Latest news with #TennesseeDepartmentofCorrections
NBC News
22-05-2025
- NBC News
Tennessee man is executed for killing his wife and her 2 sons, 3 years after last-minute reprieve
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee inmate Oscar Smith was executed by lethal injection on Thursday morning for the 1989 murders of his estranged wife Judith Smith and her teenage sons, Jason and Chad Burnett. Smith, 75, was pronounced dead after a lethal injection of the barbiturate pentobarbital. The 75-year-old had maintained his innocence, and in a lengthy series of final words, in part said, 'Somebody needs to tell the governor the justice system doesn't work.' Witnesses also heard Smith say, 'I didn't kill her.' In a recent interview with AP, he primarily wanted to discuss the ways he felt the court system had failed him. He was convicted of fatally stabbing and shooting Judith Smith, 13-year-old Jason Burnett and 16-year-old Chad Burnett at their Nashville, Tennessee, home on Oct. 1, 1989. He was sentenced to death by a Davidson County jury in July 1990 for the murders. In 2022, a Davidson County Criminal Court judge denied requests to reopen his case despite some new evidence that the DNA of an unknown person was on one of the murder weapons. The judge wrote that the evidence of Smith's guilt was overwhelming and the DNA evidence did not tip the scales in his favor. Two of Smith's co-workers testified at trial that he had solicited them to kill Judith Smith, and he had a history of threats and violence against her and the boys. Smith had also taken out insurance policies on all three victims. And one of the child victims could be heard yelling what prosecutors said was, 'Frank, no!' in the background of a 911 call on the night of the murder. Frank is Smith's middle name and the one that he used regularly. The siblings of Judith Smith, Mike Robirds and Terri Osborne, spoke to reporters after the execution. Osborne said they miss the sound of their sister's voice on the other end of the phone, planning Chad's driving lessons and the 'pure joy of hearing Jason's laughter.' She said the tragic deaths are a reminder of the devastating consequences of domestic violence. 'We know it is an incredibly hard thing to do to leave a spouse who is abusing, but pray that this case becomes a call to action, encouraging those in danger to seek help before it's too late,' Osborne said. Darlene Kimbrough, who knows Smith through her visits to another inmate on death row over the past decade, said she sent him a card recently. It just said, ''I hope you know that you are loved,'' Kimbrough said. Unexpectedly, she received a letter in reply on Tuesday, thanking her. She thinks that Smith was at peace with the idea of death, she said. Tennessee executions have been on hold for five years, first because of COVID-19 and then because of missteps by the Tennessee Department of Corrections. Smith came within minutes of execution in 2022 before he was saved by a surprise reprieve from Republican Gov. Bill Lee. It later turned out that the lethal drugs that were going to be used had not been properly tested. A yearlong investigation turned up numerous other problems with Tennessee executions. The correction department issued new guidelines for executions in December. The new execution manual contains a single page on the lethal injection chemicals with no specific directions for testing the drugs. It also removes the requirement that the drugs come from a licensed pharmacist. Smith's attorney, Amy Harwell, has said, 'It's as if, having been caught breaking their own rules, TDOC decided, 'Let's just not have rules.'' The new protocols are the subject of a lawsuit filed by Smith and other death row inmates. A trial in that case is set for next January.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Refusing drug test results in probation being revoked
Thomas Donald Smith, despite his best efforts and unfortunate twists and turns in life, did the one unforgivable condition of his probation — he refused to submit to a drug test. As a result, Smith's probation was revoked during a hearing last Tuesday. Criminal Court Judge Wesley Bray, expressing sympathy for Smith's loss of his brother in a traffic crash, also found refusing to submit to the drug screen could not be overlooked. On Dec. 2, 2022, Smith pleaded guilty to possession of less than .5 grams of meth with intent and received a three-year suspended sentence with 180 days to serve and the balance on supervised probation. Tennessee Department of Corrections/Board of Pardon and Parole Officer Kyla Cook testified on April 14, 2023, Smith was found in violation of conditions of probation by testing positive for meth and served an additional 45 days in jail. On June 21, 2023, Smith's probation was revoked again and this time he was granted furlough to attend Adult and Teen Challenge in Kentucky. Smith successfully completed the program and returned to supervised probation on Aug. 13, 2024, Cook testified. The next drug screens, from August 2024 to Nov. 30, 2024, Smith tested negative for drugs on weekly screens. Cook testified at no time did Smith ask for help with his addiction struggles. On March 20, Smith declined to take a drug test despite being advised a warrant would be signed for probation violation. When made aware of the warrant, Smith turned himself in to authorities at the Justice Center, leading up to Tuesday's hearing. Smith's mother, Donna Smith, testified that her other son, Hunter Smith, 25, was killed in an August 2024 traffic crash in Pikeville by a motorist now charged with vehicular homicide. She said her surviving son, Thomas, was deeply affected by the family loss and was going to grief counseling sessions. 'He was coping with a lot,' Mrs. Smith testified, and added she contacted the probation officer expressing concern that the tragedy was leading her son to return to meth use. Assistant Public Defender Janis Mize, noting Smith's original probation would have expired in December, urged the judge to let him serve six or seven months in jail and then terminate probation. Assistant District Attorney Allison Null asked the court to revoke Smith's probation, citing three violations of conditions of the supervised probation. In issuing his ruling, Bray expressed sympathy for Mrs. Smith and Thomas Smith's loss of his brother. But, he also noted that turning to drugs was not the answer. 'You do have the sympathy of the court … drugs and the demon and life changing … you should have taken the test,' Bray said in revoking Smith's probation. He added testing positive, while not a result favorable for Smith, would have been better than refusing to take the test. In other cases on the docket, the following took place: Deadline docket •James Michael Cain, possession of a weapon by a felon and domestic assault, continued to July 8. •Jacob Ryan Edmonds, evading arrest, continued to June 17. •John Christopher Garland, aggravated assault and vandalism of $2,500 to $10,000, continued to June 17. •Curtis Richard Hood, aggravated child abuse, neglect or endangerment, continued to Aug. 12. •Kelly Scott Hood, burglary, aggravated burglary, theft of property of $1,000 to $2,500 and joyriding, motion for evaluation granted and continued to July 8. •Rebecca Leann Ladd, possession of meth with intent and possession of a firearm during commission of a dangerous felony, continued to June 17. •Tyler Ray Owens, possession of .5 grams of fentanyl or more, continued to June 17. •Derek Brandon Parrott, theft of property of $2,500 to $10,000, vandalism of $1,000 to $2,500 and simple possession of meth, continued to June 17. •William Rix Schuyler Jr., burglary and theft of property of $10,000 to $60,000, continued to June 3. •Brandi Rena Stokes, simple possession of meth and simple possession, continued to June 3. •Lisa Marie Wilson, vehicular homicide by intoxication, continued to June 17. Probation violations •Cody Allen Dickenson, probation violation, capias and attachment issued for failure to appear, 10 days in jail and ordered held for bond hearing. •Raylee Kay Hawkins, pleaded guilty to a probation violation of positive drug screen, to serve 15 days in jail at 75% and will keep judicial diversion with reinstatement back on probation after sentence is served. •Timothy Wayne Martin, 90 days to serve at 75% after which probation will be terminated. •Donnie Lynn Rector, probation violation, continued to June 3. •Sunshine Angelia Schoonhoven Thomas, probation violation hearing continued to June 3. •David Jack Williams, Public Defender's Office appointed to represent Williams and probation violation hearing continued to June 3. Continued boundover •Robert Alva Sardella, one case, continued to May 20.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jelly Roll says he's down more than 180 pounds amid weight loss journey with huge goal
Jelly Roll says he down more than 180 pounds as he works toward the ultimate date with his wife. The heavily tattooed country star appeared on stage Wednesday at Pat McAfee's Big Night Aht live show in Pittsburgh, where he shared about his weight loss journey. McAfee spotlighted the 40-year-old rapper's physique at the PPG Paints Arena, saying "it looks like you lost a person. Congratulations." Jelly Roll proceeded to groove and flex on stage, smiling as the crowd applauded. "I started at 540 pounds I'm 357 pounds this morning, baby," Jelly Roll said. "I'm going to lose another 100 pounds and go skydiving with my wife in Sweden, baby." "Well we are all proud of you," McAfee said. "We need you to survive, brother. You're one of the good ones." Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason Bradley DeFord, is a Nashville-based music star who mishmashes rap and country music. Last year he nabbed a Grammy nomination under the best new artist category, a new artist of the year nod at the Country Music Association Awards and three CMT Music Awards for his hit 2021 track "Son of a Sinner." His music career began in 2011 and has overcome personal challenges before he reached mainstream success, including serving prison time. Jelly Roll is married to model and entrepreneur Alyssa DeFord, known as Bunnie XO and host of the 'Dumb Blonde' podcast. The couple met in 2015 when she saw Jelly Roll perform at the Country Saloon in Las Vegas. They married at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Vegas the following year. In a 2023 Billboard interview, Jelly Roll called his wife "a beacon of change in my life." Last year the couple renewed their wedding vows in Las Vegas. In the description of her podcast, she refers to herself as 'the degenerate love child of Dolly Parton & Dr. Ruth,' while her Instagram page (@xomgitsbunnie) calls her 'the Trailerpark Barbara Walters.' According to Davidson County Criminal Court records in Tennessee, Jelly Roll's first arrest as an adult happened in 2002 when he was 18. Prosecutors formally charged him with two counts of aggravated robbery. He was sentenced to eight years in prison and seven years of probation. After Jelly Roll was released early from the Tennessee Department of Corrections, he was arrested again in 2008 for violating the drug-free school zone act. He pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of possession with intent to sell cocaine that same year and was sentenced to eight years in prison and another eight years of probation. Prison records show his probation ended on Dec. 16, 2016. In November 2022, Jelly Roll donated about $250,000 to finance the construction of a recording studio within the Davidson County Juvenile Detention Center in Nashville, where he spent time as early as age 14. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jelly Roll says he's down 183 pounds amid ongoing weight loss journey
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Stockard on the Stump: Lawmakers push private-prison operator to cut death rates
Private prison operator CoreCivic is up for a $6.8 million contract increase from the Tennessee Department of Corrections despite paying $44.78 million to the state since 2022 for failing to meet contract specifications. (Photo: John Partipilo) A Lebanon man whose son died of an overdose at Trousdale Turner prison is accusing the state's private-prison operator of 'chronic and intentional understaffing' that could have contributed to the death. 'There are not enough guards to run a safe and secure prison. Instead, it's become a haven for gangs, dealing drugs, and these drugs are killing inmates,' said Tim Leeper in testimony before the House State and Local Government Committee Wednesday. Leeper told the panel the state should take over Tennessee's four privately-run prisons and remove CoreCivic because it's putting profits ahead of prisoners. The committee followed by unanimously endorsing House Bill 1144 by Republican Rep. Clark Boyd of Lebanon, which would require the inmate population at each CoreCivic-run prison to be reduced 10% if the death rate there is twice as high as the rate at a comparable state-run prison. Tennessee levied $44.78 million in penalties against private prison operator in three years State Comptroller audits show Trousdale Turner had a 146% employee turnover rate in 2023, making it more difficult to check on prisoners and avert murders and drug overdoses. Trousdale Turner, which is under a civil rights investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice, has a vacancy rate of 33.7%, compared with 26% at state-run prisons, officials said earlier this year. Still, the state is seeking a $6.8 million contract increase for the private prison operator despite penalizing the company $44.78 million since 2022 for contractual shortfalls, $15 million in the last half year. CoreCivic doesn't pay those penalties but simply forgoes state payments. And Boyd told the Lookout he doesn't believe the penalties are stiff enough to make CoreCivic, a publicly-traded company, change course. The Department of Correction consistently defends the prison company, calling it a valuable state 'partner' and commending it for trying to bolster staff. The state is having its own problems keeping officers. Leeper hired a private investigator to look into the cause of son's death after the young man succumbed to a fentanyl overdose two years at age 25 while serving time for arson Trousdale Turner. 'The more I looked into how it happened the more frustrated I became, because these deaths were extremely preventable,' Leeper said to the Lookout. The young man suffered a stab wound the first day he was transferred to Trousdale Turner in May 2023 and died just six months later, his father said, adding his son suffered from anxiety because of constant fear he would be knifed again. A correction officer even told him he needed a shank or 'butcher' to protect himself, Leeper said. The elder Leeper called the state's prison system the 'catch-all' for people with mental illness, childhood trauma and substance abuse, a place where society 'warehouses people away from us because it makes us feel safe.' CoreCivic spokesman Ryan Gustin responded to the criticism with an email statement saying prisoner safety, health and well-being is 'top priority' and that each facility has emergency response teams to handle medical care. All deaths are reported immediately to the state for investigation. 'All of our Tennessee facilities are subject to multiple layers of oversight by TDOC and independent third parties like the American Correctional Association. TDOC employs full-time, on-site contract monitors at each of our facilities who work to ensure our full compliance with prescribed policies and procedures,' Gustin said. Yet even with President Donald Trump pardoning crimes and cutting civil rights investigations, the probe into CoreCivic's Trousdale Turner continues. Republican Sen. Mark Pody of Lebanon, who is sponsoring the bill's Senate version, said Thursday he wants to renew the legislature's correction oversight board, which was removed six years ago by former House Speaker Glen Casada. Pody said statistics show more deaths occur in CoreCivic prisons than in the rest of the state's prisons. 'If it can't get under control, I think we need to do something legislatively so we don't put people at risk in the prisons,' Pody said. For a start, Pody said he wants more timely and accurate information so lawmakers can make better decisions. But any bill resurrecting prison oversight will have to wait until next year. Lawmakers are shutting down committees and trying to adjourn by mid-April so they can skedaddle before the kickback corruption trial for Casada and former staffer Cade Cothren begins. About 20 members have been subpoenaed to testify, and the trial is becoming the elephant in the room. Their priorities are set, but other than the Boyd-Pody bill, they don't appear to involve reining in CoreCivic. A week after the Senate Judiciary Committee killed a bill supported by the Tennessee Innocence Project, the measure is coming back to life. Senate Bill 256, sponsored by Republican Sen. Todd Gardenhire of Chattanooga, would set a procedure for inmates to seek post-conviction relief based on new evidence that wasn't available at the time of their conviction. It's slated to be heard – again – in committee next week. House Bill 601, sponsored by Democratic Rep. Bob Freeman of Nashville, is to be heard Wednesday by the House Judiciary Committee. The rebirth came after Chairman Gardenhire and other committee members signed a letter this week showing their support for revival. Republican Sen. Paul Rose's support was critical after he voted against the measure initially. The Covington Republican said he was persuaded to change his stance after seeing an amendment that sends applications for post-conviction relief through district attorneys. 'This is something that needs to be fixed. We really wanted it, so we worked with the Innocence Project, the district attorneys and got to a really good place,' Rose told the Lookout. Considering most of the legislature's criminal justice bills lock people up for good, this is a reversal of sorts. Maybe they don't have tin man's disease after all. Nah, what am I thinking? In a shocking turn of events, the Senate Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee endorsed a Democrat's bill, one that would require personal liability insurance for watercraft such as jet skis. Sen. Heidi Campbell of Nashville pushed the measure through the committee when the late Roy Herron's wife, Nancy, testified about the need to insure personal watercraft because of the risks involved with riding them. A minimum age for driving them had been removed from the bill. Herron, a West Tennessee lawmaker for more than a quarter-century then a lobbyist, died from a jet ski accident on Kentucky Lake. He was enjoying a family outing with family in July 2023 when an 11-year-old boy plowed into his jet ski at a high rate of speed. Herron died a week later at Vanderbilt hospital. His son's friend, Kala McDonald, was seriously injured as well and continues to receive treatment despite returning to medical school, according to Mrs. Herron. 'This financial responsibility provision may seem to some people like a small thing. But it would have meant so much to Kala,' she said, adding insurance costs only about $100. Mrs. Herron implored the committee to take action, and shockingly, they did. Are we starting to see a new theme here? Maybe not. A heated exchange between Memphis Democratic Rep. Justin Pearson and Sevierville Republican Rep. Andrew Farmer forced the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee into recess Wednesday. Pearson, who has been absent from the hill following the death of his brother by gun suicide in December, brought a bill that would repeal permitless carry in Tennessee, calling on the legislature to act on gun violence instead of offering 'some empty thoughts and prayers.' Farmer replied it was unfair for Pearson to 'lecture (the committee) on hard work and convictions' when 'every member in this committee has been here this year … but you have not.' An incensed Pearson shouted back that hard work means passing better laws and fighting 'for a state where everybody is able to live more freely from the pain of gun violence that me and my family are experiencing.' He said if Farmer 'can't take that,' he should 'learn to shut up.' Farmer responded that he also has a family and makes sacrifices every year to participate in the legislature. 'It's very common in your party when you disagree with a comment — and I was not disrespectful to you — that you resort to yelling,' Farmer said. The two lawmakers were separated by their colleagues during the recess. Pearson issued a statement later saying he has been working on constituent service while dealing with family tragedy. Hallway talk, though, is that Republicans could be considering a way to punish Pearson for the incident, in part because he approached Farmer in the committee room and had to be restrained. Conflict between Farmer and Pearson dates back to 2023 when the Sevierville attorney helped lead expulsion hearings against Pearson, Rep. Justin Jones and Rep. Gloria Johnson. It wasn't pretty as House Republicans expelled Pearson and Jones for leading a gun-control rally on the floor but narrowly voted to keep Johnson. Memphis and Metro Nashville councils returned Pearson and Jones to the House the following week, and international publicity enabled them to raise nearly $1 million each. The expulsion left House Republican leaders with more than egg on their faces, and kicking Pearson out again would only come back to haunt them. The problem is this week's blow-up could have been avoided, plain and simple. The House version of Republican Sen. Brent Taylor's bill to investigate and potentially impeach Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy was taken off notice this week, for a supposed technicality. The Tennessee Journal, though, is reporting that Taylor's bill has devolved into creation of a disciplinary board to review that actions of district attorneys and court officers. Asked where the matter stands this week, Taylor promised big doings. But this appears to be an attempt to study the matter rather than go directly after Mulroy, a Democrat, which means the impeachment or expulsion is dead. Taylor kept running into opposition from Senate leaders who didn't want to micromanage district attorneys, and others say there wasn't much to the matter, except Taylor's dislike for Mulroy. Nothing like a good tempest in a teapot. Lawmakers outlawed chemtrails last year, those pesky white plumes emitted from jets, which is why we need more skyhawks to survey the heavens. But that wasn't enough. Protectors of the atmosphere and everything we breathe wanted to stiffen penalties for entities that spread those lines across the sky. The House went along with Republican Rep. Monty Fritts' bill, passing it with ease this session. But the Senate said, 'not so fast, my friends.' Republican Sen. Janice Bowling this week argued that Congress is continuing to fund geo-engineering weather modification efforts while so-called experts claim that aerosol injections into the atmosphere can help stop the 'climate crisis' by reducing the intensity of sunlight hitting the Earth. But alas, the Senate energy and ag committee killed the last chance for Tennesseans to 'breathe deep the gathering gloom.' The House voted 73-21 Thursday morning to honor the 'estimable' Tennessee Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins for his efforts over the years to run elections – some say into the ground, considering the state ranks near the bottom in election participation. The resolution prepared by Republican Rep. Tim Rudd of Murfreesboro said Goins worked with the General Assembly to enact laws ensuring 'fair, secure, and free elections,' including requiring photo IDs, voting machine vendor ethics regulations and anti-election hacking. If only he'd been in charge of elections in every state five years ago, we could have avoided the 'stop the steal' campaign and the Jan. 6 insurrection. While Republicans voted overwhelmingly in favor of recognizing Goins – even though it's not a great practice to congratulate someone until they retire or die – Democrats weren't as amiable. Democratic Rep. Bo Mitchell of Nashville told the House chamber, if Goins had been a local school district, he would have been taken over and turned into a charter school. The Cordell Hull Building is packed these days with folks from across the state coming to lobby lawmakers or, it seems, to hang out and ride the elevators. One soul, though, apparently decided he'd had enough of the legislature's shenanigans outside the building and took it upon himself to urinate on the sacred Cordell. People on the Hill are accustomed to people raising a ruckus or sitting quietly holding 8-by-11 signs, but one wise guy said, 'This isn't peaceful protest but pee-ful protest.' 'Broken glass everywhere, people p—ing on the stairs, you know they just don't care / I can't stand the smell, can't take the noise.' – Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five: The Message WRITER'S NOTE: Lookout reporter Cassie Stephenson contributed to this conglomeration.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tennessee levied $44.78 million in penalties against private prison operator in three years
Private prison operator CoreCivic is up for a $6.8 million contract increase from the Tennessee Department of Corrections despite paying $44.78 million to the state since 2022 for failing to meet contract specifications. (Photo: John Partipilo) Tennessee's Department of Correction is requesting a $6.8 million contract increase for its private prison operator despite penalizing the company $44.78 million since 2022 for contractual shortfalls, $15 million in the last five months alone. Correction officials told lawmakers Tuesday that Trousdale Turner Correctional Center, which is under a civil rights investigation by the Department of Justice, has a 33.7% vacancy rate for prison officers compared with 26% at state-run prisons. The facility is one of four prisons operated by CoreCivic, a publicly-traded company that runs facilities nationwide. Trousdale Turner sustained a 146% turnover rate in 2023, making it more difficult to check on prisoners and avert safety risks. 'None of this makes sense where the state is increasing the amount it's paying CoreCivic every year but also penalizing CoreCivic for not meeting the terms of the contract,' said Democratic Sen. Jeff Yarbro of Nashville. 'It seems that we need to really take a close look at what's being required in these contracts where CoreCivic's falling short and what we can do about it.' CoreCivic refuses to disclose what it pays officers, and in some instances when it has personnel shortages, it brings in officers from other states to boost staff. Yarbro considers that a 'transparency' problem and said CoreCivic has the resources to increase officer pay and benefits to meet the terms of the state contract. Tennessee boosted prison officer pay by 35% two years ago. None of this makes sense where the state is increasing the amount it's paying CoreCivic every year but also penalizing CoreCivic for not meeting the terms of the contract. – Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville Correction Commissioner Frank Strada continued to defend CoreCivic after a budget hearing Tuesday, calling the company a 'partner' for the state and saying the prison system has monitors who determine whether the privately-run prisons are meeting contract demands. He said the CoreCivic prisons have seen a decrease in violent incidents and contraband but provided no statistics to back up that assertion. 'They are doing what they can for progress,' Strada said after the Senate State and Local Government Committee approved his budget request. The state pays CoreCivic about $240 million annually despite audits detailing low staffing, violence, deaths and other problems. Tennessee's overall prison budget could jump $91.6 million to $1.4 billion if lawmakers approve the department's request. Strada said the $6.8 million increase for CoreCivic is based on inflation, not a pay raise. In spite of the increase in penalties against the company, Strada said his department is 'holding them accountable.' He said CoreCivic has corrected 90% of the findings in a state audit conducted more than two years ago. The total number of deaths in CoreCivic prisons from 2019 through 2022 was 221, more than a third of the 645 deaths reported in the entire state 14-prison system, including facilities for women, according to department figures. More than half of the prison system's drug-related deaths in that time frame took place in the four private prisons out of 143 drug-related deaths overall. The department did not give death statistics for all of 2023 and 2024. The Department of Correction provided information to the Tennessee Lookout Tuesday showing the state has levied fines totaling $44.78 million against CoreCivic since 2022, up some $15 million since last October. Those include $15.4 million assessed against Hardeman County Correctional Facility, $6.3 million against South Central Correctional Facility, $10.8 million against Trousdale Turner and $12.15 million against Whiteville Correctional Facility, according to the department. An inmate died at Hardeman County Correctional Facility and several others were injured in December 2024. Separately, a lawsuit was filed against CoreCivic last year claiming an inmate died of a drug overdose stemming from understaffing and a prison drug ring, according to news reports. The lawsuit said 418 calls for help were made about overdoses over three years at Trousdale Turner and that staff profited by allowing drugs to be smuggled into the facility. CoreCivic declined to comment on the lawsuit at the time, but said it has a zero-tolerance policy for contraband. A Tennessee law dating back to the 1980s when the company was founded as Corrections Corporation of America allows the state to have only one privately-run prison. The company gets around that law by contracting with counties where the prisons are located. Since 2009, the company has spent $3.7 million on lobbying and campaign donations in the state, a Lookout analysis found. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
