funds UnifiEd , a far-left organization that seeks to replace conservative school board members with liberals .
Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga spokesman Joda Thongnopnua told The Tennessee Star @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some important context .
“ I want to be clear .
We supported the ( UnifiEd ) 501C3 .
They have a 501C4 as well .
That is a more political organization , but all our money went explicitly toward the 501C3 , ” Thongnopnua said .
Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years ’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes .
Photo “ Tim Kelly ” by Tim Kelly .
Background Photo “ Chattanooga Downtown ” by Imilious .
CC BY-SA 3.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-22--Watchdog Repeatedly Warned About Nursing Home Infections Before Pandemic Struck

Infection prevention and control deficiencies were widespread across most of the country ’ s nursing homes before the coronavirus outbreak , a watchdog group reported Thursday .
More than 82 % of the United States ’ 15,500 nursing homes were cited for infection prevention and control deficiencies between 2013 and 2017 , the U.S. Government Accountability Office ( GAO ) wrote in a blog post Thursday .
GAO ’ s numbers are based on a pre-pandemic review that the group conducted of Medicare and Medicaid data between the two years .
Roughly 50 % of the nation ’ s nursing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GAO ’ s review found .
These deficiencies were a chronic problem .
More than 40 % of nursing homes were cited for infection prevention deficiencies in 2018 and 2019 , the group ’ s review showed .
State surveyors classified nearly every deficiency between 2013 and 2017 as “ not severe , ” resulting in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ( CMS ) taking action in only 1 % of the deficiencies , according to the review .
Worse still , about 67 % of those deficiencies classified as “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while 31 % had enforcement actions ordered but not put into effect , the review showed .
The GAO ’ s review comes as New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo faces criticism over a March 25 order requiring nursing homes to admit and re-admit COVID-19 positive patients .
The virus originated in Wuhan , China , in December 2019 before traveling across the globe , killing more than 300,000 people worldwide .
Cuomo partially reversed the March executive order , telling reporters during a May 11 press briefing that patients must test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admit them to assisted living facilities .
“ This virus uses nursing homes … They are ground zero , ” the Democratic governor said .
Nearly half of all coronavirus-related deaths in Europe occurred in nursing homes , according to data the World Health Organization reported in April .
New York state revealed in April that at least 3,316 people in nursing homes had died of coronavirus at their residences or in hospitals across the state .
The virus was first confirmed in Wuhan , China , before spreading across the world , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been a factor in more than 80,000 deaths by the end of April .
CMS has not responded to the DCNF ’ s request for comment about the nature of the deficiencies .
Chris White is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Texas National Guard Helping in Nursing Home ” by National Guard .
CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-22--Governor Lee and Mayor Cooper Are ‘Depriving People of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness,’

Governor Lee and Mayor Cooper Are ‘Depriving People of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness,’ Carol Swain Says

Live from Music Row Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy was joined in the studio by former Vanderbilt professor and mayoral candidate Dr. Carol M. Swain .
At the top of the third hour , Swain discussed her disappointment in Mayor Cooper ’ s decision-making process by keeping Nashville shut down and acknowledging his lack of compassion .
She added that it appears that his brother Jim Cooper may be the man behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s first priority is satisfying the desires of national Democrats instead of Tennesseans .
Leahy : We are here with our good friend all-star panelist , former Vanderbilt professor , and all-around great person , Carol Swain in the studio for the first time in over two months .
Good morning Carol .
Leahy : We have so much to talk about here today .
I want to hit a little bit on this issue that we talked about before you came in during the six o ’ clock hour .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spot that filed a lawsuit against Governor Lee and Mayor John Cooper for depriving them of their constitutional right to make a living when they ordered them to shut down .
I think Carol there are going to be a lot more such lawsuits in the future .
Our listener Nash Native on Twitter .
I would like to see other business owners join the lawsuit brought against the mayor and governor .
Swain : I agree .
I think they are depriving people of life , liberty , and the pursuit of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Nashville and in Tennessee never justified the actions taken by the governor and the mayor .
And when it comes to downtown and those businesses , it doesn ’ t make sense to me that they would shut down the Fourth of July ceremonies .
But what we do know about the virus is that supposedly it doesn ’ t like hot weather .
Why would you at this point shut down something that ’ s supposed to take place in July ?
Leahy : The mayor I think is being very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s economy .
Swain : It ’ s not about Nashville for him .
For a lot of Democrats it ’ s about the November elections .
I believe that a lot of decisions are being driven by that .
They believe that if its a bad economy President Trump will not be re-elected .
Leahy : I think that ’ s correct and a correct political analysis in my view .
You have to think about the economic pain that these draconian and not science-based decisions to slow down the reopening of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nashville for instance , we ’ ve got this very complicated inconsistent phase one , phase two , phase three , phase four policy of opening .
I say open up everything right now and let businesses use their own best judgment .
Swain : The pain is not shared equally because if you think about the Metro employees they are on a paid vacation .
You think about people that are wealthy .
Fathers and mothers and people that are economically sound .
They are getting some downtime .
And downtime is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the poor they are getting some resources but not enough to make up for the pain .
And the people that are hurt the most are people who own businesses and work for a living .
And there you see that many people will be pushed into homelessness .
They are going to lose their businesses .
The whole makeup of Nashville is going to change .
And so Mayor Cooper he ’ s been hit with the tornado .
We had this COVID crisis of his own making .
I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ descend .
Leahy : Here ’ s the thing , the short-sighted the draconian unconstitutional decisions by Mayor Cooper to shut down and pick winners and losers of businesses that should be open by their constitutional rights .
This is having a devastating effect on Nashville ’ s economy because we are so tourist-oriented right ?
The venues should be open .
The restaurants should be open .
and I think what ’ s going to happen is that a lot of people that fly into Nashville in the past are reluctant to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think the rich will get richer because there will be opportunities to snatch up other people ’ s properties at low prices .
Leahy : I think its time to open up Nashville .
Open up Nashville !
Come on Mayor Cooper .
You can do it .
Swain : I don ’ t think he has the compassion that I thought he had because if he did he would see how his policies are causing so much suffering .
I believe that he would make a different set of decisions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ isn ’ t running the city behind the scenes .
Mayor Cooper seems to be more in line with the national democrats than the state of Tennessee , the people , and its values .
Leahy : His decisions of those of a heartless progressive ideologue .
In my view .
Swain : Wherever he ’ s getting advice from , it ’ s the wrong place .
We really need to pray for him , pray for the city , and pray for mercy .
Leahy : ( Chuckles ) We could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ errors of his ways and open up Nashville now .
Swain : And I believe that he ’ s deceived a lot of people if he continues .
Leahy : Pray for Mayor John Cooper to see the light .
Listen to the full third hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .
Photo “ Bill Lee ” by Bill Lee .
Photo “ John Cooper ” @ @ @ @


thetennesseestar--2020-05-22--Nashville Will Move on to Phase Two of its Plan to Reopen City’s Economy

Nashville will move to the second of its four-phased plan on Monday to reopen the city ’ s economy after COVID-19 shut it down for two months .
“ All public health metrics tied to the roadmap indicate that Nashville is ready to carefully begin Phase Two .
Restaurants and bars serving food , retail stores , and other commercial businesses can open to 75 percent of capacity , ” Cooper said .
“ Live music , a hallmark of Nashville establishments , can return to local restaurants and bars in a similarly phased format but with restrictions to gatherings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Additionally , personal appearance businesses , including hair and nail salons , day camps , amusement and attraction venues and museums can open at 50 percent capacity.
” Alex Jahangir , who chairs Davidson County ’ s Metro Coronavirus Task Force , said at Thursday ’ s press conference that Nashville had 4,530 confirmed COVID-19 cases , an increase of 26 over the preceding 24 hours .
“ [ Exactly ] 1,368 cases are active , and 3,111 residents have recovered and have been cleared .
We did have a death yesterday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We now have 51 Nashvillians who have died as a result of COVID-19 , ” Jahangir said .
“ The 14-day rolling average of new cases is flat .
The transmission rate is under one .
We have built a public health capacity to meet our goals and our hospital capacity is stable and in satisfactory range .
We are confident the hospital capacity is sufficient should we experience a sudden spike in hospitalizations.
” As The Tennessee Star reported last month , Cooper issued a four-phased plan to reopen Nashville ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for each of the four phases Nashville is in , city officials will only advance to the next phase if the area meets one of two benchmarks .
The website said either the number of COVID-19 cases in Davidson County must remain stable or the number must decline over a 14-day period .
Jahangir said at the time that city officials will slow the process down “ if something worrisome presents in those metrics.
” According to Jahangir , the four phases involve the following : • In Phase One retail businesses will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , all at half-capacity and added guidelines and restrictions and operations will be present .
Employees will be screened daily to ensure that they are symptom free and they will be required to wear cloth face coverings .
Other public gatherings will be limited to 10 people or less .
Everyone out in public should wear cloth masks and , if you are able , still work from home .
• In Phase Two , businesses and restaurants can go to three-quarters capacity with certain guidelines .
In addition , personal hygiene businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but only for appointments , no walk-ins , and limited to 10 people inside the building at one time .
Playgrounds , tennis courts , and basketball courts will open .
Other public gatherings , including worship services , will be limited to 50 people and with adherence to strict physical distancing protocols .
• In Phase Three businesses and restaurants will go to full capacity .
In addition , bars and entertainment venues will open at half capacity .
Gyms and fitness facilities will open .
Other gatherings will be limited to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ physical distancing protocols .
• In Phase Four , bars and entertainment venues will be at full capacity , and sport venues will open with adherence to physical distancing protocols and best practices .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ John Cooper ” by John Cooper .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-22--Carol Swain Sees Mayor Cooper as Being More Concerned About Optics Than the Lives of Davidson County

Carol Swain Sees Mayor Cooper as Being More Concerned About Optics Than the Lives of Davidson County Residents

Former Vanderbilt professor Dr. Carol Swain joined host Leahy live in-studio on Music Row in Nashville , Tennessee Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. During the second hour , Swain reflected upon her recent meeting with Mayor John Cooper and a few other prominent citizens to discuss ways to cut city budget costs and eliminate the need for an immediate 32 % property tax increase .
She somberly expressed how Cooper seemed more concerned about optics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Davidson County .
Leahy : We are now in the studio with our good friend all-star panelist Carol Swain .
Carol , we ’ re going to put that microphone closer to you because we have a very sophisticated social distancing mechanism here as you can see .
Welcome back Carol .
Leahy : It is Studio Freedom Day !
And for the first time in awhile you are back in the studio with us .
We are delighted to have you back Carol .
Swain : I can say your set up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quite uncomfortable .
Leahy : It ’ s sophisticated !
( Laughter ) We are , six feet apart .
Wouldn ’ t you say ?
Swain : I think it ’ s more than six feet .
Leahy : Is it more than six feet ?
Swain : I think so .
I ’ d rather be an adult and take my chances and sit closer .
( Leahy laughs ) I ’ ll take my chances .
Leahy : So here what ’ s we ’ ll do .
We will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sit as you normally do .
We ’ re still six feet away .
Leahy : Because it ’ s all about Carol being comfortable .
Swain : Yes .
I ’ ve driven across town to be here today .
Leahy : We want to make it easy for you .
Carol , what have you been up to ?
Leahy : Just fill us in .
It ’ s so different when you are doing a half an hour on a newsmaker line .
It ’ s not the same .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the studio I think .
Swain : It is more fun being in the studio .
Well I ’ ve had many citizens of Nashville contact me about the mayor ’ s tax increase and various things taking place in the city .
I think some of them forgot that I lost the election .
Leahy : A lot of us wish you ’ d won it .
( Swain chuckles ) I among them Carol .
Leahy : But I ’ m not a resident of Davidson County .
So I couldn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : OK .
Earlier this week a group of citizens , a small group , we met with the mayor about his tax increase .
Leahy : Whoah !
Breaking news !
Carol you ’ ve been holding out on me !
Swain : And the purpose of the meeting… Leahy : Where did you meet ?
Swain : I think it ’ s ok to say the name of the person .
Her name is Karen Moore .
Leahy : How long did you meet ?
Leahy : How many people were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most important citizens .
Maybe it was more than four .
Let me count .
A few .
A handful of concerned citizens .
The purpose of the meeting was to offer suggestions to the mayor .
And my position has been that he should not have a tax increase this year and he should make substantial cuts and lay the groundwork for a tax increase of some sort next year .
Leahy : That ’ s a good position .
Now was the mayor there ?
Did he have an entourage or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : He was there by himself and came in wearing a mask .
Leahy : Did he have a flag of Kurdistan on it ?
Swain : No , it was one of those cheap ones that lets in everything .
Leahy : This is so exciting !
What can you share with us about that meeting with the mayor ?
Swain : Well I can tell you that we were able to confirm that the mayor has not made substantial cuts of any kind .
And we asked him about why no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for just briefly .
Leahy : This is the question that I would have asked him if he would have come into the studio .
So you ask him that question and why have there been no cuts to the Metro budget ?
It ’ s increasing to 5 % this year right ?
Leahy : So what was his response ?
Swain : His response was that he was less concerned about the optics of the fact that he hasn ’ t furloughed any of the Metro employees that they are drawing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nashville is suffering .
The people that have businesses and those that have been laid off enjoying unemployment .
He said he would not save that much money by furloughing employees and that it would only be for reasons of optics that those people would take vacation pay and I guess other forms of payment from the city and there would be not savings .
Leahy : Yes .
And you are a very honest academic and you accurately report things .
This is exactly what he said right ?
Paraphrasing .
Swain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what he said .
He said there was no purpose for him to do it and he was not willing to do that other than to create a certain optic and he was not willing to do that .
Leahy : Let me just ask you , how did you respond to that ?
Swain : Well I will tell you that some of the people that were at the meeting like Michelle Foreman , Lee Beaman , Carey Bringle , Steve and Karen Moore , and Jim Warren .
These were the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the owner of the Peg Leg Porker that was shut down .
Swain : Yes .
It was a small group of people and we were there to be constructive .
Leahy : And so he says that and does anybody say , are you crazy ?
I wouldn ’ t have said it exactly like that .
Swain : I can tell you that we want them to take their vacation pay .
There is no reason why civil servants couldn ’ t have been furloughed for a month .
He could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week and it would be a tremendous saving for the city .
So the answer that he gave us is very weak .
There is no good reason for him to furlough Metro employees that are non-essential .
Some of the things that came up about the city is bankrupt .
Maybe it should go into receivership and the state should step in .
Leahy : Let ’ s stop for a moment .
Now to me logically looking at all of this .
Nashville Metro Davidson County looks like a prime candidate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in time because the revenues are not nearly equal too or up to the expenses .
Apparently there is an unwillingness to cut expenses .
I still can ’ t understand that .
How was that question posed and what was the response ?
Swain : For one thing he doesn ’ t ’ want the optics of Nashville going into bankruptcy .
Swain : He is concerned about optics but not from the right people .
What about the optics that we ’ re seeing that he has not really done any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time I was running for mayor I had people give me information about some of the corruption in the various departments where the corruption was .
There is no evidence that he ’ s addressed any of that .
They are still putting in bike lanes .
You know that four and a half miles of city streets have been closed so people can play in the streets .
That ’ s what Walk Bike Nashville asked for when we were running for mayor .
So he ’ s catering to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the people .
I reminded him about his promises to the people of Nashville when he went from community to community and told them that he would put them first .
Many of those individuals are going to lose their homes and their businesses because they trusted him and his promises .
Leahy : Those realities are not good .
Swain : He doesn ’ t seem to care because I suspect that he ’ s surrounded by people and he has group-think and is getting accolades from the Democrats who want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s really about the election .
We know it ’ s not about the coronavirus .
And right now he is preventing people from earning a living .
Downtown has been decimated and yet he doesn ’ t seem to get it .
Leahy : He ’ s a smart guy right ?
He made a lot of money .
Swain : He was smart enough to dupe a lot of Republicans and some of them are probably listening right now .
Leahy : Yes .
Duping Republicans is probably right because he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to me as a tried and true progressive liberal authoritarian who wants power and cares little about fiscal responsibility .
That ’ s what it looks like to me .
Swain : He ’ s a Democrat in the era when Democrats don ’ t have the same sense government .
But the average people are the ones that are suffering .
One of the things that I ’ ll be doing this morning when I leave here is that I will be at the Panera on Old Hickory Boulevard from 9:00 a.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Nashville Tax Payer Protection Act .
Leahy : Let ’ s talk about this .
I like this .
Nashville Tax Payer Protection Act .
You ’ ve got signature places on this .
Who ’ s behind the Nashville Tax Payer Protection Act ?
Swain : There are several attorneys who put it together .
Jim Roberts is one of them .
Swain : Yes .
They put this petition together and it would protect Nashville taxpayers in the future and we will need 4,500 signatures by July 1 to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in December .
Leahy : Do you have to be a resident of Davidson County ?
Swain : Yes you do .
Leahy : If I were I would sign it right now .
Swain : Well you can still help us get signatures even though you are not a resident .
Leahy : Let ’ s get the bottom line on this .
Signing this petition will place the charter amendment on the ballot to be voted upon to bring sanity and fiscal restraint to Metro before our city is bankrupted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to www.nashvilletaxperprotectionact.com .
Listen to the full second hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .
Photo “ John Cooper ” by John Cooper .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-22--North Dakota Based Company Awarded Largest Border Wall Construction Contract Ever Given

Federal officials gave Fisher Sand and Gravel a $ 1.28 billion deal to build 42 miles of the border wall along the southern border in Arizona , The Arizona Daily Star reported .
This May 6 deal is the biggest contract ever given for border wall construction , according to CBS News .
The wall will stretch between Nogales , Arizona and Tohono O ’ odham Nation ’ s eastern boundary , The Daily Star said .
The per-mile cost of this project will be $ 30 million , which is more than normal due to the difficulties with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ While there may be similarities between projects , each project cost is contingent upon its unique characteristics , such as geotechnical , topographical , hydrological and hydraulic , underground utilities , final real estate access , and the cost of materials and labor , ” Army Corps of Engineers spokesman Jay Field told The Daily Star .
Tommy Fisher , who runs the North Dakota-based company , successfully launched a campaign to get President Donald Trump and federal officials to award him the contract .
Republican North Dakota Senator John Hoeven said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ Fisher Industries is a large employer in North Dakota and we appreciate the contributions this company is making to strengthen our border security.
” Fisher Sand and Gravel , which has offices in Tempe , Arizona , received another federal government contract last year for $ 400 million to build 31 miles of border wall in the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge .
However , after receiving this contract , the Department of Defense launched an audit into how the deal went down .
The audit is still ongoing , The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company has experience building border walls along the Mexican border as it helped We Build the Wall assemble its privately funded border wall in New Mexico .
Border security is a top priority for President Trump .
In 2019 , Trump directed almost $ 4 billion from military funds to be spent on building a wall along the southern border .
Last month , The Daily Signal reported that Chad Wolf expects that 450 miles of border wall construction will be done by the end of 2020 .
At the beginning of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100 miles of the border wall had been built .
Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of Star News Digital Media .
If you have any tips , email Zachery at [ email protected ] Follow Zachery on Twitter @ zacheryschmidt2 .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-22--Dr. Manny Sethi’s ‘PPE in Tennessee’ Campaign Would Bring Manufacturing Jobs to Tennessee

Live from Music Row Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – Leahy was joined on the newsmakers line by Tennessee Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dr. Manny Sethi .
During the third hour , Sethi explained how he has been campaigning throughout Tennessee and witnessing people filled with anxiety about the coronavirus yet recognizing that we need to get back to work .
Nearing the end of the segment he called for a second industrial revolution in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Tennessee by which would bring back supply chains and medication manufacturing the state .
Leahy : We are joined now by our good friend Dr. Manny Sethi .
Candidate for the Republican nomination for the US Senate .
Good morning Dr. Manny .
Sethi : Hey Mike .
Good morning how are you doing brother ?
Thanks for having me on .
Leahy : We are delighted as always to have you on .
Since last we talked you ’ ve been spending a lot of time in the emergency room dealing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your perspective of note on your campaign over the past couple of weeks ?
Sethi : The last two months have been so challenging .
I ’ ve been on the front lines dealing with this at the hospital taking care of patients .
In these units , patients were isolated and people were anxious .
Thank the Lord we got ahead of this thing and we ’ re moving forward .
A week and a half ago we announced our 95 county tour .
We ’ ve already been to all 95 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half .
And with my non-profit Health Tennessee we ’ ve been taking care of patients for the last 10 years all across the state .
I ’ ve been to all 95 counties .
We ’ re going to do it again in the next six weeks .
We ’ ve been traveling for a week , week and a half now all over Tennessee .
Leahy : You ’ ve been doing that 95 county tour ?
Sethi : Oh yeah .
We ’ ve been out there .
Leahy : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : So we were in Clay and Overton last week .
We were in Trousdale .
We were in Memphis yesterday .
Today we ’ ll be up in Henry County and we ’ ll be up in Stuart County .
We ’ re getting all over the state carrying our outsider Conservative outsider message and that ’ s what people want .
They want someone I believe that comes from outside of government and represents their interests and not those of Washington , D.C. Leahy : What ’ s the attitude your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interacting with all across the state ?
Sethi : That ’ s something that ’ s surprised me honestly .
I think people are still somewhat concerned about the virus and getting it .
But the one thing I ’ m hearing is that everyone is concerned about the economy and about getting America back to work and Tennessee back to work .
This pandemic has really hurt our small businesses across the state .
In Tennessee , the engine of growth in our state is small businesses .
I think we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get them going .
Get them started .
And people are ready .
There is definitely anxiety about the coronavirus and that ’ s not something I expected in places like Clay County where they only had a few cases .
Leahy : That is surprising .
Tell us what your plan would be to get the economy coming back as a United States Senator .
Sethi : I think first of all what we need to make sure that any stimulus package that we ’ re given gets into the right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re throwing cash out of helicopters of trillions of dollars .
We need to make sure it ’ s given surgically and strategically to get it to the right places like these small businesses .
Right now a lot of small businesses from what I ’ m hearing are struggling while some of these big companies and big banks are getting money .
And I just don ’ t ’ think that ’ s right .
I think we need to continue to lift restrictions and de-regulate and get people back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of these restrictions of wearing masks and all this other stuff is hurting places in Tennessee where there have been one or two cases .
It ’ s a real problem and it causes some anxiety and apprehension among customers .
It ’ s slowing down business traffic for even those places that are open .
Leahy : Carol Swain is our in-studio guest here this morning .
As we were walking in we were talking about the mask .
She said , why do you wear it ?
I guess it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Swain : Well let me speak up for myself .
( Laughter ) I wear them in stores .
I wear them when I have to but I ’ m looking at the science that suggests it will weaken our immune systems and that we ’ re not really protecting ourselves .
Maybe some of these protocol guidelines are not really what we should be doing .
Leahy : Where do you stand on the mask thing ?
Should we wear them or not ?
Sethi : I think in places where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus and people who are at risk .
Sethi : Yeah like Davidson County .
I think if you go to the grocery store and the grocery store is busy I don ’ t think it ’ s a bad idea to wear one .
If you ’ re in Clay County or Overton or places where there ’ s not been a lot of this stuff most places in East Tennessee I think its less important .
Leahy : Should it be voluntary or mandatory ?
Sethi : I just think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be voluntary .
I don ’ t think the government or anybody else needs to be pushing this down our throats .
I just don ’ t think that ’ s right .
I just believe in patient-centered medicine and patient-centered choice .
And that ’ s very important .
And one thing I wanted to return too which kind of brings all of this together .
About a week and a half ago our campaign released this plan called PPE in Tennessee .
I was out in West Tennessee yesterday talking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our masks and 20 % of our medications , these are things you and I have talked about before are made in China .
We ’ ve been relying on the Chinese Communist Government .
God forbid a second wave comes , we need to be ready .
What that means is that we need to bring that healthcare supply chain back to our country .
Specifically in Tennessee there are so many economic opportunity zones .
Places in West Tennessee .
For example a mega-site .
Unemployment is so high .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back here to Tennessee .
I spoke with some business leaders yesterday and I think it would just be perfect .
WWII we stepped up to the plate as volunteers with the Manhattan-style project .
I believe we could do that once again and drop our unemployment and utilize so many of these economic opportunity zones .
Leahy : Carol Swain has a question for you Manny .
Swain : I just wanted to comment that in Nashville the COVID infection zones are confined to a couple of zip codes .
And so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me that they would quarantine the whole population rather than just quarantining the people that are sick .
Leahy : What do you say about that Dr. Manny ?
Sethi : I don ’ t think anybody realized the vast implications of shutting down the American economy and what it would do .
We ’ ve been arguing and I was on Fox News a month ago talking about vertical containment .
Meaning we can ’ t shut everything down .
We need to protect those patients who are at risk .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mentioning that and opening up the economy .
Every day that we close the economy right now and our GDP suffers that ’ s 10 days it ’ s going to take to recover .
I was speaking with a well-known economist who said that if we through June and we continue like this every day we shut down the economy is 20 days to recover per day .
This has such a downstream effect .
Our GDP ratio is climbing .
We just can ’ t sustain this as a country .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And so the best end to this is to get America back to work .
No government stimulus plan and replace the power in the private sector .
Swain : I agree 100 % with you and I hope that anyone who wants to represent Tennessee would share those sentiments because we have been too dependent on China .
That ’ s been quite unfortunate .
I ’ ve been talking about it for the past two years so I ’ m glad that other people have picked it up and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nation now .
Leahy : Dr. Manny , when you get into Washington if you are elected , what would be first your first action steps .
Sethi : Sure .
Let me come back to one thing that Dr. Swain mentioned and I think this is very important .
Dr. Swain you are talking about China and our reliance .
Tennessee is one of the top states in the country that ’ s reliant on Chinese imports .
We should all look at how that happened and understand that because that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to end our reliance .
Here in Tennessee we are among the most reliant on that supply chain .
So Mike , to come back to your question about what I would do and it ’ s really changed since this pandemic .
The first thing we need to do is end our economic reliance on the Communist Chinese Government .
And I think that more generally what this pandemic has shown us is that for the longest time these Washington insiders and elites have been talking about the great things that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so great and how we are all connected .
And we shift all of our jobs and supply chains to China .
No problem .
That ’ s great .
Our world is interconnected .
The economies are interconnected .
But look at what happened with this pandemic .
We are entrusting our economy with our enemy with our national security and medications we can ’ t get here .
Gowns , scrubs , masks , supply chains , and our other products .
The first thing I ’ m going to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senator is to bring those jobs back here in what I call the Second Industrial Revolution .
We have to .
We need to have tax credits and exemptions and pay for these companies to get back here and deregulate .
Explain to me this , why is there more red tape on a mask made in America versus a mask made in China ?
Leahy : A very good point Dr. Manny Sethi .
A very very informative interview .
Will you come back as the campaign continues ?
Listen to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .
Photo “ Manny Sethi ” by Manny Sethi .


thetennesseestar--2020-05-22--Current and Past Tennessee Officials Warn of a ‘Hole in Our Defense of Nursing Homes’ with COVID-19

A man who ran TennCare during the 1990s said Thursday that he expects Tennessee will , within weeks , record a spike in the number of nursing home patients who contract COVID-19 .
That man , Rusty Siebert , warned The Tennessee Star Thursday that the goings-on at a Williamson County nursing home might justify his fears .
Siebert , who directed TennCare under former Gov .
Don Sundquist , would not identify the facility .
Siebert said a nursing home employee and a patient there tested positive for COVID-19 at a local hospital .
They were both asymptomatic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nursing home .
The nursing home put the patient in isolation .
And Siebert said he ’ s in a position to know that a nursing homes ’ ventilation systems might not safeguard all the residents against the spread of COVID-19 .
“ Suppose it ’ s your mother , your mother-in-law , or your father in a nursing home .
Suppose a worker comes in with it [ COVID-19 ] or another patient comes with it .
Do you want them taken care of in a hospital where they have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
And isolated away from your mother or father ?
Or do you want them brought back in there and put in a room where we are doing pretend isolation ?
” Siebert asked .
“ We ’ ll lock the door .
There aren ’ t long hallways .
Nursing home facilities are filled , so there isn ’ t anything like a football field between the patients that are locked in their room and someone in isolation .
Think of air systems .
Think of New York right now.
” Siebert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he relayed his concerns to State Rep. Glen Casada ( R-Franklin ) .
Casada said Thursday that he then took the matter to state officials , who confirmed that what Siebert described was , in fact , “ going on ” and that there was “ a hole in our defense of nursing homes.
” “ It ’ s being addressed , and I doubt if my conversation precipitated it .
I don ’ t know the history , but I will say that Rusty got my attention .
I called the [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Casada told The Star .
“ I was informed that all employees were being tested , as well as the patients , and they will be isolated if a positive occurs .
I reported that I had heard that someone , an employee and a patient had tested positive and was reintroduced into a nursing home population .
They didn ’ t know about the specifics .
I didn ’ t feel comfortable giving names .
They said that we are addressing this , and so that was the conversation.
” TDH spokesman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it ’ s up to the nursing home facilities , not the local health department , to test residents and staff .
“ Tennessee Department of Health staff members and Tennessee National Guard members stand at the ready to assist in testing should a facility reach out to request assistance , ” Christian said .
No one from Gov .
Bill Lee ’ s office returned our request for comment Thursday .
Sibert , meanwhile , said he predicts the number of confirmed cases at nursing homes will shoot up within three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on it right now that they have been readmitting COVID positive patients back in the nursing homes , ” Siebert said .
“ I think at any one point in time between now and the end of next month we will see a huge increase in nursing home deaths .
And I think that they could have been prevented.
” Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ]