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

/in , , /by

 

SENATOR JANICE BOWLING CAUGHT IN FURRY LIE LIE

/in , , /by

During a committee meeting a few months ago, Republicans Senator Janice Bowling and Rep. Mary Littleton perpetuated the myth that there are students in Tennessee identifying as cats and using “litter boxes” to go to the bathroom in some Tennessee schools.

The lie is part of a wave of misinformation intended to harm public education by giving public schools a bad reputation, and also to target LGBTQ people. As SALON puts it:

“The first notable instance of furry panic occurred when right-wing activists pushed a false claim about schools in Michigan placing litter boxes in bathrooms to allow furry students to use them, and the bogus rumors about furry infiltration into the public education system have only grown from there.”

Matt Walsh of The Daily Wire, known for his transphobia, talked about it in an anti-trans propaganda film he made, and Joe Rogan helped add fuel to the fire before eventually admitting he had no evidence of it.

That brings us back to Janice and Mary. Since their comments were made when the legislature was out of session we didn’t have a chance to ask them about it until yesterday, when we finally caught Senator Bowling coming out of Day 1 of the Tennessee state senate.

We asked her if being featured on an NBC NEWS debunking was enough to get her to admit she was wrong and apologize.

Surprise! She would not.

Instead, Janice doubled down. Senator Bowling repeatedly insisted the myth of furries in schools was not a lie, but instead of “litter boxes in schools”, which is what she initially claimed, she now said it was “LEASHES” in schools – meaning kids were walking around attached to leashes intended for pets.

The natural question: “Where is this happening?”

“Franklin County schools,” Janice said, claiming she talked with the superintendent, who told her about all of these leashes and furries and such.

The thing is, Franklin County Schools has telephones. The superintendent’s name is Stanley Bean.

So we called Mr. Bean and asked him ourselves about Janice Bowling’s accusations that his schools had children walking around on leashes.

Mr. Bean’s response: “There are no litter boxes in our schools. There are no students on leashes. I don’t know where Senator Bowling is coming up with this stuff.”

Apparently Mr. Bean was made aware of Bowling’s lies about furries and litter boxes in their schools back when she initially talked about them in committee, when the superintendent of Tullahoma schools, who is a friend of Bean’s, told him Senator Bowling was claiming such things were going on in their district.

Superintendent Bean says he called Senator Bowling himself and asked her where she was getting that information. Bowling told him it was coming from parents, so Mr. Bean did the logical thing and asked Senator Bowling to bring the parents to a meeting with him so they could talk about what they had seen, and where.

Bowling agreed.

When the time came for the meeting, Senator Bowling showed up, but there were no parents to be found. “She told me they were afraid to tell me in person,” Bean said. “So I told her that without any evidence she needed to retract what she had said about out schools. She said she would.”

Bean says the next thing he knew, Bowling was on local radio – but instead of retracting and apologizing, Senator Bowling was claiming to have put a stop to all the furrying and litter boxing and what-not, by issuing an order to Mr. Bean to put a stop to it.

Bowling made herself sound not like a fool who had fallen for a lie, but a hero.

Bean was angry. But he decided to let it go.

Unfortunately for Senator Bowling, letting things go isn’t something we at the Holler are very good at. So yesterday we asked Bowling about it at the legislature, and instead of apologizing, she insisted Mr. Bean told her there were kids on leashes in Franklin County Schools, and angrily told us we simply couldn’t handle the truth.

As it turns out, it’s Senator Bowling who very clearly has trouble with the truth.

There are no furries in Franklin County Schools. Or Leashes. Or Litter Boxes.

Senator Janet Bowling has been duped, but instead of admitting her mistake, she childishly and irresponsibly added to the problem by piling lie after lie on top of it – behavior unbecoming of anyone, but especially of a sitting state Senator who is supposed to be representing her constituents and her local school districts, not lying about them and defaming them.

At least Meow we know the truth.

AFTER DECADES OF UNDERINVESTMENT, WHITE TN REPUBLICANS GRILL HBCU TSU FOR DOING TOO WELL

/in , , /by

2022: A YEAR OF HOLLERING

/in , , /by

REP. JUSTIN JONES ARRIVES AT THE CAPITOL

/in , , , /by

Alan Levine Lashes Out At Phil Williams Over “Conflicts of Interest” Piece

/in , , , , /by

These are the times we save receipts for. Ballad Health CEO Alan Levine took the time to lash out at Phil Williams for calling out the conflicts of interest of Governor Lee’s handpicked charter schools appeal board – but Phil is absolutely right.

Levine is hardly the best messenger for this, having been the subject of a 60 Minutes medicare fraud piece when he worked at HMA.

HOLLERFEST 2022 HIGHLIGHTS!

/in , , , , /by

 

HOLLERFEST 2022 TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

/in , , , , /by
2ND ANNUAL HOLLERFEST 2022 AT EXIT/IN OCTOBER 3RD
Tickets on sale now HERE
(Sponsored by SEIU)
Hollerfest 2022 is here! Join us for a night of inspiration and music in support of the Tennessee Holler as we host the 2nd annual “Hollerfest” Monday night, October 3rd at Exit/In in Nashville beginning at 7pm CST.
Hear from some of the most powerful progressive voices in Tennessee, and some of the candidates running to make a difference. Billed as “a night of inspiration and music”, Hollerfest will feature a series of brief speeches from powerful progressive voices from around Tennessee, including candidates for congress Odessa Kelly and Senator Heidi Campbell, newly elected representative Justin Jones, the Equity Alliance’s Tequila Johnson, Matthew “Coach” Hawn, Rep. Gloria Johnson, Comedian Josh Black, Levi Black, candidate for governor Dr. Jason Martin and more – plus the music of local Nashville artists Lou Ridley & Chuck Indigo.
“The first Hollerfest was all digital during the pandemic, and it was a lot of fun,” said Justin Kanew, founder of the Holler. “We’re excited to be able to get all of these great voices together in person this time to lift up their stories and provide some inspiration to all the Tennesseans working hard to make Tennessee a better place at a time when those in power seem to be doing all they can to drag us backwards in so many ways.”
It’s a night you won’t want to miss. Space is limited, so get your Tickets on sale now HERE, and sign up to subscribe and support the Holler HERE. 
ABOUT THE TENNESSEE HOLLER:
The Tennessee Holler is an independent, reader-supported network of progressive accountability journalism sites with 10 regional Hollers across Tennessee “Yelling the Truth” about what’s going on here in our state, lifting up voices and shining a light on injustices in Tennessee.
​

WELCOME TO FORCED BIRTH TENNESSEE

/in , , , /by
WELCOME TO FORCED BIRTH TENNESSEE

Yesterday the Trigger Ban triggered. Now any doctor performing an abortion in Tennessee can be charged with a FELONY, WITHOUT EXCEPTION.

You heard us right. There are no exceptions.

Not for rape. Not for incest. Not to save a mother’s life. Nothing.

Republicans like Governor Lee continue to say there are exceptions, but they are either lying, or they haven’t read their own bill. The bill says doctors can claim they were saving the mother’s life as an “AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE”, but that means the doctor will be on trial, charged, having been arrested, and the burden will be on THEM to prove the mother was at risk as opposed to on the state.

This means doctors will have to take that into consideration when deciding to perform life-saving health care. Which means women will die. Period. We’re already seeing examples of care being withheld throughout the country.

As a TN DOCTOR said yesterday at the “Healthcare in Handcuffs” rally in NASHVILLE: “Sadly, termination of the pregnancy will put me at risk of being charged with a felony… despite misinformation, THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS… this law is dangerous to the women of Tennessee.”

During the rally one young anti-abortion loudmouth was heckling the doctors, cheering for the idea of them going to prison, so we eventually confronted him.
WATCH: “YOU’RE NOT ACTUALLY ‘PRO-LIFE’ — YOU’RE FORCED BIRTH.”

Holler founder Kanew’s confrontation with the heckler continued after it was over, driving home the point that opposing Medicaid expansion & universal health care is not “pro-life”. The heckler was 20 years old and proudly “saving himself for marriage” as he seeks to stop everyone from having sex by telling women to “close their legs” (maybe the virgin thing isn’t voluntary with that kind of talk buddy) and dismissing the Old Testament as irrelevant because numbers 5:11-30 hurts the argument he’s making since God instructs a priest to have a woman drink something  which would make her miscarry if she was unfaithful, which sounds pretty abortion-y to us.🤔

The Heckler did, however, eventually concede there should be exceptions for life of the mom.

READ THE BILL. THERE ARE NONE. If you don’t believe us, believe the Tennessean👇🏽😳 

As Rep. Gloria Johnson points out, Republicans need to fix this NO EXCEPTIONS mess by calling a special session by calling a special session: “There are 0 exceptions… that Republicans don’t understand their bill should terrify everyone. CALL A SPECIAL SESSION AND FIX THIS MESS YOU MADE THAT WILL KILL PEOPLE.”

It’s a frightening, dangerous, deadly situation that Republicans have put us in. It’s hard to know if they did it knowingly and lied about it, or if they didn’t understand the bill they passed. Neither is good. Call your reps and tell them it must be fixed.

We’ll keep yelling the truth about all this. Please consider chipping in monthly if you can. We depend on your support.

– The Holler
(CHIP IN MONTHLY HERE)
Please consider chipping in even just $5 or $10 monthly to help us continue this work.

Set your clocks back…

BUYING OR SELLING A HOME IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE? HOLLER AT REALTOR ELISA PARKER!
SERVING MIDDLE TN FOR 20+ YEARS… SUPPORT US BY SUPPORTING HER!  CLICK HERE:

Interested in sponsoring? Email:[email protected]

TODAY’S HOLLER:
WE SEE YOU CHATTANOOGA: “We’re standing up for our rights, and our bodies, and autonomy.” Nooga also rallied for women’s rights yesterday as the draconian No-exception TN GOP trigger ban went into effect. #BansOffOurBodies

JASON MARTIN: This bill is radical. There are no exceptions, even for rape or life of the mother… Governor Lee is lying or he doesn’t know what bill he signed. Either is disqualifying.” Governor candidate Dr. Jason Martin was in Nashville for the rally against the TN GOP trigger ban. He also CHALLENGED HIM TO A DEBATE.

WATCH: “That weighs on me. I voted for that bill. These are affecting people. That whole week I didn’t sleep.” S. Carolina Republican Neal Collins regrets his abortion ban vote now that life-saving care is (PREDICTABLY) being denied. #BandOffOurBodies #RoeRoeRoeYourVote

FLASHBACK: “This is gonna let a violent rapist choose the mother of his child, but not let a victim of rape to determine if she’s going to carry that child?” Rep. Lynn told Rep. Gloria Johnson the truth — that THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS in the TN GOP abortion ban… then walked it back👇🏽🤥

Kaiser Health News reporter Brett Kelman says the TN GOP abortion ban has his family thinking about leaving 👇🏽 Really sad what this radical extremist supermajority is doing to our state. 😳

🔥ODESSA KELLY: “This is white supremacy. Class warfare. State-sanctioned violence… Republicans have given us a moment in time to say we defeated FASCISM.”
TN-7 candidate Odessa Kelly didn’t hold back today. Tennessee becomes a forced birth state TOMORROW. #BansOffOurBodies

As Tennessee becomes a FORCED BIRTH STATE under this Republican supermajority we just got more evidence that treating women as 2nd class citizens will getcha beat. #BansOffOurBodies

😳FRANKLIN, TN: “Teens teach themselves sex Ed BECAUSE THE ADULTS WON’T” TN Republicans (JACK JOHNSON) banned anything but abstinence-only education (which doesn’t work) — so now in Jack Johnson & Governor Lee’s home county teens try to protect themselves.

FLASHBACK: “FOX 17 investigation found 17 TENNESSEE REPUBLICAN lawmakers who supported unemployment cuts accepted PPP loans for their businesses — a combined $12.4 MILLION.” So spare us the student loan crocodile tears. 🐊

😂 #studentdebtrelief

The White House is bringing the thunder on these Republican student debt PPP loan hypocrites 🔥 👀

“271,000+ TENNESSEANS WILL HAVE THEIR STUDENT LOANS CANCELED UNDER BIDEN’S PLAN…” No wonder Republicans are so upset.

TRAE CROWDER: 🔥 “I’d like to think experiencing a form of suffering would make you sympathetic to those in a similar plight, as opposed to resenting them when they’re relieved of it… but what do I know? I never read the Bible or nothin’.”

Williamson County pastor 👇🏽

SSSSSHAPIRO: We’re honored to be included in this article about tweets ripping Ben Shapiro’s loan forgiveness hypocrisy.


REMINDER: The same Republicans complaining about student debt cancellation cheered as Trump let them write off 100% OF THEIR PRIVATE JETS. (while slashing trillions in taxes for the wealthy)

PRESIDENT BIDEN: “I will never apologize for helping working Americans & the middle class — especially not to the same folks who voted for a $2 trillion tax cut that mainly benefited the wealthiest Americans and the biggest corporations.” #CancelStudentDebt

Biden’s plan to forgive student loan debt — $10,000 for anyone making under $125,000 a year, $20,000 if you went to school on Pell Grants.

REPORTER: “Is this fair to people who didn’t take out student loans?” — 🔥BIDEN MIC DROP: “Was it fair to people who didn’t own multi-million dollar businesses to watch those guys get huge tax cuts?” 👀 🎯 *moonwalks away*

The NY TIMES picks up the story of disgraced ex-speaker Glen Casada and his chief of staff Cade Cothren getting arrested by the FBI and facing 20 counts.

CASADA LEAVING THE COURTHOUSE: “Glen, do you owe Tennesseans an apology? Do you feel bad? Should the Governor be worried?” Disgraced ex-speaker Casada leaving the federal courthouse after pleading not guilty to all 20 counts… they face many years and fines, 20 count indictment includes bribery, laundering, conspiracy, kickback…

CADE COTHREN SPEAKS ON HIS WAY OUT THE COURTHOUSE AFTER PLEADING NOT GUILTY TO 20 COUNTS: “The truth will come out, Phil.” —- Or maybe it already did, Cade? 🤔

🤣 CASADA IN CUFFS REACTION: GOV. LEE – who hands out no-bid contracts like candy, didn’t remove an admitted sexual abuser, maybe offered a military promotion to pass his vouchers, betrayed teachers, etc… now has “no tolerance” for lack of integrity? LOL. 🤷🏻‍♂️ #CasadaInCuffs

😳MUST-WATCH SUPERCUT: FOX TRASHING TEACHERS.  Again — it isn’t just HILLSDALE & @GovBillLee. The war on our teachers & schools is the right-wing’s core agenda.

CHATTANOOGA: Republican school board member RHONDA THURMAN (a regular focus for us) complains “Hispanic students who speak little or no English are overwhelming Hamilton County schools” calls them a “mind-boggling burden” on schools 🤔😳

⚾️ NOLENSVILLE advances to the 🇺🇸 Little League World Series championship to face HONOLULU Saturday (winner faces the winner of Chinese Taipei vs. Curaçao)

WATCH: “Elections are about choices. There has never been a clearer difference between 2 candidates.” TN-5 congress candidate senator Senator Heidi Campbell says she’s trying to unite while far-right extremist Mayor Andy Ogles tries to divide, and says a new internal poll has her ahead.

Priorities. 🇺🇸 #CancelStudentDebt

CARTOON OF THE DAY

Please consider CHIPPING IN MONTHLY to help us grow… make it $10 and we’ll send you a holler hat! (note your address on PayPal and which color you want when you chip in) 
Now on CASH APP: $TNHoller

SUPPORT THE TN EQUALITY PROJECT:

INTERVIEW: REP. MIKE STEWART (On Knocking doors for Cheney)

/in , , , , /by

Rep. Mike Stewart tells us why he knocked doors for Cheney despite disagreeing with her on pretty much every issue – because we’re in a crisis of democracy, and without a democratic system we won’t make progress on anything. PODCAST

WATCH: