Kicking off the air wars in the race for Tennessee's 5th Congressional District, Metro Council member Courtney Johnston , who is challenging incumbent U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles in the Republican primary, released her first television ad.
In the ad she criticizes Ogles for having "accomplished nothing" during his first term in office. According to FCC filings, Johnston's campaign spent about $62,000 on TV ad buys so far.
"He chases headlines, not results," the ad states. "No more do-nothing politicians. It's time for a leader who fights and wins."
During his first term in Congress, Ogles has been a vocal critic on television and talk radio of the Biden administration's border policies and stances on social issues. He has also filed more than 100 pieces of legislation, including amendments.
But while his proposals ― like the "No Juicing Joe Act," which would require the White House to notify Congress when the president takes a drug that could impact his judgement or mood, and the "Antisemitism Community Service Act," which would punish "anti-Israel" student protesters by requiring six months of community service in Gaza ― have grabbed headlines on conservative outlets like Newsmax and the Daily Caller, no bills of which Ogles is the original sponsor have become law. Only four have reached committee .
Johnston, a realtor who set aside her career to focus on representing her Metro Council district, is challenging Ogles on both his integrity and his first-term record.
"I think whether you are on the local, state, or federal level, the people who are representing us ought to have character, integrity, and the ability to tell the truth," Johnston recently told the Hillsboro-Brentwood Exchange Club. "I don't think he's present in the district ― I know that he's not. He's accomplished nothing."
Ogles recently made headlines after admitting that he falsely reported a personal loan of $320,000 to the Federal Election Commission across nearly two years of filings, instead calling the money he had disclosed as a self-loan on 11 different federal forms a "pledge" to self fund if needed, and the need never arose.
While on the Metro Council, Johnston has been a conservative voice in the majority progressive body, voting against a 34% property tax increase in 2020.
As evidence of her record, Johnston points to her victory on the Metro Council establishing a license plate reader program in Nashville, despite opposition in the progressive members, to work as a "force multiplier" for the police to help solve missing persons and missing property crimes. She also points to success closing a homeless encampment in her Metro Council district, rehousing individuals who previously lived there and connecting them with wraparound social services.
While Ogles campaigned on cutting wasteful government spending, he has personally spent significantly more in taxpayer-funded expenses than Republican colleagues in the Tennessee delegation.
Ogles, who was recently endorsed by Americans for Prosperity Action for his fiscal conservatism, has spent $30,000 in receipt-free taxpayer-funded reimbursements for travel and lodging expenses in 2023 ― more than 94% of his House colleagues. He has also spent $335,000 ― far more than his Republican colleagues ― in taxpayer-funded communications to tout his first-term record , sending glossy mailers to residents saying he'd broken legislative records ― all of which Johnston criticizes as wasteful. Ogles previously told The Tennessean the communications were important for constituent services.
“The only thing Andy Ogles can do effectively is waste our tax dollars,” Johnston said. “Andy has a record of increasing taxes, not paying his own taxes, and spending taxpayers’ money for himself. Voters in Middle Tennessee deserve more than a grandstanding, weak-kneed hypocrite with a laundry list of financial mishandlings. They deserve a member of Congress they can trust. That’s why I’m running.”
Ogles has not responded to interview requests from The Tennessean.
Rejecting $1.9B in federal ed funding remains on the table
Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton , R-Crossville, says the legislature is still considering rejecting federal education funding, and the issue will likely return during the legislative session next year.
Tennessee receives nearly $1.9 billion in federal funding for K-12 education each year. The funds primarily support Title I, IDEA and other programs that support low-income students , students with disabilities, and school lunch programs.
"I think it's either an all or nothing," Sexton told The Tennessean in a recent interview. "Rejecting just partial still means that if President Biden puts in that people can play sports based on their gender identity or use bathrooms based on their gender identity, it doesn't matter if you take $1 or a billion dollars: you still have to abide by it."
Sexton said that the House is still considering recommendations made after a special joint task force to review the impact and "strings attached" to federal K-12 funding last year . Sen. Jon Lundberg , R-Bristol, at the time emphasized repeatedly that the group was reviewing requirements that come with federal dollars ― not considering cutting programs funded by the dollars in any way .
Sexton said the $1.5 billion in one-time franchise tax refunds lawmakers approved last year shows that the state is capable of funding the difference if federal money is turned down.
"If our revenue stays the same as it has been or grows at all, then all that money is coming back ― and potentially that money could be used to help offset federal education dollars," Sexton said. "Take that money to fund the federal portion, and then just have state dollars funding education ― which puts the state in more control of how we educate our kids."
Sexton said that the results of the presidential election may not impact the legislature's resolve to reject the federal dollars.
"You know, when you're going out of office, you've got two months where you can cause havoc and chaos if that's what you're wanting to do. So nothing will change until that date in January, if a new president's elected ― and then it takes time to change."
Blackburn, Ossoff launch inquiry on conditions for children in border detention facilities
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn , R-Tennessee, and Sen. Jon Ossoff , D-Georgia, launched a bipartisan inquiry this month seeking answers on reports of dangerous conditions for children awaiting processing in Customs and Border Protection facilities at the southern U.S. border.
Blackburn and Ossoff wrote a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, challenging the agency after an Inspector General report found repeated standards violations, including overcrowding in facilities, holding unaccompanied children for longer than 72 hours, failing to separate children from unrelated members of the opposite sex while in federal detention, and failing to provide showers, hygiene products and clean bedding.
"Secure borders keep Georgia's and Tennessee's families safe. Strengthening border security requires vast resources, order, and humanity to help vulnerable children navigate an uncertain process," their letter states. "Protecting the human rights of children is both a moral and legal imperative and border enforcement must be humane."
Blackburn is the ranking member of the Senate Human Rights Subcommittee.
Tennessee Democrats speak at White House gun forum
Three prominent Tennessee Democrats joined 60 state lawmakers from around the nation at the White House this week to strategize gun violence prevention policies.
Senate Democratic Leader Raumesh Akbari , D-Memphis, Sen. Jeff Yarbro , D-Nashville, and House Democratic Leader Karen Camper , D-Memphis, joined lawmakers from 30 other states to discuss new policy approaches to reduce gun crimes.
Akbari presented on a panel about President Joe Biden 's Safer State's Agenda , which offers federal support for initiatives like community violence intervention programs, establishing extreme risk protection order policies, increase support for survivors and victims of gun crimes, and promote safe firearms storage and reporting for lost and stolen firearms.
“This convening is bringing together state legislative leaders who are committed to developing impactful strategies to address gun violence and ensure a safer future for all,” Akbari said. “President Joe Biden has taken concrete steps at the national level to safeguard our communities by reducing gun violence. But states have an important role to play in achieving real progress — and we have our work cut out for us in Tennessee.”
In recent years, Tennessee's Republican-controlled legislature has voted down safe gun storage requirements, declined to take up a measure to establish extreme risk protection orders proposed by Gov. Bill Lee , and eliminated permit requirements to carry legally owned handguns. In 2023, lawmakers voted to expand an existing state program that offers free gun locks to legal gun owners.
"I believe that frank discussions like these are a crucial step toward making our communities safer,” Camper said in a statement. “I am hopeful that by collaborating with the Biden Administration and key leaders in Tennessee and other states, we can develop effective solutions that address the root causes of the gun violence epidemic and ensure the safety of all our citizens.”
Attorney General declines to opine on Trump ballot eligibility
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti this month declined to issue a legal opinion regarding former President Donald Trump , now a felon, and his eligibility to remain on the Tennessee presidential ballot considering his New York criminal conviction.
State Rep. Vincent Dixie , D-Nashville, had requested the opinion. Trump was convicted for his role in falsifying business documents to cover up payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels to conceal an alleged affair.
Tennessee state code blocks people from seeking election for office in the state if they have been convicted of an "infamous crime" in Tennessee, or convicted in another state of a crime that would amount to an "infamous crime" in Tennessee.
“The Attorney General’s statutory authority is limited to providing ‘written legal opinions’ on matters submitted by officials ‘in the discharge of their official duties.’” Skrmetti’s office stated in response to Dixie's request. “And Tennessee’s election officials — not individual members of the General Assembly — enforce (the state law) in specific factual scenarios.”
In a statement, Dixie said he was "disappointed" but "not surprised" by Skrmetti's response.
"This just highlights the broken criminal justice system in this country," Dixie said. "There is no rational explanation for a way that a person can possibly be elected POTUS by this state, and if that same person lived in Tennessee, they wouldn’t even be able to cast a ballot and vote. How does that make sense?”
Catch up on the week
Former Tennessee lawmaker quits Human Rights Commission board over racist comment probe
Lawsuit: Children with disabilities in Tennessee custody subject to 'barbaric violence'
Tennessee lawmaker, Nashville lawyer sue over 'abortion trafficking' law
Tennessee economic development officials spend $32K on lavish, four-day trip to Australia
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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: The week in politics: Johnston launches first TV ad in GOP challenge to Ogles
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