Author: Cathy Hinners

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Coffee County Voters Beware! Part 3…Mike Stein

 

 

 

 

      Meet Mike Stein, a liberal, radical teacher from Coffee County High School who is running for Coffee County Commissioner in District 2.So if Mr. Stein shows up at your door and asks for your support, don’t allow his campaign sign in your yard, as you may be showing support for well known radical organizations.

Many may argue the sign Mr. Stein decided to use means nothing, but look at the current meaning of a clenched fist. In the short term, the BLM movement (whose founders claim to be Marxists ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pyhy4IvkENguses)  uses the clenched fist to promote resistance, black pride, and solidarity with their ideology, which left cities burned, and millions of dollars of damage to those cities. It’s no surprise Mr. Stein supports BLM. 

The original Black Panther Party (a Marxist-Leninist black power political organization founded by college students Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton in October 1966 in Oakland, California) used the raised clenched fist as a sign of defiance, and became known as “black power”

Antifa, one of the most violent, anti-American, lawless groups also uses the clenched fist on many of their flags.

Stein’s choice of hardline social justice activism continues as he expressed gratitude for a virtual conference hosted by The Education Trust: Tennessee Coalition for Truth in Classrooms.  No surprise The Education Trust is a recipient of George Soro’s Open Society Foundation grant program. In 2020, the Education Trust received  $50,000  for “general support”.

 

  Stein is an ESL teacher at the Coffee County High School.  In May of 2021, In an article penned By Cathryn Stout of TN Chalkbeat, teachers were asked how they will respond to  legislation that prohibits teaching the tenets of Critical Race Theory, despite knowing “If the commissioner of education finds that an LEA or public charter school knowingly violates the prohibitions described in (1)-(11), then this amendment requires the commissioner to withhold state funds, in an amount determined by the commissioner, from the LEA or public charter school until the LEA or public charter school provides evidence to the commissioner that the LEA or public charter school is no longer in violation.”  

Stein’s response was disingenuous and misleading as he commented “Both history and English content standards require students to think critically. Teachers are evaluated based on our ability to inspire critical thinking. How are we supposed to teach the standards and have our students think critically when we can only present and discuss one side of an issue?”  None of his statement is true, as the law does not stop discussions or critical thinking.  One source told us Stein had flippantly stated he would teach elements of CRT regardless of the new law.

Is anyone surprised Mike Stein supports  the Elizabeth Warren just and equitable cannabis Industry? 

 Mike Stein is a mish mash of social justice and far left ideologies. Is this who Coffee County wants as a Commissioner, that makes policies for all?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Coffee County Voters Beware! Part 2 Margaret Cunningham

 

 

Sometimes the past is reflective of the future, and voters may need to be reminded about that. In this case, voters need to understand where Independent candidate for Coffee County TN Mayor Margaret Cunningham may lead them. Currently Mrs. Cunningham serves as a Coffee County commissioner, where she has been for 8 years

 In 2019, Commissioner  Margaret Cunningham suggested a wheel tax be levied to the residents of Coffee County with a rate of $25 per vehicle. According to Mrs. Cunningham “We have a responsibility,” Cunningham said. “I don’t think it’s right to continually burden a small percentage of the population to carry the county burdens of expenditure; it’s not fair. This is a good time. These are reasonable numbers – $20 or $25 on a car and half of that for a motorcycle.” She further stated “And $20 or $25 is not going to kill anybody’s budget” 

If Mrs. Cunningham were to be elected, would imposing a wheel tax on already financially stretched residents have to worry about losing more of their paycheck? $20 or $25 means gas or food for many right now.

 In September 2021, Mrs. Cunningham, Chair of the Purchasing Committee suggested the Coffee County Historical Society, a nonprofit that utilizes a room at the Court House, should pay rent. Cunningham stated “It seems to me they (the Coffee County Historical Society) are ungrateful for the county letting them have so much space. Maybe we need to think about charging them some minimal charge so that they understand this is a special thing to be able to get the space. I think if they are not grateful then maybe we need to think of something to make them appreciate that they have it.

So, this is how an elected county commissioner views a non- profit, ran by volunteers, creating archives to maintain a cities past should be treated?  No surprise though, this is how many quasi Independents aka democrats view history, and are actively attempting to re-write and replace it. 

 In addition to the many committees Mrs. Cunningham sits on, she also maintained the title of President to the organization Manchester Coffee County Partnership for Tomorrow, which is the umbrella over its three entities, one being Coffee County Animal Welfare – Partnership for Tomorrow.  Its stated purpose was “to provide outlet for donations to the coffee County animal control facility in order to improve conditions for animals housed there, as well as provide volunteers and resources to increase adoptions by allowing better hours of operation, assistance to County staff, building capital fund for new animal control facility and overall raising the quality of care for animals in the coffee County animal control facility.”  

A question that needs to be asked of Mrs. Cunningham is what did her organization accomplish for the animals of Coffee County? It is widely known the shelter’s condition was dilapidated, and unable to house the many dogs that needed the service. In fact, upon a visit to the shelter to drop off items for the dogs, we observed blankets and towels that were donated, in garbage bags at the rear of the building soaked by rain. Boxes upon boxes of apparently donated goods were piled high, with no sign of being properly stored or distributed. Questions have arisen regarding the dissolution of this particular part of the organization, and where funds raised were distributed.

In this time of political upheaval, voters must be educated on a candidates fiscal responsibilities rather than charm, strong leadership instead of rhetoric, and effective, productive policies rather than “niceness”.   

Coming up next… Margaret Cunningham’s road is being paved despite others in dire need… 

 

 

 

 

 

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Coffee County Voters Beware! Part 1 Marian Galbraith

 

Once again many Democrats are hiding under the “Independent” banner knowing if they run as a democrat in a red county, they may handily lose. Such is the case with Marian Galbraith, running for county commissioner in the 8th district.  As Ms. Galbraith’s political donations will clearly show, she is/has monetarily supported democrat after democrat, including some real winners.

 

 

Act blue, who Ms. Galbraith has donated at least 10 times so far this year, is a far-left radical PAC. In an article written by Hayden Ludwig of Capitalresearch.org.  he breaks down what Actblue is :” Act blue in turn sends those donations to leftist candidates that otherwise could not raise money on their own. Money passes through Act Blue to the ultimate recipient and Act Blue collects a fee as payment. This also has the added effect of obscuring the ultimate recipient, since money passing through Act Blue looks like a donation to Act Blue.

Ludwig best defines how Act blue and its cohort’s work. “The trick to Act Blue is understanding that it’s a single brand encompassing 3 separate nonprofits: a 501(c)(3) called Act Blue Charities, a 501(c)(4) called Act Blue Civics, and a PAC (also called a “527”) simply called Act Blue. These groups all share leadership and office space but are legally distinct entities.

He further writes” Act Blue Charities and Act Blue Civics File Form 990 reports with the IRS, meaning that their top-line finances are publicly disclosed. (Act Blue PAC is governed by the Federal Election Commission and so files different reports.) In 2018 (the latest year available), Act Blue Charities reported almost $24 million in revenues and Act Blue Civics took in an impressive $49 million.

But nearly all the money Act Blue Charities and Act Blue Civics paid out is reported generically in one lump, as “passed-through contributions”—meaning those Act Blue nonprofits don’t have to disclose which groups they passed money to or how much each group received in total.

Considering the Left’s loathing for untraceable “dark money,” that’s shocking hypocrisy.

Other nonprofits largely function as pass-throughs, but they normally report the end-recipient of the money flows. I’m not aware of any other nonprofits that hide that lumping everything into the generic expense of “passed-through contributions” the way Act Blue does.”  Thank you Mr. Ludwig for that info.

On the FEC (Federal Election Commission) website, it does allow you to view the form that donations were “earmarked” for. Ms. Galbraith’s choice of democratic candidates is scary when you research who they are.  View her donations here:  https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=marian+galbraith

So why is this information regarding donations candidates like Ms. Galbraith and Ms. Rupa Blackwell support  so important? Because donations represent ideologies those donating adhere to. We all do it, donate to those who claim to uphold the values we want, and will instill once elected. That is why it is so important to understand who candidates donate to, but also are supported and endorsed by.

Coffee County candidates like Marian Galbraith, and Margaret Cunningham (more to come on Cunningham) use the independent label to deceive voters. Don’t fall for it.

More on Actblue here: https://freebeacon.com/democrats/actblue-fined-for-facilitating-nearly-44000-in-illegal-contributions/

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Who Is Rupa Blackwell? Know Before You Vote!

Today, local elections are extremely important as they are the foundation for how our states run. Even in small communities, like the city of Tullahoma TN, using feelings and emotions as a barometer for how you vote can no longer apply. Candidates count on their niceness, or how charismatic they are to gain support and your vote, but in todays political climate, researching before you head to the polls is imperative.

Rupa Shukla Blackwell, an alderwoman in Tullahoma is running for re-election, and if you are even remotely moderate,  Ms. Blackwell is not your choice. Once again, Ms. Blackwell has the endorsements of two far left, radical, “woke” organizations.

Women for Tennessee’s Future self describes itself on their website as this:

Wait! What does “reproductive justice” mean for the city of Tullahoma? One question for Ms. Blackwell should be is she pro-choice, like her endorser or pro-life? Voters have a right to know. 

In her bid to form a “diversity council”, which she wanted to fall under the umbrella of city government, she is elected to serve all people, not those she feels is “underserved”. Thankfully, the diversity council idea failed, and is now a private entity, not a government  one.

Another organization jumping to support Ms. Blackwell is Emerge TN. Here is what they believe in as stated on their website:

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Ms. Blackwell seems to jump on any trend, despite the controversy that surrounds them. Here she proudly hashtags black lives matter, while participating in a parade to support them. BLM has been proven to be a fraudulent group that has misspent millions of dollars, not on their own community but for the founders personal gain. Does Ms. Blackwell still support BLM? 

Ms. Blackwell is an active member of “Silent no Longer”

While this organization does support victims of domestic violence, and sexual assaults it also promotes and embraces woke agendas. 

There are many pressing questions the citizens of Tullahoma need to be asking of their candidate for alderwoman Rupa Blackwell.

Since you are supported and endorsed by Women for Tennessee’s Future, who are “pro choice” and are fighting for abortion rights in TN, are you pro-choice or pro-life?

Emerge TN, another supporter of you, and their national branch project our country to be primarily run by blacks, browns, lgtbq+ and indigenous people. Do you believe in identity politics, and that qualifications should only be based on race, gender and sexual preferences? 

Since you have been endorsed again by these groups, will you be beholden to their agendas? 

Do you still support BLM?

How do these organizations and their beliefs help the city of Tullahoma to become a better place to live? 

Ms. Blackwell has in the past few years written many articles on her victimhood, and seems to lack the focus and attention to what makes a city better. Personal beliefs are one thing, projecting them into her policy making decisions are quite another. Time to rethink who will better qualify to make Tullahoma greater, not who appears nice and friendly. 

 

 

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Rupa Blackwell: Social Worker or Policy Maker?

Let’s get right to the point.

Rupa Shukla Blackwell is running again for her position as alderwoman in the city of Tullahoma TN, but is she using her victim status to gain sympathy and support? While being a victim of domestic abuse is a horrible, life altering experience no one should have to endure, perhaps it seems more appropriate for Ms. Blackwell to be a social worker or police officer. Sharing her experience on a regular basis, more and more it makes sense she would be a better advocate for victims than a public policy maker.

Being an elected official in any capacity requires attention to ALL community members, not just those she can personally relate to. Ms. Blackwell previously was the voice to create a city “diversity council” under the thumb of the government. By doing so, Ms. Blackwell implied most people living in the city were somehow bigoted and racist if they didn’t believe in diversity. Thankfully, her idea was shot down, as the city of Tullahoma is a wonderful, inclusive city to live and work in.

Yes Ms. Blackwell is a charismatic, lovely young woman who enjoys her city, but her constant portrayal of herself as a victim should not be a reason to vote for her. Today’s political climate demands those who are decisive, and focused on what makes a city better and more efficient. Using feelings and emotions as a barometer to make decisions for an entire city is not effective.

In a featured article in the Tullahoma News, Ms. Blackwell states : This year before embarking on these important sessions in our schools, I wanted to share a bit about my story with our community so that you would understand why this work is important to me. When I originally wrote this as a cautionary tale, the story was dark. But as I wrote, the story evolved. Over the years, without me realizing, I had finally found true freedom. I believe in this work because I want to whatever I can to help interrupt the cycle of violence many in our community are experiencing. I believe in this work because I don’t want any of these kids to experience what I experienced.

While this is truly admirable and noble, there are other places Ms. Blackwell may better serve her community, and perhaps social work is one such place. This isn’t about being mean to Ms Blackwell, it is truly about seeing where she directs her energy.  In today’s political climate, social activism is not the qualification one needs to be a political figure.

Coming up in part 2, see How Rupa Blackwell is connected to the social justice agenda.

 

 

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Coffee County Candidate Recap: Are They Really Who They Claim?

                           

Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored- Aldous Huxley

We all have a responsibility and a right to vote, but who you are voting for is of utmost importance, especially during these volatile times. It is no different in Coffee County Tennessee, as local elections are vital.. from how your children are educated, to how the criminal justice system thrives. Local elections make or break a community.

The upcoming information on candidates are based on findings from open, factual sources, which helps shed light on the true values of candidates claiming to be “bona fide Republicans”.

While the criteria in the state of TN includes a candidate’s voting record which state bylaws define as “Any individual who has voted in at least three (3) of the four (4) most recent Statewide Republican primary elections”, there should be other factors to uphold the integrity of the party. Unfortunately, those factors do not exist in those bylaws, so it is incumbent for voters to know critical information, particularly who supports and endorses those running for office. Conservative voters can blame top state GOP man, Scott Golden for giving the nod for all those filing to run.

Garth Roland Segroves, currently an attorney in Tullahoma TN is running for General Sessions Judge, Part 2. The question should be asked if being a “bona fide Republican” includes running as a Democrat for Tennessee House District 47 in 2006.

Other questions are regarding the donations by Mr. Garth Segroves to  Democrat Beto O,Rourke presidential candidate in 2020, Democrat runner for TN Senate Phil Bredesen in 2018, and Democrat Karl Dean for Nashville Mayor also in 2018.

 

Other donations of note are to Act blue, and a PAC supporting Beto O’Rourke called Powered By People.

 

https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=garth+segroves

https://www.opensecrets.org/search?q=+garth+segroves&type=donors

https://nypost.com/2021/07/15/escapade-to-dc-by-texas-dems-funded-by-beto-orourkes-pac/

Is this really a “bona fide Republican”?

 Josh Morris. We can’t tell you what he currently does, as he repeatedly quits jobs which he admits, is to advance himself. However we can tell you he is in the running for the Coffee County Circuit Court Clerk, the same office where he served as a deputy clerk, but again quit and was rehired on several occasions.  Mr. Morris clings to his claim he is a leader and has budget experience.   In 2008, as director of the Manchester recreation center, Mr. Morris received a letter in his personnel file reprimanding him for “seriously” going over a budget, and failure to attend meetings due to his claim of “being busy”.  In 2014, Mr. Morris ran as a democrat for the Coffee County Trustee position.   His inconsistency and loyalty to any job appears to be a problem, so should this be who voters elect for a job that requires loyalty, attention to budgets and adherence to rules? 

Eric Burch, another Tullahoma attorney, running for Coffee County Circuit Court Judge, Part 2, donated  in 2018,$1000 to Democrat Phil Bredesen, who ran against Marsha Blackburn.

Tim Morris vying for County Commission District 5 and Scott Hansert running for Coffee County Road Superintendent both ran as democrats in local races in 2014.  https://www.manchestertimes.com/news/local/election-results-brown-wins-dem-primary-for-coffee-county-mayor/article_47aa9487-00e4-5728-bba2-03c2de80e485.html

Yes, we know people grow, and change their views. However it is incumbent upon us as voters to know a candidates past,  to question it, and decide whether they have changed or have an agenda contrary to their campaign rhetoric. 

This isn’t a personal attack or as many will respond “no big deal” on those running for political offices in Coffee County, but rather a wake up call. Local elections are the foundation for state and federal  campaigns and can turn a red state blue at any time. If  those running for office have  an agenda other than what the republican party claims to have, it will result in the downfall of conservatism. Doesn’t it matter?

 

 

 

 

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Josh Morris… TN Bona Fide Republican or Another Good Ole Boy?

 

As we continue to inform the voters of Coffee County TN about who is currently campaigning for various offices, another candidate is Joshua Morris who is vying for the Coffee County Circuit Court Clerk position.

Mr. Morris announced his candidacy for this position by stating in part :“The Circuit Court Clerk collects all fines, court costs, and litigation taxes for the Court system.  My previous experience in this office gives me direct knowledge of the importance of accounting for this money properly.  In addition, I am aware of the many agencies and offices that the Circuit Court Clerk corresponds with regularly and the need to communicate with them effectively.” ( Note: previous experience was as Deputy clerk) 

Well Mr. Morris, perhaps you can explain the issues you had with maintaining a budget while the Director of Recreation in the city of Manchester. According to a memo sent (see below) to Morris from then Mayor Betty Superstein in July of 2008 she stated “It was brought to my attention that the recreation center was seriously over budget for fiscal year 2007-2008. Ms. Esther Greene and I met with you on May 27 2008 to discuss the budget. You were instructed to stop all spending except for emergencies. This did not happen.”

In addition to the lack of maintaining a budget despite an order from the mayor directing Mr. Morris to do so, the same memo also shows the disrespect to superiors by Mr. Morris. When asked why he did not attend a department head meeting, Mr. Morris responded he was “too busy”.

 How is it taxpaying voters should trust Josh Morris to be responsible, accountable and diligent to handle money, when 2 years earlier he was reprimanded by the Mayor of Manchester for seriously going over the budget, and then disregarding the directive not to spend anymore unless for an emergency. If Mr. Morris had no problem disrespecting then mayor Superstein, will his arrogance enable him to do the same if he becomes the Circuit court clerk?

Apparently, the voters of Coffee County aren’t important to Mr. Morris either. On February 24th, the Republican Party of Coffee County, which Mr. Morris claims to be a part of, hosted a meet and greet dinner where candidates were present to promote themselves. Mr. Morris did not attend. Mr. Morris did however attend a supposedly public function hosted by a friend at the exclusive Clayton Terminal at the Tullahoma Airport on March 3. 

Yes, Josh Morris may fit the criteria for being a “bona fide” republican based on his voting record, but unfortunately the criteria in TN State GOP Bylaws does not account for character, or loyalty to the Republican party at all. So much for the “integrity” of the party, as clearly Mr. Morris likes to vote for the person, not necessarily the party. 

 Wake up Coffee County voters, stop electing those who have an agenda or are just part of the rhino system.

 

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Are Tennessee Republican Candidates Really “Bona Fide” or Just Good Ole Boys?

 

 Someone needs to tell the head of the Tennessee State GOP, Mr. Scott Golden, the definition of Bona Fide, according to the American Heritage Dictionary is “Made or carried out in good faith; sincere. Authentic; genuine: In good faith. In business dealings it means without fraud or deception.

Tennessee State bylaws redefine the word as being “ any individual actively involved in the Tennessee Republican Party, his County Republican Party or any recognized auxiliary organization of either and ; and either any individual who has voted in at least three (3) of the four (4) most recent Statewide Republican primary elections; or Any individual who is vouched for in writing (to the satisfaction of the decision makers defined herein) as a bona fide Republican by an officer of the TRP or a member of the CEC, excluding SEC members, of the County and/or District where said individual resides. The decision makers defined herein may require additional verification that said individual is indeed a bona fide Republican.

According to an article in the On the Hill Tennessee Journal, Previously, the number of required votes was two of the last four. The change was done to “create a consistent standard” for candidates statewide, Golden said, not to make it harder for people to run for office.

“These approved changes were not proposed to prevent people from exercising their right to run for office, but to ensure that primary voters have strong Republicans on the ballot to choose from,” he said in a statement.

Strong Republicans? What a joke!

No where in the current bylaws does any word regarding a candidate’s character, or values matching that of what Republicans are supposed to stand for are mentioned. Why is that? How can the integrity of the Republican party in Tennessee be maintained when its potential candidates are less that authentic or genuine?  

The upcoming information on candidates are based on findings from open, factual sources, which helps shed light on the true values of candidates claiming to be “bona fide Republicans”.

Garth Roland Segroves, currently an attorney in Tullahoma TN is running for General Sessions Judge, Part 2. The question should be asked if being a “bona fide Republican” includes running as a Democrat for Tennessee House District 47 in 2006.

Other questions are regarding the donations by Mr. Garth Segroves to Democrat Beto O,Rourke presidential candidate in 2020, Democrat runner for TN Senate Phil Bredesen in 2018, and Democrat Karl Dean for Nashville Mayor also in 2018.

Other donations of note are to Actblue, and a PAC supporting Beto O’Rourke called People Powered Action.

https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=garth+segroves

https://apps.tn.gov/tncamp-app/public/ceresults.htm

The following link is an article regarding The Powered By People PAC aka People Powered Action

https://nypost.com/2021/07/15/escapade-to-dc-by-texas-dems-funded-by-beto-orourkes-pac/

Is this really a “strong” or “bona fide Republican”? If so, the Republican party has lost any semblance of what integrity really is.

The following are other candidates currently running for positions in Coffee County that may meet the criteria to run, but are they true “Bona Fide Republicans”?

Joshua Morris –  Running for Coffee County Circuit Court Clerk

 SO in future elections, will Mr. Morris vote with the party he proclaims to be a member of or whoever he prefers. In addition, in Mr. Morris’s announcement for his candidacy, he is disingenuous by implying he is currently in this position. “I would be honored to serve the residents of Coffee County as Circuit Court Clerk.  I have had an interest in leading this office since my employment began there in 2010,”

Mr. Morris also ran for Coffee County Trustee in 2014 as a Democrat.

Eric Burch,  an attorney in Coffee County TN seeking for position as Circuit Court Judge Part 2

Mr. Burch donated $1000 in 2018 to Phil Bredesen for his senate run against Marsha Blackburn. 

Robert Carter, also an attorney in Coffee County running for Circuit Court Judge Part 2 has had his own legal issues in 2011 which involved his being publicly censured by the TN Board of Professional Responsibility

 

Tim Morris vying for County Commission District 5 and Scott Hansert running for Coffee County Road Superintendent both ran as democrats in local races in 2014.  https://www.manchestertimes.com/news/local/election-results-brown-wins-dem-primary-for-coffee-county-mayor/article_47aa9487-00e4-5728-bba2-03c2de80e485.html

This isn’t a personal attack or as many will respond “no big deal” on those running for political offices in Coffee County, but rather a wake up call. Local elections are the foundation for state and federal  campaigns and can turn a red state blue at any time. If  those running for office have  an agenda other than what the republican party claims to have, it will result in the downfall of conservatism. Doesn’t it matter?

 So since the leadership of the Tennessee State GOP doesn’t particularly care how sincere the potential candidates have been, it is up to the voters to know who they’re voting for, not just based on personality but rather on character and the integrity they bring to the true Republican Party.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Catholic Charities..Help for Refugees over Nashvillians.

 

Catholic Charities doesn’t care about Nashvillians  in need, but they do care about refugees and illegals. That’s right, the same Catholic Charities that received $7.3 million dollars from the bloated TANF fund (Tennessee Assistance for Needy Families) is the same organization sitting on over $100,000 meant to be distributed to those victims of the Nashville Christmas day bombing in 2020.

From September 2021 through March of 2022, Catholic Charities will help resettle over 150 Afghanis in the city of Nashville, the same city where many Nashvillians and businesses were displaced by a terrorist and need help to rebuild.  

In a recent tv interview between News Channel 4 and Ashley Bergeron, who lost her apartment and her art gallery, Bergeron states she needs help, and after one year of trying to make ends meet, she needs it now. Bergeron says she received a little over $3,200 that helped pay for things like her mortgage and utility bills, but those bills haven’t gone away. “Now that its been almost a year I’m now realizing okay wow, I’m going to need to ask for some more support,” said Bergeron.

Almost a year after the bombing, Ashley Bergeron is still feeling the impact

 

 

 

 

 https://www.wsmv.com/news/investigations/one-year-later-christmas-day-bombing-survivors-still-struggle-financially-where-s-all-the-donated/article_746f9e02-63f7-11ec-ba25-aff5cb8f7697.html?block_id=994460

Why is it Nashvillians are not receiving the assistance they need? Judy Orr, the executive director of Catholic Charities says “What we try to do is take care of the most immediate needs. If someone were to come forward now with additional expenses all of those would be considered.” Considered? Seriously?

 So what does CC bring to the table when refugees are involved? Afghans receive 30 to 90 days of assistance, case management and $1,225 per individual. Per individual. So for a family of lets say 4 that is $4900, $1700 over what Nashvillian Bergeron was given. But wait, the Afghan refugees, according to Kellye Branson, director of Refugee and Immigration Services for CC, will also receive  housing complete with furnishings, Social Security cards, enrolling their kids in school , and following up on any medical needs or mental health needs they might have.  Gee..did those suffering from the Nashville 2020 Christmas day bombing get that help and service?

Executive Director Judy Orr

 The bottom line is $950,000 was forked over to The United Way and The Community Foundation in Nashville, in addition to a $2 million grant.  The question begs to be asked where is the money for those Nashvillians?  Perhaps it is time for donations to be given elsewhere rather than large wealthy non profits. Catholic Charities may imply they are religious, and a charity, however it looks more like refugees and illegals are more profitable for them rather than those in their own backyard.

 

 

 

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State Licensed Bethany Christian Services in Nashville Provides Foster Care to UACs

Why hasn’t Bethany Christian been asked to testify to the Tennessee Joint Study Committee on Refugees whose charge is to address the situation with UAC arrivals to the state? Why is this organization being shielded from legislative and administrative scrutiny?

Tennessee’s Dept. of Children’s Services (DCS) has known or should have known all along that they licensed Bethany Christian Services to provide foster care services to UACs* arriving in Tennessee.

Recall, that DCS was grilled by the Joint Study Committee over their licensing of the Baptiste Group, a federal contractor which was providing housing and other services to UACs in Chattanooga.

Like Baptiste Group, Bethany Christian (BC) is a federal contractor with the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement and gets paid by the federal government to provide services to arriving UACs. Unlike Baptiste which provided the housing itself, BC finds foster care parents to house children smuggled to the border until they are placed with a self-identified sponsor. 

According to Amy Scott, Nashville Branch Director at Bethany Christian, “our role is to care for children who flee to the U.S. without their families, reunite families, and restore communities.” Further down in her January 2021 Tennessean op-ed she makes it clear that she is talking about UACs and discloses that they have provided transitional (short-term) foster care to 8,000 arriving UACs since 2013. 

Scott suggests only good Christians support illegal immigration

BC is among the largest adoption and foster care providers in the country and has multiple offices in other states. In Tennessee BC operates in Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Johnson City and Memphis, so it is not clear whether Scott’s reference to the 8,000 UACs served refers solely to Tennessee.

According to BC’s website Nashville is the only Tennessee location providing foster care to UACs at this time but they are actively seeking to expand “beyond [the] locations” listed.

BC is also an advocate for increasing the number of overseas refugees to be resettled in the U.S..

Without question, BC is in the same business as the Baptiste Group. The sole difference between them is that Baptiste operated a facility where the UACs were housed whereas BC farms the UACs out to paid foster care homes.

Both Baptiste and BC are responsible for releasing a UAC to self-identified sponsors who present themselves. BC is responsible for vetting the self-identified UAC sponsor. Data indicates that  approximately 78% of UAC sponsors are here illegally themselves. And some “vetted” sponsors have turned out to be labor traffickers like those in the August 2021 investigation. 

Both Baptiste and BC get paid by the federal government for these services.

Both Baptiste and BC are licensed by the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services but only Baptiste was ever discussed by the Joint Legislative Committee on Refugees. In fact, the committee legislators made a big show about going after the Baptiste Group once it became public that Baptiste was being paid to provide transitional housing and services to UAC arrivals in Chattanooga. DCS was grilled about the licensing.

Why hasn’t BC been called to account for facilitating illegal immigration with UACs by the Joint Legislative Study Committee on Refugees? Why hasn’t DCS been questioned about its licensing for BC?

The Joint Committee’s agenda for its upcoming meeting on October 12th, appears to be going after federal ORR contractors which have been identified for providing services to UACs arriving in Tennessee.

Bethany Christian Services is not included – why not? How credible is this Joint Committee or these legislators if they are willing to shield a self-identified UAC provider?

*BC insists that UACs “in the transitional foster care program are not illegal immigrants.” The Congressional Research Service (CRS) which refers to itself as Congress’ “think tank” writes, “[u]naccompanied alien children are statutorily defined as children who lack lawful immigration status in the United States, are under age 18, and lack a parent or legal guardian in the United States or a parent or legal guardian in the United States who is available to provide care and physical custody.” All UACs are illegal entrants until they receive some form of adjudicated immigration relief.