NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — CAPITOL VIEW
By Pat Nolan, NEWSCHANNEL5 Political Analyst
August 25, 2023
THE TENNESSEE REPUBLICAN SUPER MAJORITY OVERREACHES AGAIN; A PARTING GIFT; THE BEGINNING OF EARLY VOTING BRINGS AN ATTACK AD IN THE MAYORAL RUNOFF RACE; THE FIRST REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES DEBATE SPOTLIGHTS THE FIELD WITHOUT DONALD TRUMP
THE TENNESSEE REPUBLICAN SUPER MAJORITY OVERREACHES AGAIN
It’s been pretty clear since last spring, when Tennessee Governor Bill Lee first began talking about calling a special session of the General Assembly concerning public safety and the Second Amendment, that the vast majority of his fellow Republican lawmakers had no intention of passing anything meaningful regarding gun reform. The gun lobby in Tennessee forbids it.
The Governor figured it out too. But trying to save face politically, he quit mentioning guns and focused his efforts for the special session back on public safety, schools, mental health, etc.
But, when the Tennessee House and Senate convened Monday afternoon, even those topics didn’t have enough support to speak of among GOP legislators. But, in the House, they did come to town with an agenda.
They came to double down again, to show they are in charge in Tennessee, even if that means another overreach of their powers.
GOP lawmakers remembered last spring when they kicked out two young Democratic lawmakers, and nearly a third, because they spoke out on the House floor echoing the cries of hundreds of protestors that were demanding action on common sense gun change in the wake of the Covenant School mass shooting that left 6 dead.
But their ouster moves backfired, with the two lawmakers quickly and overwhelmingly returned by voters. The third lawmaker, who was nearly kicked out, now has so much support, she looking to run for one of Tennessee’s U.S. Senate seats.
So, when they returned to Nashville this week what did the Republican Super Majority learn from their overreach? Not anything, apparently.
The House passed even more punitive rules to silence any dissenters in the General Assembly. Then they overreached even more by going after anyone from the general public who was in the gallery or if they attended committee meetings.
House leadership even went so far as to limit public use of the galleries saying they should be for media use only, which is both ridiculous and unnecessary.
These draconian rules also forbade anyone who had the temerity to bring even the smallest of signs or who spoke out or applauded or cheered during the proceedings. They were summarily removed from the chambers, even if that meant clearing the entire room, as happened during one House committee session on Tuesday.
The people ejected were overwhelmingly not radicals or activists who sought to push the limits. They were parents of the Covenant school victims or regular law-abiding citizens who came to the Capitol, some for the first time, to express their views to lawmakers, exercising their First Amendment constitutional rights.
To be threatened and treated so rudely by elected officials painted an alarming and unsettling picture of what Tennessee’s Capitol Hill has become. It is a banana republic, run by a group so drunk on their political power, they clearly live in another world, not realizing how they look like little dictators trying to silence any expression of dissent or opposition. Is this the supporting role of hundreds of armed Tennessee State Troopers who have filled the Capitol this week?
Just like in the spring, the Republican Super Majority has overreached again!
Fortunately, just like the voters did in returning the ousted members of the Legislature to their seats, after the ACLU filed suit, a Nashville Chancellor stepped in and issued an injunction to set aside these ridiculous sign rules, at least for now. Maybe we are still a democracy in Tennessee.
But even after protestors, with signs, were restored, a House Committee advanced a bill to overturn a current state law and allow teachers, indeed anyone with a gun permit to be armed in a classroom, or on any school grounds in Tennessee.
Fortunately, the chances of that passing remains in doubt since a Senate committee failed to approve the armed teacher bill before seemingly adjourning for the week (and for the special session)?
To say the least, tensions and frustrations, on all sides, continue to run high!
On Wednesday, at least some Covenant parents got the chance to share their thoughts with lawmakers on how to enact changes to lessen the chances that another tragedy, like the one that has scrambled their lives, doesn’t happen again.
By the end of the third day of the special session, even the leaders of the two houses of the Legislature were at an impasse. Out of over 100 bills filed, the Senate has decided to pass just three of them, tabling the rest in committee at record speed, and shutting those committees down. Those bills passed by the Senate are:
• Senate Bill 7085 – This bill directs the Tennessee Department of Safety to provide free firearm locks to Tennessee residents upon request. It also requires the provision of more materials surrounding firearm safety and education. The bill passed with bipartisan support.
• Senate Bill 7086 – This bill codifies an executive order Gov. Bill Lee made in April, changing the requirement for how long a clerk has to notify TBI of the final dispositions of criminal proceedings against a person to within three business days after the final disposition of their proceedings. The bill passed with bipartisan support.
• Senate Bill 7088 – This is the bill that the Republican Supermajority is rallying behind for the special session. The bill would require the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to file a report on child and human trafficking numbers within the state by Dec. 1 of each year. A spokesperson for TBI testified that these are numbers the bureau already collects.
Oh, and the Senate did pass a bill to pay the tens of thousands of dollars it cost Tennessee taxpayers to put on this farce this week.
Meanwhile on Wednesday afternoon, there were several in the Senate Gallery, who were unimpressed with the work of the upper chamber.
While the Senate is ready to adjourn, the House, especially its leadership wants to pass at least 24 other bills and for the Senate to reopen their committees to pass them. Negotiations are underway. Which house prevails will tell us if adjournment of the special session is close or not. Normally the leadership in both houses of the General Assembly is united, but not now!
On Thursday, the Senate decided to go home for the weekend, leaving the House to keep going through what other bills it wants to consider. Senators will be back on Monday afternoon to see where things stand, and what happens next to try and break the stalemate. The House, after passing a few more bills on Thursday, went home too, returning on Monday afternoon.
There is the growing possibility that the two houses will agree only to adjourn sometime next week. That means the legislative results of this special session could be nothing, with not a single bill being passed by our elected officials. How is that leadership?
There are also increasing calls and questions being raised from both lawmakers and the public about just where is Governor Bill Lee? He called this session, but has seemed to have vanished on the Hill this week.
After the Governor’s staff defended their boss, saying he’s been in the Capitol every day this week, they later issued a brief statement. It reads: “While the legislative process continues, I’m confident that both chambers can work together and make meaningful progress in this special session on public safety.”
You will note Governor Lee’s statement did not signal any reaction to the stalemate in which the Senate and House remain, or on the Senate’s rejection of several of the seven bills he’s backing.
The Governor added: “Additionally, I want to thank the Covenant families for engaging and sharing their story, which brings hope in the midst of great tragedy. As our efforts continue, I am hopeful and remain committed to making Tennessee a safer place.”
There has been some back and forth between the members of both houses, some exchanges in good humor they said (others didn’t think so). Others in the House even offered apologies for their rules and their actions on Tuesday. One Senator said in response they ought to apologize to the moms who came to the Hill.
LATE BREAKING: Thursday night House Speaker Cameron Sexton and Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti went to court seeking an expedited hearing to end the court injunction that allowed hand signs back into the General Assembly and its committee rooms.
Even with lawmakers gone home for the weekend, the state is requesting that such an expedited hearing be held by Friday afternoon, with a ruling to follow. These rules are temporary and apply only to the special session. Their impact on free speech has been decried across the board.
While the AG says there was no need for the court to grant so quickly such drastic relief as a restraining order, from a political point of view, why Speaker Sexton, who clearly has eyes on running for governor in 2026, would want to further inflame this red-hot controversy, seems to me, short-sighted and potentially counterproductive for his potential statewide ambitions, much as the abortive member expulsions were for the Republican Super Majority last spring.
A PARTING GIFT
Last Tuesday’s Metro Council meeting was my last as the announcer for the live broadcasts of the sessions.
I have now received a belated parting gift. I have been diagnosed with Covid! And so have several others in attendance.
For me, it is a mild case and I hope to be back hosting INSIDE POLITICS next weekend.
This week, Ben Hall is taking my place with guests NEWSCHANNEL5 Capitol Hill reporter Chris Davis and Holly McCall, the editor of the TENNESSEE LOOKOUT. They will be discussing this week’s special legislative session.
INSIDE POLITICS can be seen on its regular weekly schedule on NEWSCHANNEL5 PLUS.
Those times include:
7:00 p.m. Friday.
5:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.
1:30 a.m. & 5:00 a.m. on Sunday.
THE PLUS is on Comcast Cable channel 250, Charter Cable channel 182 and on NEWSCHANNEL5’s over-the-air digital channel 5.2. We are also on DISH TV with the rest of the NEWSCHANNEL5 NETWORK.
One option for those who cannot see the show locally, or who are out of town, you can watch it live with streaming video on NEWSCHANNEL5.com. Just use your TiVo or DVR, if those live times don't work for you.
This week’s show and previous INSIDE POLITICS interviews are also posted on the NEWSCHANNEL5 website for your viewing under the NEWSCHANNEL5 PLUS section. A link to the show is posted as well on the Facebook page of NEWSCHANNEL5 PLUS. Each new show and link are posted early in the week after the program airs. I am also posting a link to the show each week on my Facebook page.
THE BEGINNING OF EARLY VOTING BRINGS AN ATTACK AD IN THE MAYORAL RUNOFF RACE
Early voting for Nashville’s mayoral runoff election begins today (August 25) for the September 14 vote.
Less than 36 hours before the balloting began, a TV attack ad was launched against progressive Metro Councilman Freddie O’Connell. The spot urges Nashvillians to vote for O’Connell’s opponent, conservative businesswoman, Alice Rolli. The spot is not from her campaign, but instead was produced and paid for by an outside political action committee called Save Nashville.
That group ran ads in support of Rolli back in the August election. The new ad charges O’Connell with being a “lying politician,” when he claims in his current TV spot, that he supports Metro police. The Save Nashville ad claims the Councilman does not support police because he voted against the city’s newly approved countywide license plate reader program to fight crime, and he proposed an unsuccessful budget amendment in 2020 to cut the Metro Police budget by $7 million.
McConnell led the August 3rd balloting with 27% of the vote. Rolli finished second and joined the runoff field with 20% of the ballots. While O’Connell began his TV runoff ad campaign over a week ago, the ads for Rolli are somewhat late, coming on the air at the beginning of Early Voting. The size and effectiveness of the attack ad campaign could well determine what, if any, kind of chance Rolli has to win September 14.
O’Connell this week continued to pick up potentially important endorsements from Nashville elected officials, including Sheriff Daron Hall and the entire nine-member Metro School Board. They join three former mayoral candidates (Matt Wiltshire, Jeff Yarbro and Heidi Campbell who finished third, fourth and fifth in the August 3rd mayoral vote. Rolli has now been endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police.
Here is how AXIOS NASHVILLE sees the mayor’s race headed into Early Voting.
After recovering from a bout of Covid, O’Connell joined Rolli in the last televised debate Thursday night. The event was sponsored by NEWSCHANNEL5, THE TENNESSEAN, the League of Women Voters and Belmont University.
What a difference having just two candidates on stage makes! This debate gave both candidates the opportunity to give more detailed responses. You can clearly see where and why they agree or disagree on the issues.
If you didn’t see it and still need to make up your mind on who to cast your mayoral ballot for, you can find the video at the top of the page when you click on this link.
THE FIRST REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES DEBATE SPOTLIGHTS THE FIELD WITHOUT DONALD TRUMP
FULL DISCLOSURE: I did not watch the first Republican Presidential Candidates Debate on FOX Thursday night. Remember, I spent this week recovering from Covid. I did not want to spend a couple of hours listening to people constantly trying to one-up or argue with each other.
I also did not want to watch candidates ignoring their own rules by repeatedly talking past the allotted time they were given, and/or then talking over the poor moderators and each other, to get in that last scripted sound bite. I did not care to endure an ongoing, verbal food fight.
Besides, with former President Donald Trump deciding to opt out, the debate looked like an NFL exhibition game with the most important players taking the night off. If this was candidates fighting just to stay on stage for the next of way too many debates to come; or candidates hoping lightning strikes to break them out from the pack, and either become an unexpected contender, or a long shot on Trump’s VP list, taking a nap sounded better.
Despite the many candidates (6) on stage, you knew the post-debate question would be who won? Who lost? Who fizzled? I watched highlights, read several news stories and analysis, and the consensus was, all over the lot!
So I picked this POLITICO article where they asked four of their top reporters to break it down, including former TENNESSEAN reporter Natalie Allison. Yes, their responses were a bit all over the lot, too. But at least it was all in one story.
The other “who won” question was: Did Donald Trump win by skipping the debate and doing an interview with former FOX talk show host, Tucker Carlson? Well, their interview on X (formerly known as Twitter) reportedly got 74 million viewers but that is not a reliable number, if you want to know who really watched it and didn’t just scan by the interview feed. The FOX TV rating number (released Thursday afternoon0 is about 13 million viewers, which in some ways, is higher than expected.
As for former President Trump, he managed not to have to defend himself all night in a debate and he avoided signing a pledge, required by national GOP officials, that he would support the party’s nominee no matter what next fall.
Given the current polls, it appears rather likely Mr. Trump will be the nominee, 91 felony counts and all. There are GOP leaders, still hoping against hope, that they can convince yet another Republican fresh-face, such as Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin to enter the 2024 nomination fight. But that appears to be another long shot that faces long odds to be successful.
Mr. Trump did have to surrender and be arrested in Atlanta on Thursday complying with the latest criminal indictment lodged against him. As he done three other times in the past five months, the former President plead not guilty to multiple felony charges he faces along with 17 other co-defendants, accused in this case, of conspiring to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.
All these cases are unprecedented for any American president, serving, or formerly in office. But this arrest in Georgia does have one singular unprecedented note. President Trump was required to have his mug shot made.
Former President Trump must like his mug shot. He posted it on X. That’s the social media forum formerly known as Twitter. This is the first time Mr. Trump has posted there since he was kicked off following the January 6th riot at the U.S. Capitol, another effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election. And of course, he has already merchandized his mug shot with an array of for-sale items including t-shirts for $34 each.
