NRA Lobbyist Attends House GOP Caucus

The National Rifle Association is so almighty in Tennessee politics that its lobbyist was allowed to speak at the House Republican caucus meeting yesterday before

on the new guns-in-bars bill.

There’s no way a member of the general public or the media could have made it through that door. House GOP caucus chairman Glen Casada now claims the meeting was open but, if so, it was one of the first in this General Assembly. Reporters have been barred from so many caucuses that we've given up trying to go. NRA lobbyist Heidi Keesling was invited inside like an old friend. She attended for what Casada calls “informational purposes only.”

What information did Keesling provide? Well, for one thing, she told Republicans in so many words that if they voted against guns in bars, they should watch their backs in November’s elections.

“She didn't threaten at all,” Casada insists to Pith. “There were two or maybe three questions directed to Heidi and she answered the questions. But it was informational purposes only.”