On Thursday, the Tennessee Statehouse offered approval of a bill that would allow civil causes of action to be brought against adults aiding minors in accessing transgender procedures without parental consent.
A <a href="https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=HB2310&amp;ga=113" target="_blank" rel="noopener">summary</a> of the bill on the Tennessee state legislature’s website states that “as introduced,” the bill “creates a civil cause of action against any person who knowingly removes a minor from this state without the consent of a parent of the minor for the purpose of assisting the minor in obtaining a healthcare procedure that is to enable the minor to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the minor&#8217;s sex or treating purported discomfort or distress from a discordance between the minor&#8217;s sex and asserted identity.”
This means that adults who take such action, assisting minors in leaving the state to obtain cross-sex hormones or to undergo transgender procedures, are liable for taking that action and can be sued. The original version of the bill included criminal penalties for adults in violation of it, but it was amended to only allow for civil penalties for violators.
The <a href="https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-transgender-care-ban-minors-b7b6700f6a54a3788ec0697f065281b6?taid=662ad282ce74510001c0e6ac&amp;utm_campaign=TrueAnthem&amp;utm_medium=AP&amp;utm_source=Twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Associated Press</a> notes that the bill is extremely similar to one approved on Wednesday, which would allow civil action to be taken against adults who assist minors in obtaining an abortion without parental consent. That bill left the state Senate with a 26-3 vote.
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The Tennessee lawmakers&#8217; approval of the bill penalizing adults for helping minors access transgender procedures clears the way for it to go to Republican Governor Bill Lee, who is reportedly expected to sign it into law. Days ago, the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Bryan Richey, said: “At the end of the day, parents should have final say what medical procedures their children are receiving, and nobody else.”
Last year, Lee signed a bill <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-appeals-court-upholds-tennessee-kentuckys-bans-on-transgender-treatments-for-children" target="_blank" rel="noopener">banning sex-change procedures</a> for minors just months after Daily Wire host Matt Walsh <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/huge-money-maker-video-reveals-vanderbilts-shocking-gender-care-threats-against-dissenting-doctors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exposed</a> details about Vanderbilt University’s gender procedures on children.

US-HISTORY-RIGHTS-GAYS-STONEWALL-50TH-ANNIVERSARY

Tennessee Statehouse Approves Bill Allowing Civil Action Against Adults Assisting Minors In Receiving Gender Procedures

LGBTQ

Social Issues

Tennessee

Transgender

U.S.

A group of Republican attorneys general are suing the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over new rules that force employers to grant certain accommodations for their employees to get abortions. 
The <a href="https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/attorneygeneral/documents/pr/2024/pr24-38EEOC.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suit</a> from 17 states, led by Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin and Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, argues that the EEOC is violating numerous laws to make the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act relate to abortion. The states argue that the rule will force them to allocate resources to support elective abortions — even if elective abortions are illegal in their states. 
Announced on Thursday, the suit comes after the EEOC voted 3-2 to assert that the meaning of “pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions,” included in the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act includes abortion. This would mean that employers have to give accommodations for women to get abortions, such as granting time off to get an abortion or immediately after an abortion.  
“Congress passed the bipartisan Pregnant Workers Fairness Act to protect mothers-to-be and promote healthy pregnancies, and the EEOC&#8217;s attempt to rewrite that law into an abortion mandate is illegal,” Skrmetti said. “I’m proud to lead the coalition fighting to protect the rule of law against this unconstitutional federal overreach.”
The Republican officials argue that the rule violates the conditions laid out in the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, infringes on state sovereignty, and violates the First Amendment. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which President Joe Biden signed in December 2022, requires employers to make &#8220;reasonable accommodations&#8221; to pregnant women. 
&#8220;Yet in a new rule, unelected commissioners at the EEOC seek to hijack these new protections for pregnancies by requiring employers to accommodate elective abortions — something the Act clearly did not authorize,&#8221; Skrmetti&#8217;s office said. &#8220;The EEOC’s rule constitutes an unconstitutional federal overreach that infringes on existing state laws and exceeds the scope of the agency’s authority.&#8221;
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According to the EEOC, it <a href="https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2024-07527.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">received</a> 54,000 comments urging it not to include abortion in the guidelines and 40,000 comments opposed. It said that many of the comments it received “expressed the view that abortion is the destruction of a human life, that it is objectionable for moral or religious reasons, and that it is not health care” while others claimed that commenters “expressed deeply held beliefs, including religious beliefs, that abortion is a necessary part of health care.”
“The PWFA also cannot be used to require an employer-sponsored health plan to pay for or cover any particular item, procedure, or treatment, including an abortion,” the EEOC said. “Given these limitations, the type of accommodation that most likely will be sought under the PWFA regarding an abortion is time off to attend a medical appointment or for recovery.”
Filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, the Republican attorneys general want the rule to be vacated and declared illegal.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission As White House Proposes 11% Cut In Labor Department Spending

Red States Sue Feds Over New Requirements For Employers To ‘Accommodate’ Abortions

Abortion

Arkansas

federal agencies

federal regulation

Politics

Tennessee Republican Governor Bill Lee signed a bill into law earlier this week that prohibits financial institutions, such as banks and credit card companies, from specifically tracking gun and ammunition purchases.
<a href="https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=HB2762" target="_blank" rel="noopener">House Bill 2762</a>, also called the &#8220;Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act,&#8221; prohibits financial institutions from requiring gun retailers to use a specific merchant code &#8220;that distinguishes a firearms retailer from a general merchandise retailer or a sporting goods retailer.&#8221; All retailers are assigned merchant codes based on what they sell, allowing banks and credit card companies to track purchasing patterns and protect against fraud. Gun retailers&#8217; merchant codes are usually included with those of other shops, like sporting goods stores.
State Rep. Rusty Grills, a Republican, introduced the legislation earlier this year after credit card companies Visa and Mastercard <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/visa-to-categorize-sales-at-gun-stores-in-win-for-gun-control-advocates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> plans to separately categorize firearm and ammunition purchases in 2022.
The &#8220;Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act&#8221; also prohibits financial institutions from declining credit card transactions &#8220;based solely on the assignment or non-assignment of a firearms merchant category code&#8221; and outlaws government entities from keeping a registry of privately owned firearms or gun owners in the state.
Rep. Grills told The Daily Wire in a phone conversation on Thursday that he introduced the legislation to &#8220;protect the Second Amendment rights of all those in Tennessee&#8221; by preventing financial institutions from creating &#8220;a database&#8221; of gun buyers, a possibility Grills said is troubling because many corporations are being led by &#8220;capitalist woke folks.&#8221; Grills added that this new law will preempt any potential future efforts by institutions to interfere with Tenesseeans&#8217; Second Amendment rights.
&#8220;We would rather be able to protect our rights from the beginning rather than have to fight for our rights back at the end,&#8221; Grills said.
The bill passed the state House and Senate earlier this month before it was signed into law by Gov. Lee on Tuesday.
In 2022, the International Organization for Standardization (IOS) — which develops proprietary, industrial, and commercial standards — <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/exclusive-global-standards-body-approves-new-merchant-code-gun-sellers-2022-09-09/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> a new merchant code specifically for gun retailers.
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Shortly after the IOS approved the change, credit card companies took the step of categorizing gun purchases separately from all other purchases. At the time, congressional Democrats were also <a href="https://twitter.com/SenWarren/status/1567214955690135552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1567214955690135552%7Ctwgr%5Ef5ec583f964c1dc4fbe19556fa5ca458046587c1%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.dailywire.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost.php%3Fpost%3D728687action%3Dedit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">urging</a> Visa, Mastercard, and American Express to &#8220;do more to help stop mass shootings.&#8221;
Those three credit card companies, however, paused plans to track gun purchases a few months later after Republican lawmakers and attorneys general <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/23-republican-ags-warn-credit-card-companies-to-abandon-plan-to-identify-gun-sales" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> the payment processors of the constitutional ramifications of their proposal. But in February of this year, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express moved forward with a plan to potentially track gun purchases in California, CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/american-express-visa-mastercard-gun-merchant-code/">reported</a>.
While multiple Republican-led state legislatures have passed bans on the specific merchant code for gun retailers, California passed a law requiring gun retailers to adopt the merchant code by May 2025.

Gun Store

Tennessee Governor Signs Bill Preventing Financial Institutions From Conducting Unauthorized Surveillance Of Gun Buyers

Banks

Bill Lee

credit card

General

Guns

Second Amendment

Vice President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kamala-harris" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kamala Harris</a> attacked <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a> Republicans on Wednesday, calling them “extremists” for passing a bill that allows public school teachers to be armed in classrooms after meeting certain conditions, such as firearm training and approval from administrators. 
Harris, who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kamala-harris-to-visit-2-democrats-expelled-from-tennessee-state-house-push-for-gun-control" target="_blank" rel="noopener">visited</a> the Volunteer State last year to push for gun control, called for lawmakers to pass an “assault weapons ban” and “red flag laws.” 
“Arming teachers is not the solution,” Harris posted on X. “We know what actually works: universal background checks, red flag laws, safe storage, and an assault weapons ban. Shame on extremists in the Tennessee legislature for failing to protect our children.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Arming teachers is not the solution. 
We know what actually works: universal background checks, red flag laws, safe storage, and an assault weapons ban.
Shame on extremists in the Tennessee legislature for failing to protect our children.<a href="https://t.co/vqpbfmkAC0">https://t.co/vqpbfmkAC0</a>
&mdash; Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) <a href="https://twitter.com/VP/status/1783308012184121357?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Republican-backed bill passed the Tennessee House 68-28 on Tuesday amid raucous protests at the Capitol building in Nashville after previously passing the Senate 27-5. The bill now heads to Republican Governor Bill Lee’s desk where he has 10 days to either sign or veto the message before it would automatically become law. 
If signed, the <a href="https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=SB1325" target="_blank" rel="noopener">measure</a> would authorize school faculty and staff to carry a concealed handgun if they possess an enhanced carry license, pass a background check, obtain certification by a healthcare professional as mentally sound, and complete 40 hours of training. The local school board and the school’s principal would also have to authorize teachers who request to be armed. 
Advocates of the measure say that it will help to protect schools, especially in rural areas that might not be able to afford full-time security on campus. 
“Have you read the bill, Madam Vice President? It is permissive, allowing a teacher to carry with the approval of the principal, sheriff, and head of school,” Rep Jason Zachary (R-Knoxville) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonZacharyTN/status/1783328319707943313" target="_blank" rel="noopener">replied</a> to Harris on X. “Requires 40 hours of tactical training, mental health check, and enhanced carry permit, to name a few.”
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“TN teachers in distressed counties have been able to carry since 2016 without incident. We will take every step necessary to protect children in rural communities,” he added. “Please focus on the significant national challenges like open borders, crushing inflation, rising energy costs and failed foreign policy. We’ll handle TN.”
In April 2023, Harris met with two Tennessee Democrats, Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, after the leftist lawmakers were expelled from the chamber after disrupting a floor session by sneaking a bullhorn onto the House floor and leading a gun control protest with protesters chanting from the chamber&#8217;s balcony gallery. 
The protest came after a transgender-identifying shooter murdered six people, including three children, at a Christian school in Nashville.

Vice President Harris Meets With Guatemala’s President Bernardo Arevalo

Kamala Harris Attacks Tennessee Republicans For Passing Bill Allowing Some Teachers To Be Armed

Gun Control

Kamala Harris

Nashville

Public Schools

School Shooting

Teachers

The pro-life activist who cooperated with the Biden administration&#8217;s Justice Department for its prosecution of her fellow pro-life activists over their peaceful demonstration at a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1714074641207000&amp;usg=AOvVaw010o2PugauBTCEDPf5iXNd">Tennessee</a> abortion facility will avoid prison time.
Caroline Davis was sentenced on Wednesday to three years of probation and no fine in a federal court in Nashville by Federal Judge Aleta Trauger. Before her deal with the DOJ, Davis <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdtn/pr/eleven-charged-face-act-violations-stemming-2021-blockade-mount-juliet-reproductive" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdtn/pr/eleven-charged-face-act-violations-stemming-2021-blockade-mount-juliet-reproductive&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1714074641207000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3UsUto05V5vIDmXnbVK4Qg">faced</a> a felony conspiracy charge that could have landed her in prison for over 10 years for her role in a peaceful pro-life protest at the Carafem abortion facility in Mt Juliet, Tennessee on March 5, 2021.
She previously pled guilty to misdemeanor conspiracy to block access to an abortion facility and misdemeanor aiding and abetting the blocking of access to an abortion facility. Her testimony was a critical component of the government&#8217;s prosecution of 10 pro-lifers who were at Carafem, including six who face over a decade in prison and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.
Sentencing took less than 30 minutes, with the DOJ agreeing to the conditions requested by Davis.
Trauger agreed to let her probation period begin on October 5, 2022, when she was first arrested. Davis will pay a $20 special assessment for the case, typical for federal misdemeanors. Under conditions of her probation, Davis must also undergo mental health treatment.
The March 2021 protest involved a group of demonstrators gathered on the second floor of an office building in the hallway outside Carafem in Mt. Juliet. The group, including Davis, prayed, sang hymns, and urged women showing up to the clinic to not get abortions. Several sat in front of doors to the facility and against the walls of the hallway.
Davis was given the opportunity to make a statement on Wednesday, and she described a difficult upbringing where she said she experienced abuse. She said that this abuse contributed to her joining a &#8220;cult-like&#8221; group after she turned 18 that promoted civil disobedience. At the same time she said that her husband was unfaithful to her, leading to a divorce. She said that the federal indictments over her pro-life activism caused her to change her life.
Davis also &#8220;sincerely apologized&#8221; for &#8220;the crime I pled guilty to,&#8221; and said that she had &#8220;harmed others for personal gain&#8221; during the protest at Carafem. She said that her stance on abortion had not changed and asked Trauger &#8220;for mercy and grace.&#8221;
Trauger said that she was &#8220;proud&#8221; of Davis and called her &#8220;very articulate&#8221; and an &#8220;inspiring figure.&#8221;
Davis&#8217;s boyfriend and two of her codefendants, Paul Vaughn and Paul Place, were in attendance at the sentencing hearing. No proof or witnesses were part of the sentencing hearing.
The FACE Act is a Clinton-era law that is frequently used against pro-lifers protesting outside of abortion facilities. Six of Davis&#8217;s codefendants, who were convicted in February, face up to 10.5 years in prison and fines of up to $260,000 when sentenced in July.
Davis also testified in a one-day bench trial for four others involved in the demonstration earlier this month. Those four — Eva Edl, Eva Zastrow, James Zastrow, and Place — <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/four-pro-lifers-face-prison-time-after-being-convicted-in-federal-court" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.dailywire.com/news/four-pro-lifers-face-prison-time-after-being-convicted-in-federal-court&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1714074641207000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0uSxwaq3hDw7S_5cl73Tnv">were convicted</a> of violating the FACE Act and face up to six months in prison and a $10,000 fine upon sentencing in July.
During her testimony in January, Davis <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/video-played-at-trial-shows-pro-lifers-targeted-by-doj-singing-hymns-urging-peace-during-protest" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.dailywire.com/news/video-played-at-trial-shows-pro-lifers-targeted-by-doj-singing-hymns-urging-peace-during-protest&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1714074641207000&amp;usg=AOvVaw314E-p_Uuj8ArkydHEw-CA">claimed</a> that she had a change of heart about attending the Carafem demonstration. She said her “rational side” was “in the toilet” at the time of her participation. She also said that she changed her mind “over time” and that being indicted by the federal government “terrified” her.
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In cross-examination, Davis became repeatedly exasperated with the questions from defense lawyers, especially when asked about how many times she met with the government before the trial. When asked about a previous meeting with the prosecution and about how long it was, she said, “I have a busy life,” and replied “Oh my God” when asked about another meeting with the government. At one point, Trauger told her to just answer the question and not add any commentary to her answers.
No one present at Carafem was arrested for assault or any assault-related charge. Davis said the most violence she saw was when a police officer moved two pro-lifers aside when taking a woman down the hallway to the abortion facility. Davis was also a key witness in a similar Washington, D.C., abortion facility FACE Act trial where she again pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge in exchange for her testimony.
The convictions have prompted calls from Republican lawmakers to repeal the FACE Act, saying that it has been weaponized to target pro-lifers.

Annual March For Life Rally Winds Through Washington DC

Pro-Lifer Who Agreed To Cooperate With Biden DOJ Against Fellow Activists Avoids Prison

Biden Administration

The Republican-led Tennessee state Senate failed to pass a bill that would ban the display of ideological and political flags, including Pride flags, in public schools across the state.
<a href="https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/billinfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SB1722" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Senate Bill 1722</a> was introduced by Republican state Sen. Joey Hensley and was a companion to a bill that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-takes-major-step-towards-banning-pride-flags-from-classrooms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed the state House</a> with overwhelming support. In a vote on Tuesday in the state Senate, however, SB 1722 failed to reach the required 17 votes for a constitutional majority as 13 lawmakers voted to pass the bill while six voted in opposition. Eight Republicans did not participate in the vote, The Tennessean <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2024/04/23/tennessee-senators-block-bill-banning-pride-flags-in-tennessee-schools/73430350007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
SB 1722 “prohibits LEAs [Local Education Agencies] and public charter schools from displaying in public schools flags other than the official United States flag and the official Tennessee state flag.”
Republican state Rep. Gino Bulso introduced the companion bill in the House after parents expressed concern about LGBT Pride flags being displayed in classrooms.
A previous version of the bill allowed for schools to display the American flag, the Tennessee state flag, the POW/MIA flag, and flags such as those that represent Indian tribes, a city, county, or metropolitan government, and an official school flag, among others. But an amendment from Republican state Sen. Todd Gardenhire was passed by the state Senate on Tuesday prohibiting schools from flying any flags other than the American flag and state flag.
Ultimately, the bill’s passage was blocked as five Democrats and one Republican, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, voted against it, while eight Republicans skipped the vote. McNally said in a statement shared with The Daily Wire that he was concerned about constitutional challenges if the bill became law, such as “an adversarial First Amendment ruling against the state.”
“While Senator Gardenhire’s amendment language was a significant improvement, I believe comments made early in legislative process caused irreparable constitutional damage to the bill in my view,” McNally said. “Several members expressed interest in studying the subject of the bill over the summer in order to avoid a likely constitutional challenge. Because an adversarial First Amendment ruling against the state would be a near certainty if the bill passed, I voted no.”
The Republican senators who did not participate in the vote, according to The Tennessean, included: Sen. Paul Bailey (R-Sparta), Sen. Ferrell Haile (R-Gallatin), Sen. Becky Massey (R-Knoxville), Sen. Bill Powers (R-Clarksville), Sen. Shane Reeves (R-Murfreesboro), Sen. John Stevens (R-Huntington), Sen. Page Walley (R-Savannah) Sen. Bo Watson (R-Hixson).
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Sen. Haile told The Daily Wire that he doesn&#8217;t want flags that promote &#8220;controversial ideologies&#8221; in schools, but &#8220;legal guidance&#8221; from the state&#8217;s attorney general showed that there are Constitutional concerns surrounding the bill.
“As a grandfather, I firmly believe political flags promoting controversial ideologies have no place in public schools. As a conservative, I support the legislation in principle, which is why I voted for it in committee. After receiving new legal guidance from the Attorney General, there are constitutional concerns about this legislation and its ability to survive a First Amendment constitutional challenge,&#8221; Haile said. &#8220;If passed, that legislation would be tied up in court instead of keeping divisive symbols out of the classroom. The best path forward is to continue to work on this issue so that we can pass a constitutionally sound law to ban divisive flags from schools once and for all.”
Haile&#8217;s concerns were echoed by Sen. Reeves, who added, &#8220;I believe we need a better bill that will withstand court scrutiny.&#8221;
Sen. Watson told The Daily Wire in a statement that he did not vote in favor of the bill because it would also prevent the POW/MIA flag from being displayed on school grounds.
&#8220;I have a consistent record of supporting veterans and wanted the sponsor to delay moving forward with the bill until we had worked out the deficiency. The sponsor elected to move forward,&#8221; Watson said. &#8220;I was not going to vote against our veterans, POW and MIA.&#8221;
The Daily Wire has reached out requesting comment from each of the Republican state senators who skipped the vote on SB 1722.
Tennessee Republicans’ failure to pass the bill banning Pride flags on school grounds comes the same week the GOP-controlled state legislature couldn’t come to an agreement on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/extremely-disappointed-tennessee-school-choice-bill-wont-pass-this-year-governor-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">school choice legislation</a> that was pushed by Republican Governor Bill Lee.
Lee said earlier this week that he was “extremely disappointed” that families “will have to wait yet another year for the freedom to choose the right education for their child.”
Lawmakers hope to end the 2024 legislative session this week, and a new General Assembly will be sworn in after the elections this fall.
This article has been updated to include comments from state senators.

Pride Flag

Bill That Would Ban Pride Flags In Schools Fails In GOP-Controlled TN Senate

Bill To Ban Ideological, Political Flags In Schools Fails In GOP-Controlled TN Senate

Education

LGBT

A key witness for the Biden administration&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pro-life-demonstrators-found-guilty-face-up-to-11-years-in-federal-prison" target="_blank" rel="noopener">successful prosecution</a> of 10 Christian pro-life activists who took part in a peaceful protest at a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a> abortion facility is scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday for her part in the protest.
Caroline Davis, who offered to cooperate with the Justice Department&#8217;s prosecution of her follow activists after the government offered her a plea deal, is <a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/0512-Order.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expected</a> to be sentenced by Middle District of Tennessee Federal Judge Aleta Trauger at the Fred Thompson federal courthouse in Nashville on Wednesday. At one point, Davis <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdtn/pr/eleven-charged-face-act-violations-stemming-2021-blockade-mount-juliet-reproductive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">faced</a> felony charges and over 10 years in prison and hundreds of thousands in fines for her role in a peaceful pro-life protest at the Carafem abortion facility in Mt Juliet, Tennessee on March 5, 2021.
The March 2021 protest involved a group of demonstrators gathered on the second floor of an office building in the hallway outside Carafem in Mt. Juliet. The group, including Davis, prayed, sang hymns, and urged women showing up to the clinic to not get abortions. Several sat in front of doors to the facility and against the walls of the hallway.
In October, Davis <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.tnmd.92089/gov.uscourts.tnmd.92089.326.0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pled guilty</a> to misdemeanor charges related to the protest if she agreed to testify. She was a key witness in two federal trials in Nashville, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pro-life-demonstrators-found-guilty-face-up-to-11-years-in-federal-prison" target="_blank" rel="noopener">including one</a> where six defendants — including Chet Gallagher of Tennessee, Coleman Boyd of Mississippi, Heather Idoni of Michigan, Cal Zastrow of Michigan, Paul Vaughn of Tennessee, and Dennis Green of Virginia — were convicted of violating the FACE Act and civil rights conspiracy over the protest.
The FACE Act is a Clinton-era law that is frequently used against pro-lifers protesting outside of abortion facilities. The six convicted in February face up to 10.5 years in prison and fines of up to $260,000 when sentenced in July.
Davis also testified in a one day bench trial for four others involved in the demonstration earlier this month. Those four — Eva Edl, Eva Zastrow, James Zastrow, and Paul Place — <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/four-pro-lifers-face-prison-time-after-being-convicted-in-federal-court" target="_blank" rel="noopener">were convicted</a> of violating the FACE Act and face up to six months in prison and a $10,000 fine upon sentencing in July.
During her testimony in January, Davis <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/video-played-at-trial-shows-pro-lifers-targeted-by-doj-singing-hymns-urging-peace-during-protest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed</a> that she had a change of heart about attending the Carafem demonstration. She said her “rational side” was “in the toilet” at the time of her participation. She also said that she changed her mind “over time” and that being indicted by the federal government “terrified” her.
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In cross-examination, Davis became repeatedly exasperated with the questions from defense lawyers, especially when asked about how many times she met with the government before the trial. When asked about a previous meeting with the prosecution and about how long it was, she said, “I have a busy life,” and replied “Oh my God” when asked about another meeting with the government. At one point, Trauger told her to just answer the question and not add any commentary to her answers.
No one present at Carafem was arrested for assault or any assault-related charge. Davis said the most violence she saw was when a police officer moved two pro-lifers aside when taking a woman down the hallway to the abortion facility. Davis was also a key witness in a similar Washington, D.C., abortion facility FACE Act trial where she again pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge in exchange for her testimony.
The convictions have prompted calls from Republican lawmakers to repeal the FACE Act, saying that it has been weaponized to target pro-lifers.

Judge holding gavel, close-up

Key Biden Administration Witness In Tennessee Pro-Life Convictions To Be Sentenced

Courts

Department of Justice

Pro-Life Movement

The city of Nashville, Tennessee, was ordered to turn over documents to a judge about the police’s investigation into the March 2023 shooting at a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/the-covenant-school" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christian school</a> by a transgender-identifying shooter, according to court filings obtained by The Daily Wire.
The order is part of the ongoing battle over what writings will be released from the woman who murdered six people, including three children, at the Covenant School in Nashville on March 27, 2023. A coalition of groups, including the National Police Association, sued last year after the Metro Nashville Police Department refused to release the killer’s writings and other investigative documents.
Judge I’Ashea L. Myles ordered the police department on Monday to give her a detailed explanation of what is contained in its “investigative file” into the shooting at the Covenant School and to give her documents they believe can be released despite the ongoing investigation into the shooting. Both requests are ordered to be responded to within 10 days.
In her order, the judge requested “an updated set of redacted documents, which counsel for Metro contends may be released, without compromising any active investigation.” Additionally, Myles asked for the police department to produce an affidavit estimating when it would be able to produce the redacted files upon completion of the investigation.
The police department has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nashville-police-say-ongoing-investigation-prevents-release-of-covenant-shooters-manifesto" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that it needs to wrap up its investigation before it can release most of its documents on its investigation into the shooting.
Myles’ orders for the police department follow a two-day show-cause hearing last week over whether to release the shooter’s writings or not. Several different parties sued the city of Nashville last year to gain access to the shooter’s writings, including the Tennessee Firearms Association, The Tennessean, The Tennessee Star, Republican state legislator Todd Gardenhire, and the National Police Association.
Intervening in the case are the Covenant School, Covenant Presbyterian Church, and a group of parents who do not want the documents released. The city now maintains that it will release most of the writings once it concludes its investigation with specific redactions related to school security.
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Myles&#8217; order also told each of the parties to produce legal briefs on whether there was a copyright exemption for public documents. The shooter’s parents transferred copyright to her writings to Covenant parents, and representation for the parents has attempted to block the release of any of the shooter’s writings through copyright claims.
Some of the parents have argued that releasing the killer’s writings would allow her &#8220;to speak from the grave” and give her notoriety. On the other side, the groups have argued that the release of the writings will allow the public to understand motivations and give insight into stopping similar shootings.
Russ Nobile, a lawyer for Judicial Watch working with the Tennessee Firearms Association, argued last week that his clients wanted the documents because it was important to know what led to the shooting, especially because of the local and national implications of the case.
The parties have until April 29 to respond to how copyright claims interact with the Tennessee Public Records Act and Nashville has until May 2 to respond to Myles’ other requests.
In a different suit, a federal judge is <a href="https://tennesseestar.com/justice/fbi-delivers-covenant-killer-writings-to-federal-judge-for-in-camera-review/khousler/2024/04/22/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">currently reviewing</a> the FBI&#8217;s documents on its investigation into the Covenant shooting after The Tennessee Star sued the agency for more details. U.S. District Court Judge Aleta A. Trauger ordered the documents be released for her review due part because of the “significant public interest&#8221; around the investigation.

3 children, 3 teachers fatally shot in US city of Nashville school shooting

Judge Orders Nashville Police To Provide Details Of Investigation Into Covenant School Shooter

Crime

The Covenant School

Country star <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/morgan-wallen">Morgan Wallen</a> finally addressed being arrested for reckless endangerment after throwing a chair off the roof of a bar in downtown Nashville.
In a post on <a href="https://twitter.com/MorganWallen/status/1781473070936478003">X</a>, the 30-year-old singer talked about his latest trouble and made it clear he wasn’t “proud” of what happened outside Chiefs Bar on April 7.
“I didn’t feel right publicly checking in until I made amends with some folks,” Wallen wrote. “I’ve touched base with Nashville law enforcement, my family, and the good people at Chief’s. I’m not proud of my behavior, and I accept responsibility.”
“I have the utmost respect for the officers working every day to keep us all safe,” he added. “Regarding my tour, there will be no change.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I didn&#8217;t feel right publicly checking in until I made amends with some folks. I’ve touched base with Nashville law enforcement, my family, and the good people at Chief’s. I&#8217;m not proud of my behavior, and I accept responsibility.
— morgan wallen (@MorganWallen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MorganWallen/status/1781473070936478003?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2024</a></blockquote>
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/morgan-wallen">Wallen</a> was recently charged with three counts of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/crime">reckless endangerment</a> and disorderly conduct. He was booked at Metro Jail and later released, according to <a href="https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/country-singer-morgan-wallen-arrested-in-nashville-after-throwing-chair-from-bar-rooftop-docs/">WKRN</a>. 
Police officers were reportedly standing in front of Chiefs Bar on Broadway at around 10:53 p.m. Sunday night when the chair crashed to the ground in front of them. The officers went inside to investigate, eventually determining that Wallen had thrown the chair, the outlet noted.
Wallen’s attorney, Worrick G. Robinson, issued a statement later confirming the incident.
“At 10:53 p.m. Sunday evening, Morgan Wallen was arrested in downtown Nashville for reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct,” the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/morgan-wallen-nashville-arrest-1235868536/">statement </a>at the time read. “He is cooperating fully with authorities.”
Wallen is currently on his “One Night at a Time Tour 2024,” which kicked off at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on April 4.
After the success of the tour in 2023, Wallen extended his touring schedule to include multiple U.S. stops throughout 2024. “Thank y’all for an insanely fun and fulfilling 2023 tour,” Wallen <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/country/morgan-wallen-adds-2024-stadium-tour-dates-1235420868/">said</a> in a statement last September.
“It was impossible for me to hit every stadium that I wanted to in 2023, so we’re gonna keep this tour going in 2024,” he added. “See y’all out there!”
In 2021, the country singer made headlines after he was caught on <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2021/02/02/morgan-wallen-n-word-nashville-neighbors/">video</a> using the N-word after a drunken night. The music industry immediately slammed him and said it was removing his music from numerous platforms, as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/siriusxm-pandora-cmt-iheartradio-pull-morgan-wallen-music-following-n-word-video-recorded-by-neighbor?_gl=1*zjhs9y*_ga*MTU4MTc0NjgwOS4xNjU2MzQ3MjY4*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTY2MzY5MDk1MC42NTIuMS4xNjYzNjkwOTY2LjQ0LjAuMA..">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported.
The singer apologized and said he was both “embarrassed and sorry.”
“I used an unacceptable and inappropriate racial slur that I wish I could take back,” Wallen <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-morgan-wallen-posts-apology-video-talks-sobriety-following-n-word-video-deplatforming">shared at the time.</a> “There are no excuses to use this type of language, ever. I want to sincerely apologize for using the word. I promise to do better.”
Amanda Harding contributed to this piece.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kick-this-stupid-motherfer-outta-here-country-star-morgan-wallen-stops-concert-after-seeing-fight-in-crowd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8216;Kick This Stupid Motherf***er Outta Here&#8217;: Country Star Morgan Wallen Stops Concert After Seeing Fight In Crowd</a>

Morgan Wallen

Morgan Wallen Addresses Thrown Chair Incident

Celebrities

Country Music

Country singer

Entertainment

Police

Despite making &#8220;tremendous progress&#8221; toward implementing a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/will-school-choice-come-to-tennessee-lawmakers-have-two-weeks-to-finalize-education-freedom-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">school choice program</a> in Tennessee, Republicans ultimately failed to come to an agreement during negotiations on two different versions of school choice measures that had been put forward in the state&#8217;s House and Senate.
Tennessee Republican Governor Bill Lee, who had pushed for the state&#8217;s legislature to pass school choice legislation, <a href="https://twitter.com/GovBillLee/status/1782409052443508980" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on Monday that families &#8220;will have to wait yet another year for the freedom to choose the right education for their child.&#8221; The state&#8217;s 2024 legislative session ends this week, and a new General Assembly will be sworn in after the elections this fall.
&#8220;I am extremely disappointed for the families who will have to wait yet another year for the freedom to choose the right education for their child, especially when there is broad agreement that now is the time to bring universal school choice to Tennessee,&#8221; Lee said. &#8220;While we made tremendous progress, unfortunately it has become clear that there is not a pathway for the bill during this legislative session.&#8221;
Lee&#8217;s plan, known as the “Education Freedom Scholarship Act,” looked to make scholarships worth $7,000 available for 20,000 students in the next school year. For the first year of the scholarships, those with low incomes would have access to half of the scholarships while the other half would be handed out on a first come, first serve basis. The plan would push for all students in the 2025-2026 school year to have scholarships they could use at private schools and charter schools and they would also be made available for homeschool families.
Lee thanked the leaders in both chambers of the state legislature &#8220;for their commitment to pursuing education freedom next year.&#8221;
The bills being considered by the state Senate and House contained major differences. The bill sponsored in the Senate by Republican Majority Leader Jack Johnson mirrored Lee&#8217;s proposal and added a requirement that scholarship recipients take an annual norm-referenced test approved by the state board of education. Meanwhile, the state House version of the bill — sponsored by Republican House Majority Leader William Lamberth — was more strict in how the scholarships could be applied as they were designated only for use at private schools with limited use for public schools. The House version also did not include scholarships that could be used by homeschool families.
Lamberth cited concerns about fiscal responsibility for why the House bill included those major differences.
“We would expand as possible as we go forward. Here in Tennessee, we are always very fiscally conservative. We balance our budget every year,” Lamberth <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/will-school-choice-come-to-tennessee-lawmakers-have-two-weeks-to-finalize-education-freedom-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told The Daily Wire</a> earlier this month. “We are just very careful not to have a program that has no fiscal constraints on it. So the intention would be to expand this program down the road, but we’re going to start out with 20,000 students.”
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The school choice program was opposed by Democrats and teachers unions, but also by some conservative activists who say that school choice legislation could be fiscally irresponsible, introduce backdoor ways for the government to regulate Christian schools and homeschoolers, and fund education for illegal immigrants, The Daily Wire previously reported.
The governor, however, says his proposed program will empower parents and give all students better opportunities &#8220;to succeed.&#8221;
&#8220;It’s very simple — this is about every Tennessee student having the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their zip code or income level, and without question, empowering parents is the best way to make sure that happens,&#8221; Lee said.
Leif Le Mahieu contributed to this report.

‘Extremely Disappointed’: Tennessee School Choice Bill Won’t Pass This Year, Governor Says

Tennessee School Choice Bill Dead For The Year, Governor Says

Republicans

School Choice

Liberal country star <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/so-tennessee-fing-arrest-me-maren-morris-tells-crowd-she-introduced-her-2-year-old-son-to-drag-queens-in-their-dressing-rooms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Maren Morris</a> defended taking her toddler to a drag show last year calling it “completely harmless” and labeling it “family-friendly.”
During the 34-year-old singer’s recent appearance on “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH8mMRT-vVk">The Kelly Clarkson Show</a>,” Morris talked about the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-gov-signs-bills-protecting-children-from-sex-change-procedures-drag-shows">Tennessee law</a> that bans drag shows from spaces where children can see them.
“We were doing a benefit at Bridgestone last year when they were doing the drag ban in Tennessee,&#8221; Morris told the host. &#8220;There were drag queens like throughout, entertaining as well, and one actually danced with me when I was singing my song, ‘The Middle.’ And it was just amazing and fun.&#8221;
&#8220;My son loves watching me, like sit in the makeup chair and just is like fascinated with the colors … it was just like completely harmless,&#8221; she added.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Kelly Clarkson Pitches TV Show For Maren Morris &amp; Karina Argow&#039;s New Children&#039;s Book" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CH8mMRT-vVk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
&#8220;But I think it&#8217;s just such an amazing expression of artistry, and so I just think like normalizing it and making it seem like these are just people that love dressing up too, is an amazing thing,&#8221; the country singer continued. &#8220;It was an all-ages show so, it was completely family-friendly.&#8221;
Morris told the host she decided to be an activist when she became a mother.
&#8220;I never set out to be this activist or advocate,&#8221; Morris said, noting the early criticism in 2016 of her debut single, &#8220;<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/entertainment/genres/country">My Church</a>,&#8221; which she said was labeled “blasphemous.”
&#8220;It crystallized when I became a mother &#8230; I want to be able to do music forever, but I want to do it on my terms,” Morris said. “And if it costs me fans by standing up for people that truly need all of the megaphoning, I am okay with you, like, not being at the show.”
Last year, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/so-tennessee-fing-arrest-me-maren-morris-tells-crowd-she-introduced-her-2-year-old-son-to-drag-queens-in-their-dressing-rooms">Morris</a> made headlines when she dared authorities in Tennessee to arrest her after telling the crowd at the “Love Rising” concert she had introduced her son to Drag Queens at the event.
Morris joined a host of other performers at the LGBTQ+ benefits concert held at the Nashville arena. Various stars sang and raised money to fight legislation banning transgender procedures for minors and drag shows in the presence of children, <a href="https://www.billboard.com/culture/pride/love-rising-concert-maren-morris-hayley-williams-top-moments-1235290536/">Billboard</a> magazine noted.
When it was Morris’ turn to perform, she told the audience that earlier in the day she had introduced her toddler son to several drag queens in their dressing rooms.
Morris said her son was “delighted” to watch the drag queens work on their hair and makeup while preparing for the show.
“Yes, I introduced my son to some drag queens today, so Tennessee, f***ing arrest me,” Morris told the audience.
Morris shares her four-year-old son, Hayes, with ex-husband Ryan Hurd.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/so-tennessee-fing-arrest-me-maren-morris-tells-crowd-she-introduced-her-2-year-old-son-to-drag-queens-in-their-dressing-rooms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8216;So Tennessee, F***ing Arrest Me&#8217;: Maren Morris Tells Crowd She Introduced Her 2-Year-Old Son To Drag Queens In Their Dressing Rooms</a>

57th Academy of Country Music Awards – Arrivals

‘Completely Harmless’: Maren Morris Defends Taking Her Toddler To Drag Show

'Completely Harmless': Maren Morris Defends Taking Her Toddler To Drag Show

Drag Shows

Maren Morris

The 18-year-old accused of killing a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a> police officer and injuring two others when they were responding to a suspicious vehicle call early Friday morning was out of jail on felony charges at the time of the incident.
While responding to the call, investigators say Memphis police officer Joseph McKinney was killed by Jaylen Lobley, who was in the vehicle and fired out at the officers. The other officers with McKinney <a href="https://wreg.com/news/local/two-memphis-police-officers-shot-rushed-to-hospital/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">returned fire</a> and two were injured by gunfire. One officer was hospitalized in non-critical condition and one received medical attention at the scene of the shooting.
Lobley was also killed during the shootout as police took two other suspects into custody as well, including a 17-year-old who was in critical condition. Lobley had been released from jail without bond by a Shelby County judge after being hit with weapon and theft felony charges last month, <a href="https://www.localmemphis.com/article/news/crime/man-mpd-officer-killed-shooting-released-from-jail-by-shelby-county-judge/522-42482bcb-d8b3-4124-a32c-855c48a807f1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to a report from ABC24. He was facing two counts of motor vehicle theft, unlawful possession of a weapon, and multiple vandalism charges. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
SAY HIS NAME: Officer Joseph McKinney
He was gunned down in Memphis, TN by a criminal who was arrested just a few weeks earlier for possession of a firearm and was released without bail.
You won’t see this story on the MSM. <a href="https://t.co/tTTwG5FLDc">pic.twitter.com/tTTwG5FLDc</a>
&mdash; Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1778847975537881377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
According to the report, Lobley was arrested on March 5 for car theft and police found him in possession of a handgun with an illegal modifier. The report said he admitted to police that he had stolen two cars. On March 7, a judge allowed him to go free without bond on his own recognizance. ABC24 reported that the judicial commissioner who approved the release was Christopher Ingram.
Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy <a href="https://www.scdag.com/news-releases/da-mulroy-issues-statement-on-officer-involved-shooting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed</a> that his office had “strongly argued against lowering the bond” for Lobley, “citing the defendant&#8217;s danger to the community.”
​​Memphis Police Association President Matt Cunningham ripped into the decision to allow Lobley back on the street.
“The suspect in this shooting was released from jail on his own recognizance — he got right back out on the street and armed himself, and got into a shooting with an officer who died, and he lost his life as well — and that’s tragic, too,” he <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/memphis-police-officer-teen-suspect-killed-early-morning-shootout-rcna147560" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> NBC News. “If he had been kept in jail, he would be alive himself. So that’s the situation here in Shelby County, we have to do something about the revolving door at our jail.”
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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee offered his prayers and support for McKinney’s family on Friday.
“Maria &amp; I are deeply saddened by the death of Memphis Police Officer Joseph McKinney while serving in the line of duty,” he posted on X. “Our prayers are with Officer McKinney’s family, the recovering officers &amp; the Memphis law enforcement community.”
Memphis, which has one of the <a href="https://worldpopulationreview.com/us-city-rankings/cities-with-most-murders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worst</a> murder rates in the United States, had nearly 400 homicides in 2023.

Police car – fast moving with bright flashing lights

Man Suspected Of Killing Memphis Cop Was Out Of Jail On Felony Charges

Bail Reform

Memphis

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