Daily Dose for April 21, 2006

Daily Dose

Tennessee Big Catch in Illegal Immigration Crackdown -- Several plants for the multi-state company IFCO Systems, a Netherlands-based manufacturer of crates and pallets, across the state of Tennessee were hit hard by federal Homeland Security officials cracking down on that company's hiring of illegal immigrants. Nearly 100 undocumented workers were arrested through the ICE's local offices, including 49 in Memphis, 34 in Nashville and 13 in Knoxville. Several of the company's executives, most of them from headquarters in Albany, N.Y., also were arrested on criminal charges, accused of inducing workers to illegally enter the United States and work for IFCO. The investigation into the company began in February 2005 when ICE officials were tipped off that workers in Guilderland, N.Y., were seen ripping up their W-2 tax forms and that one of the managers said they didn't intend to file tax returns because they were in the country illegally and had fake Social Security Cards. Read more in the Tennessean, Knoxville News-Sentinel, and Memphis Commercial Appeal.

Bredesen Changes Mind on Pay Equity -- Governor Bredesen has again changed his mind on a top legislative priority of Democratic leaders who he was previously in contest. Governor Bredesen now says he supports Rep. Kim McMillan's pay equity bill which would allow employees to sue employers if they suspected unequal pay between the genders. Previously, Bredesen said he opposed the bill. A similar situation happened several months ago, when Bredesen reversed his previous statement on a state increase in the minimum wage. Both times he made the statements that he later retreated from came either after or while speaking to business groups.

Ford's 1st Quarter Donations Include Money From Hillary Clinton -- Congressman Harold Ford Jr. raised over a million dollars in the first quarter of 2006 with a little help from the villified Senator from New York. Ford's donations list includes a $10,000 donation from HillPAC, a fund that contributed $190,000 to other Democrats. Clinton is generally seen as a front-runner for the Democratic nomination for President in 2008. Clinton is featured in a TV ad by Republican candidate Van Hilleary in which he says he will fight against her "every step of the way."

Attacks Abound in Senate TV Fight -- The Nashville City Paper reports attacks flying in all directions in what is sure to be a sign of a hotly contested election both in August and November to replace Sen. Bill Frist. Republican Bob Corker launched a massive TV buy yesterday and within hours one of Corker's primary challengers Ed Bryant released a media advisory complete with several pages of documentation claiming Corker's ad was hypocritical because Corker raised spending as Mayor of Chattanooga. Then Van Hilleary, another Republican primary contender, made the surprise announcement of an ad buy of his own that attacked Corker and presumed Democratic nominee Harold Ford, Jr. That gave Ford a chance to jump into the fray and he denied Hilleary's attacks while pushing some of his own - claiming Hilleary was connected with the Jack Abramoff controversy and voted to raise the national debt ceiling. According to Ford's camp, the Hilleary ad buy was miniscule - $1,500, but Hilleary's camp claims it was much higher.

Is Knox Co. Legal? -- A lawsuit has brought up the question of whether or not Knox County government has a right to exist. Several County Commissioners have filed suit claiming Knox Co. never properly implimented its charter form of government. As a result County Mayor Mike Ragsdale says Knox Co. needs to return to a charter form of government as soon as possible if a Chancery Court rules for the plantiffs in the suit. Meanwhile, requests for paper ballots are up, with larger numbers of voters voting for write in candidates in the Commission elections.

Posted by Adam Groves | Email This |