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Clarksville Rep. Joins Race for House Speaker

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Jun 7, 2019
Tennessee House Rep. Curtis Johnson, R-Clarksville, has confirmed that he will seek the House Speakership position following the planned resignation of Rep. Glen Casada from the role, the Leaf Chronicle reports. Deputy Speaker Matthew Hill, Speaker Pro Tem Bill Dunn, Caucus Chairman Cameron Sexton, Rep. Mike Carter, Rep. Robin Smith and Rep. Ryan Williams are all also rumored to be gauging interest in the position. Johnson portrayed himself as a temperate lawmaker who had avoided scandal, and one who would help unify the Republican caucus.

Casada to Resign Leadership Position on Aug. 2, Calls for Special Session

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Jun 4, 2019
More than two weeks after announcing he would resign from his leadership position, House Speaker Glen Casada today said he would step down effective Aug. 2, the Tennessean reports. Following a meeting with House Republican leadership Tuesday afternoon, Casada said in addition to resigning from his role as speaker in two months, he will ask Gov. Bill Lee to call a special session. Holt Whitt, director of policy for the speaker's office, said Casada's delayed resignation date was part of an effort to provide enough time for members to decide who will be the chamber’s next leader.

Tennessee Rep. Jim Coley Won't Seek Re-election Next Year

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on May 28, 2019
Tennessee House Rep. Jim Coley, R-Bartlett, announced today he would not seek re-election next year. He recently was diagnosed with the early stages of dementia, the Daily Memphian reports. Coley has served in the House for 13 years, during which he championed tougher human trafficking laws. “It has been an incredible honor to serve the men, women and families of our community during my time in the House chamber, and I am proud of the progress we have made protecting our children from exploitation and abuse,” Coley said in a statement.

Governor Calls On Rep. Byrd to Address Sexual Misconduct Allegations

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on May 23, 2019
Gov. Bill Lee says Rep. David Byrd, the Waynesboro Republican accused by three women of sexually assaulting them, now needs to answer to the allegations made against him more than a year ago, the Tennessean reports. Lee for months avoided taking a position on whether action should be taken against Byrd, although he met with one of his accusers in March. After two high-ranking House Republicans weighed in this week saying they believed the women's allegations, Lee followed suit Thursday afternoon. “I met with Christi Rice and found her to be credible," Lee said in a statement. "While the House must determine if Rep. Byrd should continue service, I believe it is past time for him to address these allegations publicly.”

2 Candidates Seeking House Speakership, Dunn to Serve as Temporary Replacement

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on May 22, 2019
State Rep. Matthew Hill, R-Jonesborough, became the first lawmaker to publicly signal interest in running to succeed House Speaker Glen Casada, who announced on Tuesday he planned to step back from the leadership role, the Nashville Post reports. Joining in the competition today is Rep. Mike Carter, R-Ooltewah, who has sent a letter to Republican colleagues declaring his bid for the speakership, TNJ on the Hill reports. Carter pledges not to change any committee chairmanships, though he calls for an overhaul of the chamber’s rules to promote integrity. Speaker Pro Tem Bill Dunn, R-Knoxville, will take over on an interim basis upon Casada’s resignation, which is expected after he returns from a vacation on June  3.

Governor Says He Would 'Consider' Special Session to Review Casada

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on May 20, 2019
Ahead of a House Republican Caucus meeting today where members had planned to discuss Rep. Glen Casada's future as the chamber's speaker, Gov. Bill Lee said he would "consider" the prospect of calling a special session, the Tennessean reports. He added that any further thoughts would be "premature" at this time. The meeting, called for by 12 House Republicans who believed the group should discuss Casada's future as speaker, was held at a downtown Nashville hotel and closed to the public, including to staffers and media.

New Complaint Accuses Speaker Casada's PAC of Violating Election Laws

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on May 17, 2019
A complaint against House Speaker Glen Casada was filed yesterday with the Nashville District Attorney claiming Casada’s political action committee broke a state election law in 2018, WPLN reports. Emily Tseffos, with the group Enough is Enough Tennessee, submitted the filing, which claims Casada’s political fundraising group paid for Facebook ads supporting Republican David Byrd, R-Waynesboro, but did not disclose they were behind the social media campaign. The ads were created by Michael Lotfi, a political consultant working for Casada’s PAC who recently resigned from his position.

McNally Calls for Casada to Step Down as Speaker

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on May 10, 2019
Lt. Gov. Randy McNally today called for House Speaker Glen Casada to step down from his leadership post, while Gov. Bill Lee said that if Casada worked for him, he'd ask him to resign, the Tennessean reports. “It has been my goal over the past few days to allow the House of Representatives to address the issues they are facing without distraction," McNally said. "I am very aware that any comments from the other chamber can be counterproductive to their ongoing process. Questions of resignation or removal remain up to Speaker Casada and the House alone. I would expect any removal process to include due process." Casada is currently embroiled in a scandal involving his former chief of staff's sexual misconduct, racist messages and possible attempt at framing an activist.

TBA Video Wraps Up High Points of Legislative Session

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on May 9, 2019
With the Tennessee General Assembly wrapping up business last week, today's weekly video update will be the last one for the year. Government Affairs Director Berkley Schwarz and Communications Coordinator Katharine Heriges are joined by TBA lobbyist Brad Lampley to take one last look at the TBA's bills for this session, as well as briefly discuss the tumult surrounding the past two weeks. Watch the full video on Facebook and catch up on previous ones on the TBA YouTube channel.

Some Republicans Ask Casada to Step Aside, Dems Call for Investigation

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on May 8, 2019
Some Republicans are calling for House Speaker Glen Casada to step down after scandal has rocked his office, while Democrats are calling for a federal investigation following reports that the speaker’s former chief of staff could eavesdrop on committee rooms and fears that recording devices might have been placed in legislators’ offices. The Tennessean reports that while many GOP legislators offered support for Casada, several others called for resignation, including Rep. Bill  Dunn, R-Knoxville, Rep. Rick Tillis, R-Lewisburg, and Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby. Casada released an "action plan" late this afternoon, calling for an independent investigation and diversity training for legislators and staff.
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