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TBA Law Blog

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Former AG Gonzales Calls Comey Firing ‘Disappointing’

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on May 10, 2017
News Type: Politics
Bush-era U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said today that the firing of FBI Director James Comey was “disappointing,” the Tennessean reports. Gonzales specifically criticized the way the Trump administration chose to make the move, in which Comey reportedly heard about his own dismissal from television. While agreeing that Comey’s handling of the investigation of former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was “inconsistent with Department of Justice policies,” he questioned the timing of Comey’s ouster, which occurred while an investigation into administration ties to Russian government agents was still ongoing.

Trump Signs Order Allowing Churches to be More Politically Active

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on May 5, 2017
News Type: Politics
President Donald Trump signed an executive order yesterday to allow tax-exempt churches to more actively participate in politics, Reuters reports. The order does not erase the Johnson Amendment, which prohibited tax-free organizations from campaigning or supporting any one candidate for office, but rather directs the Internal Revenue Service to not enforce the law. The order also asks the government to issue rules to allow religious groups to deny their employees insurance coverage based on religious grounds, such as birth control pills.

Mark Green Withdraws from Consideration for Army Secretary

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on May 5, 2017
News Type: Politics
Tennessee Sen. Mark Green (R-Clarksville) has withdrawn his name from consideration as President Donald Trump’s Secretary of the Army, the Tennessean reports. Green blamed “false and misleading attacks” against him for causing a distraction from his nomination. Green came under fire for inflammatory remarks he made about LGBT citizens, leading Democrats and some Republicans to question the pick. Earlier this week, 41 civil rights groups signed a letter condemning Green's nomination. The person to eventually fill the position will follow the first openly gay Army Secretary, Eric Fanning.

McCain: Army Secretary Nominee’s Comments ‘Concerning’

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on May 3, 2017
News Type: Politics
Comments from Secretary of the Army nominee and Tennessee state Sen. Mark Green, are “very concerning,” Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Sen. John McCain said this week. The Nashville Post reports that the Arizona Republican cited comments Green made concerning Muslims, the LGBT community and others as reasons for his concern. Another member of the committee, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), said he has not decided whether he will support Green or not.

TNGOP Names New Executive Director

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on May 2, 2017
News Type: Politics
The Tennessee Republican Party has named a new executive director, five months after electing a new chairman, the Nashville Post reports. Former TNGOP political director and deputy executive director Michael Sullivan will take the reins, after serving as the state director for the Republican National Committee in Iowa in 2015 and 2016.

Gilmore Announces Run for State Senate

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 19, 2017
News Type: Politics
Tennessee Rep. Brenda Gilmore, D-Nashville, announced her intention to run in 2018 for the state Senate seat now held by Sen. Thelma Harper, the Tennessean reports. Gilmore was first elected to the state House in 2006, and previously considered challenging Harper in a Democratic primary in 2014. It is unclear whether Harper will seek reelection next year.

Nashville Attorney to Challenge Corker for U.S. Senate

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 17, 2017
News Type: Politics
James Mackler, a Nashville attorney and Iraq War veteran, will seek the Democratic nomination to challenge U.S. Senator Bob Corker in 2018, the Tennessean reports. Prior to practicing law in Nashville, Mackler was a Blackhawk helicopter pilot in the 101st Airborne Division, and later became a JAG officer.

LGBT Advocates Criticize Green Nomination

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 10, 2017
News Type: Politics
The American Military Partner Association, the largest organization of LGBT military families, has joined other LGBT advocates in criticizing the nomination of Tennessee state Sen. Mark Green as the Trump Administration’s Secretary of the Army, the New York Times reports. Green has been critical of federal attempts to bar discrimination against LGBT individuals and has come under fire for some controversial statements. If confirmed, Green would succeed Eric Fanning, the first openly gay Army secretary.

Kustoff Files Bill to Combat Anti-Semitism

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 4, 2017
News Type: Politics
West Tennessee Republican Congressman David Kustoff filed a bill targeting religious intolerance last week, inspired by recent bomb threats against Jewish community centers, the Commercial Appeal reports. The bill, called the Combating Anti-Semitism Act, would increase the federal penalty for making bomb threats and other threats of violence against community religious centers, and would enable authorities to prosecute such acts as a hate crime.

Dean Announces Campaign Team

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Mar 20, 2017
News Type: Politics
Gubernatorial candidate Karl Dean made several major selections for his campaign staff, the Tennessean reports. Included on the team are Nashville attorney and former mayoral candidate Charles Robert Bone as finance chairman, and longtime Democratic operative Courtney Wheeler as campaign manager.
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