Gov. Lee Meets With Democrat Lawmakers Behind Closed Doors to Discuss Gun Control Legislation
Image Credit: Heidi Campbell / Twitter
The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –
As Tennessee’s special legislative session to address gun laws quickly approaches, it has been discovered that Governor Bill Lee (R-TN) has been discreetly meeting with a group of state lawmakers throughout the summer.
The governor has previously insisted that his new gun control “framework” would be better than simply expanding current law, but there are still many opponents of his proposals.
Last Friday, The Tennessean published a piece stating that according to “multiple people with knowledge of the group,” Gov. Lee and his legislative team have been meeting with lawmakers “behind closed doors” to discuss ideas for potential legislation and share feedback.
It looks as though informal coffees with the governor have been held at the Executive Residence on Fridays throughout the summer, typically consisting of about two to six state lawmakers.
It appears from a recent post on Sen. Heidi Campbell’s (D-Nashville-District 20) Twitter, that both she and Rep. Antonio Parkinson (D-Memphis-District 98) accepted such invites themselves.
Jade Byers, a spokesperson for the governor, did come out with a statement on Gov. Lee’s efforts to discuss his legislative proposals with Tennessee lawmakers.
“Throughout the summer, Gov. Lee and members of the General Assembly have heard from Tennesseans and discussed thoughtful solutions to keep communities safe, preserve constitutional rights, prioritize due process protections, support law enforcement and address mental health,” Byers said. “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.
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.
Even House Democratic Caucus Chair John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville-District 55) when asked, stated that he had not heard of the “super-secret bipartisan committee allegedly reviewing proposals” until he met with the governor in person about two weeks ago.
Rep. Clemmons added that the governor would not disclose which of his legislative colleagues were members of said group.
“One would think both parties’ caucus leadership would be involved or at least in the loop on such a thing,” he noted.
Throughout Gov. Lee’s time in office, a special session has never lasted longer than a week. It is yet to be seen if this will be the case for August’s special session.
According to those contacted by The Tennessean, the circumstances don’t seem to warrant any quorum violations and it is by no means a shock that lawmakers would get together to discuss ideas for bills in advance of a session, especially a session that may only last a week.
But some are understandably bothered by the governor’s secrecy regarding such a hot-topic issue.
“In a constitutional republic with a so-called conservative Governor in a ‘red state’ like Tennessee, few would expect that the Governor would be […] conducting ‘secret’ meetings,” stated John Harris of the Tennessee Firearms Association. “Well, if you are a Second Amendment advocate who has watched this particular Governor and several in the Republican legislative caucus over the last 13 years, you might be one to expect exactly that kind of shenanigans.”
About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee. You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
Did Bill Lee talk about getting the guns away from the gang bangers and the criminal community.
Tennessee is now looking like the political marriage of Stalin and Hitler.
Bill is a true Trotskyite.
ALTHOUGH PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS STILL EXIST, THE END OF LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES / ASYLUMS FOR THE SERIOUSLY MENTALLY ILL (SMI) IN THE U.S., IS ACUTE. IN 2021, STATE-RUN PSYCHIATRIC FACILITIES HOUSED ONLY 45,000 PATIENTS, LESS THAN A TENTH OF THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS THEY DID IN 1955, WHILE THE POPULATION HAS AT LEAST DOUBLED. THERE WAS ONLY “ONE” MASS SHOOTING IN THE ENTIRE 50s DECADE. THEN IN 1967, WE DECIDED TO LET THEM ALL OUT AND “CONTROL” THE MENTALLY ILL WITH DRUGS. HOW WELL IS THAT WORKING? IN 70s THERE WERE13 MASS MURDERS, IN 80s THERE WERE 32 MASS MURDERS, IN 90s THERE WERE 42 MASS MURDERS, IN 00s THERE WERE 21 MASS MURDERS, IN 10s THERE WERE 81 MASS MURDERS , IN 20s THERE WERE 26 MASS MURDERS, IN JUST THREE YEARS. THE “CONTROL BY DRUGS” IS NOT WORKING, AND BECAUSE. THE PERCENTAGE OF SMI HAS NOT CHANGED FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS, THERE SHOULD BE ABOUT 950,000 IN THE PSYCHIATRIC FACILITIES IN 2023. THE COST OF THIS USA SOCIETY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT WOULD BE ABOUT $70 MILLION PE YEAR. THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE FROM MENTAL DEFECTS, BUT THAT COST IS LESS THAN 0.005% OF THE 2022 FEDERAL SPENDING…
NO RONALD, WE’RE CONSERVATIVES, WE NEEDN’T WAIT FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BUILD OUR MENTAL INSTITUTIONS. WE ARE SWIMMING IN MONEY RIGHT HERE IN TENNESSEE. ALL WE NEED IS TO ELECT A REAL HONEST TO GOODNESS CONSERVATIVE GOVERNOR RATHER THAN LET SOME NON-POLITICAL BIG BUCK BUSINESSMAN BUY THE GOVERNORSHIP FROM US WITH HIS SLICK “FEEL-GOOD” ADS AND BY GOSH WE’D GET IT DONE.
WE ARE CONSERVATIVES, WE DON’T NEED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BUILD OUR MENTAL INSTITUTIONS, WE ARE SWIMMING IN MONEY TO GET THE JOB DONE RIGHT HERE IN TENNESSEE. ALL WE NEED IS A CONSERVATIVE GOVERNOR TO PUSH SUCH A PROGRAM AND THE FEDERAL COURTS TO ALLOW THE LONG-TERM HOLDING OF MORE PEOPLE IN SUCH INSTITUTIONS. OF COURSE, MOST OF ALL WE HAVE TO STOP LETTING BIG BUCK MIDDLE-OF-THE ROAD/NON POLITICAL BUSINESSMEN BUY THE TENNESSEE GOVERNORSHIP WITH SLICK “FEEL-GOOD” CAMPAIGN ADS.
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.
Seems like Governor Lee is determined to face a primary challenge by a true conservative. Let’s give him what he wants. Tennessee deserves more than a two-faced RINO snake.
He’s term limited James so he doesn’t care what you think because there’s nothing we can do to him now. That’s part of the wonders of term limits, completely unaccountable elected officials. Isn’t it great?
He has his company still that can be boycotted and bankrupted, as it should be since it’s the source of his power and wealth. Any entity that promotes anti-American, anti-Christian, pedo and pervert affirming evil should be driven out of business.
Lee is as sleazy as the democrats running every large city, blue state and currently, this country. No manifest, no special session.
I am new to Tennessee but from what I read about Governor Lee he is a rino or a democrat pretending to be a Republican.
Here it comes. Good people are penalized for the evils of others. This is a Constitutional issue and the government needs to stop inserting itself. They’re time would be better spent ending slavery (human trafficking) and murder by drugs.
Behind closed doors is code for….my base is after blood and I need a way to get out of this mess I have created.
The Democrats and their outside gun control interest saw an opening and unleashed their attack dogs.
Govenor Lee, Scott Golden and their RINO cronies pushed too far this time. There are a lot of us who thought we were voting for Constitutional conservatives but we were really voting for a Democrat with an R next to their name. Bill Lee and others have really given the TN GOP a black eye and the voters will make them pay. Lee can’t run again so he has completely abandoned his base.
I do not see anything good coming out of this Special Session unless it serves to wake up the conservative base.
Yup, RINO Bill, the dimmercrap shill.
The “choices” we had when he ran between bad and worse.
Why I don’t support GOP/RNC RINO mill.
Is it possible to recall him?
Jennifer, I like your recall idea but not sure how it gets started. Anyone familiar with the process?
Governor Lee is despicable . He talked big when he ran for office but now he has shown he was a liar and a traitor . If it is possible , he needs to be recalled immediately.
Governor Lee is despicable . He talked big when he ran for office but now he has shown he was a liar and a traitor . If it is possible , he needs to be recalled immediately.
Defund the Tn Rep Party.
Only donate directly to individual candidates.
INFORMTN.COM
TNCSSsubstack.com
East Tn has many conservative groups that are aligning together for one large voter block.
Expand that to statewide.
http://www...
State representatives in Nashville need to be reminded daily
1. McNally doesn’t matter
2. Sexton will nvr be governor ,he, Lamberth and Marsh all need to vacate the House.
Goodbye, thank you for your misguided service.
3. Select individual legislative bills and track them, and your representative.
4. Insist state legislature
ABOLISH VOICE VOTE.
5. Call out politicians that accept ma$$ive donation$ from out of state dem organizations.
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ITS GONNA TAKE NEAR LOSING B4 Tn REPUBs WILL PAY ATTENTION
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