The Tennessee Star

A former senior intelligence community official under President Barack Obama reported concerns earlier this year that the Hunter Biden laptop letter signed by 51 former intelligence officials in 2020 bore characteristics “consistent with coordinated intelligence deception operations,” according to a memo the ex-official submitted to the intelligence community inspector general.

The concerns have now been referred to the Justice Department, a remarkable turnabout for a letter that was used six years ago to censor factually based concerns about Biden family corruption.

Ex-Intel Official Reported Hunter Biden Laptop Letter Was 'Deception Operation,' DOJ Asked to Probe - Tennessee Star A former senior intelligence community official under President Barack Obama reported concerns earlier this year that the Hunter Biden laptop letter signed by 51 former intelligence officials in 2020 bore characteristics “consistent with coordinated intelligence deception operations,” according ...

Two Democrat governors trying to advance progressive policies on immigration and gun control are facing pushback from local law enforcement, with sheriffs and prosecutors in Maryland and Virginia openly resisting portions of the states’ new agendas.

In Maryland, a majority of the state’s elected sheriffs filed a federal lawsuit challenging the newly enacted Community Trust Act, a law backed by Democrat Gov. Wes Moore that limited cooperation between local law enforcement agencies and federal immigration authorities.

Democrat Governors’ Leftist Agenda Meets Unexpected Resistance: Sheriffs and Prosecutors - Tennessee Star Two Democrat governors trying to advance progressive policies on immigration and gun control are facing pushback from local law enforcement, with sheriffs and prosecutors in Maryland and Virginia openly resisting portions of the states’ new agendas.

The United States Customs and Border Protection announced Monday the appointment of Rosario “Pete” Vasquez as the new Chief of U.S. Border Patrol.

The move comes after former Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks resigned last month to spend time with his family and return to his Texas ranch. Banks began serving in the post in January 2025.

Trump Admin Announces Pete Vasquez as New Border Patrol Chief - Tennessee Star Trump Admin Announces Pete Vasquez as New Border Patrol Chief

U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA-01) announced his endorsements of two Republican candidates seeking election in Tennessee’s 6th and 9th Congressional Districts on Monday.

U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise Endorses Johnny Garrett in TN-06 Race, Brent Taylor in TN-09 Race - Tennessee Star U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA-01) announced his endorsements of two Tennessee Republican candidates.

Embattled Shelby Criminal County Clerk Wanda Halbert last week filed a lawsuit against the Shelby County Election Commission over her narrow primary election loss to State Representative Joe Towns (D-Memphis), with just 126 votes deciding the election.

In her lawsuit, Halbert claims that about 1,700 absentee ballots cast during the May 5 election are "unprocessed, unresolved, uncounted, or otherwise not reflected in the certified election totals."

Embattled Shelby County Democrat Sues to Challenge Primary Loss amid Ouster Effort - Tennessee Star Embattled Shelby Criminal County Clerk Wanda Halbert last week filed a lawsuit against the Shelby County Election Commission over her narrow primary election loss to State Representative Joe Towns (D-Memphis), with just 126 votes deciding the election.

Republicans are running out of time to pass President Donald Trump’s agenda and tackle the affordability crisis as the midterm elections inch closer.

With the midterms looming, Republicans have struggled to pass several policy agendas, including funding immigration enforcement, addressing affordability and adding voter identification requirements. Republicans are on a time crunch to address the hot-button issues for voters, including the economy and immigration, before they cast their ballots in November.

Clock Ticking on GOP to Pass President's Agenda as Midterms Loom - Tennessee Star Republicans are running out of time to pass President Donald Trump’s agenda and tackle the affordability crisis as the midterm elections inch closer.

President Donald Trump said Monday that he does not "care" if peace negotiations with Iran are over, stating that the negotiations had been taking too much time.

The comment comes after Iran said it was suspending talks with the United States over the continued fighting in Lebanon, with the Iranian foreign minister asserting that the ongoing ceasefire agreement included Lebanon.

Trump Says 'I Don't Care' If Peace Negotiations with Iran Are Over - Tennessee Star President Donald Trump said Monday that he does not "care" if peace negotiations with Iran are over, stating that the negotiations had been taking too much time.

Florida on Monday became the first U.S. state to sue OpenAI over the alleged harms caused by the artificial intelligence firm, arguing it knowingly released an unsafe product and ignored warnings about its possible harms.

The lawsuit, filed by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, alleges that OpenAI permitted its flagship AI assistant ChatGPT to aid and abet mass shooters, encourage user suicides, damage users' critical thinking skills, and addict minors, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Florida Sues OpenAI over Claimed AI Harms, Including Aiding Mass Shooters, Encouraging Su***de - Tennessee Star Florida on Monday became the first U.S. state to sue OpenAI over the alleged harms caused by the artificial intelligence firm, arguing it knowingly released an unsafe product and ignored warnings about its possible harms.

The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry endorsed U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) in the 2026 Tennessee gubernatorial race.

Josh Brown, president and CEO of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry, said in a statement that Blackburn “understands what it takes to keep Tennessee competitive.”

Tennessee Chamber of Commerce Backing Blackburn in Governor's Race - Tennessee Star The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry endorsed U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) in the 2026 Tennessee gubernatorial race.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday announced a major fraud bust in which authorities cracked down on misuse of public funds intended for autism aid in Minnesota.

Kennedy highlighted that the original cost of the Early Intervention Development Program was a mere $38.1 million in 2020, but that it had ballooned to $442 million in 2026, with much of that increase stemming from fraud.

RFK Jr. Announces Largest Autism Fraud Bust in History - Tennessee Star Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday announced a major fraud bust in which authorities cracked down on misuse of public funds intended for autism aid in Minnesota.