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The People News, a free newspaper serving Cleveland Tennessee (TN) and Bradley County Tennessee (Tn).
Of Bradley County Tn.
JUNE 2005
The People News, a free newspaper serving Cleveland and Bradley County Tn.
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Newton Aids Anti-Gun Naifeh
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by Pete Edwards
Tennessee State Representative Chris Newton, is reported in Nashville to have
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aided House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh kill a popular gun rights bill in what was said to have been an act of a dictator, ignoring House rules to remove a bill, preventing a full house vote.
House Bill 0887, sponsored by Rep. Curry Todd, would allow those with a Tennessee carrying permit to bring their handgun into an establishment, like an Applebee's, O'charleys or a TGI Fridays, licensed to sell alcohol for consumption on the premises provided that the person is not consuming alcohol. Something already allowed in many states and supported by the NRA and Tennessee gun rights organizations.
In an e-mail posted on a Nashville
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Two days after The People News interview, Chris Newton was arrested as part of the FBI probe into corruption by members of the Tennessee State Legislature. Newton was charged with extortion and taking bribes for his part in a scheme to influence legislation in favor of a company set up by the FBI for the sting codenamed Tennessee Waltz.
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political bloggers website, http:// billhobbs.com/hobbsonline/ 006013.html , John Harris, Executive Director of the Tennessee Firearms Association said:
"This bill by Rep. Curry Todd was in the House Judiciary Constitutional Protections Committee passed out of subcommittee today. This afternoon
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[Wednesday, April 27], about 15 minutes into the full House session, Rep. Chris Newton (R) stood and made a motion to have the bill sent back to subcommittee because of "some confusion" - Speaker Naifeh immediately struck the motion granted "without objection" notwithstanding the fact that hands were flying up all over the House.
I want to point out that Rep. Tre Hargett (R. Minority Leader) raised his hand and started to object for debate on the motion. Speaker Naifeh stated that Rep. Hargett was "out of order" and then, obviously upset, called Speaker Pro Temp to his station and went to the floor where he and Kim McMillan had a private discussion with Rep. Hargett. When Speaker Naifeh returned to his station, the proceedings moved forward without a vote of any type on HB 0887.
I am not surprised the motion was made but am quite disappointed that it was made by Rep. Chris Newton (R.)
I am not surprised that Speaker Naifeh essentially and essentially single handedly refused any vote on the motion. Could the abuse get any more blatant?"
In a telephone interview with The People News, Newton said that the term"some confusion" was referring to a vote taken in the Constitutional Protections Sub-committee. There was an objection by Naifeh and others, contending that the committee voted early before all the members were present. Newton, who is chairman of the sub-committee, said that he had checked with the committee room
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What Do You Think?
SURVEY
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Would you support impeachment proceedings against Tennessee House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh for abuse of power in regard to his violation of House rules dealing with HB 0887?
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clock and his watch and the committee did convene at the correct time with a quorum present, all of whom were in favor of moving the legislation forward. Later, one of the committee members said she wanted to vote no, so an agreement was made to send the bill back to the sub-committee for another vote. Newton said that what happened on the House floor after he made the motion when Naifeh refused to hear objections was against House rules and Naifeh was wrong. He said that he was surprised at Naifeh's actions and did not condone them. The next day in sub-committee when officials from the NRA and Tennessee Firearms Association were present, Naifeh again tried to enforce his will by browbeating the pro-gun representatives. Newton said he had to intervene because Naifeh's attitude had become unprofessional. He said the whole affair had shocked him and he will not be making any motions of that kind in future. He said that he was pro gun and had voted for HB 0887 and a similar bill, HB 2250. He intended to make a motion to put HB 2250 to a House vote and predicted passage because the bill had 63 sponsors which is almost the two-thirds majority needed.
This is not the first time Newton has helped Naifeh, a Democrat, kill important and high profile legislation. During the Sundquist administration when Naifeh was trying to impose a state income tax on the people of Tennessee, a bill sponsored by Republican Mark Goins, declaring the income tax unconstitutional and removing it from consideration was similarly killed by Newton, who is also a Republican and represents parts of Bradley and Polk Counties. Newton, who has been called a RINO (Republican In Name Only) said at the time that he hadn't read the bill but was asked by Naifeh to "call for the next question" which had the effect of killing the legislation causing the subsequent long drawn out income tax debacle which partially closed state government.
Newton also voted along with 10 other Republicans and 55 Democrats to re-elect Naifeh as House Speaker in January, 2003.
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The People News
PO Box 3921
Cleveland TN. 37320
(423) 559-2150 Fax 559-1044
Editor-Publisher, Pete Edwards
Copyright 2005 (All rights reserved)
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