Tennessee legislature puts state watchdog agency under attorney general
Responsibility for investigation claims of discrimination, including from state agencies, will become the responsibility of Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti after the legislature dissolved the Tennessee Human Rights Commission. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
The Tennessee Attorney General's Office could soon have the responsibility for investigating claims of discrimination by state agencies after the state Senate passed a measure dissolving the Human Rights Commission and moving operations to the AG's office.
Senate Bill 861, sponsored by Huntingdon Republican Sen. John Stevens, passed Monday 27-6 on partisan lines. The House version, sponsored by Goodletsville Republican Rep. Johnny Garrett, passed Thursday. The bill would go next to the governor's desk for his signature.
The 60-year-old commission is a nonpartisan and independent agency responsible for enforcing civil rights laws in employment, housing and public accommodation as well as discrimination claims against the state of Tennessee.
Bill to give Tennessee AG civil rights oversight draws Democratic pushback over partisanship
The measure has drawn criticism from Democrats who say handing discrimination claims to Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti sets up a 'fox in the henhouse' scenario.
After Stevens referred to Skrmetti's office as 'the most nonpartisan' of Tennessee's three branches of government, Sen. Raumesh Akbari, a Memphis Democrat, disagreed.
'I'm not going to make it personal, but if you've never been discriminated against . . . it makes a difference who is investigating,' Akbari said. 'I would urge you to google the last few suits the attorney general has filed and I assure you their actions do not look nonpartisan.'
Skrmetti has led or joined lawsuits that include a challenge to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's rule prohibiting discrimination against women seeking abortions, litigation seeking to stop transgender medical care for minors and sent letters to corporations warning them against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, among other actions.
Tennessee Attorney General's Office to election finance office: We're 'not an investigative agency'
Stevens said his review of the commission showed that thousands of claims have 'languished' and not been investigated.
Democrats objected to that characterization.
'HRC testified to the fact they have several vacancies on their commission and it's because the House Speaker has refused the fill the vacancies since 2022,' said Sen. Charlane Oliver, a Nashville Democrat.
'We have crippled the ability of the HRC to do their job,' she said. 'That may be the reason they can't respond to complaints.'
Sen. Kerry Roberts, a Springfield Republican, described the commission as 'enormously ineffective' before calling for a vote.
Under the measure, the commission will be dissolved by July 1 and its 30 staff positions will move to the attorney general's office.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
6 minutes ago
- The Hill
Vance on LA unrest: Newsom should ‘look in mirror' and stop blaming Trump
Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday tore into California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) for suggesting the unrest in Los Angeles is a consequence of federal involvement in state and local law enforcement efforts. 'Gavin Newsom says he didn't have a problem until Trump got involved,' Vance wrote in a post on X, attaching two photos that he said were taken before Trump ordered the National Guard to protect border patrol agents in California. One depicted rioters appearing to attack a 'border patrol' van, and another depicted a car set ablaze. The Hill was not able to verify the authenticity of the photos. 'Does this look like 'no problem'?' Vance asked. Vance suggested Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass 'fomented and encouraged the riots,' with the goal of promoting mass migration into the U.S., adding, 'It is their reason for being.' 'If you want to know why illegal aliens flocked to your state, stop accusing Donald Trump. Look in the mirror,' Vance said. 'If you want to know why border patrol fear for their lives over enforcing the law, look in the mirror.' Vance pointed to California's Medicaid expansion last year to low-income undocumented immigrants as an example of a policy that has 'encouraged mass migration into California.' Newsom has since proposed ending new Medicaid enrollment for undocumented adults, but his proposal faces resistance from the state legislature. 'Your policies that protected those migrants from common sense law enforcement. Your policies that offered massive welfare benefits to reward illegal immigrants. Your policies that allowed those illegal migrants (and their sympathizers) to assault our law enforcement. Your policies that allowed Los Angeles to turn into a war zone,' Vance continued. 'You sure as hell had a problem before President Trump came along. The problem is YOU,' Vance added. Vance's post is the latest in a back-and-forth between the administration and Newsom, who has resisted Trump's extraordinary steps to deploy 4,000 National Guard troops to the area and mobilize 700 active-duty marines. Newsom has insisted that the situation was under control before the Trump administration escalated tensions by making a provocative show of force. He accused Trump of 'intentionally causing chaos, terrorizing communities and endangering the principles of our great democracy.' After Trump suggested his border czar arrest Newsom, the California governor responded by saying, 'The President of the United States just called for the arrest of a sitting Governor. This is a day I hoped I would never see in America.' 'I don't care if you're a Democrat or a Republican this is a line we cannot cross as a nation — this is an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism,' Newsom added Monday afternoon. Vance then replied to Newsom, saying, 'Do your job. That's all we're asking.' 'Do YOUR job. We didn't have a problem until Trump got involved. Rescind the order. Return control to California,' Newsom responded, prompting Vance's latest response.
Axios
9 minutes ago
- Axios
Black Caucus chair says Trump's actions on L.A. are impeachable
Congressional Black Caucus chair Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) said Tuesday she believes President Trump mobilizing the National Guard and deploying Marines to Los Angeles rises to the level of an impeachable offense. Why it matters: It's a break with House Democrats' general aversion towards impeachment from the head of one of their most powerful groups. The comment comes amid growing animosity between Democrats and the Trump administration over the president's use of law enforcement to carry out a campaign of mass deportations. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Driving the news: During a press conference, Clarke was asked if Trump's actions to quell protests in L.A. rise to the level of an impeachable offense "I definitely believe it is," she responded, "But we'll cross that bridge when we get to it." Clarke and other Democrats have argued that Trump has violated the U.S. Constitution by mobilizing the National Guard over Newsom's objections. Reality check: Democrats are highly unlikely to pursue an organized impeachment effort against Trump any time soon. Two rank-and-file members, Reps. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) and Al Green (D-Texas), have spearheaded their own rogue impeachment initiatives, but most Democrats have dissociated themselves with those efforts. Most Democrats are clear-eyed that impeachment would be doomed to failure with Republicans in control of Congress — and they often note that Trump won in 2024 despite previously being impeached twice. What they're saying: House Democratic Caucus chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) told reporters at a subsequent press conference, "I've said before that ... House Democrats aren't focused on impeachment today."
Axios
9 minutes ago
- Axios
Impeachment wars
Rep. Jasmine Crockett's mere mention of a possible impeachment inquiry into President Trump has touched off negative reactions from some colleagues. "I think she's going to turn off a lot more people than gain," a House Democrat told us. Why it matters: House Democratic leaders are staying neutral. But many Democrats are allergic to the word after they impeached Trump twice only for him to return to power with full control of the government. Crockett (D-Texas), asked in a local news interview if she would pursue impeachment if Democrats retook the House in 2026 and she became Oversight Committee chair, said she would "absolutely at least do an inquiry." The other three candidates for the ranking member job on Oversight, Reps. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) and Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.), told us they wouldn't go that far. 👿 "Turning this ranker race into a proxy for impeachment is unhelpful and unfair to her colleagues," said a House Democrat who predicted Republicans will "try to motivate their base by saying that a Democratic majority will inevitably lead to impeachment." Crockett told us the term "impeachment inquiry" would stress to the public the "next level of gravity" of the subject matter — such as Trump's pardons for big money allies and the Qatari jet scandal. "A lot of times we as Democrats can overthink stuff," Crockett said. "A lot of people ... felt like [Oversight Committee chair] James Comer was an embarrassment. But at the end of the day, who won the House?" The bottom line: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries deferred to House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), whose panel, he said, "has jurisdiction over impeachment."
