Category: fox-news/us/us-regions/southeast/tennessee

Tennessee Supreme Court justice announces retirement

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Roger Page announced on Monday that he plans to retire in August 2024.

In a statement from Tennessee's court system, the 68-year-old said his time as a judge has been humbling, inspiring and the honor of a lifetime. He was first appointed to the high court by former Republican Gov. Bill Haslam in 2016. His last day will be Aug. 31.

"The Tennessee judiciary is truly a family, and I have been fortunate to walk this path with my great friends in the judiciary," Page said in a statement. "I will miss all of them and treasure their friendship."

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The decision will give Republican Gov. Bill Lee a chance to appoint his third justice on the five-member court. The five current justices were all appointed by Republican governors.

Page has spent more than 25 years as a judge at the trial court, intermediate appellate and Tennessee Supreme Court levels. Haslam appointed him to the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals in 2011 before picking Page for the state Supreme Court about five years later. Page served as the chief justice from 2021 to 2023.

During his tenure, Page helped secure funding for electronic filing for the court system, advocated for access to pro bono services and promoted livestreaming of appellate arguments, according to the statement.

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Page grew up on a farm in the Mifflin area of West Tennessee. Before his legal career, he worked as a chief pharmacist and assistant store manager for Walgreens.

"If I hurry, I might have time for one more career," Page said.

He praised the work done by Tennessee's judiciary system during the pandemic, including advances in technology.

"It has been incredibly gratifying to watch the start of an evolution across the judiciary," Page said. "I look forward to following those changes and to catching up with my judicial family in between trips I have been planning for years, watching my grandkids play sports, and spending time with my wonderful wife."

In Tennessee, the governor's picks for Supreme Court must also be confirmed by state lawmakers. Republicans have supermajority control in both legislative chambers. Additionally, Supreme Court justices face "yes-no" retention elections every eight years. Voters retained Page and the other four justices at the time during the 2022 election.

Tennessee lawmaker calls on House GOP to ‘lock the door’ and work through weekend to elect speaker

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

A Tennessee Republican lawmaker is calling on his party to convene and "lock the door" until a speaker is chosen — even if it means sacrificing the weekend.

Tennessee GOP Rep. Andy Ogles is sending around a dear colleague letter to his fellow House GOP lawmakers calling for the conference to continue meeting until a speaker is chosen.

Fox News Digital obtained the letter Ogles is sending around to his House Republican colleagues amid the battle for the gavel.

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"As the GOP Conference remains deadlocked in the contest for Speaker of the House of Representatives, it is clear that going to the Floor and having a drawn-out competition damages our credibility with the American people," Ogles wrote in the letter Thursday.

"For the sake of good governance, we owe it to our constituents to meet later today at Conference, lock the door, and not adjourn until we have selected our new Speaker — weekends are no longer eligible for time off," the Tennessee freshman lawmaker continued.

Ogles wrote that the GOP conference "can no longer continue the song and dance routine of meeting and adjourning without coming to a consensus."

"Americans shouldn't be asked to wait longer for Congress to renew its efforts to tackle the opioid crisis, the border crisis, the spending crisis, and the barbaric terrorists responsible for the unprovoked attack against Israel," the letter reads.

"We cannot afford to allow our Caucus to appear as if it is [lackadaisical] in its approach to good governance," Ogles wrote. "I look forward to seeing each of you later tonight."

Ogles' letter comes as the House sits at a standstill without a top dog to lead the lower chamber after former Speaker Kevin McCarthy's historic ouster last week.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., was chosen as the GOP's nominee for speaker on Wednesday, but he dropped out of the race Thursday night following a closed-door meeting with fellow House Republicans.

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It quickly became clear after his nomination that Scalise did not have the support needed to win a House-wide vote. With just a razor-thin majority, he could only afford to lose four GOP members to still clinch the gavel without Democratic support.

House Republicans are expected to meet Friday morning to choose a new speaker candidate.

Fox News Digital's Elizabeth Elkind contributed reporting.

Trump impeachment witness Alexander Vindman accused of trying to profit off Ukraine war with defense contracts

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

Retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who made waves as a witness during the first impeachment proceedings of former President Donald Trump, is now being accused of trying to profit off the war in Ukraine by pitching lucrative defense contracts through his private company.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., who was one of the sharpest critics of Vindman throughout the impeachment investigation, blasted him as an "opportunist," and accused him of undertaking continuous efforts to try and personally profit from his attacks against the Trump administration to his reported dealings in Ukraine.

The first impeachment of Trump centered around a July 2019 call in which Trump pressed Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to launch investigations into the Biden family’s actions and business dealings in Ukraine—specifically Hunter Biden’s ventures with Ukrainian natural gas firm Burisma Holdings. The president’s request came after millions in U.S. military aid to Ukraine had been frozen, which Democrats and some witnesses, including Vindman, cited as a quid pro quo arrangement.

"When conservatives speak the truth, the mainstream media panics and desperately attempts to provide cover for the left. They did this for Alexander Vindman, just like they did for Hunter Biden, Dr. Fauci and teachers unions," Blackburn said, referencing liberal media outlets' staunch defense of Vindman throughout his time as a witness during the impeachment investigation.

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"Alexander Vindman has always been a political activist and opportunist masquerading behind his career. He saw an opening for personal fame and profited by exploiting the media’s outrage against President Trump," she accused.

"Vindman has spent the last three years on MSNBC and CNN attacking Republicans. Now, new revelations suggest Vindman could be profiting off the war in Ukraine, just as he did by speaking out against the Trump administration," Blackburn added.

According to a report by Human Events, a conservative digital newspaper, Vindman has been pitching the government of Ukraine to obtain defense contracts through Trident International LLC, of which he is the CEO.

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The report stated that last year, Vindman, who was born in Ukraine, pitched a project worth $12 million that his company said would address the country's problems with managing the readiness, repair and maintenance of its weapons systems by developing a center within the country to essentially operate as a middle-man between NATO and the Ukrainian military.

The center would reportedly operate in such a way that equipment and weapons could be repaired in closer proximity to the front line and cut down on the time it takes for transpiration and maintenance. 

It's unclear, however, if the project has been approved as the report stated court documents showed there was an ongoing dispute over payments related to the project.

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According to Breitbart News, Vindman appeared to confirm Human Events' report in a now deleted tweet.

"Thanks for the advert. I’m trying to get logistics in place to help Ukraine win the war and secure America. Looking for philanthropic contributions to get it going. Reach out if you support the cause of democracy and US National Security," Vindman allegedly tweeted.

Speaking with Fox News Digital, Vindman responded to the accusations by blasting Blackburn, accusing her of lying and contributing to him ultimately leaving the military.

"Ooh, Blackburn. She’s an idiot, an agent of chaos promoting disinformation. She has never said one true thing about me. Her attacks in 2019/20 contributed to an environment that made it impossible for me to continue my nonpartisan military service," Vindman said.

"More importantly, it’s the politicization of Ukraine, by the fringe right, that brought about this war, imperiling Ukraine, Europe, and most importantly the U.S.," he added.

Fox News' Brian Flood contributed to this report.

AG Barr targeted by House Dem’s impeachment resolution

Posted on by Dom Calicchio
A House Democrat who’s a frequent critic of the Trump administration submitted a resolution Tuesday calling for the impeachment of Attorney General William Barr.

John Bolton pressed by Susan Rice on impeachment testimony at Vanderbilt event

Posted on by Louis Casiano
Former national security advisers John Bolton and Susan Rice engaged in a sometimes-tense debate over Russia and the impeachment trial against President Trump, in front of a crowd of 1,500 people Wednesday in Nashville.