www.thecentersquare.com – By Kim Jarrett | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-05-30 09:49:00
Two U.S. House committees seek information on Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s executive order requiring city employees to report encounters with federal immigration authorities within one business day. The order, expanded after an ICE and Tennessee Highway Patrol operation in May resulting in 196 arrests, has drawn criticism from Rep. Andy Ogles, who accused O’Connell of undermining law enforcement and supporting illegal immigrants through a taxpayer-funded “Belonging Fund.” Nashville publishes immigration encounters online but has redacted officer names following concerns. The mayor’s office did not comment. A local council member has called for an audit of the fund.
(The Center Square) – Two committees in the U.S. House of Representatives want more information on an executive order issued by Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell, which they say could “chill” the enforcement of federal immigration law.
O’Connell’s order required city of Nashville employees to report any encounters with federal immigration authorities within one business day. It was amended to include all departments after an operation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Tennessee Highway Patrol in early May netted 196 arrests. Some of those arrested had extensive criminal histories and some had removal orders, according to a release from ICE.
The joint letter from the Judiciary and Homeland Security committees and the Congressional Counter-Terrorism Caucus requests all documents related to the order since May 1, documents referring to the ICE operation and any documents and communications between Metro Nashville employees and others.
O’Connell has until June 12 at 5 p.m. to respond, according to the letter posted on social media by U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., chairman of the Congressional Counter-Terrorism Caucus.
“Instead of defending our state, Mayor Freddie O’Connell is sabotaging it,” Ogles said. “He’s weaponized his office to dox and surveil federal agents who are trying to stop violent criminals – and worse, he’s embraced those criminals by creating a taxpayer-funded program to aid illegal aliens. The recipients of these funds are untraceable. The purpose is crystal clear: help illegal foreigners evade the law.”
Nashville officials are publishing all encounters with immigration officers on a website. The names of some officers were listed on the site, Ogles said. The names are now redacted, according to a report from WSMV.
The Center Square was unsuccessful prior to publication of getting comment from the mayor’s office.
O’Connell also announced the “Belonging Fund” on May 5, described as a “new effort to support immigrants in Nashville during moments of crisis.” It is a partnership between the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, according to a release.
Metro Council Member David Benton called for an audit of the fund at a Monday news conference with Ogles.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Right
The article primarily reports on the actions of Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell regarding immigration enforcement and the subsequent response from Republican members of Congress. While it mostly recounts factual events—such as the mayor’s executive order, the ICE operation, and the formation of a “Belonging Fund”—the inclusion of strong critical quotes from U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles and emphasis on the concerns of Republican officials without equivalent representation of the mayor’s or Democratic perspectives suggests a slight center-right bias. The language used in quoted criticisms (“sabotaging,” “weaponized,” “embraced those criminals”) comes from conservative sources, which the article presents without balancing counterarguments or context that might portray the mayor’s actions in a more favorable or neutral light. Overall, the piece leans toward a center-right framing by focusing on opposition to the mayor’s immigrant-friendly policies and federal enforcement interactions without equivalent explanatory or supportive commentary from proponents of those policies.
SUMMARY: Intense storms in southeast Memphis caused 13 power poles to fall along Shelby Drive near Getwell, leaving thousands without power. MLGW and Memphis Police have blocked affected roads due to live power lines posing a significant danger. One downed line even crushed a car, though the driver is expected to be okay. The outages have impacted many homes and businesses in the area amidst extreme heat, complicating recovery efforts. Utility crews are working through the night to clear debris and restore power, with no estimated timeline for repairs yet. Authorities have closed a half-mile stretch of the road for safety.
At least 16 power poles on Shelby Drive were knocked down around 7 p.m. Thursday. And on Friday morning, MLGW crews were …
SUMMARY: Kayne Avenue Missionary Baptist Church will celebrate its 153rd Homecoming on Sunday, July 27, 2025, at 10 a.m. in Nashville, Tennessee, with Bishop Mark Freeman as guest speaker. The theme is “God’s Faithfulness Through the Years,” honoring the church’s enduring legacy since its founding in 1872. The church has relocated multiple times, survived a devastating fire, and experienced strong pastoral leadership, including current Executive Pastor Dr. Paula M. Wyatt. Following Rev. Harmon Stockdale Jr.’s resignation in January 2024, the church is actively searching for a new senior pastor while continuing its mission with faith, praise, and community commitment.
The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance is caught in a legal standoff over public access to records involving a complaint against attorney Cynthia Sherwood, linked to convicted aide Cade Cothren. A confidentiality clash between open records law and the Board of Professional Responsibility has prompted a request for a ruling from the state attorney general. Meanwhile, Rep. Justin Jones proposed a bill banning masked law enforcement. U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles faces scrutiny over low fundraising. The Sports Wagering Council fined five offshore sportsbooks $250,000 for illegal betting activity, warning Tennesseans against using unlicensed operators that may misuse personal information.
Tennessee’s campaign finance regulator is stuck between the state’s open records law and confidentiality surrounding the state board that oversees attorney ethics, leaving the public wondering: What the heck?
State law allows decisions by the Board of Professional Responsibility to remain confidential. Yet the actions of the Registry of Election Finance and its executive director are subject to the Public Records Act, creating a conflict the Registry board wants resolved by the state attorney general.
It all started last summer when Nashville attorney Cynthia Sherwood sent a private investigator to the home of Registry chief Bill Young to question him about legal matters dealing with former House staffer Cade Cothren. A federal jury found Cothren guilty in May on 19 counts of fraud and conspiracy in a kickback deal with ex-House Speaker Glen Casada. Cothren also has a pending case before the Registry over operation of a political action committee called the Faith, Family, Freedom Fund.
Young refused to speak to the investigator, who apparently tried to talk to several House members, as well. But Registry board members were irate about the incident and reported Sherwood to the Board of Professional Responsibility for a potential ethics violation.
Cynthia Sherwood, left, with client Cade Cothren, is the subject of a dispute between the Registry of Election Finance and the Board of Professional Responsibility. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
Young is represented by a staff attorney and the Attorney General’s Office in the case, and he and Registry board members said it’s clearly unethical for an attorney to try to talk to a person known to have a lawyer in a pending case.
The Board of Professional Responsibility finally issued a decision on the matter, but the letter it sent to Young in his professional capacity is being considered confidential – at least for now – by the Registry until the AG’s Office “clarifies the application of the law,” according to the general counsel for the Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance.
Even Young’s letter requesting a legal opinion from Skrmetti is being withheld from public records requests.
The state’s public records custodian also turned down a request by the Lookout, saying Young’s letter to the AG’s Office is exempt because of attorney-client privilege.
Registry members aren’t exactly enthused with that view, and they voted last week to seek a legal opinion from AG Jonathan Skrmetti to determine whether confidentiality rules surrounding the Board of Professional Responsibility supersede requirements for the Registry to adhere to the Public Records Act.
Deborah Fisher, executive director of the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government, acknowledged the AG’s Office represents the Registry but said the documents should fall under the Public Records Act and the AG should reach that conclusion quickly.
The exemption for the Board of Professional Responsibility exists only so complaints don’t hurt someone’s reputation before a decision is reached, Fisher said.
“This involves a governing body making a complaint, and I don’t see how that can not be a public record,” she said. “I think they’d have to bend over backwards to twist the law.”
It should be noted the Board of Professional Responsibility didn’t put any official decision about Sherwood on its website, although it could have taken other disciplinary steps.
Registry member Hank Fincher confirmed that Young’s letter to the AG contains confidential information from the Board of Professional Responsibility. At the same time, the attorney board sent a confidential letter to a public agency, Fincher said, pitting “contradictory policies” against each other.
“I think we’re in a quandary,” Fincher said. “We’re a government agency bound by the open records act, and I can state that I don’t have a problem with the letter being public record.”
Yet the Board of Professional Responsibility takes attorney discipline and confidentiality surrounding those cases seriously because of state law, Fincher said, thus the request for the AG’s direction.
“We have to serve two masters here,” he added.
Registry board Chairman Tom Lawless contends the letters should be public records. After all, the Registry’s actions took place in public meetings.
Obtaining public documents from state agencies is a hit-or-miss proposal, often depending on the wording of requests.
It will be interesting to see whether Skrmetti believes the public’s right to know is more – or less – important than confidentiality allowed by the Supreme Court for the Board of Professional Responsibility, which isn’t exactly the most transparent group to come down the pike.
Ongoing SAGA
Tennessee’s Republican leaders are bending over backwards to work with the Trump administration on the deportation of undocumented immigrants.
Not only are they hammering Metro Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell over criticism of federal-state sweeps in the city, they’re spending handsomely for an immigration czar and grants to local law enforcement agencies to teach them how to act like federal agents.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers wearing masks have rounded up undocumented immigrants, and protesters in California also covered their faces in a chaotic atmosphere earlier this year.
Amid that backdrop, Democratic Rep. Justin Jones of Nashville is sponsoring the Stop American Gestapo Act (SAGA), which would make it illegal for law enforcement officers to wear a mask, face covering or personal disguise while interacting with the public in official duties.
The bill, which was filed June 30, would allow officers to wear masks to prevent the transmission of airborne diseases, protect against smoke or other particles during a fire or disaster, and to protect special weapons and tactics officers’ faces from harm.
State Rep. Justin Jones holds up photos of alleged law enforcement officers, masked. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
But simply wearing a mask to go out and sweep the countryside would be a Class C misdemeanor.
Additionally, the bill would make it illegal for a law enforcement officer to deal with the public without clearly displaying the officer’s name or badge number on their uniform.
Violations could be reported to the local district attorney general or to the state attorney general and reporter’s civil rights enforcement division.
In Metro Nashville, that could mean pitting District Attorney Glenn Funk, who has thumbed his nose at some state laws, against Tennessee Attorney General Skrmetti. Gee, inquiring minds want to know how that would turn out.
But alas, Jones isn’t winning many popularity contests with supermajority Republicans in the General Assembly, calling House Speaker Cameron Sexton “drunk with power” after getting booted from the body for leading an anti-gun rally on the House floor. He was returned to the seat by the Metro Council before winning re-election.
Passing this bill in a chamber determined to beat up on immigrants would be nothing short of miraculous.
Running a little short
Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles is reporting only $53,000 in fundraising over the last quarter, giving him about $109,000 to work with over the next few months.
Clearly, he has more time to build up a war chest in advance of the 2026 election. But this amount is puzzling, considering his attachment to President Donald Trump and popularity in the rural part of the 5th Congressional District outside of Nashville.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is targeting Ogles and trying to flip the seat, which would be a monumental move considering the legislature redrew the 5th District lines to ensure Republicans could take over what was once a safe Democratic seat.
Ogles won a second term in spite of questions about his fundraising and whether he massaged the numbers to make his initial haul look bigger than it really was. Republican voters don’t seem to care, either, that his resume has more holes than a gopher den.
U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles, a Columbia Republican, has raised eyebrows over his recent law of fundraising. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
The FBI was looking into his finances until Trump called them off when Ogles filed a bill to allow the president to serve a third term. He’s also gained notoriety by going after Nashville Mayor O’Connell for his criticism of the south Nashville immigrant sweep.
With all of that happening, he might not be worried about campaign fundraising. And, similarly to Jones’ Gestapo bill, a win by Democrats will be miraculous, but a contest from a strong Republican could be hard for Ogles to overcome.
Cutting your losses
Tennessee’s Sports Wagering Council levied fines totaling $250,000 against five offshore sportsbooks for taking wagers in the state without a license.
The council hit Costa Rica-based BetAnySports, Bookmaker and JazzSports; Panama-based BetOnline and Curacao-based Evergame each with $50,000 penalties, bringing its total fines to $600,000.
“The SWC is exploring all avenues with its network of law enforcement to eliminate these bad actors from Tennessee,” Executive Director Mary Beth Thomas said. “Consumers in Tennessee need to be aware that illegal operators will gladly take their money and personal information, and if a consumer does business with an illegal book, they give away their information to criminals.”
The council appears to be doing a good job of ferreting out illicit bookies. If only it could guarantee me a win. But then that wouldn’t be gambling, and it could be journalistically unethical. Do you think that would be exempt from the open records law? Hardly.
“I was gambling in Havana / I took a little risk / Send lawyers, guns and money, Dad, get me out of this.” *
* Warren Zevon, “Lawyers, Guns and Money”
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Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Tennessee Lookout maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Holly McCall for questions: info@tennesseelookout.com.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Left-Leaning
This article exhibits a left-leaning bias, primarily through its critical tone toward Republican leaders, use of sarcastic language, and selective focus on controversies involving GOP figures. Descriptions of Tennessee Republicans “bending over backwards” to support Trump, criticisms of Rep. Andy Ogles’ fundraising and ethics, and coverage of Democratic Rep. Justin Jones’ legislation are framed with rhetorical flair that casts Republicans in a negative light. While the reporting includes factual content, the framing and editorial voice—especially in phrases like “drunk with power” and references to “Gestapo”—suggest a clear lean toward a progressive perspective.
