Tennessee's Republican legislature approves a new congressional map that splits the state's majority-Black district in Memphis, a move expected to favor Republicans in the 2024 midterms. The redistricting follows a Supreme Court ruling limiting racial gerrymandering protections.
Posts tagged as “Knoxville”
Tennessee state Rep. Gloria Johnson has announced her candidacy for U.S. Senate against incumbent Republican Marsha Blackburn. Johnson, a gun safety advocate and survivor of a 2008 school shooting, is running to ensure Tennesseans have a voice in the national conversation on gun control. If elected, Johnson would be the first female Senator elected by Tennessee voters.
A powerful storm system has caused widespread power outages and flight cancellations across the East Coast and Southeast on Monday. Over 144,000 customers in Georgia are without power, and the National Weather Service has issued tornado watches and warnings. Heavy rains and flash floods are a concern for eastern New York into New England, and officials urge people to take necessary precautions.
Cormac McCarthy, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of novels such as "Blood Meridian," "No Country for Old Men" and "The Road," has passed away at the age of 89. Born in 1933 in Rhode Island, McCarthy was known for his exploration of the dark side of humanity and his vivid backdrop of the American West. His works have been adapted into several films, and he was the recipient of the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. He will be remembered as one of the most influential authors of his time.
On Thursday, the Tennessee House of Representatives voted to expel two Democratic representatives, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, in response to their participation in a peaceful gun protest. This decision has been met with criticism from both sides of the aisle, sparking a national debate on the issue of gun control and the power of the Republican party to silence dissenting voices. President Joe Biden released a statement condemning the decision, calling it "shocking, undemocratic, and without precedent".
On Monday, the FBI confirmed an agent-involved shooting in Knoxville, Tennessee that resulted in the death of Roy McGrath, former chief of staff to Maryland Governor Larry Hogan (R). McGrath had been on the run for three weeks after failing to appear for a trial on fraud and embezzlement charges. Joseph Murtha, an attorney for McGrath's wife, described his death as an absolute tragedy. The FBI has not released any details about the incident.
Tennessee Republicans have proposed a resolution to expel three Democratic state representatives from the House of Representatives for their role in a gun control protest at the Capitol last Thursday. The resolution has been met with strong opposition from Democrats and gun control advocates, and if passed, would be the first time in the state’s history that a lawmaker has been expelled from the House. The resolution is expected to be taken up by the House Rules Committee on Tuesday, where it will be debated and voted on.
Tennessee Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, a Republican, has been leaving supportive and potentially flirtatious comments and emojis under risque social media photos posted by a 20-year-old performer from Knoxville. McNally's comments have raised eyebrows, especially in light of his support of bills targeting LGBTQ people, and it remains to be seen how the public will respond. The 79-year-old's spokesperson has attributed the comments to his "prolific" social media commenting abilities.