Mayoral Candidate Erica Gilmore Calls on Governor Haslam to Veto the Anti-Sanctuary City Bill Awaiting His Signature

Mayoral candidate and Councilwoman-at-Large Erica Gilmore held a press conference prior to Tuesday evening’s Metro Council meeting to announce her opposition to the Green-Reedy Bill, also known as the ‘anti-sanctuary cities bill.’ During the event, Gilmore unveiled a resolution she said she will introduce at the bi-weekly meeting, calling on fellow council members to join her in opposing the recently passed measure, and ask Governor Haslam to veto it.

In a media advisory sent to The Tennessee Star, Gilmore’s campaign wrote:

Councilwoman Gilmore’s resolution (co-sponsored by Councilmembers Davis and Mendes) calls HB2315 harmful to public safety, and an “unfunded mandate,” with the potential “to increase racial profiling.” She will introduce RS 2018-(as yet un-numbered) at tonight’s Metro Council meeting for first reading. The Councilwoman’s resolution would unite the Metro Council with MNPD Chief Anderson and the MNPS Board in calling for a veto of HB2315.

Gilmore was a leading proponent of the sanctuary city bill the Metro Council was passed on a second reading in June before an uprising by the Tennessee General Assembly persuaded its sponsors to drop it before a third and final reading.

Gilmore’s press conference clearly aligns her on the far left among the leading candidates in the May 24 special mayoral election in Nashville/Davidson County.

But she is not alone in that positioning. Current Acting Mayor David Briley did not cast a vote on the 2017 Metro Nashville sanctuary cities ordinance at its first and second readings when he was vice mayor, since the presiding officer of the Metro City Council does not vote on legislation unless a tie-breaker is required. However, as a loyal supporter of the administration of Megan Barry, he supported the ordinance.

Though he has remained silent, so far, on whether Gov. Haslam should sign, veto, or allow to become law the Green-Reedy bill, Briley presumably aligns with those far left groups who want a veto.

Late Tuesday, the Metro Council overwhelmingly passed a resolution calling on Gov. Haslam to veto the anti-sanctuary cities bill.

On Wednesday, TIRCC and a number of the usual far left suspects will hold yet another rally downtown Nashville in an attempt to persuade Haslam to veto the bill.