Tennessee Senate adds more transparency to bill that would keep tourism records secret for 10 years
Tennessee’s Republican-controlled Senate on Monday tweaked a proposal initially designed to keep the state’s tourism records hidden from public scrutiny, bidding to add more sunshine into how the state secures high-profile events. Last month, the GOP-dominant House approved legislation that would have allowed the head of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development to exempt any public records for 10 years deemed “sensitive” by both the commissioner and attorney general. The bill, backed by Republican Gov. Bill Lee, alarmed open government advocates who argued that tourism records could legally be destroyed within that 10-year period and thus never see the light of day. MUSICIANS IN TENNESSEE CAN NOW SUE OVER AI-CREATED IMPERSONATIONS, GOVERNOR WARNS TECH CAN ‘DESTROY’ INDUSTRY In response, Senate members changed the proposed bill to say that tourism records deemed “sensitive” can bypass the 10-year waiting period if the state funds involved have been dispersed, the negotiated event concludes or the contract entered into by the state expires. While there’s still a chance some documents could be withheld for 10 years, the Senate’s proposal also states that those records cannot be destroyed during that time period. Yet some Senate lawmakers expressed discontent about adding more public records exemptions. “Anytime we tinker with the open records law and allow exemptions for different parties and stuff, I think we’re going down a slippery slope,” said Sen. Todd Gardenhire, a Republican, who voted against the proposal. Some Nashville Democrats also opposed the legislation even while acknowledging Music City would be the primary benefit of attracting high-profile events. “What could possibly be so secretive that we’re trying to hide?” asked Democratic Sen. Charlane Oliver. “Why do we need a bill like this that does not promote transparency?” Ultimately, the Senate voted 23-6 with two other members choosing to vote “present.” The bill must now go back to the House chamber, where representatives will be asked to accept or reject the changes. Tennessee’s statutes include more than 500 exemptions to public records, and more exist through case law. Lee had vowed to make government more transparent when he took over the top elected office in 2019, but to date, has not loosened those exemptions since taking office. According to records obtained by the Department of Tourism, officials have been discussing potentially hosting a Super Bowl for nearly a year. In an email from the department’s research director, Josh Gibson, other events the state has eyed are a College Football Playoff championship, Wrestlemania, and World Rugby. Gibson wrote in 2023 that the state was considering hosting a Super Bowl by 2030 or 2031, but held off from disclosing how much a bid would cost the state. Meanwhile, he detailed that hosting Wrestlemania in 2027 would potentially cost $9 million in host fees and a CFP National championship game could cost anywhere from $15 million to $18 million in fees. Separately, the tourism agency also helped provide talking points to at least the House sponsor, Republican Rep. Andrew Farmer, on why the bill is needed, which stressed that a 10-year waiting period to release public records was because “larger events, such as the Super Bowl, negotiations are years in the making; therefore, these protections need to be in place 5 to 10 years.” The Tennessee Titans are currently working to move into a new enclosed stadium for the 2027 season. The Nashville-based project carries the largest public price tag for a stadium, totaling $1.2 billion, which tops the $850 million commitment from New York for Buffalo’s new $1.5 billion stadium. The new stadium is have a capacity of about 60,000 and feature a translucent roof.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expected to announce wealthy female entrepreneur as vice presidential running mate
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is expected to announce his presidential running mate on Tuesday. According to several reports, Kennedy intends to name attorney and entrepreneur Nicole Shanahan as his vice presidential candidate in an announcement scheduled for Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET in Oakland, California. The New York Times and NBC News reported that Kennedy selected Shanahan after considering several possible candidates, citing sources close to Kennedy’s campaign. Kennedy, a longtime environmental activist and high-profile vaccine skeptic who is a scion of one of the nation’s most storied political dynasties, is trying to convince voters across the nation to forgo support for either of the two major political parties, and elect the first independent presidential candidate since George Washington. DEMOCRATS RIPPED FOR TRYING TO ‘KILL DEMOCRACY’ WITH EFFORT TO PROTECT BIDEN, SILENCE THIRD-PARTY CANDIDATES It was rumored prior to the announcement that Kennedy was also considering New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura — who was elected as a third-party candidate — and “Dirty Jobs” star Mike Rowe. Choosing a vice president candidate could add a boost in support for Kennedy, though many within the Democratic establishment anticipated his campaign to wane early on. Kennedy initially launched his presidential bid as a Democrat last April, but he later announced an independent run in October after the Democratic National Committee (DNC) said it would not hold primary debates and was standing behind incumbent President Biden. WATCH: DEMOCRAT FRONTRUNNER IN TIGHT SENATE RACE DROPS RACIAL SLUR DURING HOUSE HEARING Democrats are worried Kennedy’s candidacy hurts Biden’s chances at being re-elected, leading the DNC to launch a team earlier this month solely dedicated to combating his presidential bid, as well as those of independent presidential candidate Dr. Cornel West, and Green Party candidate Dr. Jill Stein. The naming of a running mate will likely boost Kennedy in his goal to get on the presidential ballot in all 50 states, as he needs a running mate to qualify in numerous states. With a little over seven months to go until the presidential election, Utah is the only state where Kennedy’s name is confirmed. His campaign says he has secured enough signatures to land on the ballot in New Hampshire and Hawaii. But on the eve of the running mate announcement, Kennedy ran into a major snag in Nevada, after state election officials said that the signatures his campaign gathered may be invalid due to a lack of a running mate. The campaign fired back, claiming that Democrats were trying to keep him off the ballot in the key western battleground state. The latest RealClearPolitics average of polls has Kennedy reaching 15% in a three-way race against Biden and former President Donald Trump. The average shows Trump ahead of Biden by 4 points. A five-way race including West and Stein has Kennedy’s support at 11%, with Trump having a 2-point advantage over Biden. Fox News’ Danielle Wallace, Timothy H. J. Nerozzi, Joseph A. Wulfsohn and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Baltimore bridge collapse: Congressional leaders considering federal assistance
Congressional leaders are weighing the best way to aid in recovery efforts in Maryland following Tuesday’s nautical disaster. The Francis Scott Key Bridge along I-695 in Maryland collapsed into the Baltimore harbor following a “ship strike” early Tuesday morning. Top lawmakers are keeping abreast of the mass casualty event and remain open to providing any aid needed by local officials, Fox has learned. “We are quickly working to address this situation,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md). BALTIMORE BRIDGE COLLAPSES INTO HARBOR AFTER SHIP STRIKE, CAUSING MASS CASUALTY EVENT “The federal delegation stands ready to support,” indicated Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD). There is a precedent for Congress to step in and aid the recovery efforts in Baltimore, having previously done so for similar disasters. Congress approved a quarter of a billion dollars on an emergency basis to cover the I-35W bridge collapse over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2007. BALTIMORE BRIDGE COLLAPSE: RAVENS ‘GRATEFUL’ FOR FIRST RESPONDERS ON SCENE AMID ‘SHOCKING’ INCIDENT Only a few days later, the White House declared a state of emergency in the state. That allowed Minnesota to recover costs from the federal government and begin to remove debris from the scene. The late Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.) was chairman of the House Transportation at the Committee at the time. Although the bridge was not in Oberstar’s district, he was able to muscle through an emergency appropriation of $250 million to the state department of transportation to begin rebuilding the bridge. Considering the amount of trade which funnels through the Port of Baltimore – to say nothing of traffic and commerce which moves across the Francis Scott Key Bridge as a major east coast artery – it is possible Congress could be called upon to provide funding to rebuild the bridge in record time. “Of course it will affect trade. I’m worried about the families and all of the inconvenience that will occur because the bridge is gone. It was such a good link,” said Rep. Carol Miller (R-W.V.).
IRS says 940,000 people have not claimed expiring 2020 tax refunds totaling over $1B
The IRS is warning taxpayers that they may be leaving more than $1 billion on the table. The federal tax collector said Monday that roughly 940,000 people in the U.S. have until May 17 to submit tax returns for unclaimed refunds for tax year 2020, which total more than $1 billion nationwide. The average median refund is $932 for 2020. Texas (93,400), California (88,200), Florida (53,200) and New York (51,400) have the largest number of people potentially eligible for these refunds. JIM JORDAN OPENS INVESTIGATION INTO ACCUSATIONS IRS IS USING AI TO SPY ON TAXPAYERS ‘EN MASSE’ IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in a statement: “We want taxpayers to claim these refunds, but time is running out for people who may have overlooked or forgotten about these refunds. There’s a May 17 deadline to file these returns so taxpayers should start soon to make sure they don’t miss out.” For people who need to file a return, the IRS advises taxpayers to request their W-2, 1098, 1099 or 5498 from their employer or bank — or order a free wage and income transcript using the “Get Transcript Online” tool at IRS.gov. Taxpayers typically have three years to file and claim tax refunds, otherwise the money becomes the property of the U.S. Treasury. Generally the deadline to claim old refunds falls around the April 15 tax deadline, but this year the three-year window for 2020 unfiled returns was postponed to May 17, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But if taxpayers haven’t filed a return for tax year 2021 and 2022, any 2020 refunds would be withheld until they file for those years as well to make sure they don’t owe. Werfel said “some people may not realize they may be owed a refund. We encourage people to review their files and start gathering records now, so they don’t run the risk of missing the May deadline.” Tax season officially began on January 29. According to the latest tax season statistics, more than 71.5 million individual tax filings have been submitted to the IRS this season.
Ken Paxton agrees to community service to avoid trial, conviction in securities fraud case
Paxton, who will not have to enter a plea under the terms of the agreement, faced the prospect of decades in prison if he had been convicted of fraud.
Comer fundraising email dampens prospects of Biden impeachment, says ‘criminal referrals’ are goal
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer appears to be pouring cold water on the prospects of impeaching President Biden in a new fundraising email sent to voters on Monday evening. Comer said “criminal referrals” would be the “culmination” of his ongoing impeachment inquiry. In the message sent to supporters, the Kentucky Republican blamed Democrats and cited the left’s uniform opposition to impeaching Biden’s Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. “I’ve presented mountains of evidence confirming Joe Biden’s involvement in his family’s influence peddling scheme, and I just had a group of the Biden family’s business confidants publicly testify about the first family’s criminal activity,” Comer’s email read. “At any other time in history, that would have been the final nail in the coffin of the Biden Crime Family’s reign of corruption.” AOC TAKES HEAT OVER ‘RICO IS NOT A CRIME’ COMMENT IN BIDEN IMPEACHMENT PROBE HEARING “But we are not in a normal time in history… As it stands right now, the deranged Democrats are refusing to take up the Impeachment Trial of Alejandro Mayorkas and threatening to dismiss it within minutes when it finally is brought up. Even ‘centrist’ Democrats called the Mayorkas Impeachment Trial ‘ridiculous’ just days after a criminal illegal brutally murdered Laken Riley in cold blood.” House Republicans voted to impeach Mayorkas over the border crisis last month, but the impeachment articles have not yet been sent over to the Senate. Once they are, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., must act on them swiftly – though the Democratic majority is likely to scuttle them as soon as possible. Comer’s email then asked, “What do you think they would do if we Impeached Biden?” HOUSE HOLDS PUBLIC HEARING ON BIDEN FAMILY ‘INFLUENCE PEDDLING’ WITH EX-HUNTER BIDEN ASSOCIATES “It’s clear that Democrats will choose their party over their country and the truth at every turn. They should be ashamed of themselves. That’s why I am preparing criminal referrals as the culmination of my investigation,” he wrote. “When President Trump returns to the White House, it’s critical the new leadership at the DOJ have everything they need to prosecute the Biden Crime Family and deliver swift justice.” Comer said criminal referrals are “the best way” to hold the Bidens accountable, “as it’s now clear the Democrats will do anything to hold onto power.” He made similar comments during a Newsmax interview last week after the House held its second impeachment inquiry hearing. Hunter Biden, whose foreign business dealings are a central focus of investigators looking into whether then-Vice President Biden used his position to enrich his family, turned down an invitation to appear at that event. FBI INFORMANT CHARGED WITH GIVING FALSE INFORMATION ABOUT HUNTER BIDEN IN 2020 Earlier this month, Fox News Digital heard from several GOP lawmakers who, while maintaining they believe the president is guilty of at least acting improperly, admitted current conditions in the House make it unlikely the chamber will actually impeach him. Those prospects will get trickier after April 19 when Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., leaves early, leaving House Republicans with just a one-vote majority. Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., a member of the Oversight Committee, told Fox News Digital last week that it’s “very possible” there will be a full House vote, but said impeaching Biden “has never been the purpose” of the inquiry. “The purpose is doing these investigations. We have a formalized impeachment inquiry because some of the initial information we’ve uncovered has led us to the current information now,” Donalds said. When asked whether he meant the impeachment inquiry’s goal was not an impeachment vote, Donalds challenged, “That’s not what I’m saying.” “It was about doing our investigation into the allegations of public corruption by the Biden family. We have now proven that yes, there was public corruption going on… The question now becomes, does all the evidence we have take us to high crimes and misdemeanors? But you have to have an impeachment inquiry in order to assess and gain all that information,” he said. “Unlike the Democrats, we didn’t walk in just promising impeachment on day one.”
MD Senate panel supports Republican nominee to elections board after previous member charged in Jan. 6 protest
A Maryland Senate panel voted Monday night to support a Republican nominee to the state elections board to replace a previous board member who resigned this year when he was charged with participating in the January 2021 rioting at the U.S. Capitol. The vote by the Senate Executive Nominations Committee sends the nomination of Diane Butler to the full Senate for a confirmation vote. BLACK LAWMAKERS REJECT DEMOCRAT FRONTRUNNER IN TIGHT SENATE RACE AFTER USE OF RACIAL SLUR Earlier this month, the board questioned Butler at a hearing about where she was on Jan. 6, 2021. She said she was at home. Committee members said they would be more careful in confirmation proceedings for state election officials. They have asked similar questions of Democrats nominated to posts overseeing the election process. They also asked Butler about her beliefs in the integrity of the state’s election system. Butler is a former member of the Howard County Board of Elections. Three of the five members of the Maryland State Board of Elections are Democrats, since the current governor is a Democrat. The Maryland Republican Party chooses the other two members to submit to the governor, and the governor forwarded Butler’s nomination to the Senate committee.
Jordanian forces violently break up protests outside Israel embassy
NewsFeed Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside the Israeli embassy in Jordan’s capital for a second day, demanding an end to Jordan’s peace agreement with Israel. Security forces broke up demonstrations with tear gas and arrests, leaving several people injured. Published On 26 Mar 202426 Mar 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
Who is election disrupter Robert F Kennedy Jr?
Robert F Kennedy Jr, scion of the most famous United States political dynasty, will announce his running mate on Tuesday as he competes as an independent candidate in the 2024 US presidential election. The odds are stacked against him as no third-party candidate has won the presidency in more than a century and a half. But the longtime environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine activist has been able to create a media buzz, thanks to his strong brand recognition: His uncle was former President John F Kennedy, and his father was Robert F Kennedy, a former US attorney general and senator. He ditched the Democratic Party after failing to secure its presidential nomination and is playing to both far-left and far-right elements in his long-shot bid for the White House. His campaign appears to be resonating among so-called double haters, who dread the prospect of a rematch between incumbent Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, who is the frontrunner to win the Republican Party’s nomination despite his legal woes. Recent opinion polls indicated that while he might take voters from both candidates, it is Biden whom he could hurt the most. The committee in the US House of Representatives that investigated the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol by Trump supporters shows footage of a 2020 presidential election debate between Trump, left, and Biden. The two men are set for a rematch in November [File: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters] Amid a climate of political disenchantment, Kennedy has projected himself as a political outsider and blasts “corporate kleptocracy” while touting his environmental credentials. A longtime vaccine sceptic, he has been accused of spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine on alternative media outlets, such as conservative host Joe Rogan’s popular podcast. Rogan has also been accused of spreading falsehoods about COVID-19 vaccines on The Joe Rogan Experience. While Kennedy’s detractors have branded him a conspiracy theorist, his supporters hail him as a truth teller. So who is this political freewheeler? Where does he come from? What does he think, and does he really stand a chance of winning? What is Kennedy’s background? Kennedy’s family name evokes privilege and tragedy in equal measure. He was just nine years old when President John F Kennedy was shot dead in November 1963. His father, Robert, suffered the same fate while mounting his own presidential bid five years later. Senator Robert F Kennedy addresses a throng of supporters in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968, after winning California’s presidential primary election. A moment later, he was fatally shot [Dick Strobel/AP Photo] Grief-stricken, RFK Jr turned to heroin to “fill an empty space inside of me”, finally getting clean after an arrest for possession. His second wife, Mary, mother of four of his six children, also battled addiction and died by suicide. He is now married to Cheryl Hines, famous for her role on the sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm. Kennedy suffers from a speech impediment called spasmodic dysphonia, which causes muscles in the larynx to spasm, although the condition has not seemed to have dented his performance on shows hosted by the likes of Rogan and conservative Canadian best-selling author Jordan Peterson, where his shoot-from-the-hip style plays well. His controversial views have led his own family to disavow him. “Bobby might share the same name as our father, but he does not share the same values, vision or judgment,” his siblings said in a statement posted on X. “We denounce his candidacy and believe it to be perilous for our country.” Bobby might share the same name as our father, but he does not share the same values, vision or judgment. Today’s announcement is deeply saddening for us. We denounce his candidacy and believe it to be perilous for our country. @roryekennedy @joekennedy @KKT_Kennedy pic.twitter.com/WJfGwSxN1z — Kerry Kennedy (@KerryKennedyRFK) October 9, 2023 What does he stand for? Not one for sticking to a script, Kennedy holds a mixed bag record of often contradictory views that make him difficult to pigeonhole. Take the environment. Once named a “Hero of the Planet” by Time magazine, the former environmental lawyer is known for his campaigns to clean up the nation’s waterways, reduce the use of toxic pesticides and promote renewables. Yet his calls for “freedom and free markets” as a solution to climate change have raised fears that he would let industry set the pace for curbing fossil fuel use. He has also threatened to repeal Biden’s signature climate legislation, which pushes for a transition to a green economy. His libertarian streak came to the fore during the COVID-19 pandemic when he accused the US government’s then-chief medical adviser, Anthony Fauci, of “a historic coup d’etat against Western democracy”. He also claimed the virus was engineered to attack Caucasians and Black people, sparing Chinese people and Ashkenazi Jews. His views on the Israel-Palestine conflict are typically contradictory. Kennedy supported Roger Waters last year amid mass outrage over a gig that saw the Pink Floyd co-founder donning Nazi attire and projecting the logo of an Israeli arms firm on a giant inflated pig. Yet, months later, the politician staunchly defended Israel’s no-limits war on Gaza, which has killed more than 32,000 people and pushed the besieged enclave to the verge of famine. Isolationist by nature, he opposes aid to Ukraine, blaming the US and NATO for creating a “proxy war” with Russia. In a recent interview, he said the billions in funding to the war-torn country could be used for “healing farms” for people in the throes of addiction and depression as he highlighted the fentanyl crisis. “His task will be to straddle the huge chasm between RFK Jr, the very liberal, progressive environmentalist and the anti-vaccination crusader,” said Steffen Schmidt, professor emeritus in the Department of Political Science at Iowa State University. On immigration, RFK Jr opposes Trump’s plan to erect a wall on the US border with Mexico. He has also been critical of Biden’s handling of the border crisis. He has promised to secure the border with the
What does the UN resolution on Gaza ceasefire mean?
NewsFeed The UN Security Council has passed its first resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza after nearly six months of war. Here are some of the key takeaways. Published On 26 Mar 202426 Mar 2024 Adblock test (Why?)