NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Figures released from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that Tennessee has one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation. At 8.4%, Tennessee is tied for 42nd in unemployment.

“Unfortunately for Tennesseans, the Republicans are winning their war on working people,” said House Democratic Caucus Chairman Mike Turner (D-Nashville). “The [...]

Comptroller Rebukes Haslam Contract with Business Partners

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Roy Herron called for new rules to protect taxpayers from insider contracts that keep growing — and padding the contractor’s pockets.

The state comptroller’s office Wednesday issued what reporters called a “scathing” review of a contract Gov. Bill Haslam’s administration gave to [...]

The following column by State House Democratic Leader Craig Fitzhugh appeared Nov. 3, 2013 in The Commercial Appeal

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam says we have plenty of time to deal with Medicaid expansion.

His administration plays down the rush to provide some 330,000 Tennesseans with quality, affordable health care coverage. The governor [...]

In what must be ironic news to the 330,000 Tennesseans waiting for a decision on Medicaid expansion, Governor Bill Haslam was chosen to Chair the National Governors Association’s Health and Human Services Committee along with vice-Chair Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin.

“This could be terrific news for Tennessee,” said House Democratic Leader Craig Fitzhugh. “Six [...]

NASHVILLE – In light of Gov. Bill Haslam’s flip flop on the use of state funding to fill in federal budget cuts, state Senate Democratic Leader Jim Kyle is calling on the governor to consider using state support to shore up programs benefiting children and the elderly that were hit earlier this year by [...]

State Employee: ‘We’ve Already Broken Several Laws’

News Report Reveals Haslam’s Business Partner Directed State Contract 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Roy Herron today called for a comptroller’s investigation into dealings between Gov. Bill Haslam’s administration and a controversial firm with financial ties to the governor.

According to News Channel 5, Jones Lang [...]

State House Democratic leaders are outraged to learn via a News Channel 5 investigative report that Governor Bill Haslam’s administration may have rigged contracts to benefit out-of-state contractors at the behest of Jones Lang Lasalle.

“The continuing saga of the Jones Lang Lasalle contract is troubling to say the least,” said House Democratic [...]

The Commercial Appeal featured a column Thursday — the second in a series — from Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Roy Herron, who wrote for the second time in about  the importance of extending health coverage to working families through Medicaid expansion.

You can read the full column as it appeared in the Appeal [...]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Department of Labor released numbers Thursday showing that Tennessee continues to be a leader in rising unemployment rates. The unemployment rate is now at 8.5 percent, nearly one percent higher than the national unemployment rate of 7.6 percent.

“The Republicans have spent the past year trying to find new [...]

Gov. Bill Haslam’s repeated self-dealing and government handouts to wealthy friends has prompted Democrats to renew a challenge to the governor to release his tax returns.

“With Haslam’s wealthy and well-connected friends lining up for multi-million dollar handouts from the governor’s office, Tennesseans have a right to know if Haslam is profiting from this [...]