Tennessee Republican Steve Gill Confirms He Was In Russian-Occupied Region For “Election” Called A “Sham” By U.S. Officials & Allies

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Tennessee conservative mouthpiece Steve Gill confirmed to the Holler he served as an observer in a September 10th election conducted in Russian-occupied Ukrainian regions called a “sham” by U.S. officials and allies.

The European Platform for Democratic Elections urged the EU to consider sanctions and visa restrictions for 34 foreign observers it says were “involved in those “unauthorized activities” it believes to be an act of Russian propaganda.

The Holler has confirmed that one of those 34 election observers was Steve Gill of Tennessee, a staunch Trump supporter and right-wing radio host who was the political editor of The Tennessee Star prior to his August 2019 arrest for not paying child support. (A Williamson County judge denied an order of protection against Gill after his wife filed the order saying she was scared of what would happen when he was released from jail.)

Gill is a regular critic of Ukraine, and frequent guest on RT, “a Russian state-controlled international news television network funded by the Russian government”, according to Wikipedia.
From the European Platform for Democratic Elections release:

“The European Union strongly condemned the holding of the Russian elections in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories as illegitimate and strongly rejected this further futile attempt by Russia to legitimize or normalize its illegal military control and attempted annexation of parts of Ukrainian territories.

The United States referred to the sham elections in occupied areas of Ukraine as ‘nothing more than a propaganda exercise’, and stated that it will never recognize the Russian Federation’s claims to any of Ukraine’s sovereign territory. The US also reminded any individuals who may support Russia’s sham elections in Ukraine, including by acting as so-called ‘international observers’, that they may be subject to sanctions and visa restrictions… For around two decades, Russian authorities have employed “international observers” to try to whitewash fraudulent elections, legitimize illegitimate plebiscites, and/or advance their foreign policy interests internationally.”

Here was the list of observers they included in their release:

We asked Steve Gill via email if he was the “Steve Gill” from the list (highlighted above). His response:

“I was there.”

We asked Gill to elaborate about why he went, what he saw, and if he knew the US & EU considered it to be a propaganda stunt. We also asked if he could provide any insight into the nature of his connection to the area, Russia, and his relationship with RT.

His responses were lengthy (provided in longer form below), but the key takeaways were that he took issue with Secretary Blinken calling the election a “sham”, said there were no reporters there to report the “truth” and wanted to see things for himself.

Gill described the election process Russian authorities used in the occupied territories as “actual transparency”, claiming to have had “full access to talk to anybody”, and described voters as “excited” and not intimidated.

He added that he didn’t care or know who won, and went out of his way to add that the ongoing sanctions against Russia are not hurting them, only Americans, and that Moscow seemed very “safe” and “clean” with “tall buildings” – obviously very pro-Russia talking points, especially considering we hadn’t asked those questions.

Experts on the region we spoke with have written extensively on Russia’s history of conducting these elections for propaganda purposes.

In our follow-up we asked Gill if he thought it would be easy to put on a show of an election only to rig the results themselves, to which he responded:

“I watched and thought through how I might cheat if I was there, and I could not find a way.”

We also asked Gill if he was joined there by Kline Preston, a Nashville lawyer tied to Marsha Blackburn’s campaigns known to be a big Russia supporter and who reportedly introduced Russian operatives to the NRA, and Gill confirmed Preston was indeed there.
Here’s Gill’s initial response to our questions (slightly edited for brevity, denoted by ellipses):

“Interestingly, Blinken is calling it a sham rigged election. The same wording they are prosecuting Trump for saying but with zero actual proof of anything of the sort. And US and Western Euro media reports are not based on any actual reporting. I didn’t see anybody from Fox, MSNBC, CNN, WAPO, NY Times or anybody else there to report facts or the truth.

I have no relation to Russia and had not been there in 25 years. My relationship with RT is I am frequently contacted to provide commentary and opinion… I had the opportunity to go and went for the same reason I embedded with US troops in Iraq and Kuwait a few times, traveled to see conditions at Guantánamo Bay Terrorist detention center, broadcasted from Democrat and Republican national conventions for years… I’m skeptical of most media reporting, so I like to see it for myself so I can expose the truth based on what I see and hear not what I’m told.

I personally visited seven voting precincts over a couple of days in the Donbas Region, including Donetsk and Mariupol and a couple of smaller towns. I also toured the central election location in Moscow and observed how they collect poll results from around the country.

I had full access to talk to anybody, see anything, ask any questions of election workers, voters, and anybody else we randomly came in contact with… The election processes at the polls I visited, were very similar to what you see in the United States, but more transparent and less likely to allow any form of cheating. For example, they have video cameras set up at each of the 3000+ polling stations across Russia where anybody can watch live feed of what’s happening. Representatives of the political parties and election officials are on site observing as well. And in Moscow with a central election headquarters, the political parties have dozens of representatives with computer terminals, watching in real time whatever is going on at each polling place across the country…

Voters show passports or other government issued photo ID. When they arrive to vote they are issued a paper ballot, at least in most of the voting precincts, although they are experimenting with electronic voting… Voters and stepped behind curtains to cast their votes in secrecy… They then placed their ballots in a large plexiglass box that is locked until the vote count begins. Actual transparency.

There was zero evidence at any polling location of threats or intimidation to encourage voting… Voters were generally anxious and excited for the opportunity to vote. And the polling stations were calm with very efficient poll workers handling the process. Again, very similar to what you would see in any precinct in middle Tennessee…

…I’ve been asked “who won?”, but didn’t really focus on that or care. I certainly didn’t know any of the local candidates. I know the mayor of Moscow won handily, but based upon the clean streets, safe environment, economic prosperity, cranes throughout the city, building new, skyscrapers, etc. that was not surprising in the least. Based upon the economic growth in Russia, generally, and what I observed, in convenience stores, grocery stores, a massive shopping mall next to our hotel, and talking to regular Russians, throughout a several day, stay in Moscow, our sanctions don’t appear to be hurting them. They are hurting American consumers, who are paying nearly double at the gas pump.

…we clearly have a media that is determined to tell only one side of the story, whether it is Covid, the VAX, election fraud, or the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Anytime the media is only telling us one side of the story we should all be much more skeptical. Again, that’s why I went to see for myself when I had the opportunity.

I’ve had several people ask me about whether I felt like I was in danger there in Moscow or anywhere else. Even though we were about 25 km from the front lines at one point, there was not massive military presence, or any evidence of that area of Ukraine being “occupied“.

And Moscow was one of the cleanest safest cities I’ve been in with huge skyscrapers conflicting with the image that most Americans have of Russians, living in cement block buildings from the Soviet era.  Plus, as I told some people asking me about the danger of going to Russia, I pointed out that I regularly go to Memphis.😂

In our follow-up questions we asked Gill if Russia could have shown him and the other observers a seemingly transparent process of voting only to rig the results, and if he had any insight into how the counting of the votes would be protected or confirmed through some sort of independent verification.

Gill’s response:
“The votes in the precincts are counted locally with the live stream providing viewing of that process, too. Plus local party officials are there for the count in person. The numbers are then shown on the cameras and the tally is also transmitted to Moscow. Unlike here in the states, the votes are transported somewhere else for the count, which would, as we see here, allow for all sorts of mischief. I watched and thought through how I might cheat if I was there, and I could not find a way.”
With the “unlike here in the states” jab Gill is clearly referring to the 2020 election here, which we will point out was not stolen.
Gill went on:
“And the live video transmissions of the voting process and accounting process are recorded as well, so, if a question is raised they can go back and review the tapes… They also keep a careful count in each precinct of the number of ballots cast, and compare that to the remaining ballots after the voting is closed to make sure that the leftover ballots are the right number based on the total votes cast. Both cameras, and that count prevent any (after the vote time closes) ballots stuffing from taking place.
And unlike our system, once the time for voting comes to an end, votes aren’t allowed to trickle in for days or weeks later. So they have same day results and their elections without tens of thousands of votes being slipped in secretly and with no accountability after the time for voting comes to an end.”

We asked Gill if he went to Ukraine and connected with the Ukrainians at all, if “getting one side of the story” is the issue he has with American media. His response was highly critical of Ukraine, which comes as no surprise to anyone following Gill’s social media:

“I didn’t observe things from the Ukrainian side. They were not having an election. So it wasn’t a matter of reporting on “both sides“ since there was no election on the other side. And the so-called “democracy” being run by President Zelenskyy has actually canceled their elections. If and when they ever have elections, I would hope that fair-minded truth telling journalist would actually observe and report their process as well.

And I would point out that the “Democracy” that we are supporting on the Ukrainian side has seen the president cancel opposition parties, close independent media, and left only state run media operating, gone after the Russian orthodox churches in the country, and cancel the elections unless American taxpayers pay for them.”

The claim of Ukraine not holding elections is true, but the reason is because Ukraine has declared martial law after being attacked by Russia unprovoked. As of June 2023 77% of Ukrainians supported Zelenskyy’s reelection. President Zelensky recently said elections could happen even under attack if the United States helped facilitate.

Gill:

“And I’d be happy to report things from the Ukrainian side of the conflict, but since they have put out a “hit” on anybody who questions how the money we have provided has been spent, or who has traveled to report from the territory they once controlled. Their transgender American military spokesperson just got fired for threatening to punish those who witnessed the elections. But that was only done after senator JD Vance from Ohio question whether her job is being funded by American taxpayers, and whether the threats she was expressing, were authorized by the Ukrainian government.”
The Ukrainian government has not put out a “hit” on anybody who questions how the money has been spent or reported from the region, but it is true that President Zelensky has recently attempted to deal with corruption among Ukraine’s leadership, and the spokesperson Gill is referencing was recently suspended for comments threatening people caught spreading Russian propaganda – comments they say were not approved. (And yes, that spokesperson happens to be transgender, which has nothing to do with it. Gill is clearly using that descriptor in a disparaging, transphobic way.)

Gill continues:

“Finally, I was talking to the residents of Donetsk and Mariupol, who have been residing in what has been called Ukraine for a long time. The overwhelming majority of people who live in these areas, speak Russian rather than Ukrainian; identify as Russian rather than Ukrainian; have been seeking their independence from Ukraine for over a dozen years without Western media reporting that conflict.”

Here’s more on the region he’s referring to. While it’s true many speak Russian, referendums showing they supposedly would prefer to join Russia have been accused of being “staged” for years.

Gill adds:

“And by the way, an American born Chilean journalist has been jailed by Ukraine for daring to report, truthfully, from their side of the conflict battle lines and raising questions about their behavior. That is the “democracy“ that we are funding???

“On the Russian side, an American journalist from the Wall Street Journal has been arrested and alleged to have been spying when he was caught photographing munitions areas 240 miles from Moscow. I don’t know if he was spying or not, but the US media should be demanding the release of both journalists not just one.”

Gill is referring to Gonzalo Lira, a Chilean journalist in Kyiv when the invasion began who was highly critical of Ukraine they arrested for spreading what they called “pro-Russian propaganda” (upposedly Lira focused on giving dating and relationship advice under the pseudonym “Coach Red Pill”) and WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich, who Russia arrested on “spying charges”.

Finally, we asked Gill if Kline Preston was with him – a lawyer linked to Marsha Blackburn known to be very pro-Russia/Putin and who reportedly introduced Russian operatives to the NRA.

Gill said yes, Kline Preston was with him.

“Among Preston’s Russian clients and longtime friends is Alexander Torshin, a prominent Russian politician who has close ties to President Vladimir Putin. Torshin is under scrutiny for illegally channeling Russian funds to the National Rifle Association in an effort to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Preston first introduced Torshin to then-president of the NRA David Keene in 2011 and the pair attended the NRA’s annual convention in Nashville in 2015.”

It’s worth remembering Kline Preston wrote on his old website that he helped lead Marsha Blackburn for Congress, Inc. as recently as 2014 – and that Preston was pictured in the Tennessean with his Russian collectibles from his various trips. His twitter handle is @gittinpaid, and he has “Moscow” listed as one of his locations on his profile:

In general, Gill’s answers to our questions were very pro-Russia, and very negative towards President Zelensky and support for Ukraine in general. Gill says he has no ties to the Russian government itself, however we asked an expert on the region if just anyone could go to the Russian-controlled territories to be “election observers”.

Their response:

“Even to go there you have to be well connected. Russians wouldn’t take a random person into a war zone.”
Here were some of the pictures Gill included in his emails to us:

TODAY’S HOLLER: FOXES GUARDING THE HENHOUSE

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FOXES GUARDING THE HENHOUSE: BILL LEE & OTHER GOP GOVERNORS VS. PUBLIC SCHOOLS

It’s hard to keep track of all the ways our public schools are currently under attack, with Republican governors responsible for uplifting and preserving them leading the charge against them.

The most obvious of the attacks was Governor Lee’s #1 priority when he took office, which was to steer PUBLIC MONEY TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS through the voucher program he allegedly bribed members of his own party to pass, even offering military promotions.

The program was just expanded by Republicans from Memphis & Nashville to the Chattanooga area, where 12 private schools in Hamilton County are now in Gov. Lee & the GOP’s vouchers program, taking nearly $2 million from public schools.

11 of 12 the are Christian schools. The Lee/Devos privatization plan to steer public ed money to religious schools, “advancing God’s kingdom” as Devos openly put it, is working.

And they’re just getting started.

Then there’s the censorship. As teachers sue Tennessee over the “divisive concepts” law that has them scared to teach the truth, Florida has stepped up their attacks under Desantis, leading to a ban on AP psychology and now SHAKESPEARE BEING CUT.

Yes, Shakespeare. It was only a matter of time.

This is what these Republican censorship laws are doing to our schools. And the more our schools/kids suffer, and leave, the happier these privatizers are. 

But it gets worse. As they accuse our public schools of brainwashing kids, it’s them who are engaged in the real INDOCTRINATION. Desantis/FLORIDA’s Ed Dept approved Prager U indoctrination videos to be taught with Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens as narrators- which teach kids slavery was better than the alternative, literally saying: “Being taken as a slave is better than being killed, no?”

Outrageous.

And then there’s the massive TEACHER SHORTAGE. We currently have 1000+ teacher openings in Tennessee… “alarming shortfalls every year” – while we sit on billions in surplus funds…

Low pay, low trust, little opportunity to change their situation – all this as Lee and the GOP give HUGE raises to the TN Highway Patrol and prison guards. Priorities.

We need y’all to realize hurting teachers/public schools is by design. This teacher shortage is a feature, not a bug for them. Lee, Desantis etc. are privatizers hiding behind the word “choice”.

And as they do all this they engage in OUTRAGEOUS GASLIGHTING – claiming to be at the top in teacher pay while we’re at the bottom. The TN House GOP either has no idea that Tennessee is at the bottom in teacher pay & per pupil spending, or hopes you have no idea.

Watch what they do, not what they say.

Meanwhile KIDS ARE BEING HELD BACK over one test that was not even designed to be used this way. As one mom put it: “It’s ridiculous… communication has been horrible… I’m probably going to pull her out and home school…”

MEMPHIS Parents are upset to learn their kids — WHO CAN READ — are held back based on 1 test, thanks to the new TN GOP/GOV. BILL LEE law.

Not to mention the book bans, the attacks on LGBTQ students… the list goes on. Everything that drives teachers and kids out of our schools using private school vouchers, charters, etc… is a win for Lee and the privatizers. Please see the situation for what it is.

We’ll continue to cover this, and we hope you’ll push other media outlets to cut through the propaganda and cover it this way also..

Please consider chipping in monthly to help us keep us Hollering the truth – make it $10/month or more and we’ll send you a holler hat.🧢  (or on SQUARE)

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TODAY’S HOLLER:

MEMPHIS FLYER: “State gun violence statistics show Tennessee has set a new annual record for the # of people who killed in mass shootings…” And it’s only August. 😳
SCHOOL SHOOTINGS UP IN TN: Even as Rep. Ragan tries to minimize the issue, school shootings are way up in Tennessee over the past few years.. THREAD… 😳
9-1-1 CALL: “They are advising this 4 year old has shot himself in the head.” Chattanooga Police say since January 2022 there have been 9 kids under 18 shot “accidentally” (aka parental negligence) – Tennessee still does not have a safe storage law. 😳
TN FIREARMS ASSOCIATION: “People in hell want ice water, but they can’t get it.”🤔 The head of TN Firearms Association compares parents who want gun reform to “people in Hell” —despite their own poll showing most Tennesseans agree with Gov Bill Lee that we need an ERPO law.
SEXTON SAYS REFORM WON’T MOVE: Speaker Sexton tells the TN Firearms Association he doesn’t see an ERPO to keep guns from dangerous people making it out of committee despite @GovBillLee saying we need one (and majority support throughout the state)

EXTREMISTS RUN THE PARTY: Despite overwhelming support from the majority of Tennessee and law enforcement, the TN GOP executive committee just passed a resolution asking Gov Bill Lee to betray Covenant families and drop the special session on gun safety.

REINSTATE JONES: “The counsel for Tennessee Three member and recently reelected Rep. Justin Jones has requested Speaker Sexton confirm he will be reinstated to all rights, duties and privileges of his office before the special session on Aug 21…” – Eric Holder is his attorney.

THEY ARE ALL BANNONISTS NOW. Bannon wants to bring everything crashing down. This is on point.

MCCONNELL BOOED: “RETIRE! RETIRE!” The boos at this Kentucky even were merciless, and well deserved.

PHIL WILLIAMS WITH SKRMETTI: “Could these records not be used to prosecute women who cross state lines to get an abortion?” Phil Williams spoke to TN AG Skrmetti, who claimed that isn’t the intention of the letter demanding access to out of state records.

ASHE: “Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs takes aim for governor’s seat with guns-in-libraries rule – and misfires”

DESANTIS FLED THE SCENE: Here’s Desantis asked why he fled the scene after a crash in Chattanooga… It’s the hand motions for us… here’s a Chattanooga officer on the scene saying there should’ve been charges: Why weren’t there?

😴 💤 The war on “woke” is now even putting Republicans to sleep.

👂 LISTEN — NYT’S THE DAILY: “The economy keep growing and adding jobs faster than economists predicted… inflation is coming down… hourly wages rose faster than prices…” #Bidenomics

VOTERS TO JUSTIN JONES: “It’s an incredible uphill fight, but we’re so glad you’re in it.” Nashville voters expressed their deep appreciation for Rep. Jones as they sent him back to his seat after being undemocratically expelled by Speaker Sexton and the TN House GOP. (🎥 Ryan Camp)

JUSTIN JONES: 🗣️🔥 This election shows their attacks on democracy will not go unchallenged… Republicans spent so much money trying to buy this election, but they could not beat people power.”

TRUMP’S AG BILL BARR: “I don’t think it runs afoul of the first amendment — Remember: a conspiracy crime is completed at the time it’s agreed to and the first steps are taken.” #TrumpIndictment

For those who still need to hear this: THERE IS NO FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO ORGANIZE A COUP.  🇺🇸

A REAL PATRIOT 🇺🇸 WATCH: “It’s a small thing to do — why everyone isn’t doing this… I don’t get it. Everyone needs to do something to stop this guy. We can’t just stand by and let this happen.”

TRUMP’S LAWYER: “There was a peaceful transition of power.” 🤔 DANA BASH: “What happened on January 6th was not peaceful.” Bash does a good job of pushing back on the intense gaslighting and absurd “freedom of speech” claim, which even Trump’s Barr rejects.

MARGE GREENE IN EAST TN: Marge Greene gets big applause as she’s introduced by Rep. Diana Harshbarger at the CLAIBORNE COUNTY GOP’s “Freedom Dinner” Again: She is not the fringe. She is at the heart of the party now. Please adjust your expectations accordingly.

HAMILTON COUNTY: Apparently the Moms (Against) Liberty chapter was just booted off Next Door

MEMPHIS: “The Memphis PD officer who fatally shot Jaylin McKenzie, a 20-year-old Black man, during a traffic stop in December did not turn on his body camera during the encounter…”

TAKE CREDIT, JOE: As Biden labels the BILLIONS in much-needed infrastructure projects his bill (opposed by every TN Republican) is funding across the country, we have a suggestion for an addition to the signs in Tennessee… add “OPPOSED BY EVERY TENNESSEE REPUBLICAN” 👇🏽 

🏳️‍⚧️ NASHVILLE — Olivia Hill, the first trans woman to run for office in Tennessee, has advance to the metro council run-off in September.

NASHVILLE — AUGUST 16th: Youth Advocacy Day at the Capitol 10am-3pm

🔔 WILLIAMSON COUNTY: rally at the library August 15th, when Rep. Andy Ogles & Senator Jack Johnson will be holding an event there👇🏽

WATCH: “A day in the life of a liberal” 🤣 👏🏽

CARTOON OF THE DAY

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Alliance Bernstein Employee: “AB Doesn’t Deserve LGBTQ+ Ally Praise After Silence On Bills”

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I work at AllianceBernstein, an asset management firm that moved here from NYC a few years ago. Recently, AB was silent on the TN legislature attacking/targetting the LGBTQ+ community. After much outcry, they finally decided to address the issues through a Q&A with the CEO (questions developed by the Diversity Equity & Inclusion team, no questions from the audience allowed). It was an absolute disrespectful disaster that I wish I had recorded (they did not record or broadcast the event for employees working from home or other locations to listen in).

There were around 150 employees present. Here are the most upsetting comments made:

  • The CEO made several jokes in attempts to lighten and diffuse the situation. One example was saying the COO wanted to move to Nashville to be a country music star. It was so disrespectful to take a subject that directly impacts the safety of his employees and make it a little comedy show for his own benefit. The laughter from the audience (most-likely people who found out about the event and showed up for face time with the CEO) was shocking.
  • TWICE while he was being asked questions from the 2 panelists, he reached over and grabbed one of their water bottles and read the label on it out loud. I couldn’t believe how rude he was, like he was bored of the subject.
  • When he was asked “if you knew then what you know now, would you have still moved the firm to Nashville?” And he said absolutely and it was a good decision (I get saving face, but still not the answer I would give my employees who are scared and hurting).
  • A few phrases he used that were appalling included “some people decide to love someone of the same sex”
  • When speaking on his refusal to allow AB to make a public stance or even an internal stance on the legislature: “I am the CEO of this firm and I will never risk the business’s success” then went on to compare this to not allowing investors to invest in nuclear energy. NOT THE SAME THING IN ANY WAY.
  • Another justification of not decrying the legislation was “there has always been a divide in this country, even in NYC”. Pretty sure if I applied this mindset and didn’t improve an out-of-date process that causes risk to the business because “that’s how it’s always been” I’d get in trouble.
  • When he did say that his employees need to respect their LGBTQ+ colleagues, he included employees “who are pro-life, have different faiths, and hold the convictions of God”
  • He also boasted that he rehearsed with the panel 11 times, and I have no idea how the DE&I team let him speak knowing he was going to make these comments.
  • And to top it all off, there were refreshments provided like it was a fucking party or something!

I have never, ever felt more disrespected as an employee. I know I am lucky to never have experienced something worse by an employer, but a large company that brags about their diversity and inclusion to attract diverse talent should never treat their employees like this once they’re in the door. The event made the situation so much worse. I have several colleagues who attended and they all feel the same way and we’re shocked that people were laughing along with him. The people who were laughing were clearly not queer employees and shouldn’t have taken up our space where we were supposed to address our serious concerns that the state is targeting us.

I would like to draw attention to this as AB claims to be an inclusive employer and has received a 100 on the HRC Corporate Equality Index for Best Places to Work. They do not deserve this. Additionally, they need to be pushed to pull their booth from the Pride festival this year and make a donation instead. If they don’t, the Pride chamber should expel them from participation.

It’s outrageous to show up in OUR space to market for OUR business and then refuse to support us as their employees. They cannot pick and choose what to support and voice their opinions on based on what the public might think.

Lastly, they are up for a couple of LGBTQ awards that they should be disqualified from:

If they get this award for 2023 I would want to know how after saying they would move to Nashville knowing their employees and their families would be unsafe.  https://www.hrc.org/resources/best-places-to-work-for-lgbtq-equality-2022

They are also up for Business Resource Group of the year at work he TN Pride chamber and should be removed from the running there as well. They had the audacity to email employees yesterday asking us to vote for them.

This Alliance Bernstein employee asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation.

Tennessee’s Constitution, 1840 TN Supreme Court Decision Show 2A Not Unlimited

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In August, Governor Lee is exercising his constitutional right to call for Tennessee’s legislature to come together in Nashville for an “extraordinary” session on “public safety” in the wake of the tragic attack at the Covenant School down the road that took the lives of innocent people, including children.

Lee’s press release about the special session did not include the word “guns”, but many are hopeful the discussion will revolve around some version of common sense gun reform, which even Fox News polls show are supported by the overwhelming majority of the people.

Predictably, pro-gun groups are already attacking Governor Lee for the implication that he will support some sort of “Extreme Risk Protection Order” that seeks to keep guns from dangerous people, saying he is betraying their constitutional rights as outlined by the 2nd Amendment. But 19 states already have these laws, including Florida which passed theirs after Parkland, and thus far they have withstood legal challenges.

The questions at the center of this special session will likely be a familiar one, one which we have been debating for many years: How unlimited is the 2nd Amendment really, and what was its true intention? To answer these questions about our nation’s constitution, our state’s constitution, and our Supreme Court’s interpretation of it, may provide the answers.

First, let’s remember what the 2nd Amendment actually says:

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

2nd Amendment absolutists focus on that last part: “Shall not be infringed”, and say that overwrites the rest of it, even though it begins with “well regulated“, which those in favor of common sense gun reforms say would allow lawmakers to place limitations on the owning and carrying of weapons.

Even conservative Justice Scalia interpreted this right as not unlimited.

Former Tennessee House Republican Rep. Brandon Ogles highlighted the “well-regulated” part in committee, drawing ire from his own party.

Another key word to notice there is “Militia”, which many believe means the 2nd Amendment was actually the framers way of making sure the public was able to take up arms against a tyrannical government should the need arise, and not them saying everyone should be walking around armed to the teeth.

Standing here in the year 2023, over 200 years removed from the writing of the constitution, it’s hard to know exactly what they meant. But you know who was a lot closer to it, and in a much better position to understand the intentions of the United States constitution than we are?

The framers of our own Tennessee state constitution.

Article 1, Section 26 of the constitution can provide some clues as to which reading of the 2nd Amendment is closer to the framers’ intentions. It states:

“That the citizens of this state have a right to keep and to bear arms for their common defense; but the Legislature shall have power, by law, to regulate the wearing of arms with a view to prevent crime.”

Did you catch that 2nd part? Again: “The legislature shall have power, by law, to regulate the wearing of arms to prevent crime.”

The first constitution of our state was adopted in 1796, meaning those who wrote it were contemporaries of the framers of our nation’s constitution, and likely had a pretty good idea of what they meant.

So if they believe the legislature can regulate guns, how can we stand here 227 years later and say they can’t? That seems to be a highly unreasonable position to take.

It’s also worth noting that when Governor Lee and others say that we can’t regulate guns because criminals don’t obey the law, as he said to us after Uvalde, he is speaking in direct opposition to the very words in the state constitution he has sworn to uphold.

Now let’s focus on the first part. Just like in the 2nd Amendment of the United States Constitution, which very clearly says it’s talking about a “Militia”, the Tennessee Constitution’s provision says “for their common defense”. What did they mean by that?

Again, here in 2023 it’s hard to say. But we can draw our answer from the Tennessee Supreme Court in 1840, which was asked to interpret this as it weighed in on a case involving a man who had been arrested for carrying a bowie knife in “Aymette V. State”.

The decision upheld the case against Aymette, who was arguing that Article 1, Section 26 allowed him to carry a bowie knife. In the ruling the Supreme Court made it clear that although he was “insisting” the law “gives every (white, at the time) man the right to arm himself in any manner however dangerous or unusual the weapon” – it went on to say the law did not do that.

Instead, the ruling makes it clear it the Supreme Court believes the phrase “common defense” is key to understanding the law, in that it was really intended to make sure the public could defend itself against a tyrannical government should the need arise again, and that it did not mean individuals could walk around with weapons “efficient only in the hands of the robber and the assassin”, because “these weapons would be useless in war, could not be employed advantageously in common defense.

“The right to keep and bear them is not, therefore, secured by the constitution.”

The ruling goes on to again say that the words “bear arms” are a specific reference to their military use – again useful for our understanding of the 2nd amendment itself – “and were not employed to mean wearing them about the person as part of the dress”.

Not only does the Supreme Court say the legislature can make laws with regard to weapons, it goes so far as to call it “absurd” to think they would not be able to do so, and that the right to weapons in situations of “common defense” would be extended weapons in non-military situations, knowing that “in the hands of an assassin, they might take away life.”

So yes, the Tennessee Supreme Court goes on to say, the Legislature has a right to “prohibit the wearing or keeping weapons dangerous to the peace and safety of the citizens, which are not used in civilized warfare, or would not contribute to to the common defense.

Addressing the argument that the Legislature cannot make these laws, the Supreme Court says it would be to “pervert a great political right to the worst of purposes, and make it a “social evil of infinitely greater extent than abandoning the right itself entirely.”

They go on to imagine “ruffians” entering a “theater” or “church” to the “terror of the audience”, saying it could become “habitual” – which, of course, it has – and say that it would “surely not” be beyond the power of the Legislature to pass laws to stop these horrors.

Prescient, no?

In summation, the Tennessee Supreme Court declares “the right to bear arms is not of that unqualified character” – meaning not without limitations – again reiterating that the law’s intention was of a “common defense” or military nature.

It’s worth noting that the argument of 2nd Amendment absolutists is often that even if it is in reference to a “militia” or the “common defense”, that that includes all citizens. But if they’re going to concede the 2nd Amendment is in reference to the “militia”, that word in the United States constitution is preceded by “well-regulated”.

They cannot have it both ways.

Again, the framers of the Tennessee constitution were alive in 1796. They were contemporaries of the men who wrote the United States constitution itself. Article 1 Section 26 very clearly gives the Legislature the power to make laws limiting the right to carry and keep weapons, and the Tennessee Supreme Court upheld that power in 1840 in Aymette V. State.

Today’s legislators cannot hide behind the constitution. They DO have the power to change our gun laws to keep us and our children safe.

The August special session will be here soon, called by their own Republican governor. It is way past time for them to do it.

ANONYMOUS ETHICS SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBER CASTS DOUBT ON SPEAKER’S CLAIM

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Within hours of the Phil Williams report about TN House GOP caucus vice chair Scotty Campbell’s alleged sexual harassment of legislative interns, Campbell had resigned. Even Phil was blown away by how quickly it happened, basically saying he had never seen anything like it in his storied career.

But despite the speed of Campbell’s demise, many questions remained. Why did it take Phil’s report to trigger any consequences? Who knew about the details of the investigation? What was Speaker Sexton’s role in this ugly ordeal?

Sexton was quick to deny any knowledge of the details of the investigation, and majority leader William Lamberth was right there at a press conference to back him up, pointing to the policy governing harassment allegations and saying it protected the victim by keeping the details quiet even from the speaker.

But who is really being protected? Obviously the victim’s confidentiality is paramount, but more and more it’s seeming like what’s really being protected is the speaker from any culpability for his handling – or mishandling – of the situation, and the lack of consequences Campbell faced until the situation became public.

The policy governing harassment complaints itself makes it clear all complaints are to go right to the speaker. And since that initial report we now know more about what went on in the wake of the complaint – including approved expenses taxpayers covered that were shelled out to the tune of nearly $10,000, including almost $1000 in CASH.

Even the intern herself said “it felt like they were trying to buy my silence.”

So who signed the checks? Who approved the expenses, including the cash handout?

Speaker Sexton has pointed the finger at the 4 members of the ethics subcommittee: Rep. Bill Beck (D), Rep, Karen Camper (D), Rep. Pat Marsh (R), and Rep. Sam Whitson (R).

Sexton very clearly is trying to shield himself from blame by using the ethics subcommittee as cover, despite the fact that we know FOR SURE Sexton knew about the Campbell findings as early as March 29th, yet Campbell was met with no consequences until voluntarily resigning 3 weeks later – even as he voted to expel the Tennessee Three for speaking up for common sense gun laws.

We have reached out to each of the 4 subcommittee members to confirm Sexton’s story about them approving the expenses.

2 ignored us entirely.

1 is staying quiet, pointing to the policies governing their committee as the reason they “Can’t talk about that.”

The 4th was not willing to answer anything specifically about the expenses concerning this particular situation, but was willing to answer a more general question: “Does the subcommittee have the power to approve expenses when it comes to sexual harassment allegations?”

The answer from the 4th subcommittee member: “TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NO.”

If that’s true, that means the subcommittee clearly didn’t have a hand in approving those expenses. Which means Speaker Sexton is lying to Phil Williams, and to the public.

What the member is saying makes sense. Everyone we have spoken to at the legislature says they can’t even buy a lamp in that building without the speaker’s sign-off, so it defies logic that $10,000 in taxpayer funds would be spent without his approval, particularly the nearly $1000 in cash.

And again, if Sexton did approve those expenses, and he did know about the Campbell details long before Campbell’s departure, then Speaker Sexton is lying, and the people of Tennessee deserve to know.

Sexton was clearly counting on the subcommittee to maintain their silence to keep folks believing it. An ethics subcommittee allowing itself to be used as cover in that way would seem to be downright unethical – but 3 of the 4 appear to be willing to let that happen.

As for why this 4th member feels the need to remain anonymous when answering a basic procedural question, that seems to speak to a culture of fear and intimidation that permeates the entire capitol under the Sexton regime – one that was apparent in the leaked audio from the GOP caucus meeting we posted a few weeks back regarding the Tennessee Three expulsions, which were in themselves a silencing of dissent and intimidation of a jaw-dropping, undemocratic scale.

The silence of the ethics subcommittee members also begs the question: What does Sexton have on them that they would be willing to provide cover for his lies? Especially when the lies are concerning such an important issue – the sexual harassment of young interns by men in power, one would think they would feel the need to speak up.

Serving on an ethics subcommittee should have 1 requirement: A commitment to the truth. Allowing the speaker to use them as a smoke screen to lie and cover-up his own failures would be the opposite of ethical. And if speaking about who covered the expenses is a policy violation, Sexton already violated the policy by pointing the finger at them.

We asked TN House Dems caucus chair Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville) for comment. His response:

“Having never participated in or served on this “double-secret” subcommittee, I cannot speak from personal knowledge about how it operates or what power it wields. However, I know of no rule or authority that would allow a four member group of legislators to unilaterally, secretly appropriate taxpayer funds for any purpose. 
Also, it is my understanding that practically every decision made in the House goes through the Speaker’s office. The Speaker’s office controls everything from assigning legislators’ desks on the floor, committees and specific parking spots to approving staff and office furniture. Now, if someone offered or made a cash payment, as was reported, that is a whole other issue. Such a payment would circumvent all formal channels of normal expenditures or be pulled out of a “petty cash” drawer somewhere in this building that most of us don’t know about.”

AGAIN, the anonymous Ethics Subcommittee member’s response when we asked if the subcommittee has the power to approve expenses in sexual harassment (cover-up?) situations: “TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NO.”

So if the ethics subcommittee didn’t approve the expenses, Sexton must have, which means he knew about the Campbell harassment issue all along and did nothing.

And had Phil’s report not come out, Campbell would likely still be in his seat, and still be vice chair of the Republican caucus.

Between questions concerning his his residency, his inflated self-approved per diem which some want criminally investigated, and now the deception swirling around these very serious sexual harassment allegations, the already loud calls for Sexton’s resignation are sure to grow even louder now.

AOC WITH JUSTIN JONES IN D.C.

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LEAKED AUDIO: TN House GOP Caucus Infighting Over TN 3 Votes

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TODAY’S HOLLER: TN Republicans Vote to Force Raped Kids to Give Birth

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“2ND CLASS CITIZENS”
TN Republicans Vote to Force Raped Children to Carry to Term

On Monday a “watered down” version of a bill originally intended to add real exceptions to Tennessee’s draconian NO EXCEPTIONS abortion ban passed the house. It had bipartisan support, but doctors and some Democratic legislators opposed it because it had been so narrowed by Tennessee Right to Life that many say it does not actually provide real exceptions for doctors to save mothers in danger.

As Rep Gloria Johnson put it: “This language is murky. Doctors and women are still at risk.”

Instead, the bill now forces doctors to wait until women are at death’s door, a sickening situation that will cause doctors to intentionally let women and girls suffer to protect themselves from prosecution.

The senate version has not yet been diluted in this way, but likely will be.

As the bill passed the house, Democrats offered amendments to make it a better bill. Gloria Johnson had an amendment to create an exception for pregnant children who were victims of rape (which all pregnant children are by definition). It would seem to be a no-brainer to create this exception for abortion care, especially since most of Tennessee wants it.

Alas, no. Radical Republicans killed the amendment.

WATCH it happen: “Imagine your child or grandchild is raped tomorrow.” – Gloria’s pleas fell on deaf ears.

AGAIN: Tennessee Republicans voted to keep FORCING RAPED LITTLE GIRLS TO CARRY TO TERM😳. #ForcedBirthState

We had a chance to ask TN RIGHT TO LIFE about it yesterday: “Do you think raped little girls should be forced to carry to term, Will?” WILL BREWER of Tennessee Right to Life is who Speaker Cameron Sexton says “intimidated” legislators into not supporting real life of the mom exceptions to TN’s strict abortion ban.

We tried to talk. He ran.🏃🏻

We also asked Susan Lynn, the original sponsor of the trigger ban, why she lied and said the bill did have exceptions when it didn’t: “Were you lying when you said your NO EXCEPTIONS Abortion ban had exceptions? Or just wrong?”

Rep. Lynn (R-Q ANON) babbles about Biden to deflect whenever we ask her. 🤡 #ForcedBirthState

On another of Gloria’s amendments Gloria reacted to Rep. Andrew Farmer saying Republicans want to protect fetuses no matter what, and clearly treated girls/women as an afterthought. 😳 #ForcedBirthState
“Talk about feeling like a 2nd class citizen… it seems no one cares about the women & young girls.” 

The GUARDIAN is asking the right question: “How close to death must a woman be to get an abortion in Tennessee?” 😳

It’s sickening that this is the question that needs to be asked. But it does.

The cruelty seems to be the point.

We will continue to holler the truth about it. Please consider chipping in monthly  to support what we do. (or on SQUARE)

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TODAY’S HOLLER:

WATCH: Drag Queens Get OVATION Walking Into #LoveRising in Nashville 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🔥❤️ – Congrats
Gov. Lee & TN GOP — you’ve turned drag queens into rock star celebrity revolutionaries with your hate. The more you crack down, the more powerful they get.

LOVE RISING: 🎶 “I want a house with a crowded table… and a place by the fire for everyone…” 🎶 Awesome big number with Maren Morris, Allison Russell and friends bringing drag queens on stage at #LoveRising NASHVILLE. Thousands in attendance, hundreds of thousands raised. 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈❤️ #LoveWins

🔥 WATCH: “And yes, I introduced my son to some drag queens today, so Tennessee — FUCKING ARREST ME.” Maren Morris at the #LoveRising benefit concert in NASHVILLE last night, opposing the TN GOP’s #SlateOfHate. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️❤️

WATCH: “We’re out here to keep Tennessee safe for everyone… there’s power in numbers.” The star-studded #LoveRising concert in NASHVILLE at Bridgestone Arena was a huge success. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️❤️

WATCH: Sen. Hensley & Rep. Clay Doggett’s other Drag Criminalization Bill Dies a Humiliating, Glorious Death 🎉 – We’re told the humiliating #RandyRandy McNally scandal is why TN Republicans didn’t give Hensley a second on it, which warms our hearts. Keep hollering.

In honor of Rep. Clay Doggett’s other drag show criminalization bill dying in the senate, here’s a pic of him in a hula skirt and some sort of bra in high school in Giles County someone sent us…

REPUBLICANS PROTECT… GAS STOVES?: Congrats to Gov Lee & the TN GOP for passing another pandering solution in search of a problem — meanwhile we’re at the bottom in poverty, violent crime, infant & maternal mortality, Ed funding, medical bankruptcies, etc… But, y’know, protect gas stoves! 😵‍💫The Government Overreach Party at work.

TAKING THE BURDEN OFF TEACHERS:  “This eliminates the burden on classroom teachers to catalogue all their books.” Yarbro’s bill to tweak the GOP’s book banning law to clarify teachers were not meant to take on that burden passes the senate. The law is still in place, parents can still challenge, etc.

RANDY RANDY WINS CAUCUS SUPPORT: TN Senate Republicans voted 19-7 to keep #RandyRandy Lt. Gov. McNally in leadership, a walking monument to their hateful hypocrisy. 🏳️‍🌈

👂LISTEN: “I’ve been made aware of 2 other situations where inappropriate relationships took place.”
Rep Todd Warner, the 1 TN Republican to call for McNally to step down, tells The Tennessee Star there’s (allegedly) more to the #RandyRandy story.

ICYMI: “Republicans love to accuse LGBTQ+ people of “grooming” children, but in Tennessee, it sounds like the call is coming from inside the house. The statehouse, that is… Rep. Todd Warner released a statement accusing fellow Republican McNally…”

Seems right-wing TN Stands is not on board for Senator Jack Johnson replacing #RandyRandy  👀

TRAVELING OUT OF STATE: “Doctors told a mom in Tennessee that her desperately ill baby would most likely die in utero, or shortly after birth. CNN followed her 900-mile journey for an abortion, a procedure she can’t access in her home state.” #ForcedBirthState 😳

ICYMI: Phil Williams reported Ogles raised $25,000 for a “child burial garden” — used a photo of a stillborn child for the GoFundMe promising a place for burial of babies with benches and a statue of Jesus… then kept the money.😳 #AndyFauxgles

TENNESSEAN: After Phil Williams raised questions about what Andy Ogles did with money raised for a burial for children he claimed to be building – “Rep. Andy Ogles’ spokesperson did not immediately respond when asked if financial docs would be released showing the payouts helping families or if they could connect The Tennessean with a family who benefitted from the fundraiser.”


🤔 “(Former) Tennessee state senator Brian Kelsey accused of violating federal campaign finance laws is seeking to withdraw his guilty plea, arguing that he initially did so with ‘unsure heart and confused mind.’”🙄
LOL ok Brian

BOMB THREAT: As Trump attacks Letitia James… BOMB THREAT at the courthouse… the judge can’t be thrilled about this one.

ARMING TEACHERS: “So it wouldn’t even be mandatory that the school district know who is carrying a gun in their schools?” Rep. Parkinson left speechless at the Ryan Williams bill to arm teachers — Heading to civil justice next ([email protected]).

OUT OF CONTROL: Tennessee Republican Senator John Stevens has a bill to eliminate the right of private businesses to prohibit firearms.🤔 The TN GOP finds new ways to endanger us all daily.

🔥MUST-WATCH: “It’s immoral that we subsidize giant corporations as they pay starvation wages.”
Justin Jones schools Republicans on rampant inequality as they shill for corporations and defend wild CEO-worker pay ratios. Justin gives a master class on economic inequality and had them going hard in the paint for the rights of multinational corps to pay starvation wages. They all came at him. They all missed.

WATCH: “I’m gonna let you feel powerful today, but this is WRONG.” Jones calls out Mark White for treating him differently than other reps, cutting off his Q’s of a witness on a bill to make it so parents OPT-IN before students can do/learn just about anything.

KIDS STILL NOT RETURNED: After a Black family from Georgia’s 5 kids were taken by TN DCS over a small amount of marijuana, the kids have still not been returned over a month later. “The children are not being returned today. The mother will have to submit to a hair follicle test.” Outrageous.

SENATOR LAMAR TO TN DCS: “GIVE THIS FAMILY THEIR CHILDREN BACK.” – Senator Lamar demands DCS release 5 (Black) kids after a month in state custody after THP charged the father for simple marijuana possession during a traffic stop.

SOME GOOD NEWS: “Senator Jack Johnson backed off his bill to kill the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth…” 🎉 — Good hollering, y’all. Gov Lee’s retaliation for their report on our disastrous foster care system is dead. (For now) #TNDCSCrisis

GROWING PAINS: “HENDERSONVILLE mayor links LIBRARY BOMB THREAT to Fox coverage of Kirk Cameron’s story hour… multiple threats… says library being unfairly vilified… asks lawyer to tell Cameron to cease & desist incitement before someone gets hurt…” – and now the library director was fired.

HEARTBREAKING images from SYLVAN PARK this weekend, where a young Nashvillian joined neighbors in cleaning the hate off of his house. ❤️


GRIFT ALERT: Carol Swain  is charging $400 to “train” school boards on concepts Tennessee has banned, and it turns out the state now REQUIRES 7 hours of training per year for EVERY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER — and she promotes hers “state-approved”… That’s some scheme💰!

🤦🏻SUMNER COUNTY commissioner Matthew Shoaf introduced a resolution declaring Sumner won’t recognize an indictment by a NY grand jury (not named but implied: OF TRUMP) as Trump says he’ll be arrested tomorrow. Again: MAGA Republicans do not care about the Rule of Law

WATCH: “FRANKLIN’s visitors guide says ‘FREEDOM, LIBERTY, and EQUALITY’ —I assume that’s for everyone.” Outrageously, FRANKLIN is considering not renewing Franklin Pride’s permit this year. The founder Robert McNamara and others are fighting back.😳🏳️‍🌈 #SaveFranklinPride

INBOX: Franklin Alderman Gabrielle Hanson (jack johnson’s political coordinator, opposes Lynching markers because “Marxism”🙄) replies to a voter “a significant # of gay people” want Franklin to DENY Franklin Pride’s permit.🤔 We asked her who they are. No names yet. #SaveFranklinPride

WATCH: Alderman “All Lives Matters” Lynching Markers 😳 Hanson also opposes LYNCHING MARKERS in Franklin, blaming “social Justice” and “Marxism” and saying it’s a pathway to “reparations” 🤔

SEXTON’S RACIST APPOINTMENT:  “Is it true Mr. Saltsman passed out CD’s with the song ‘BARACK THE MAGIC NEGRO’?”😳 TN Republicans just confirmed Speaker Sexton appointee Chip Saltsman despite London Lamar warning them about his deeply racist past. When they tell you who they are, believe them.

WATCH: “The charter school commission is the epitome of STATE OVERREACH & BIG GOVERNMENT… they override your local elected officials’ decisions.” Dems rip Gov. Lee’s tool to fill TN with (privately run) charters as Republicans extend it.

😳🏳️‍🌈 OFF THE LIST: “Students switch up college plans as states pass anti-LGBTQ laws… choosing not to attend colleges in states targeting their rights…” Tennessee is mentioned. Sad & embarrassing.

FOX 17: “A new Tennessee bill would allow law enforcement officers to use mechanical restraints, such as belts and handcuffs, on students with disabilities….”😳 Here’s where we asked TN House Rep. Greg Martin (R-Chattanooga) about it — 🏃🏻 he ran.

🔥👀 Go off, TN Historical Society!

POWDERPUFF GUV’S BILLBOARD IS UP: NASHVILLE: We came down for a quick visit to #PowderpuffGuv Gov Bill Lees new Broadway billboard. Nice stems, Guv! #TNDCSCrisis

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Anti-LGBTQ Tennessee Lt. Gov. McNally Comments On Racy Instagram Pics of Young Gay Male

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UPDATE TO THIS STORY: Lt. Governor Randy Mcnally has issued a statement blaming us for calling out his hypocrisy – but, importantly, not denying he’s the one who made these comments, not claiming he was hacked, and not blaming an underling. You can watch our interview with Franklyn, the man in the pics, here. Or listen to the PODCAST.

 

Tennessee is currently leading the nation in anti-LGBTQ hate, with 26 anti-lgbtq bills moving through the legislature. Last week Governor Lee made national news for quickly signing a cruel trans youth health care ban, and the nation’s first drag show felony bill, which threatens to lock up drag performers.

What made the bill even more absurd was the revelation that Governor Lee himself had dressed in drag, on a school campus, in front of minors, back in 1977.

Drag for me, felony for thee.

Lee’s hypocrisy made him a laughingstock, even getting him sent up on Saturday Night Live.

Well hang onto your hats, folks, because it turns out Lee isn’t the only huge hypocrite at the highest levels of Tennessee’s government.

Enter Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, who it turns out has been openly leaving heart emojis and other encouraging comments under very racy pics on the instagram page of a young gay male aspiring performer named Franklyn McClur, who grew up in Knoxville – McNally is from Oak Ridge, but represents parts of Knoxville, where he lives with his wife Janice. They have 2 adult daughters. Mcnally is Roman Catholic.

We were alerted to the pics by an anonymous twitter user who came across them – someone who knew of Franklyn and was entertained by his page. They sent us screen shots and told us where to find them. We were in disbelief.

Sure enough, there they were – and still are, at this writing: Visit Franklyn’s page here under the moniker “@FranklynSuperstar”

McNally repeatedly used his VERIFIED account to post underneath some of Franklyn’s raciest pictures. McNally is apparently very big on heart and flame emojis.

Underneath a few Franklyn and McNally exchange comments, seeming to know one another. McNally even calls Franklyn by “Finn”, his nickname, which is not mentioned anywhere on his page, and speaks to a definite familiarity between them. (Franklyn says they have never met in person)

Knowing McNally would surely claim to be hacked when we posted about this, we decided to call up Franklyn to hear the details from him directly.

Franklyn is currently 20 years old. He grew up in Knoxville (which McNally represents parts of), but no longer lives there. He says he and McNally became friends on Facebook through mutual friends a few years back, and that McNally got Franklyn’s Instagram from there and has been commenting for a while now.

About his pictures, which are revealing, Franklyn says “My body is art, I like to use it the way god intended.”

Franklyn told us he always found it a bit random that the Lieutenant Governor of Tennessee was commenting on his page, but since he’s not a political person he didn’t make the connection that McNally was simultaneously helping to spearhead a deeply anti-LGBTQ legislature which is pushing the most anti-LGBTQ bills in the country.

About the way McNally posted on his page, Franklyn told us he has never taken what appears to be flirting seriously. “I just thought he was older and out of touch. I’ve always taken it as a compliment.  I don’t dislike him or think he’s a bad person, he’s one of the only people who has consistently uplifted me and made me feel good.”

But when we told him about the drag show felony bill, and the anti-trans youth health care bill, and so many of the other bills snaking their way through the Republican supermajority-led legislature, Franklyn agreed that was wrong, saying “It’s wrong to ban drag, wrong to ban anything that isn’t hurting anyone. I don’t support hate of any kind.”

We asked Franklyn if at any point he thought McNally may have been hacked. And he said the thought crossed his mind, but that since they had become friends back in 2020 he (understandably) assumes McNally’s team would know by now if that was the case: “They would be aware by now if he was hacked. It’s evident he’s not hacked.”

It’s worth noting the comments McNally made on Franklyn’s page stretch back months ago. Add that to the fact that Franklyn says he has been messaging with McNally for years, and let’s just say if this is the work of hackers, they’re the most patient hackers ever.

The main point Franklyn wanted to get across was that he has no animosity towards Randy McNally. “I don’t hate him. I don’t dislike him. I don’t have a negative opinion on him. I’ve had a transformation since we started talking — I was more christian, now I’m more not christian. We were friends back before I was more openly myself. Before I was posting things more mature… If he’s hitting on me it’s real out of touch hitting on me.”

Franklyn’s appreciation for McNally is clearly genuine. But while McNally may be supportive of Franklyn, when it comes to the LGBTQ community in Tennessee, he is anything but.

As with the governor’s drag past, the hypocrisy on display here is, yet again, jaw-dropping.

We don’t judge Randy for liking Franklyn’s pictures. In fact, we’re glad he does. We just wish McNally and Tennessee Republicans would stop the hate and treat everyone in Tennessee’s LGBTQ community in the supportive way Lt. Gov. McNally treats Franklyn on Instagram.

Instead, Tennessee Republicans have made hate their #1 priority this session to distract from all the different ways this TN GOP supermajority is failing our state, with outcomes at the bottom in poverty, violent crime, health, per pupil spending, and so much more.

The hate is simply a distraction they use to cling to power, and they don’t care what it does to our most vulnerable communities. What a better state we would have if we all accepted each other for who we are and supported one another.

Speaking of support, Franklyn adds that he would appreciate any support y’all are willing to give him on TIK TOK or better yet VENMO @Franklyn-McClur, as he’s currently working on making his way out to Los Angeles to become, in his words, “the next Doja Cat” (he also wanted to send a shout-out to Justin Bieber, and to let record labels know they should all feel free to contact him!)

Also feel free to support our friends at the Tennessee Equality Project who fight the hate McNally supports HERE, and CHIP IN to help us Holler HERE.