New TNJ edition alert: McNally succession moves, abortion exceptions, and the Slashville challenge
The latest print edition of The Tennessee Journal is out. Here is what’s in it:
— Calling all pretenders: Succession talk fueled by McNally scandal.
— Legislative roundup: Abortion, campaign finance, and the light at the end of the (session) tunnel.
— Slashville: Nashville sues to halt legislature’s move to cut Metro Council in half.
Also: Flipping the order of Brian Kelsey’s sentencing hearing, Andy Ogles’ ongoing résumé problems, Tim Rudd’s parking garage dreams, and a flooded Capitol complex.
As always, access the your copy of the TNJ here.
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Randy McNally to pause social media activity
Senate Speaker Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) is out with a new statement saying he’s going to halt social media activity following attention to recent posts. Here it is:
I have long been active on social media. I have made a point to engage with people not only in posts, but in comments and messages as well. My comments to Franklin McClure and others, which have recently drawn so much attention, are no different. While I see now that I should have been more careful about how my comments and activity would be perceived, my intent was always engagement and encouragement. I apologize for any embarrassment my postings have caused my family, friends and colleagues. For this reason, I will be pausing my social media activity in order to reflect and receive more guidance on the use of social media.
While I have made some mistakes in my use of social media, the characterization of me and my record as somehow “anti-gay” is inaccurate. On a personal level, nothing could be further from the truth. I believe every person has value and deserves respect regardless of their orientation. I am 79 years old, and was raised in a time when homosexuality was deeply shameful. And I absolutely still hold traditional Tennessee values dear. But I now have friends and even a relative who is gay. I have worked hard to try and understand this community better, and at the same time not compromise trying to protect children and my own values. I notably came down from the Speaker’s podium to speak against a bill that would have curtailed gay adoption. I have also supported legislation that would protect children and keep obscenity out of the public sphere. And I support traditional marriage. There is no contradiction here.
I would encourage everyone to look at my record in its totality. It is both thoroughly conservative and compassionate to others. Though I may disagree with specific policies of certain LGBTQ activists, all people are deserving of love and compassion, no matter their race, gender, or any other attribute.
Criticism of my social media activity is fair, and I have taken it to heart. All I ask is that people look at the facts and my actual record. Again, conservative and “anti-gay” are not synonymous. Not generally and certainly not for me. While I realize it may not happen immediately, I am hopeful this examination of my social media activity will conclude and we can soon all get back to ensuring Tennessee remains the best state in the union to live, work and raise a family.”
Cade Cothren, Steve Gill, and the Tennessee Star take aim at McNally
Indicted former House chief of staff Cade Cothren, controversial political commentator Steve Gill, and the conservative Tennessee Star website are suggesting Senate Speaker Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) should resign over Instagram comments directed at risqué photos posted by a 20-year-old Knoxville man.
McNally was lampooned in a Saturday Night Live skit this weekend:
McNally had called on then-House Speaker Glen Casada (R-Franklin) “to resign for less,” Gill said in a Facebook post. When a commenter said McNally should resign or be removed, Gill responded: “Correct.”
Cothren, who was indicted along with Casada on public corruption charges related obscuring their control of a political vendor called Phoenix Solutions, was forced out of his legislative job in 2019 following revelations of racist and sexist texts with his boss and for boasting about using cocaine in his legislative office. Casada later lost a no-confidence vote and stepped down as speaker.
Cothren this weekend posted a copy of McNally’s tweets surrounding the 2019 scandal.
“It is painfully obvious to anyone who has watched the confused public responses of 79-year-old Tennessee Lt. Governor Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) to the controversy surrounding his inexplicable social media postings that he has lost a step mentally,” writes the Tennessee Star’s Michael Patrick Leahy in a post calling on the speaker’s resignation.
Gill was once a political writer for the Star before stepping away from the site after spending time in jail for failure to pay child support. He has appeared on Russian state television since the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
The calls for McNally to step aside are only coming from the political fringe — at least so far. It remains to be seen whether any members of the Senate Republican caucus begin to make a play to replace McNally in the Senate’s top leadership position.
New TNJ edition alert: Lee’s carrot-and-stick approach to teachers, blood in the Nashville water
The latest print edition of The Tennessee Journal is out. Here is what’s in it:
— Governor’s bid to raise teacher pay hike bill would also ban dues collection.
— Blood in the water: More punitive measures follow law halving the size of Nashville council.
— No harm, no foul? Judges mull motions for summary judgment in re-districting challenge.
Also: Dwight Tarwater’s state Supreme Court nomination confirmed, residency requirement questions cloud Memphis mayor’s race, new Knox County GOP chair pledges “return to normalcy,” and is there an emoji for succession jockeying for the Senate speakership?
As always, access the your copy of the TNJ here.
Or subscribe here.
New TNJ alert: How to ease the anti-Nashville frenzy, Lee’s big-money play for express lanes
The latest print edition of The Tennessee Journal is out. Here is what’s in it:
— Could deal on 2028 convention ease GOP’s anti-Nashville frenzy?
— Bill Lee’s $3.3B roads plan includes sending big money to sparsely populated areas, indexing the hiked EV fee.
— Supreme Court nominee Dwight Tarwater in his own words.
— Obituaries: Redistricting advocate Maclin Davis and former senator and lobbyist Tommy Haun.
Also: McNally was alerted to heartbeat issues by watch, Cade Cothren gets delay for Registry case, Guy Jones to retire from prosecutors’ group, and lawmakers charge into trying to regulate drag shows.
As always, access the your copy of the TNJ here.
Or subscribe here.
Financial columnist pans GOP plan to slash Nashville convention center bond funding
Joe Mysak, a municipal market columnist for Bloomberg news, is blasting a proposal by Tennessee Republican lawmakers to eliminate a revenue stream for Nashville to pay off the $560 million balance on bonds issued to build the city’s new convention center.
“The municipal bond market is no place for political theater,” Mysak writes. “That’s because the market can’t discern between tragedy, comedy and farce. To municipal bond buyers, it’s all drama, and one thing they know is, they don’t like it. Once politicians start playing games with credit, the cost of borrowing in the municipal market is going to go higher.”
The move to ban the capital city from using privilege taxes to pay back the bonds comes after the Nashville Metro Council last year rejected a proposal for the city to host the Republican presidential convention in 2024.
“If Metro has no interest in properly promoting convention tourism, they no longer require the special tax authority granted to them for that purpose,” McNally said about the bill, which is being sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin).
Mysak writes in the column he doesn’t think Tennessee can change its legal obligation to bondholders in the manner laid out by the bill. The Bass, Berry & Sims law firm, the city’s bond counsel, didn’t return Bloomberg’s calls for comment.
“For some very short-term political fun, taxpayers had better steel themselves for some financial pain,” according to the columnist.
“We’ll see how this plays out, but no good is going to come from it,” he said.
Sexton, McNally re-elected speakers
Senate Speaker Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) and House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) have been re-elected as the heads of their respective chambers.
All 75 House Republicans voted for Sexton, plus Democrat Antonio Parkinson of Memphis. The remaining 22 members of the minority party voted for Democratic Caucus Chair John Ray Clemmons of Nashville.
In the Senate, 27 Republicans backed another two years with McNally in charge, while all six Democrats abstained.
Here are some more photos of the action on Tuesday.
New TNJ edition alert: McNally interview, Kelsey guilty plea, PAC spending roudup
The latest print edition of The Tennessee Journal is out early this week because of the holiday weekend. Here is what’s in it:
— TNJ Interview: Senate Speaker McNally talks legacy and charts course for future
— From the courts: Kelsey pleads guilty to 2 counts, state Supreme Court throws out mandatory life sentences for juveniles.
— Campaign finance update: PAC giving rose 5% compared with last election cycle.
Also: Eddie Mannis says he was “shut up” by House speaker, Jason Mumpower wonders why he has to wait at restaurants when so many people are moving to Tennessee, Andy Ogles gets fined by state for late mayoral disclosure, and a missing Joe Towns prophesy.
As always, access the your copy of the TNJ here.
Or subscribe here.
New TNJ edition alert: Lee’s road plans, Senate GOP re-elects leadership team, Supreme Court opening breeds speculation about successor
The latest print edition of The Tennessee Journal is out. Here is what’s in it:
— Lee wants to make major road upgrades without new taxes, debt. Can it be done without tolls?
— Political update: Senate GOP re-elects leadership team of McNally, Johnson, Yager; Registry presses pause on auditing Gary Humble; and digital ads target state’s certificate-of-need rules.
— From the courts: Justice Sharon Lee’s retirement from Supreme Court unleashes speculation about who will apply to succeed her.
Also: Dolly Parton lands $100 million prize, Jonathan Skrmetti says level of federalist view often depends on who controls White House, watchdog files FEC complaint against Beth Harwell, and the Showboats are back in Memphis.
As always, access the your copy of the TNJ here.
Or subscribe here.
McNally nominated to another two-year term as Senate speaker
The Senate Republican Caucus has nominated Randy McNally to another term as speaker.
McNally, a retired Oak Ridge pharmacist, first succeeded former Speaker Ron Ramsey in 2017. Some at the time saw him as a transitional figure, but he has since consolidated his leadership position in the upper chamber.
McNally served four terms in the state House before his first election to the Senate in 1986. He is a former chair of the Senate Finance Committee.
The full Senate will officially vote on the speaker in January. But with Republicans holding a 27-6 advantage, it’s largely considered a formality.
