Tom Humphrey has the details on the technical wrangling in the state senate on a bill to prohibit a state income tax and a bill that would make the state’s attorney general an elected position.
The TEA is starting to realize that, in fact, the Republican’s won the election and are setting about to do exactly what they said they would do. In an attempt to thwart the Republican’s they have decided to…claim it’s because they haven’t been bought like the Democrats. Right. via Professor Humphrey
The TBI investigation into Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner appears to include his relationship with another person. Judge Baumgartner is currently on a medical leave of absence and is widely expected to resign.
Taking money from convicted criminals appears to be pretty standard fare – if you’re a democrat. Mark Padgett, democrat candidate for Knoxville City Mayor certainly doesn’t see any problem with it and isn’t going to return the money. Interestingly, former democrat Governor Phil Bredesen received money from the same Cocke County man but returned it. I guess some democrats have more integrity than others.
A judge has upheld Tennessee’s new lethal injection protocol.
The House Republican Caucus has announced a plan to help deal with illegal immigration. According to the release, “the plan calls for three distinct principles to address different areas of the law that need to be strengthened in order for private businesses and State and local law enforcement agencies to have the authority to effectively deal with illegal immigration.”
There have been some very interesting articles on the topic of making Tennessee’s Attorney General a state-wide elected position lately.
From Tom Humphrey at KnoxNews:
The idea of having Tennessee’s attorney general elected by popular vote, rather than appointed by the Supreme Court, has been around for decades and has always flopped. But, as with several other proposals traditionally derailed by Democrats, that may change in this new year of absolute Republican rule.
Tom Humphrey also talks with former State Senator, former Knoxville mayor, and former ambassador to Poland, Victor Ashe about his thoughts and past proposals on this issue from his days in the State Senate.
No other state copies our system. Furthermore should the legislature enact such an elected office of state attorney this year, it could go into effect next year and both parties could nominate people in August 2012 for election in November. A constitutional amendment is NOT necessary. The court appointed AG can become the court reporter which is actually part of his title in the constitution. All powers granted by the legislature can be removed by the legislature.
It’s a very interesting read.
House leaders presented a state budget plan Tuesday that clashes with a Senate plan in several ways, though both chambers agree on ditching Gov. Phil Bredesen’s plans to raise new revenue by changes in the state’s tax code.
The differences between the House and Senate plans are relatively small in an overview of the proposed $28 billion budget, but leaders of the two chambers appeared adamant in their positions. The dispute makes it likely that the Legislature will be unable to complete the 2010 session this week, as many had hoped
via Tom Humphrey House-Senate Budget Differences Laid Out (Well, Sorta).
Lots of back and forth about a controversial news release from the Wamp campaign.
A Wamp news release sent to media statewide said Haslam has “co-mingled and co-invested” $2 million of his money, along with $750,000 each from his father and brother, with city funds, and government grants and tax credits to underwrite the development, “which is now 100 percent privately owned by Haslam, his family and co-owner.”
“The mixing of personal investment funds with the taxpayer money you oversee for your own gain or profit represents a serious breach of ethics,” said Sam Edelen, Wamp campaign spokesperson. “Yet that’s exactly what Mayor Haslam did when he co-mingled his own personal money, as well as investments from family members, with funding from the city of Knoxville on a private real estate development he now owns.
via KnoxNews Wamp criticizes Haslam’s role in downtown theater.
and Nashville Scene:Â Haslam Fends Off Wamp Attack
State Rep. Mike Bell said today that, since the U.S. House approved a health-care reform bill Sunday, he has received a huge outpouring of support for a bill declaring Tennesseans can ignore federal health-care mandates and calling on the attorney general to fight them in court.
“The actions of the federal government yesterday have made Tennesseans mad from Memphis to Mountain City,†said Bell, R-Riceville. “My phone has been ringing off the wall … and I haven’t been able to deal with all the emails.â€
via KnoxNews Vote set for Wednesday to ignore health-care mandates.
Daily News | morningupdate | 
February 17, 2011 9:44 am | 
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