Image Credit: State of Tennessee & Gov. Bill Lee / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative [By Jason Vaughn] –
Tennessee State Government and Governor Bill Lee are inviting Tennessee citizens to leave their comments ahead of the Special Session on Gun Laws that will likely take place beginning August 21st.
The official form for Tennessee residents only can be filled out HERE and requires First and Last Name and an email address of individuals providing comment.
Lee has been seeking feedback from lawmakers and residents throughout the Summer along with members of the Tennessee General Assembly.
Jade Byers, a spokesperson for the governor, said that, “So far, the Governor has spoken with more than 100 legislators, both individually and in numerous groups, and looks forward to continuing these productive conversations ahead of the special session on public safety.”
Some of these “productive conversations” however, have involved an inner circle of lawmakers attending secret meetings hidden from the public eye.
This “inner circle” consists of between 12 to 15 House and Senate members, gathered by Gov. Lee’s team to supposedly advise the executive administration on potential legislation.
Republican Senators John Stevens, Becky Duncan Massey, and Dawn White, as well as Democrat Senate Minority Leader Raumesh Akbari were all noted as attending these meetings.
Senator Heidi Campbell (D-Nashville-District 20) stated on Twitter, that both she and Rep. Antonio Parkinson (D-Memphis-District 98) accepted such invites to these meetings as well.
According to Senate Republican Caucus Press Secretary Molly Gormley, “The working group has not been a part of drafting the governor’s ERPO [Extreme Risk Protection Order] proposal, and instead has focused on legislation to address mental health and violent crime while maintaining constitutional rights of citizens.”
A few group members and staff have acknowledged their participation in these meetings, but the governor’s office has declined to confirm that the group exists at all.
Lee’s ERPO proposal has been labeled as just another name for a Red Flag Law by Second Amendment advocates across the state with many local GOP groups issuing resolutions opposing any form of a Red Flag Law.
Back in April, Senator Jack Johnson (R-D27-Williamson County) was caught in a secret recording stating that “if you say ‘Red Flag’ it’s DEAD.”
In the recording, Johnson goes on to say that Red Flag laws have to be rebranded to “get something passed.”
Whether dubbed a Red Flag Law, ERPO law or some other name, top Republican leadership seems intent to “get something passed” in the upcoming Special Session.
What the proposed legislation will look like remains to be seen at current.
The Tennessee Conservative plans to provide exhaustive coverage of the upcoming Special Session to keep our readers informed and to raise the alarm when action is needed.
If you support our efforts, please consider donating to the cause.
About the Author: Jason Vaughn, Media Coordinator for The Tennessee Conservative ~ Jason previously worked for a legacy publishing company based in Crossville, TN in a variety of roles through his career. Most recently, he served as Deputy Director for their flagship publication. Prior, he was a freelance journalist writing articles that appeared in the Herald Citizen, the Crossville Chronicle and The Oracle among others. He graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a Bachelor’s in English-Journalism, with minors in Broadcast Journalism and History. Contact Jason at news@TennesseeConservativeNews.com
22 Responses
Lee is a RINO and will be remembered like Sundquist. A liar that turned his back on his supporters. When are Tennesseans going to stop putting liberal governors in Nashville?
As long as TN keeps using electronic voting, probably never. “Red” Tennessee’s elections are just as rigged as blue Commiefornia. Clearly, the GOP is in cahoots with the Dems, and will do everything possible to stay in power and that means destroying MAGA – the People’s movement.
Exactly so.
Don’t need red flag law no more gun laws don’t need to do all these laws
Christians and Conservatives at large are asleep at the wheel thinking the stuff that’s happening on the West Coast can’t ever happen here. They are wrong!
I left Delaware because of this type of political action. It’s about pushing an agenda. Not about the people anymore.
Here are my comments on the survey form –
The upcoming special session is a poor solution to addressing 2nd amendment firearm issues in TN for the following reasons –
1) It opens the legislature to “Flow Motion” timing on passing of bills thereby allowing bills to pass with NO opportunity for citizen review and response.
2) The session was conceived by the Gov as a misguided way to appease RINOs in the state, who do not hold firm the principles of the US Constitution and how it is enacted in TN.
3) This is an attempt to rename “Red Flag Laws” as ERPO [Extreme Risk Protection Order], just to “get something passed” to quote several state legislators.
4) This special session is the only one being held nationwide at this time. The amount of political insanity that will ensue, thereby dominating the national conversation is not constructive and only serves to falsely inflame the electorate, keeping the discussion in an emotional and unreasoning position.
5) If Gov Lee was a true leader and was interested and able to support legislation that was for the people, he would urge calm and not react. He would then allow the well-formed legislative process to play out, which would give Tennesseans until January 2024 to work through this issue. That is the time to introduce any constructive bills to address the issue of mental health and violent crime.
6) If Gov Lee is not maneuvering freely and independently and is compromised by shadowy forces that want to destroy America, it will continue to be revealed. Therefore, if Gov Lee is pushing this forward at the behest of evil, criminal syndicates and satanists that are pushing their agenda of destruction, I have only one response and that is, “I will pray for your soul, Gov Lee”.
DO THE THING YOU KNOW IS RIGHT FOR YOU AND FELLOW TENNESSEANS AND CANCEL THIS SPECIAL SESSION.
Seems Repubs are just controlled opposition, there is no other explanation for how spineless they are while the Dems are totally out of control. We know Lee is a RINO and doesn’t care what he does now because he isn’t worried about re-election, he just continues to make a showing to care when I am sure he knows exactly what he is going to do already. Seen this BS game before.
Who is worse, a party dead set on destroying our great country or the so called opposition sticking their hands in their pockets allowing it all to happen?
No Red Flag Laws in Tennessee! This law would do nothing to stop any criminals with evil intent but only impact law abiding citizens. There are already enough laws on the books and these existing laws need to be enforced! If some Lawmakers have their way, only the criminals will have the guns!
I’m part of the great migration from BLUE to RED, we gave up our home of 40+ years to relocate and build our new home here in TN.
The release of the Nashville Shooter’s Manifesto here is a critical component to understanding Root Cause. Root cause analysis must be done and in any court of law and all the facts must be allowed to be presented. Doing anything less is irresponsible at best.
The TN Legislature should not consider or pass any legislation until all the FACTS of that case are known. You cannot fix what’s broken via feel good, knee jerk legislative reactions. This is what the emotional BLUE States do that results in onerous hoops for the law-abiding to adhere to while criminals laugh and the net impact is ZERO.
Please do not allow the lack of common sense here to prevail as opposed to the typical gun control rhetoric for which I’m painfully familiar. Let’s keep TN first and foremost FREE and not allow Unconstitutional Laws like Red Flag Laws / ERPO to be introduced or even considered.
Want to protect kids? Kick out CRT, Teachers pushing Woke Trans Ideology and get back to Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. Finally put the blame where it really lies, in the hands of Parents to get back to tough love and discipline of their own kids…until then SRO/Security personnel will be required.
Your rights end, where mine begin: “…the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
Bill Lee could convince his followers that hitting the Titanic was really a GOOD thing. The loss of the RIGHTS of WE THE PEOPLE by Lee’s Carpetbaggers is embodied in every aspect of this proposal. We re having to educate professional politicians, the legal system, staffers and much of the populace of the spirit and letter of our Declaration of Rights.
ARTICLE XI. MISC. PROVISIONS –
Section 16. the declaration of rights hereto prefixed is declared to be a part of the Constitution of the state, and shall never be violated on any pretense whatever. And to guard against transgression of the high powers we have delegated, we declare that everything in the bill of rights contained, is excepted out of the general powers of the government, and shall forever remain inviolate.”
“OUT OF THE GENERAL POWERS OF THE GOVERNMENT, AND SHALL FOREVER REMAIN INVIOLATE.”
RECALL ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO REFUSE TO ADHERE TO THEIR OATH OF OFFICE. HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THOSE UNELECTED WHO REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS OATH-BOUND DOCUMENT.
ARTICLE XI. MISC. PROVISIONS –
Section 16. the declaration of rights hereto prefixed is declared to be a part of the Constitution of the state, and shall never be violated on any pretense whatever. And to guard against transgression of the high powers we have delegated, we declare that everything in the bill of rights contained, is excepted out of the general powers of the government, and shall forever remain inviolate.”
“OUT OF THE GENERAL POWERS OF THE GOVERNMENT, AND SHALL FOREVER REMAIN INVIOLATE.”
NO MORE OF THESE COMMUNIST GUN LAWS IN OUR STATE WE NEED TO VOTE THIS RINO LEE OUT ITS AS BAD AS HAVING A ROOM FULL OF COMMUNIST DEMORATS
Our problem is demon possessed dimmercraps with guns.
Until that’s addressed, this will be ongoing.
It seems nobody can answer this question I have!
How about all the felons, criminals and gang members who get their guns illegally. Who’s gonna monitor them and make sure they have background checks? Leave us law abidin lg citizens alone
Lee is an anti-American fascist and traitor.
Lee is a double crossing , lying scumbag . He is nothing but a Communist in bed with the Marxists . He has betrayed us , but he sure did lie real good when he ran for office . Is there any way he can be thrown out of office as in a recall ?
The Second. Amendment to the United States Constitution states that “the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed”. Article 1, Section 26 of the Tennessee Constitution states that “the citizens of the state have a right to keep and to bear arms for their common defense”. I insist you VOTE NO to Biden’s “Red Flag” ! Stop the Biden madness and do your job!
What part of SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED, do you not understand?!?!? It doesnt matter what the bill is for, you cant touch it if it goes against the Constitution! If you sign a bill that that violates the Constitution, you should be forced to resign! Its your job to uphold our rights!
Make YOUR voice heard. Fill out the survey not only for the red flag issue. But also for the insurrection that took place at Tennessee capital by those three liberturds. They should be banned from holding public office ever. They put a lot of peoples lives in danger. This is also a serious issue. Total lawlessness. There are already laws on the books about people with mental illness owning firearms. Ask law enforcement and judges.
In God we trust not government or man.
Have a blessed day.
Governor Lee is a RINO and changes with the wind. Time for him to go!
Lee is such a disappointment. Just follow the money, goes right back to democrat money. Why didn’t he just run as a democrat? C-19 told me everything I needed to know about him. BTW where is the manifesto? Oh, that’s right is doesn’t fit the narrative to take away our guns.