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Democrats call on General Assembly to fire Secretary of State Tre Hargett

Friday, July 10th, 2009

The Tennessee Democratic Party today requested the General Assembly fire Sec. of State Tre Hargett for continuing to obstruct the implementation of the Tennessee Voter Confidence Act. Earlier this week, the Sec. of State issued a press release stating there isn’t enough time to uphold the new law that requires paper ballots in next year’s elections.

“The Secretary of State is using his office to obstruct the voting rights of all Tennesseans,” Forrester said. “Mr. Hargett’s refusal to do the job he was sworn to do appears to be part of a nefarious Republican strategy to stand in the way of secure and verifiable elections in Tennessee.

Instead of working to implement state law that was passed almost unanimously last year by both the House and Senate, Sec. Hargett has spent the time lobbying legislators to support Sen. Bill Ketron’s (R-13) bill to re-write the law so that it doesn’t apply to the 2010 elections. State Election Coordinator Mark Goins has also urged county election commissioners to spend their time lobbying the legislature back Sen. Ketron.

In an effort to distract voters from growing unease with recent Republican run-ins with the law, including a federal lawsuit against 8 Republican election commissioners, Sec. Hargett today awarded Sen. Ketron a medallion for all his legislative effort to delay the Tennessee Voter Confidence Act and to kill the state’s Ethics Comission.

“I am honored to present the NASS Medallion Award to Sen. Ketron for his work in pursuing the highest standards of integrity in the electoral process as well as his work to protect the fiscal stability of local governments,” Hargett said in the news release from Senate Republican Caucus spokeswoman Darlene Schlicher.

It’s no surprise Sec. Hargett would use one of five medallions he’s allowed to give out every year as a tool in his continued campaign to obstruct existing election law. Sec. Hargett and Sen. Ketron are two peas in a Republican pod working together to make sure the Tennessee Voter Confidence Act does not apply to the 2010 elections. Voters of Rutherford County deserve and demand better.

Posted in 2010, Elections, Legislation, Sen. Bill Ketron (R-13), Watchdog Alert | No Comments »

Republican election commissioners vote to spend local tax dollars on Chattanooga lawyers

Thursday, July 9th, 2009

Republican election commissioners voted to spend Rutherford County tax payer money on lawyers from Chattanooga to defend themselves in a federal lawsuit. The lawsuit filed in District Court yesterday against Republican Election Commission Chair Tom Walker and seven other Republicans across the state alleges violations of the United States Constitution for partisan selections of County Election Administrators.

Republicans gained a 3-2 majority on county election commissions across the state of Tennessee when Republicans took control of the House and Senate. The plaintiffs in the federal lawsuit (view the lawsuit here) will argue in District Court that Republican defendants violated federal law by making hiring decisions for non-policy making positions based on party affiliation. This is the third time within a month that Republican Election Commissioner Walker has had a run-in with the law.

Apparently Republican election commissioners don’t feel there is a single attorney in Rutherford County capable or willing to defend their actions in a District Court. The bill to defend Rutherford County Republicans could cost Rutherford County tax payers hundreds of thousands of dollars, all of which will now line the pockets of Chattanooga lawyers.

Here is the story from the Daily News Journal.

The Rutherford County Election Commission voted 3-2, along party lines this evening to hire two Chattanooga attorneys to represent the three Republican members of the commission named in a federal lawsuit Wednesday.

A civil lawsuit was filed in federal court late Wednesday on behalf of eight administrators of elections who were allegedly terminated or have been threatened with termination on the sole basis of their perceived or actual political party affiliation.

The Election Commission also voted unanimously, due to the federal litigation, to defer action on the 90 applications for administrator of elections until its Aug. 3 meeting.

Posted in 2010, Crime, Elections, Rutherford County Republican Party, Taxes, Watchdog Alert | No Comments »

Republican Election Commissioner Tom Walker embroiled in federal lawsuit

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

Newly appointed Republican Election Commission Chairman Tom Walker is at the center of a federal lawsuit filed in District Court that could cost Rutherford County tax payers hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The suit filed in District Court against Walker and seven other Tennessee Republicans claims the defendants violated the United States Constitution by politicizing the selection of the County Election Administrator. Walker and several other Republicans gained control of county election commissions when their party got control of the House and Senate.

At the request of Rep. Kent Coleman (D-49), State Attorney General Bob Cooper issued an opinion in April warning election commissioners that politicizing the hiring and firing of County Election Administrators would violate the United States Constitution.

Attorney General Cooper recently issued another opinion stating counties will have to foot the bill for defending the unlawful acts in court. That means Tom Walker’s partisan antics could cost Rutherford County tax payers hundreds of thousands of dollars to defend.

Of course Election Commissioner Walker could have saved the county from having to defend his actions by simply upholding the law, but this is just the latest example of Walker’s disregard for the law and his open willingness to make the tax payers of Rutherford County pay for it.

Last month, Walker literally told local media that he didn’t care what the laws of Tennessee say when he attempted to defy the state’s open meetings law not once, but twice. It took the county attorney valuable time to educate him into compliance. Fellow Republican Election Commissioner Doris Jones supported Chairman Walker’s attempt to break the law saying to local media “we’ve got some crazy laws in this country.”

Read how Tennessee Republicans are preparing for the 2010 election:

Posted in 2010, Crime, Elections, Rep. Kent Coleman (D-49), Rutherford County Republican Party, Watchdog Alert | 1 Comment »

Meet Lisa Harrell, Democrat for Rutherford County Clerk…

Friday, July 3rd, 2009

lisaharrellMs. Lisa Harrell is proud to announce her candidacy for the office of Clerk of Rutherford County. She is a Democrat. A lifelong resident of Rutherford County, Ms. Harrell grew up in Murfreesboro and now resides in the Christiana community. Her husband James works in the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Department, and they attend Mount Carmel Baptist Church together. Her interests include gardening and tending to the many animals she has rescued over the years.

She is a 31-year veteran of the County Clerk’s office and is currently our county’s Probate Clerk, highly regarded and respected for her professionalism in this capacity. As a public servant dedicated to our county’s government and the citizens it serves, Ms. Harrell wishes to continue the exemplary leadership and common sense approach that Ms. Georgia Lynch brought to the Clerk’s office. Ms. Lynch, also a faithful Democrat, has made the decision to retire after two terms of exceptional service to our county, and endorses Ms. Lisa Harrell fully and enthusiastically. She knows the Rutherford County Clerk’s office will be left in good hands if the citizens of Rutherford County choose Lisa Harrell as their next County Clerk.

Posted in 2010, Democratic Party, FYI, Lisa Harrell, RCDP, Rutherford County Clerk, Rutherford County Democratic Women | No Comments »

Fair elections in Tennessee held hostage by Republican agenda

Wednesday, July 1st, 2009

A battle is brewing in the state over a new law requiring the use of paper ballots in the 2010 elections, and Secretary of State Tre Hargett says the legislature was too busy with other things to fix it.

Last year the House and Senate passed the Tennessee Voter Confidence Act (TVCA) requiring every county in the state use paper ballots in next year’s elections. The bill passed almost unanimously, and the Gov. signed the bill into law. But the newly appointed Secretary of State has spent the last nine months complaining about the law instead of working to implement the expressed will of the people of Tennessee.

Yesterday the Secretary of State’s office issued a questions and answers document on the TVCA outlining his office’s complaints about the new law. Chief among the complaints was the lack of time his office now has to fully implement the use of paper ballots in 2010.

Over the past nine months, however, Secretary of State Tre Hargett and State Election Coordinator Mark Goins have been busy instead working through Sen. Bill Ketron (R-13) to delay the law’s implementation until after the 2010 elections.

Rather than spend the greater part of the past year addressing their concerns with the law through Capitol Hill, the Secretary of State’s office has done nothing but waste time. Tennessee voters shouldn’t be surprised.

In the last legislature, the Republican controlled House and Senate wasted months on abortion, guns and booze bills. When they finally decided in the last minutes of session to get around to important issues like election reform, they failed the people of this great state.

A paper ballot advocate in Columbia, TN was recently visited by the TBI after the Secretary of State made an “unsubstantiated” terrorist threat claim against the man. Bernie Ellis had merely referenced the Battle of Athens on a blog. And that’s just the latest example of how Republicans are handling the laws that govern our election process.

Here in Rutherford County, the Election Commission Chair Tom Walker attempted to violate state law and told several people he didn’t care what the state law says. Another Republican election commissioner, Dorris Jones, was quoted as saying “We’ve got some crazy laws in this county.” Sen. Ketron’s success in declawing the state’s Ethics Commission conveniently makes investigating corrupt law makers a lower priority for the Registry of Election Finance.

There is a reason the Republican controlled House and Senate delayed addressing concerns over the use of paper ballots in 2010. Protecting the constitutional right we have for our vote to count in 2010 was trumped this year by a Republican legislative agenda more focused on abortion, guns in bars and booze bills. When given the chance to serve the people of Tennessee, Republicans chose instead to pander to fear, erode the safe guards of our liberties and freedoms, and ignore the priorities of Tennessee’s working families.

Posted in 2010, Abortion, Elections, Ethics, Guns, Legislation | 1 Comment »

Rutherford County Attorney talks some sense into local Election Commission Chairman

Thursday, June 25th, 2009

After some much deserved attention on Rutherford County Election Commission Chairman Tom Walker’s blatant and unapologetic violation of state law on two separate occasions (Monday and Tuesday) in the same week, the county attorney stepped in and talked some sense into the man.

It’s too bad Chairman Walker and Election Commissioner Doris Jones still have their jobs, but you can count on us keeping a very close eye on the people the state Republican Party saw fit to entrust with our local election process.

Tennesseans will not stand for politicians who thumb their noses at the rule of law and obstruct the constitutional right to have our voices count in a fair and transparent election. And attacks on the rights of media to report on the public’s interest will be defended here, in court and at the ballot box.

Here is a report from today’s front page of the Daily News Journal.

Rutherford County Attorney Jim Cope informed The Daily News Journal late Wednesday afternoon that he had talked with County Election Commission Chairman Tom Walker regarding the application process for the administrator’s position.

“After our discussion, Mr. Walker … said he will be bringing in all the applications to the Election Commission Office before the end of the business day Thursday, and presumably they will be available for public inspection,” Cope said.

Walker could not immediately be reached for comment.

Posted in 2010, Elections, Rutherford County Republican Party, Watchdog Alert | No Comments »

Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey comes to town looking for votes

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
pinkyringx300

Sen. Bill Ketron kisses Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey's pinky ring while Sen. Tracy waits his turn.

Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey will be in town early tomorrow morning to keynote the Murfreesboro Breakfast Rotary Club at the Stones River Country Club. As we predicted last week, Lt. Gov. Ramsey will be introduced to Rutherford County voters by his dutiful pet Senators pictured to the right kissing his pinky ring, Senators Jim Tracy (R-16) and Bill Ketron (R-13).

Voters who considered attending out of curiosity can save themselves the trip. What Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey and Senators Tracy and Ketron will say is no different from what they’ll say all the way up to the 2010 elections despite the facts.

Here’s a free preview we promised you last week. Lt. Gov. Ramsey will take credit for the compromise budget deal that excluded Ramsey, Ketron and Tracy’s back-door deal to defund bonds for needed construction at MTSU. Ramsey, Ketron and Tracy will gleefully take credit for funding pre-k education despite the fact that they advocated a plan to defund it and even crashed a press conference of pre-k education advocates just to rub it in.

The voters of Rutherford County know better.

During tense budget negotiations, Lt. Gov Ramsey disappeared to attend several fundraisers during the legislative session, leaving his pet Senators Ketron and Tracy to defend Ramsey’s disastrous budget proposals. His absence was even noted by the much more disciplined Republican Speaker of the House Kent Williams.

Williams said House members were trying to negotiate with senators over a revisions to the state budget plan on Monday, but Ramsey was not involved.

“He’s not here,” Williams told reporters Monday afternoon. “He’s got three fundraisers tonight and that’s a little more important than state government.”

When Lt. Gov. Ramsey returned from raising money for his gubernatorial campaign he found the Democrats got the priorities of working families fully funded despite Ketron and Tracy’s best efforts. Now Lt. Gov Ramsey is on a desperate tour to claim credit for a compromise budget that funds the very priorities his own budget proposal aimed to destroy.

We’re certain Lt. Gov. Ramsey will find at least a couple of suckers in the room tomorrow as he will across the entire state.

Posted in 2010, Budget, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, Sen. Bill Ketron (R-13), Sen. Jim Tracy (R-16) | No Comments »

TBI calls Secretary of State’s claim of threat ‘unsubstantiated’

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

Newly appointed Republican Secretary of State Tre Hargett has been caught using the TBI to intimidate proponents of fair and transparent elections in the state of Tennessee.

Sec. Hargett claimed to local media that he couldn’t speak about an ongoing TBI investigation, but the TBI told the media the truth. There is no investigation, and a TBI spokesperson added that Sec. Hargett’s claims were “unsubstantiated.”

Once he knew he was caught in a lie, Sec. Hargett admitted to the media that he sent the TBI to investigate an advocate for fair and transparent elections claiming the advocate made a threat against the state by referencing an incident known as the Battle of Athens.

The August 2, 1946 “battle” involved Second Amendment loving citizens of McMinn County, Tennessee rising up and taking up arms against their corrupt county government for standing in the way of open and honest elections.

Below is part of the Nashville Scene’s account that should enrage every voter in the state of Tennessee.

Newly installed Republican Secretary of State Tre Hargett sicked the TBI on a political opponent on a trumped-up charge of making a “terrorist threat.” The case is now closed, the TBI having found no justification for Hargett’s complaint. Yes, it matters who governs.

Bernie Ellis, founder of the group Gathering to Save Our Democracy, says TBI agents came to his farm yesterday to question him about whether he threatened the Secretary of State’s office in an email. Ellis said he never sent an email to that office, and the agents left after asking him a few questions.

Pith phoned Hargett’s spokesman, Blake Fontenay, for comment today. Guess what? He’d love to talk, of course, but he just can’t. The TBI won’t let him, he says, “because they’re still investigating.” Yes, it’s the old “we never comment on pending investigations” trick.

“I really am not supposed to say anything more than that at this point,” Fontenay apologized. “We’d love to respond but we were asked by the TBI specifically not to respond. There definitely is another side to this, and we wish we could talk about it, but it’s not usually advisable to get the TBI mad at you. My hands are tied at this time.”

So then we phoned the TBI, whose spokeswoman Kristin Helm said basically there is no investigation, and she doesn’t know what Fontenay is talking about.

“We had to go pay Bernie a little visit,” Helm said. “We had a public official who felt as though he was being threatened, who felt there was something floating around in cyberland that was a threat. A couple of agents went to talk to Bernie and pretty much found the threats were unsubstantiated.”

Sec. Hargett’s latest stunt continues a disgraceful pattern by state Republicans that foments distrust with our state’s election process by intimidating proponents of fair elections, openly violating state law to exclude the public from open records and open meetings of county election commissions and delaying existing laws meant to protect the constitutional right to have our votes count.

Rutherford County’s newly appointed Election Commission Chairman Tom Walker violated state law on Monday and Tuesday, both times openly stating to the media that he will not obey the law when it comes to open meetings and public records in the Rutherford County Election Commission office.

Rutherford County’s Sen. Bill Ketron (R-13) aggressively sought a delay to existing election laws that require paper ballots in the 2010 elections.

This growing pattern of distrust is a disgrace to the state of Tennessee. It is also an affront to the very liberties and freedoms many American heroes fought for and died to protect.

Posted in 2010, Elections, Sen. Bill Ketron (R-13), Watchdog Alert | No Comments »

Republican Election Commission Chair continues defiance of state law

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

Rutherford County Election Commission Chair Tom Walker continues  his open and blatant defiance of state law and demonstrates why he must resign his position immediately and restore voter confidence in our county’s election process.

Here is today’s Daily News Journal on this developing story. Pay close attention to Walker’s careless statements that he answers to no one, including the laws of the state of Tennessee.

Rutherford County Election Commission Chairman Tom Walker denied media access to applications for administrator of elections Tuesday despite the documents being public records, according to state law.
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Attempts to reach Walker by phone for an interview Tuesday were unsuccessful. The staff of current Administrator of Elections Hooper Penuel notified Walker that The Daily News Journal made an open records request to review the information.

“What I was told by my staff assistant was that (Walker) said he was not going to place any applicant’s name under the bus,” said Penuel, noting more than one person in the office heard the comment.

Posted in 2010, Elections, Ethics, Rutherford County Republican Party, Watchdog Alert | No Comments »

Nissan Smyrna to get $1.6 billion in federal loans

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009

nissanlogoPresident Barack Obama announced today the first set of auto loans for improvements in car technology. Nissan’s Smyrna plant will receive $1.6 billion in loans from the Department of Energy program.

$1.6 billion to Nissan North America to retool their Smyrna, Tennessee factory to build advanced electric automobiles and to build an advanced battery manufacturing facility.

The federal funds could produce 1,000 new jobs in Rutherford County and protect the jobs and the area families who depend on them.

A $1.6 billion federal loan for Nissan North America Inc. to build a zero-emissions electric car and battery packs to power them could eventually create more than 1,000 new jobs at the automaker’s assembly complex in Tennessee.

Gov. Phil Bredesen issued the following statement:

“The loans announced today will have a tremendous, positive impact on Nissan and our state’s automotive industry. Best of all, this means 1,300 more jobs for Tennessee workers and expands our growing clean energy economy. I’m especially pleased these advanced vehicle technology loans will expand the existing Nissan plant in Smyrna and add a new state-of-the-art battery plant. It also complements the state’s efforts to develop electric vehicle infrastructure for the type of zero emission vehicles that will be built in Smyrna.”

Posted in 2010, Business, Economy, Energy, Gov. Phil Bredesen, Jobs, Taxes | 1 Comment »

Our Chairman Calls for Immediate Resignation of Election Commissioners Tom Walker and Doris Jones.

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 23, 2009

Contact: Jonathan Fagan
Rutherford County Democratic Party Chairman
(615) 604-4211
han.d.man.2@gmail.com

(Murfressboro, TN) - The Chair of the Rutherford County Democratic Party (RCDP) today called on newly appointed Rutherford County Election Commission (RCEC) Chairman Tom Walker and Election Commissioner Doris Jones to resign their posts.

The call comes a day after both the Republican Chairman and Election Commissioner were quoted in the Murfreesboro Post as saying they don’t care what the state law says when it comes to serving the people of Rutherford County.

“Americans value free and fair elections. Rutherford County citizens deserve adults on the Election Commission who know and obey the rule of law. Otherwise, our trust in the democratic process is undermined. We don’t need people in control of our election process who blatantly express their disregard for state law,” said RCDP Chair Jonathon Fagan.

Both the newly appointed RCEC Chairman Walker and Election Commissioner Jones expressed their blatant disregard for state law when reporters from the Daily News Journal and the Murfreesboro Post attempted to cover a legal proceeding of the Election Commission. The reporters attempted to hand a copy of the law to the Chairman and Commissioner when both angrily dismissed the law calling it “crazy.” The election commission threatened police action to physically remove them from last night’s meeting.

“The people of Rutherford County and the state of Tennessee deserve Election Commissioners who they can trust to respect and uphold the law,” Fagan said. “Recent events serve to remind us of what happens when that faith is lost.”

Fagan said the attempt by RCEC Chairman Walker and Election Commissioner Jones to act illegally and then openly express their disdain for the laws of the state should be grounds for their immediate termination.

“The people of Tennessee deserve to know our elections are being handled professionally and not by partisan hacks who willfully thumb their nose at the law.”

Read the DNJ’s front page story here

Read the Murfreesboro Post’s story here

Posted in 2010, Elections, From the Chair, Watchdog Alert | 6 Comments »

Sen. Bill Ketron’s (R-13) roadblock to the Tennessee Voter Confidence Act

Thursday, June 18th, 2009

Last night, the House voted 73 - 20 to postpone fair and accurate elections in the state of Tennessee until 2012. Republican Representatives Joe Carr (R-48) and Donna Rowland (R-34) both voted for the delay. Rep. Kent Coleman (D-49) voted against the delay.

The Senate will now consider Sen. Bill Ketron’s (R-13) version of the bill. SB 872 will delay the implementation of the Tennessee Voter Confidence Act (TVCA) which passed the House and the Senate and was signed into law by Gov. Phil Bredesen. The TVCA requires all counties to switch to optical scanned paper ballots instead of using electronic voting machines.

Sen. Ketron and fellow Republicans have expressed concerns over the cost of implementing the new law they passed despite the fact that it will be paid for by $25 million in federal funds from the Help America Vote Act.

The League of Women Voters of Tennessee is one of several groups demanding Sen. Ketron withdraw his roadblock to progress.

A coalition of civic groups denounced voting machine legislation passed last night by the full House of Representatives. Gathering to Save Our Democracy, Common Cause, the League of Women Voters of Tennessee, along with VerifiedVoting.org, Voter Action, and Voters Unite.org called for the Senate to reject HB 614. A companion bill, Senate Bill 872, also awaits floor action in the Senate. HB 614 would delay the implementation of paper records verified by the voter from the 2010 general election to the 2012 general election. It would also replace a hand counted audit of computer vote tallies with an “audit” that would involve using the counties’ inventory of ballot scanners. These scanners would nearly always have the same software, and come from the same voting machine company, as the scanners used to tally initial results.

Sen. Ketron has failed to provide a rational arguement for his focus on delaying the implemention of fair and accurate elections in Tennessee, but his actions fall in line with a pattern of promoting bad government. Sen. Ketron was also successful during this session in yanking the teeth out of the independent Ethics Commission responsibile for investigating corruption on Capitol Hill.

Posted in 2010, Elections, Rep. Donna Rowland (R-34), Rep. Joe Carr (R-48), Rep. Kent Coleman (D-49), Sen. Bill Ketron (R-13) | 2 Comments »

Another Racist Tennessee Republican Gets National Attention…

Tuesday, June 16th, 2009

Sen. Diane Black's Racist Email

Sen. Diane Black's Racist Email

A legislative aid for Tennessee Republican Senate Caucus Chair Sen. Diane Black (R-18) has been caught sending a racist email to fellow Republicans. It is another example of Tennessee Republicans dangerously fanning the flames of racism over the past year.

Republican Legislative Aid Sherri Goforth admitted yesterday to sending a photo montage of U.S. Presidents from her state-owned computer and email account with President Barack Obama depicted as a pair of floating eyes in darkness. Sen. Black told the media that a written reprimand is all she and other TN GOP leaders intend to do about the email. Goforth is a 20 year state employee and makes close to $50,000 a year.

Goforth made matters worse yesterday by suggesting she was more sorry about being exposed as a racist than she was at her poor judgment and character.

“I went on the wrong email and I inadvertently hit the wrong button,” Goforth told NIT. “I’m very sick about it, and it’s one of those things I can’t change or take back.”

The Tennessee Democratic Party has called on Senate Republican leadership to fire Goforth.

“I am calling on Sen. Black to reject this racist smear and fire this staffer who, on state government time, on state government computers, using a state government email account, launched this bigoted attack on our president,” Forrester said. “Keeping her on the staff would send the message that this type of behavior is condoned by the House Republican Caucus.”

The new leadership of the Tennessee Republican Party has refused to comment on the story hoping this latest incident of racism will disappear. Sen. Bill Ketron (R-13)  and Sen. Jim Tracy (R-16) haven’t said a word about their party boss’s decision to keep Goforth employed on the tax payer’s dime.

Since Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey’s backroom budget includes so many firings of state employees, we think he could save at least one working family’s breadwinner from a pink slip by firing this racist staffer. Will Ramsey, Black and the Republican leadership show that kind of integrity? Stay tuned…

Posted in 2010, Racism, Republican leaders, Sen. Bill Ketron (R-13), Sen. Jim Tracy (R-16) | No Comments »

Tennessee Democrats pledge to take back House from right-wing zealots

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009

With a one seat advantage in the state house, Tennessee’s Republican Party has empowered radical voices who spent the entire legislative session focused on abortion, guns and booze while the priorities of working families were ignored.

Rutherford County’s Republican delegation has sponsored legislation to deny our county’s growing unemployed the benefits they deserve. They’ve protested in the streets against enhanced health care for our veterans and millions for our schools. Rutherford County Republicans have said they want nothing to do with the jobs being created in our county and the help to retrain workers.

This is the real agenda of the Tennessee GOP, and if given more power in 2010, Republicans will redraw district lines and ensure their radical agenda has a regional foothold in American politics for years to come.

When the census is complete in 2011, the Tennessee General Assembly is charged with drawing new lines on congressional and state legislative districts.

With the state’s Republican Party taken over by “right-wing zealots,” Mr. Forrester said, the Democratic Party has developed a strategy to regain the House.

The House now has a one-member Republican advantage.

“We know we have enough money,” Mr. Forrester said. “We don’t know if we have enough boots on the ground.”

He said the party plans to target eight to 12 state Senate and House seats, while also making sure every state House and Senate seat up for election and held by a Republican has a Democratic challenger.

This is where we put a stop to it. This is where America’s Democratic party was born, and this is where your hard work starts to move Tennessee forward.

Posted in 2010, Abortion, Guns, Legislation, Rutherford County Republican Party | No Comments »

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