City leadership cries foul, again
🗣️ Meeting on the recent ICE operation frays nerves · East Bank update · Criminal speech against DA Funk · TVA board disruption · Illegal Alien All-Star · Much more!
Good afternoon, everyone.
By all accounts, the number of illegals in the city is grossly understated. Anecdotally, Nolensville Road ran clear as a trout stream for me this morning, but let’s make the case with some “data.” Of the 369 traffic stops THP conducted since May 3rd as a part of the ICE maneuver, 94 drivers—25 percent—were detained.
In WPLN’s morning newsletter, a reporter shares, “A high school teacher told me she typically has about 23 students per class. But whenever there’s news impacting immigrants, only about 10 to 12 kids show up.” NewsChannel 5 reported that the owner of El Cubilete on Harding Pike says his sales have dropped 40 percent since ICE and THP operations commenced.
In their tweet promoting the story, NC5 drew attention to how deportations might affect state tax revenue. “A Nashville restaurant owner who contributes up to $70,000 monthly in state sales tax reports a 40% sales decline due to immigration enforcement,” it reads. Wonder if O’Connell will add this to his quiver when arguing for increased property taxes.
Onward.
Coverage of yesterday's meeting on the recent ICE raids
Yesterday, the Metro Council held a special called meeting on Public Health & Safety regarding the recent immigration enforcement operations in Nashville. Members heard from constituents during a 30-minute comment period, followed by a Q&A session with Metro Law Director Wally Dietz and the Metro Nashville Police Department.
The atmosphere in the gallery was despondent and hostile as several community members stepped up to the mic to speak:
“When I see a large group of police, I see a Trump rally in uniform,” said Trina Huel. “A grand jury of our peers has made clear that they also do not trust MNPD and recommended a special prosecutor to investigate the whistleblower complaint. I'd rather have a mayor that's willing to uphold the constitution by defying this administration, than one that defends the very people that endorsed this.”
“It is us, as white, cisgender people, that need to absolutely put our bodies, right now, in the way,” said Michelle Flynn. “It is not a question of your political party, it's a question of our people. This is our city, these are our people.”
“This was disgusting,” reiterated Diluvio Palazzolo. “All law enforcement in this colony are modern byproducts of genocide and enslavement.”
After the public comment period, Director Dietz went over the sequence of events leading up to Metro’s awareness of the operation. On Thursday, May 1, a Federal Protective Service agent with the US Department of Homeland Security called MNPD’s emergency communications center requesting extra patrols.
“Federal Protective Service is the security function that protects federal facilities,” explained Dietz. “The caller requested extra police patrol at Nashville’s ICE facility on Sunday on Brick Church Park. He told the dispatcher that there would be operations throughout the weekend, and there was a concern of backlash by families coming to the ICE facility on Sunday.”
The dispatcher “followed policy and protocol” and put the request into the queue to be sent out on May 4 at 10 a.m. At 10:04 a.m. on Sunday, North Precinct officers were notified of the request. “That was the first notice Metro Nashville police had of any official communication about the activities that had already transpired,” said Dietz.
MNPD Deputy Chief Chris Gilder emphasized Metro’s limited role in sending officers to keep the peace at Nashville’s ICE facility: “I want to reiterate that the MNPD had no knowledge of or participation in the ICE operation that took place last weekend.”
Going forward, Director Dietz said that Metro “fully supports efforts to arrest and charge violent offenders,” as long as they get their day in court—including right to counsel—before punishment and deportation. Legal has also requested information about those detained.
“We are entitled to these documents,” said the director. “They should be public records, and if necessary, I will file the FOIA request with ICE. I will not rest until we know the names of the people arrested, what their charges are, and the names of the people detained, what they were being detained for, and where they are located.” MEGAN PODSIEDLIK
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🚧 East Bank Authority On Tuesday, the council officially established an agreement between Metro Government and the East Bank Development Authority. The resolution outlines the relationship between the two entities regarding the Authority’s oversight relating to the development of the stadium campus, the design and construction of public infrastructure throughout the East Bank, and other public and private projects.
Metro will provide the operating expenses for the Authority, and its board will be required to submit an “annual audit and report of its business affairs and transactions no later than six months after the end of each fiscal year.” Metro will also provide human resources, information technology, legal, financial, and other administrative services until the Authority is fully operational.
Back in March, House Speaker Cameron Sexton questioned the creation of the East Bank Development Authority, which was approved by the legislature last year. Mayor O’Connell appointed Ben York as the EBDA’s Chief Executive Officer later that month. MEGAN PODSIEDLIK
🗯️ Criminal Speech David Aaron Bloyed, 60, was found guilty on Wednesday after threatening to lynch and kill Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk. Bloyed, a Texas member of the neo-Nazi Goyim Defence League, faces up to five years in prison.
Funk had been prosecuting GDL member Ryan McCann for assaulting a bartender during a street brawl last July. As a result of the prosecution, an angered Bloyed began publishing an escalating string of threats directed at several Nashvillians connected to the case, including the assault victim Deago Buck, and his employer.
Threats included references from American Neo-Nazi William Luther Pierce’s novel The Turner Diaries, including the phrases “Rope List” and “Day of the Rope”. However, Bloyed crossed the legal line only after posting a screenshot of Glenn Funk’s bio from the Nashville DA’s website on Telegram with the caption “getting the rope”. The post was in response to the arrest of McCann and was an attempt to pressure Funk to let him go.
"Hate speech, while it is permitted in our system, crosses the line when it turns to threats of violence — and that's what happened here," prosecutor Phil Wehby told the jury during closing arguments. "It became a crime." Despite the attempts of Federal Public Defenders Will Allensworth and Mary Kathryn Harcombe to argue that it’s normal for online anons to post inflammatory phrases they don't actually mean, the jury took less than an hour to convict Bloyed. KAITLYN MCDONALD
🪫 TVA Board Disruption Christmas Eve 2022 blackouts marked the start of TVA’s slide: since then, equipment malfunctions have sidelined generators, squeezing reserve capacity and prompting valley‑wide “please conserve” alerts during extreme weather. Retail rates still climbed nearly 10 % across 2023‑24, while CEO Jeff Lyash — the highest‑paid federal employee — prepared to step down. A board packed with Biden appointees moved to promote an insider successor; after Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty objected, the Trump White House dismissed two directors, leaving the nine‑seat panel without a quorum and unable to act on major projects.
Blackburn and Hagerty argue in an op-ed for Power that the TVA has drifted from its charter of reliable, affordable electricity. They want an outside turnaround CEO, sharper fiscal oversight, and an expedited construction license for the Clinch River small‑modular reactor—moves they say would steady the grid and put the U.S. back in front of the coming nuclear race and make the state more competitive for manufacturing jobs. DAVIS HUNT
DEVELOPMENT
- Cultivar to Open in Salemtown (Scene)
- Addition sought for Gulch hotel (Post)
- Project planned for Pie Town altered (Post)
- Auto business lists property in The Nations for sale (Post)
✹ ILLEGAL ALIEN ALL-STAR OF THE DAY
Small business owners are the backbone of America, and Nashville is fortunate enough to have them in spades. Angel Diaz-Carvajal is one of the city’s small business operators, running a pimping business with the help of his wife. Recently, he received a commendation for his efforts courtesy of MNPD after they responded to an online listing. Diaz is present in the country illegally, unfortunately, so he’s been placed on an ICE detainer and will likely face deportation. The road to success can be arduous, but we’re certain Angel will succeed wherever he takes his talents next. (More Info)
THINGS TO DO
View our calendar for the week here and our weekly film rundown here.
📅 Visit our On The Radar list to find upcoming events around Nashville.
🎧 On Spotify: Pamphleteer's Picks, a playlist of our favorite bands in town this week.
👨🏻🌾 Check out our Nashville farmer's market guide.
TONIGHT
🎸 Pearl Jam @ Bridgestone Arena, 7:30p, Info
🪕 The Howlin' Brothers @ Station Inn, 9p, $20, Info
🥁 LIVE JAZZ: Parker James, Paul DeFiglia, & Anson Hohne @ Vinyl Tap, 7p, No Cover, Info
🎸 Charley Crockett @ Brown County Music Center, 7:30p, $25+, Info
🎸 Leftover Salmon @ The Basement East, 7:30p, $45.02, Info
🍀 Live Irish Music @ McNamara’s Irish Pub, 6p, Free, Info
🎸 Kelly’s Heroes @ Robert’s Western World, 6:30p, Free, Info
🎸 Open Mic @ Fox & Locke, 6:30p, Free, Info
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Today's newsletter is brought to you by Megan Podsiedlik (Nashville), Kaitlyn McDonald (Nashville), Camelia Brennan (Local Noise), and Davis Hunt (everything else).