Rep. Andy Holt, a Dresden Republican and pig farmer who sponsored the legislation, has been outspoken in his responses to “ag-gag” criticism. At one point, he said Underwood should “stick to singing, I’ll stick to lawmaking,” and called the Humane Society a “reprehensibly disgusting organization of maligned animal abuse profiteering corporatists, who are intent on using animals the same way human traffickers use 17-year-old women.” While Holt is pushing hard for these new rules on farm animals, he has a shaky history of following other regulations on own hog farm in West Tennessee. Since 2009, the state has repeatedly found Rep. Andy Holt’s 1,400-hog farming operation out of compliance with regulations set by two state agencies, according to a review of records by The City Paper, such as operating without a valid permit and failing to submit certain manure quality tests to state officials. The latest notice came April 30 from the Department of Agriculture, giving him a 30-day window to complete his application for a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation permit, known as a CAFO. His last permit expired in August of 2009. “Operating your CAFO without a permit is a violation of state, and possibly federal rules,” read the letter by Sam Marshall from the Department of Agriculture’s Water Resources division.
Posted May 10, 2013 at 8:59am
There’s nobody on the board who is not approved by the Haslam family because [the Haslams] own 59 percent of the stock,” said George Dent, a law professor at Case Western Reserve University. “For a lot of people, and perhaps myself included, that would mean that [Martin] could not possibly be considered independent.” But forensic account Lewis Baum, whose work for clients includes fraud detection, said Haslam “appears to be trying to be very transparent.” Ties between Martin and the Haslams aren’t necessarily a red flag, said Baum, at SS&G Parkland in Solon. In 1999, when Martin was chief executive of Saks Inc., the company hired Jimmy Haslam’s brother, Bill, to start up online retail operations for Saks in New York. Bill Haslam got into politics two years later, became mayor of Knoxville in 2003 and in 2010 was elected governor of Tennessee. He’s a member of the board of the University of Memphis, which last month appointed Martin as its interim president. Martin, chairman of his private equity firm, RBM Venture Co., could not be reached Friday. Nashville attorney Aubrey Harwell said Martin is simply the liaison between the Weingarten report to come and Pilot’s board. “It makes absolutely no difference whether or not the person receiving the report has or doesn’t have a relationship with the company,” said Harwell, who was hired by Pilot Flying J after the April 15 raid on Pilot headquarters by FBI and IRS agents. “What you see here is typical of best practices in America.
It was in 2006 when I really starting identifying myself as a Democrat,” he said. “I don’t think having Head Start or welfare is antithetical with what America is about. When I see people trying to gain equal respect, and I see other people trying to stop it, that bothers me.” Poag worked to help President Obama get elected. He also worked last year with the Nancy Fischman campaign. The Democrat lost to incumbent state Rep. Matthew Hill, R-Jonesborough, who won a fifth term in the 7th House District. However, she landed a surprising 34.2 percent of the vote.
More than 600 firefighters, teachers, environmentalists, and church leaders carried signs reading “ALEC is Not OK” and chanting “backroom deals are ALEC’s game/sweetheart deals for corporate gain,” while a giant inflatable pig wearing a banner reading “Hi, my name is ALEC” floated overhead. Two big rigs adorned with Teamsters logos circled the convention center, honking their horns and blowing air brakes. Harold A. Schaitberger, President of the International Association of Fire Fighters, told the crowd that ALEC’s “sole purpose is to develop the most anti-worker, anti-employee, anti-union, anti-middle class, pro-business, pro corporation policies, legislation and agenda possible.
We often miss opportunity because it’s dressed in overalls and looks like work” Thomas A. Edison
Posted May 9, 2013 at 7:02am
It seems new National Rifle Association President (NRA) president Jim Porter may have found himself in a bit of hot water. Not long ago he made his feelings about the Civil War known when he referred to it as the “War of Northern Aggression.” In that same speech he referred to President Obama as a “fake president” and Attorney General Eric Holder as “rabidly un-American.” However none of those remarks that anyone could deem as racist compare to his remarks made at a recent press conference discussing his new leadership role at the NRA.
Posted May 8, 2013 at 7:32am
Ag-Gag Petition | Clergy For Justice
If you have a second to look over this and you agree with it, I humbly request you sign it. It will be delivered to Gov. Haslam.
Posted May 1, 2013 at 9:40am
