Posts Tagged ‘Joe Carr’

Joe Carr Fabricates Endorsement, Forced To Apologize

Thursday, July 1st, 2010

joebustedWell, Joe Carr has been very busy again figuring out how to make all of us Rutherford Countians seem like complete imbeciles to the rest of the state. Will he file a per diem for his trouble? His latest triumph involves the Dean of the Legislative Press Corps, Tom Humphrey, claiming the veteran capitol hill journalist gave him a ringing endorsement.

Carr even posted it on the “Endorsements” page of his website. Tom Humphrey was not amused and made Carr remove it and apologize. Check out his classic explanation to the Knoxville News Sentinel:

“That’s not at all an endorsement,” said Carr when contacted. “I understand that and it’s my fault. I didn’t even think about that when we put it under endorsements.”

DId you get that? He didn’t realize listing something under “Endorsements” meant that it should actually be, you know, an endorsement.

This certainly pales in comparison to Carr’s earlier fleecing of Tennessee’s taxpayers through phony per diems he claimed were completely “inadvertent”. So “inadvertent”, in fact, that he even inadvertently picked up the checks, inadvertently signed them, and inadvertently cashed them. The only deliberate thing Carr did was keep the money, even when Channel 4 asked him to give it back.

This newest, albeit lesser, embarrassing episode did not escape fellow capitol hill reporter Jeff Woods at The Nashville Scene, though:

State Rep. Joe Carr has done it again. Caught doing something really stupid, he’s claimed he didn’t know he was doing it when he did it, thereby proving himself to be even dumber than we thought. We love this guy. He’s hilarious.

After per diems, moonshine, and now this, what will Carr think of next?

UPDATE: A commenter on the Nashville Scene article just about sums up what the whole state must be thinking of Rutherford County:

“Rutherford County sent the very bright Kent Coleman to the state legislature, and then it sent this clown and Donna Rowland and Bill Ketron. One out of four is not so good.”

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Posted in Rep. Joe Carr (R-48) | 3 Comments »

IRONY: Jim Tracy, GOP Helped Muslims Build Islamic Center

Thursday, July 1st, 2010

jimtracyleftKETRON SAYS LAW WAS INTENDED FOR CHRISTIANS, NOT JEWS OR MUSLIMS

In one of the most hilarious twists of irony in recent memory, Jim Tracy and the GOP have been ‘outed’ by attorneys representing Rutherford County’s Regional Planning Commission as the reason Murfreesboro’s proposed Islamic Center will be built. It turns out Tracy and about 20 Republican Senators and Representatives co-sponsored the Religious Freedom Act last year in the Tennessee General Assembly, forcing local governments to approve site plans for religious institutions across the state. Whoopsie!

Folks, if you could make this stuff up, you could make a fortune writing scripts for daytime TV.

Apparently, Rutherford Republicans Jim Tracy, Bill Ketron, and Joe Carr didn’t read their own legislation. The only expected turn of events is that they’re all quickly backpeddling. The DNJ quotes Bill Ketron as saying the bill was not intended for Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Bahai, Zoriatrians, Dao, etc, etc, etc…


“It’s a pro-Christian bill,” Ketron said. “It was established to protect the First Amendment to keep the federal government from coming in and making a decision on whether or not the church qualified or not to be a church.”

Who knew the First Amendment didn’t protect Jews? Ketron vows to get to the bottom of it…

Ketron said because of the one incident involving the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro, “I would like to go back and look at the law.”

The GOP might want to go back and read the constitution and maybe even their own bills next time.

See also DNJ Story “State Law Backs Up Religious Land Use”

UPDATE: Jeff Woods chimes in at The Nashville Scene

UPDATE: J.R. Lind picks it up at Post Politics

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Posted in Rep. Joe Carr (R-48), Sen. Bill Ketron (R-13), Sen. Jim Tracy (R-16) | 6 Comments »

LaRoche Criticizes Carr For Killing MTSU Science Building

Saturday, May 29th, 2010

mtsuSupports Coleman’s Plan For One-Time Funding

Rutherford Republicans Bill Ketron, Jim Tracy, Joe Carr, and Donna Rowland are following the lead of the Republican Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey in proposing a budget that cuts funding for MTSU’s Science Building project again. David LaRoche says they should stand up and fight their own party to fund it.

From a press release:

(MURFREESBORO) - It was revealed this week that both the Tennessee House and General Assembly Republican Caucuses are proposing state budgets ignoring the needs of MTSU and Rutherford County. Despite many years of efforts by Rep. John Hood, and Sen. Andy Womack, MTSU may be missing a rare opportunity to use federal funds to build a much-needed science building on the Murfreesboro campus.

Instead, the funds are to be used to build a fishery in the Republican Speaker Kent Williams’ district.

Today, David Laroche voiced his support for Kent Coleman’s (D-Murfreesboro) plan to save the project using allocated federal dollars from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“It is my belief that our Republican caucus members either can not, or will not, fight for their constituents in Rutherford County,” said David LaRoche, the challenger for Joe Carr’s (R- Lascassas) 48th district General Assembly Seat.

LaRoche is a resident of Murfreesboro and a local attorney. David’s campaign platform calls for the cessation of partisan politics, investment in Rutherford County’s education and natural resources, and an emphasis on important local issues that have immediate positive effects on the people of his district.

“Everyone knows that we need to attract business to Rutherford County to continue the economic growth we’ve been blessed with. I want the county to have the highest paying jobs in the state, and MTSU to provide us with a highly educated pool of employees for these jobs. We have to invest in MTSU to make sure that this trend continues,” he added.

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Posted in ARRA, David LaRoche, MTSU, Rep. Joe Carr (R-48) | No Comments »

Ketron Admits He Votes For Legislation He Doesn’t Read

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

billketron1NOT AWARE HE VOTED FOR INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS

The Daily News Journal’s weekly columnist Sam Stockard asked Bill Ketron why he voted for Race To The Federal Trough along with every other Republican legislator from Rutherford County. Here is what Ketron said:

Asked if he knows what the international benchmarks are, state Sen. Bill Ketron said, “I do not. We were told they would come from the U.S. Department of Education. The thing was on a fast track,” Ketron said. “We barely had time to read through it. It’s voluminous.”

Yet Ketron and fellow Republicans, Sen. Jim Tracy, of Shelbyville, Rep. Donna Rowland of Murfreesboro, Rep. Joe Carr of Lascassas and Rep. Pat Marsh of Shelbyville, members of the Rutherford County delegation, voted for it. Only state Rep. Kent Coleman, a Murfreesboro Democrat, voted against it.

So Republican Senator Bill Ketron admits that he voted for a massive overhaul of Tennessee’s education system without knowing much of what it actually accomplished. He also admits that as a “conservative” Republican, he thinks its just great to beg for half a billion dollars in stimulus cash with strings attached - strings that could bind our teachers to international standards. Sounds like something Tennessee’s Tea Party crowd would really oppose, but they are deathly silent on the matter because the legislation was backed by their republican overlords Ron Ramsey and Glen Casada. Just more evidence that the Tea Party crowd are willing to ignore their own stated beliefs if republicans tell them to, just like they did when they gave George W. Bush free reign to plunge our nation into huge war debts and pass unfunded federal mandates like No Child Left Behind.

Did Senator Ketron also sponsor workmans’ compensation legislation he didn’t understand, or did he know that he would be taking independent contractors’ hard earned profits while helping his insurance business’ bottom line by enacting Public Chapter 1041? What other legislation has Bill Ketron helped to pass without reading or knowing the consequences?

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Posted in Education, Legislation, Rep. Donna Rowland (R-34), Rep. Joe Carr (R-48), Rep. Kent Coleman (D-49), Republican leaders, Rutherford County Republican Party, Sen. Bill Ketron (R-13), Sen. Jim Tracy (R-16), Tea Parties | No Comments »

Kent Coleman Stands Up For Teachers Against All Odds

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010

h49_sidebar-1Here’s how Rutherford County’s delegation voted when it came to tying teachers’ jobs to factors beyond their control: Kent Coleman (D) - NO, Joe Carr (R) - YES, Donna Rowland (R) - YES, Bill Ketron (R) - YES, Jim Tracy (R) -YES.

Last week’s Special Session called by Governor Bredesen to overhaul Tennessee’s education system was a locomotive speeding towards passage that even Superman could not have stopped. This massive legislation was debated in committees for a single day, and passed on the Senate and House floor the next.

Every Republican Representative voted to seek stimulus cash through federal Race To The Top grants, and our Democratic Governor and Democratic Caucuses backed the measure as well even though it meant adopting federal guidelines tying teachers’ performance to mere test scores . Only a handful of Democrats (8 to be exact) were willing to stand up for teachers and say ‘NO’ to a governor of their own Party and their own caucus leadership.

Our own Rep. Kent Coleman was the only Rutherford County legislator to stand on principle and stand up for teachers when it came time to vote, even though he knew he was also standing right in front of a speeding locomotive. It took the courage of Superman to rise and say this on the House floor last Friday night:

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Posted in ARRA, Education, Legislation, Rep. Donna Rowland (R-34), Rep. Joe Carr (R-48), Sen. Bill Ketron (R-13), Sen. Jim Tracy (R-16) | No Comments »

Rep. Donna Rowland’s boyfriend folds under pressure

Saturday, April 25th, 2009

ctbsplit

According to a Daily News Journal report, Rutherford County gun manufacturer Ronnie Barrett says he’ll now reject a worker training grant he applied for from the state.

Last week Rep. Joe Carr (R-48) and Sen. Jim Tracy (R-16) rushed to the media and were quoted commending Gov. Bredesen for making the stimulus grant to Barrett Firearms.

“I commend Governor Bredesen and Commissioner Neeley for awarding this grant in Rutherford County,” state Sen. Jim Tracey, R-Shelbyville, said.

“The Incumbent Worker Grants are a good tool to keep employers and workers up to date on the latest skills training,” state Rep. Joe Carr, R-Lascassas, said.

The surprising support from Rep. Carr and Sen. Tracy for this spending came days after hundreds of angry Rutherford County Republicans took to the streets of Murfreesboro to protest the $30 million in federal stimulus funds used in Tennessee to retrain workers.

In a flip-flop follow up, Barrett has refused the grant he himself applied for saying he now doesn’t want any part of stimulus money that Rep. Carr and Sen. Tracy said they’re happy to see spent in Rutherford County.

Barrett likened the grants to federal stimulus funds.

“Stimulus money doesn’t exist,” Barrett said. “That’s national debt that goes to our great-grandchilden, and I don’t want any part of it.”

Friday on WGNS 1450 AM, both Rep. Carr and Sen. Tracy again praised and defended spending stimulus funds that Rutherford County Republicans protested on April 15.

Barrett’s principled change of heart makes you wonder how Rep. Carr and Sen. Tracy can protest stimulus funds one week and praise spending them the next. Barrett is a major donor to Rutherford County Republicans and the boyfriend of Rep. Donna Rowland (R-34).

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Posted in ARRA, Business, Rep. Donna Rowland (R-34), Rep. Joe Carr (R-48), Sen. Jim Tracy (R-16), Taxes | 8 Comments »

Rutherford County’s unemployed and low-income workers get help

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

If Rep. Joe Carr (R-48) gets his way, thousands of unemployed Rutherford County residents will not get an extension of their unemployment benefits in some of the hardest times many have ever experienced in Middle Tennessee. Rep. Carr is sponsoring a bill to reject the stimulus funds. The extension of unemployment benefits is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Today’s Daily News Journal reports that Tennessee will also receive over $30 million to retrain dislocated or low-income workers through the ARRA. You can learn more about what the ARRA federal stimulus is funding here in Tennessee.

“The training, particularly in emerging occupations, that will be provided with these Recovery Act funds will help prepare unemployed Tennesseans for new jobs at a time when that’s more important than ever,” Bredesen said.

The funding is anticipated to increase participation of the dislocated worker program by more than 1,300, which is 40 percent, over the number of individuals who received training services last year.

Adult services are expected to increase by approximately 2,000 slots, or 20 percent, over last year.

“Being out of work is especially difficult in this economic environment,” Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development James Neeley said. “Many laid-off workers and adults haven’t had to worry about updating their skills for years, and this Recovery Act funding provides an opportunity to do just that.”

The Rutherford County Republican Party took to the streets by the hundreds April 15 to protest this much needed help after eight long years of failed economic policy, unprecedented government expansion and out of control spending that resulted in a recession.

Republicans also protested the millions of dollars to be spent on Rutherford County and Murfreesboro schools as well as enhanced benefits for Rutherford County veterans.

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Posted in Economy, Education, Gov. Phil Bredesen, Jobs, RCDP, Taxes, Veterans | No Comments »

Rep. Joe Carr (R-48) favors more profits for Big Coal, opposes funding for schools,roads

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

Rep. Joe Carr (R-48) voted against taxing the strip mining coal industry to help fund needed school and road construction yesterday. Rep. Carr voted against HB 1667 that would direct increased coal taxes to counties so they can complete needed infrastructure projects without raising our property taxes.

A majority of Rep. Carr’s fellow House Republicans and every single Republican in the Senate voted for the tax increase on coal produced in Tennessee’s coal rich Upper Cumberland. It is the first coal tax increase in Tennessee in 25 years.

Rep. Carr’s vote against taxing the coal industry puts him at odds with protecting our state’s energy riches and finding alternatives for increasing our property taxes.

Republicans joined Democrats in overwhelming support for the bill to help Tennessee counties fund the construction of roads and schools. The coal tax increase models successful tax policies that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has in place to ensure the state of Alaska benefits from its energy riches.

Gov. Palin and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) promoted Alaska’s energy tax policies as a model for the nation in the 2008 Presidential Campaign, but Rep. Carr says he believes the coal industry should take as much coal and profit out of our great state. Rep. Carr stood with only 19 legislators to vote against the bill.

Rep. Donna Rowland (R-34) was on Capital Hill yesterday but was too busy with her attorney dealing with an ethics complaint to vote either way on this important issue. Rep. Rowland instead voted “present.”

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Posted in Energy, Legislation, Rep. Donna Rowland (R-34), Rep. Joe Carr (R-48), Taxes | No Comments »