Pappert: Award-Winning Tennessee Star Reporting Undercuts Abrego Garcia’s Vindictive Prosecution Claim

by Kaitlin Housler | Apr 8, 2026 | Justice, News, Tennessee, The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, The South

Tom Pappert, lead reporter at The Tennessee Star, argued that newly confirmed facts in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia undermine the defense’s central claim of vindictive prosecution. “This fact flies in the face of that narrative because it suggests this case was...

Leahy Floats Jeff Clark as ‘Wildcard’ AG Pick as Trump Seeks Bondi Replacement

by Kaitlin Housler | Apr 7, 2026 | Justice, News, Tennessee, The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, The South

Michael Patrick Leahy, CEO and editor-in-chief of The Tennessee Star, made the case for Jeff Clark as a potential wildcard pick for attorney general, as President Donald Trump seeks a permanent replacement following last week’s ouster of Pam Bondi. In the interim,...

Pappert Criticizes Copyright Argument in Covenant Records Appeal as ‘Absurd’

by Kaitlin Housler | Apr 6, 2026 | Covenant School Shooting, News, Tennessee, The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, The South

As the legal fight over the release of the Covenant School shooter’s writings continues, The Tennessee Star’s lead reporter, Tom Pappert, is sharply criticizing one of the central arguments raised in the latest appeal to the Tennessee Supreme Court, focusing on claims...

ICE Expansion Surge Headed for Tennessee, Pappert Reports

by Kaitlin Housler | Mar 31, 2026 | Justice, News, Tennessee, The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, The South

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is poised to become “two or three times larger than it was last year,” according to The Tennessee Star’s Lead Reporter Tom Pappert, who says a surge of 12,000 new hires is now translating into plans for expanded office...

Pappert: Federal Filing Reveals Key Timeline in ICE Arrest of Nashville Noticias Reporter

by Kaitlin Housler | Mar 9, 2026 | Justice, News, Tennessee, The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, The South

Tom Pappert, lead reporter at The Tennessee Star, detailed a federal filing that has revealed new details about the immigration case of Colombian-born Nashville Noticias journalist Estefany Rodriguez, who was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)...

Pappert: Testimony Shows Abrego Garcia Case Began with Tennessee Star Reporting

by Kaitlin Housler | Feb 27, 2026 | Justice, News, Tennessee, The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, The South

Tom Pappert, 2025 Dao Prize winner and lead reporter at The Tennessee Star, said testimony in the Kilmar Abrego Garcia hearing undercut claims of vindictive prosecution and instead confirmed that federal charges stemmed from reporting by The Star. In November 2022,...

Pappert: Lack of National Media at Abrego Garcia Hearing May Signal Trouble for Defense

by Kaitlin Housler | Feb 26, 2026 | Justice, News, Tennessee, The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, The South

As a federal judge considers whether to throw out human smuggling charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, The Tennessee Star’s Lead Reporter and 2025 Dao Prize winner Tom Pappert said the absence of national media in the courtroom may signal the stakes of a hearing...

‘Zero Empathy’: Pappert Blasts O’Connell as Downtown Businesses Face Crushing Tax Hikes

by Kaitlin Housler | Feb 21, 2026 | News, Politics, Tennessee, The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, The South

Tom Pappert, lead reporter at The Tennessee Star, blasted Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s recent response to outrage over skyrocketing property taxes on Lower Broadway, saying the mayor’s remarks “show zero empathy” and amounted to telling a struggling business...

Pappert Flags ‘Absurd’ Conflict of Interest Concerns Over Bredesen Leading NES Review

by Kaitlin Housler | Feb 20, 2026 | News, Politics, Tennessee, The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, The South

Tom Pappert, lead reporter at The Tennessee Star, sharply criticized Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell over his decision to appoint former Governor Phil Bredesen to chair the city’s 2026 Winter Storm Response Commission tasked with studying Nashville Electric...

‘Helping NES Hide’: Pappert Blasts Utility’s Growing PR Machine

by Kaitlin Housler | Feb 12, 2026 | Culture, News, Tennessee, The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, The South

Tom Pappert, lead reporter at The Tennessee Star, is questioning Nashville Electric Service’s (NES) decision to retain multiple communications vendors amid mounting scrutiny over its response to Winter Storm Fern. During a Wednesday appearance on The Michael Patrick...