Dems targeting DesJarlais
Looks like the TNDP thinks Scott DesJarlais is beatable:
Tennessee Democratic Party officials are renewing accusations of "pay-to-play politics" in U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais' office.
Statewide Democratic leaders initially raised the issue in late March, saying the first-term Republican received re-election help from a nuclear energy company five days before he urged government officials to "free up funds" for one of the company's projects.
A minutelong video released Thursday describes DesJarlais as "bought and paid for by the Washington lobbyists."
Horsefeathers
These investigations of walking horses that have revealed evidence of soring?
As originally introduced, their bill -- House Bill 3620/Senate Bill 3460 -- would create a new state criminal offense "for a person to apply for employment with the intent to cause economic damage to the employer by means of unauthorized recording of video or audio while on the premises of the employer and releasing such recordings to a third party."
The bill also declared that "All recordings taken in violation of this section shall be confiscated and, after used as evidence, destroyed."
A spokesman for the Humane Society of the United States said Thursday the Gresham-Holt bill would have made it illegal for the organization to have sent a representative undercover to work at Tennessee Walking Horse trainer Jackie McConnell's Whitter Stables in Fayette County near Collierville.
Straight cash, homey
The governor has signed a bill making it easier for the state to give outright cash — rather than tax incentives — to relocating companies.
Disconnection?
The TFA has vowed to take on its opponents, elimating them like "political snipers."
I reached Harris at his office, but he hung up in the middle of a question about whether or not he has any concern that such violent rhetoric, even in metaphoric terms, could have consequences beyond his intent. When I called back and told him we had apparently been disconnected, he corrected the record.
"No we weren't. I hung up. I don't have time for your silliness," he said before hanging up again.
High on homegrown
A bill requiring that Metro employees live in Metro is back again.
Guess it's that time of the year
Rob Mortensen, seeking the Republican nomination in Senate 20, is also having a fundraiser. His is at Cabana. [PDF]
Palm of your hand
Senate 20 candidate Steve Dickerson will have a fundraiser at The Palm hosted by Sens. Bill Ketron and Jack Johnson. [PDF]
You've got troubles
Two of Bob Corker's challengers have problems (not related to the fact they are trying to beat Bob Corker). Republican challenger Brenda Lenard has a conviction for bad checks and Democrat Larry Crim has a bankruptcy.
Sour?
Did Scottie Mayfield step in it?
"Social Security and Medicare are programs we've promised to older Americans and they are entitled to them," Mayfield wrote. "Medicaid is not an entitlement. Welfare is not an entitlement. These and many other programs are charity, taking from one taxpayer and giving to a non-taxpayer."
The paper omits two facts -- that some have jobs and collect paychecks with regular deductions for Social Security, Medicare and other government-funded programs, and that all Medicaid enrollees who live in Tennessee pay state sales tax every time they buy groceries.
Records show that 1.2 million Tennesseans are enrolled in TennCare, the state's Medicaid program for poor, elderly and disabled residents. TennCare spokeswoman Kelly Gunderson said she could not provide a firm percentage or number of enrollees with jobs.
"But I can confirm with you that, yes, there are members of our program that are employed," Gunderson said.
