Haslam Gov

<a href="http://www.democracynow.org/2014/2/18/republican_funded_anti_labor_campaign_succeeds">http://www.democracynow.org/2014/2/18/republican_funded_anti_labor_campaign_succeeds</a>

gov wthholds subsidy (threat?=see bro dad pilot truck stop fraud
sedition caucus funder=Leaked documents <a href="http://www.newschannel5.com/story/25122909/haslam-administration-linked-300m-offer-to-vw-uaw-process" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; transition: all 0.2s ease 0s;">obtained</a> by Nashville TV station NewsChannel 5 WVTF reveal communications between the employees of two Tennessee Republicans—Sen. Bob Corker and Gov. Bill Haslam—and a network of prominent anti-union professionals during <a href="http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/16300/after_uaw_defeat_at_volkswagen_in_tennessee_theories_abound" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; transition: all 0.2s ease 0s;">the United Auto Workers' union drive at a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga earlier this year</a>.Sen. Corker and Gov. Haslam have been blamed by the union for contributing to the drive’s defeat by making public statements against the UAW. Prior to the election, Corker claimed that the plant would add an additional SUV assembly line if workers voted against the union, while <a href="http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2014/feb/06/haslam-says-uaw-could-hurt-recruitment-of/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; transition: all 0.2s ease 0s;">Haslam implied</a> that businesses had told him that they might not relocate to Tennessee if workers at Volkswagen voted to join the UAW.There was no direct evidence, however, that these politicians were coordinating with the various anti-union forces that had gathered in Chattanooga to oppose the drive, although In These Times <a href="http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/15876/anti_union_forces_mobilizing_at_chattanoogas_volkswagen_plant" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; transition: all 0.2s ease 0s;">reported</a> in November 2013 that Washington, D.C.-based anti-union campaigner Matt Patterson had bragged about developing anti-UAW messaging with “politician [sic] and businessmen” in Tennessee. The documents by NewsChannel 5 provide the first direct proof of such coordination. In addition, In These Times magazine has obtained documents and conducted interviews with a top anti-union consultant that shed new light on the origins of the anti-union videos referenced in the communications.Chain of evidenceThe documents released by NewsChannel 5 show that, just before the union election, Sen. Corker’s chief of staff and one of Gov. Haslam’s cabinet members were part of an email chain with both Chattanooga-based and national anti-union consultants about efforts to draw attention to three videos produced to fight the UAW at Volkswagen. The videos feature testimonials from workers at previous UAW plants claiming that the UAW destroyed Detroit and led to the closure of a former Volkswagen auto plant in Westmoreland County, Pa. (Full disclosure: This author’s mother worked at the Westmoreland County Volkswagen plant until it closed, and was a member of UAW.)In a February 10 email with the subject line “Video views so far today,” Peter List, the CEO of the anti-union labor-relations consultant group Kulture LLC and editor and chief blogger of LaborUnionReport.com, boasted of the videos’ web traffic. The email was addressed to, among others, Sen. Corker’s chief of staff, Tony Womack; Maury Nicely, the head of the local Chattanooga anti-union group Southern Momentum; Charleston, S.C.-based anti-union consultant Jim Gray; and former Volkswagen plant manager Don Jackson, whose <a href="http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/16420/the_battle_for_chattanooga_southern_masculinity_and_the_anti_union_campaign" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; transition: all 0.2s ease 0s;">role</a> in campaigning against the UAW has been previously detailed by In These Times. Also on the chain was Tim Spires, president and CEO of the Chattanooga Regional Manufacturers’ Association, which <a href="http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/15965/volkswagen_tied_to_another_anti_union_group" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; transition: all 0.2s ease 0s;">promoted</a> anti-UAW events, and Ron Harr, president and  CEO of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce.The next day, Corker’s Chief of Staff Todd Womack <a href="http://www.newschannel5.com/category/267935/vw-incentive-offer-related-emails" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; transition: all 0.2s ease 0s;">forwarded</a> List’s email to Tennessee economic and community development commissioner Bill Hagerty—a member of Gov. Haslam’s cabinet—and Hagerty’s chief of staff Will Alexander (who is the son of U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander) with a message saying “If you would, please don’t forward this version, but this is the video I mentioned. Thanks much, Todd.”Womack did not return request for comment about what level of coordination Senator Corker’s office had with anti-union consultants. Likewise, Peter List refused to answer questions about why he was emailing Senator Corker’s staff, stating in an email to In These Times, “It seems you've fallen into the trap that people actually pay attention to what politicians say.”=<a href="http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/23197-truthout-interviews-john-logan-on-the-antiunion-campaign-in-tennessee">http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/23197-truthout-interviews-john-logan-on-the-antiunion-campaign-in-tennessee</a>--Leaked documents <a href="http://www.newschannel5.com/story/25122909/haslam-administration-linked-300m-offer-to-vw-uaw-process" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; transition: all 0.2s ease 0s;">obtained</a> by Nashville TV station NewsChannel 5 WVTF reveal communications between the employees of two Tennessee Republicans—Sen. Bob Corker and Gov. Bill Haslam—and a network of prominent anti-union professionals during <a href="http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/16300/after_uaw_defeat_at_volkswagen_in_tennessee_theories_abound" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; transition: all 0.2s ease 0s;">the United Auto Workers' union drive at a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga earlier this year</a>.Sen. Corker and Gov. Haslam have been blamed by the union for contributing to the drive’s defeat by making public statements against the UAW. Prior to the election, Corker claimed that the plant would add an additional SUV assembly line if workers voted against the union, while <a href="http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2014/feb/06/haslam-says-uaw-could-hurt-recruitment-of/" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; transition: all 0.2s ease 0s;">Haslam implied</a> that businesses had told him that they might not relocate to Tennessee if workers at Volkswagen voted to join the UAW.There was no direct evidence, however, that these politicians were coordinating with the various anti-union forces that had gathered in Chattanooga to oppose the drive, although In These Times <a href="http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/15876/anti_union_forces_mobilizing_at_chattanoogas_volkswagen_plant" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; transition: all 0.2s ease 0s;">reported</a> in November 2013 that Washington, D.C.-based anti-union campaigner Matt Patterson had bragged about developing anti-UAW messaging with “politician [sic] and businessmen” in Tennessee. The documents by NewsChannel 5 provide the first direct proof of such coordination. In addition, In These Times magazine has obtained documents and conducted interviews with a top anti-union consultant that shed new light on the origins of the anti-union videos referenced in the communications.Chain of evidenceThe documents released by NewsChannel 5 show that, just before the union election, Sen. Corker’s chief of staff and one of Gov. Haslam’s cabinet members were part of an email chain with both Chattanooga-based and national anti-union consultants about efforts to draw attention to three videos produced to fight the UAW at Volkswagen. The videos feature testimonials from workers at previous UAW plants claiming that the UAW destroyed Detroit and led to the closure of a former Volkswagen auto plant in Westmoreland County, Pa. (Full disclosure: This author’s mother worked at the Westmoreland County Volkswagen plant until it closed, and was a member of UAW.)In a February 10 email with the subject line “Video views so far today,” Peter List, the CEO of the anti-union labor-relations consultant group Kulture LLC and editor and chief blogger of LaborUnionReport.com, boasted of the videos’ web traffic. The email was addressed to, among others, Sen. Corker’s chief of staff, Tony Womack; Maury Nicely, the head of the local Chattanooga anti-union group Southern Momentum; Charleston, S.C.-based anti-union consultant Jim Gray; and former Volkswagen plant manager Don Jackson, whose <a href="http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/16420/the_battle_for_chattanooga_southern_masculinity_and_the_anti_union_campaign" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; transition: all 0.2s ease 0s;">role</a> in campaigning against the UAW has been previously detailed by In These Times. Also on the chain was Tim Spires, president and CEO of the Chattanooga Regional Manufacturers’ Association, which <a href="http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/15965/volkswagen_tied_to_another_anti_union_group" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; transition: all 0.2s ease 0s;">promoted</a> anti-UAW events, and Ron Harr, president and  CEO of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce.The next day, Corker’s Chief of Staff Todd Womack <a href="http://www.newschannel5.com/category/267935/vw-incentive-offer-related-emails" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; transition: all 0.2s ease 0s;">forwarded</a> List’s email to Tennessee economic and community development commissioner Bill Hagerty—a member of Gov. Haslam’s cabinet—and Hagerty’s chief of staff Will Alexander (who is the son of U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander) with a message saying “If you would, please don’t forward this version, but this is the video I mentioned. Thanks much, Todd.”Womack did not return request for comment about what level of coordination Senator Corker’s office had with anti-union consultants. Likewise, Peter List refused to answer questions about why he was emailing Senator Corker’s staff, stating in an email to In These Times, “It seems you've fallen into the trap that people actually pay attention to what politicians sayhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_HaslamWilliam Edward "Bill" Haslam<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-1" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[1]</a> (born August 23, 1958) is an American politician who is the 49th and current <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governor_of_Tennessee" title="Governor of Tennessee" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Governor of Tennessee</a>, and chairman of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Governors_Association" title="Republican Governors Association" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Republican Governors Association</a>. A member of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party(United_States)" title="Republican Party (United States)" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Republican Party</a>, Haslam was elected Governor in 2010 and was sworn in on January 15, 2011.Born in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knoxville,Tennessee" title="Knoxville, Tennessee" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Knoxville, Tennessee</a>, Haslam is a graduate of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emory_University" title="Emory University" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Emory University</a>. He began his career in business, joining his father, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Haslam" title="Jim Haslam" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Jim Haslam</a>, who was the founder of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_Corporation" title="Pilot Corporation" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Pilot Corporation</a>. Haslam rose to president of Pilot Corp in the 1990s, after his brother<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Haslam" title="Jimmy Haslam" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Jimmy</a> became the company's CEO. Haslam then left Pilot and from 1999 to 2001 was the CEO of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-commerce" title="E-commerce" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">e-commerce</a> and cataloging division at the department store chain <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saks_Fifth_Avenue" title="Saks Fifth Avenue" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Saks Fifth Avenue</a>. He then became a consultant at Saks, served on the board of directors at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold%27s" title="Harold's" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Harold's Stores, Inc.</a> and still remains a co-owner of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minor_league_baseball" title="Minor league baseball" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">minor league baseball</a> team the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_Smokies" title="Tennessee Smokies" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Tennessee Smokies</a>.Entering a career in politics, Haslam was elected to serve as mayor of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knoxville,Tennessee" title="Knoxville, Tennessee" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Knoxville, Tennessee</a> in 2003 with 52% of the vote. He was then elected to a second term in 2007, winning 87% of the vote, and serving as mayor from 2003 to 2011. After incumbent Governor <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Bredesen" title="Phil Bredesen" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Phil Bredesen</a> was term-limited and prevented from running for reelection, Haslam declared his candidacy for Governor in January 2009. He defeated <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives" title="United States House of Representatives" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Representative</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zach_Wamp" title="Zach Wamp" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Zach Wamp</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant_Governor_of_Tennessee" title="Lieutenant Governor of Tennessee" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Lieutenant Governor</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Ramsey" title="Ron Ramsey" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Ron Ramsey</a> in the Republican primary with 47% of the vote, and went on to defeat <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party(United_States)" title="Democratic Party (United States)" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Democratic</a>businessman <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_McWherter" title="Mike McWherter" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Mike McWherter</a> with 65% of the vote in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_gubernatorial_election,2010" title="Tennessee gubernatorial election, 2010" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">general election</a>.As of 2015, Haslam has a net worth of $2 billion, and is the richest elected official in the US, according to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbes" title="Forbes" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Forbes</a> magazine.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-Alexander-2" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[2]</a><div id="toc" class="toc" style="border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); padding: 7px; display: table; zoom: 1; background-color: rgb(249, 249, 249);"><div id="toctitle" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;"><h2 style="margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border: none; display: inline; line-height: 1.3; background: none;">Contents</h2>  [<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#" id="togglelink" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">hide</a>] </div><ul style="list-style-type: none; margin: 0.3em 0px; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none;"><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#Early_life.2C_education.2C_and_business_career" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">1Early life, education, and business career</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#Mayor_of_Knoxville" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">2Mayor of Knoxville</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-3" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#Governor_of_Tennessee" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">3Governor of Tennessee</a><ul style="list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none;"><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-4" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#Elections" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">3.1Elections</a><ul style="list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none;"><li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-5" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#2010" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">3.1.12010</a></li><li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-6" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#2014" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">3.1.22014</a></li></ul></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-7" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#Tenure" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">3.2Tenure</a><ul style="list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none;"><li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-8" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#2011" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">3.2.12011</a></li><li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-9" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#2012" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">3.2.22012</a></li><li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-10" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#2014_2" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">3.2.32014</a></li></ul></li></ul></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-11" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#Political_positions" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">4Political positions</a><ul style="list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 2em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: none;"><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-12" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#Gun_laws" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">4.1Gun laws</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-13" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#Abortion" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">4.2Abortion</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-14" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#LGBT_equality" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">4.3LGBT equality</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-15" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#Immigration_laws" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">4.4Immigration laws</a></li><li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-16" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#Other" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">4.5Other</a></li></ul></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-17" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#Lawsuit_against_Pilot_Flying_J" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">5Lawsuit against Pilot Flying J</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-18" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#Personal_life" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">6Personal life</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-19" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#References" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">7References</a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-20" style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#External_links" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">8External links</a></li></ul></div><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Early life, education, and business career[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Haslam&action=edit&section=1&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Early life, education, and business career" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h2>Haslam was born in Knoxville in 1958, the third child of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Haslam" title="Jim Haslam" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Jim Haslam</a>, the founder of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_Corporation" title="Pilot Corporation" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Pilot Corporation</a>, the parent company of the convenience store and travel center chain, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_Flying_J" title="Pilot Flying J" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Pilot Flying J</a>, and his wife, Cynthia (Allen). Jim Haslam has been a Republican Party fundraiser and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Tennessee" title="University of Tennessee" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">University of Tennessee</a> donor and trustee for several decades.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-flory16-3" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[3]</a>Haslam was educated at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webb_School_of_Knoxville" title="Webb School of Knoxville" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Webb School of Knoxville</a>, where he became active in the Christian group, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Life" title="Young Life" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Young Life</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-flory17-4" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[4]</a> He later attended <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emory_University" title="Emory University" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Emory University</a>, graduating with a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachelor%27s_degree" title="Bachelor's degree" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">bachelor's degree</a> in history in 1980.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-bio-5" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[5]</a> He is a member of the Beta Sigma chapter of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigma_Chi" title="Sigma Chi" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Sigma Chi</a> International Fraternity.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-flory18-6" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[6]</a>As a teenager, Haslam began working part-time in his father's corporation.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-bio-5" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[5]</a> He had made plans to teach history and eventually become a minister.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-flory18-6" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[6]</a> Following his university graduation, he returned to Knoxville to work for Pilot in hopes of learning more about the business world before entering the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seminary" title="Seminary" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">seminary</a>, and eventually decided to stay with the company.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-flory18-6" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[6]</a> He was elevated to president of the company (with his brother, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Haslam" title="Jimmy Haslam" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Jimmy</a>, as CEO, and father as chairman) in 1995.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-flory18-6" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[6]</a>In 1999, Haslam joined <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saks_Fifth_Avenue" title="Saks Fifth Avenue" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Saks Fifth Avenue</a> as the chief executive officer of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-commerce" title="E-commerce" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">e-commerce</a> and catalog division.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-citybio-7" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[7]</a> He left Saks in 2001, and joined the board of the Dallas-based clothing chain, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold%27s" title="Harold's" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Harold's Stores Inc.</a>, later that year.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-flory18-6" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[6]</a>Haslam is one of the owners of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_Smokies" title="Tennessee Smokies" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Tennessee Smokies</a>, a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minor_league_baseball" title="Minor league baseball" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">minor league baseball</a> team in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Tennessee" title="East Tennessee" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">East Tennessee</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-citybio-7" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[7]</a> His brother, current<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_Flying_J" title="Pilot Flying J" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Pilot Flying J</a> CEO <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Haslam" title="Jimmy Haslam" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Jimmy Haslam</a>, became majority owner of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland_Browns" title="Cleveland Browns" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Cleveland Browns</a> in 2012.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-8" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[8]</a><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Mayor of Knoxville[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Haslam&action=edit&section=2&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Mayor of Knoxville" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h2>In 2002, Haslam announced he was running for Mayor of Knoxville, inspired in part by a conversation he had had with then-Chattanooga mayor (and current <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senator" title="United States Senator" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">United States Senator</a>) <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Corker" title="Bob Corker" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Bob Corker</a>. Knoxville's mayoral elections are nominally non-partisan,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-9" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[9]</a>but Haslam was known to be a member of the Republican Party when he ran for the office. His opponent in the race, Knox County commissioner <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeline_Rogero" title="Madeline Rogero" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Madeline Rogero</a>, criticized Haslam as an oil company puppet, and blamed his father for the appointment of controversial U.T. president John Shumaker, an attack Haslam dismissed as "petty, personal politics". On September 30, 2003, he defeated Rogero by a 52% to 46% margin.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-10" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[10]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-flory19-11" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[11]</a>...On the Republican side from July 1, 2009 until January 15, 2010, Haslam collected $1.8 million, Ramsey raised $1,412,593 including a $200,000 loan, Wamp raised $1,373,078 including a $61,000 loan, and Gibbons raised $225,218. Among Democrats during the six months, State Senate Minority Leader <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Kyle" title="Jim Kyle" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Jim Kyle</a> collected $741,485 including a $300,000 personal loan, McWherter raised $402,868, and McMillan raised $159,981.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-18" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[18]</a>Haslam campaigned on his executive experience as both Knoxville's mayor and the president of a major company. His opponents attacked him as an oil executive, especially in the wake of price-gouging allegations levied against Pilot in the wake of the post-<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina" title="Hurricane Katrina" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Hurricane Katrina</a> fuel shortages, and criticized his refusal to release information related to his income while at Pilot.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-flory19-11" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[11]</a>On August 5, 2010, Haslam won in the Republican primary for governor with almost 48% of the vote, compared to 29% for Wamp and 22% for Ramsey.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-19" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[19]</a> Mike McWherter, son of former Governor <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ned_McWherter" title="Ned McWherter" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Ned McWherter</a>, was nominated by the Democrats after several well-known elected officials declined the candidacy.On November 2, 2010, Haslam won the gubernatorial election over Democratic candidate <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_McWherter" title="Mike McWherter" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Mike McWherter</a>, taking 65% of the vote to McWherter's 35%. The Republicans also increased their majorities in both chambers of the state legislature, giving the GOP complete control of state government for the first time since 1869.<h4 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 17.92px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">2014<span class="mw-editsection" style="user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Haslam&action=edit&section=6&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: 2014" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4><div class="hatnote relarticle mainarticle" style="font-style: italic; padding-left: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 17.92px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Main article: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_gubernatorial_election,2014" title="Tennessee gubernatorial election, 2014" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Tennessee gubernatorial election, 2014</a></div>Haslam announced he would run for re-election in 2014.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-20" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[20]</a> He defeated three other candidates in the Republican primary with 88% of the vote.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-21" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[21]</a>In the general election on November 4, 2014, Haslam defeated Democratic nominee Charles Brown with over 70% of the vote.<h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Tenure<span class="mw-editsection" style="user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Haslam&action=edit&section=7&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Tenure" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h3><h4 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 17.92px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">2011<span class="mw-editsection" style="user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Haslam&action=edit&section=8&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: 2011" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>Haslam has stated that job creation and long-term economic growth are his top priority as governor, followed by education reform and workforce development. He favors a conservative state budget, keeping taxes low in order to create and maintain a business-friendly environment.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-22" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[22]</a> On June 16, 2011, Haslam signed a $30.8 billion state budget, a 3.9% decrease from the previous year's budget.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-23" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[23]</a>The budget included 1.6% pay raise for state employees (though it also called for over 1,300 positions to be cut), grants to facilitate construction of an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrolux" title="Electrolux" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Electrolux</a> plant near Memphis and a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wacker_Chemie" title="Wacker Chemie" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Wacker Chemie</a> plant near <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland,Tennessee" title="Cleveland, Tennessee" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Cleveland</a>, and $10 million for the Memphis Research Consortium.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-24" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[24]</a> The budget bill also contained an amendment cutting off all state funding to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_Parenthood" title="Planned Parenthood" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Planned Parenthood</a>, but the measure was negated by an amendment inserted into the same bill by an unknown legislator, something Haslam vowed to correct in 2012.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-25" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[25]</a>On May 23, 2011, Haslam signed a bill overturning a Nashville ordinance that barred discrimination against the hiring of homosexuals for any companies awarded city contracts.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-26" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[26]</a> On June 1, Haslam signed a bill requiring voters to present photo identification at polling places, a measure supporters argue prevents voter fraud, but detractors have derided as an attempt to disenfranchise traditionally-Democratic voting blocs.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-27" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[27]</a> On June 2, Haslam signed a bill replacing public school teachers' collective bargaining rights with a process called "collaborative conferencing", effectively bypassing the teachers' union, the Tennessee Education Association.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-28" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[28]</a>Other legislation signed by Haslam included a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tort" title="Tort" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">tort</a> reform measure that limits non-economic damages in civil suits,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-29" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[29]</a> a bill that lifted the cap on the number <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charter_school" title="Charter school" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">charter schools</a> in the state and opened enrollment in charter schools to more students,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-30" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[30]</a> and a bill that allows college students to use Hope Scholarship funds during summer semesters.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-31" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[31]</a>In October 2011, Haslam approved an order to implement a curfew on Legislative Plaza in downtown Nashville, where several hundred protesters with the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_Nashville" title="Occupy Nashville" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Occupy Nashville</a> movement (part of the greater <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%22Occupy%22_protests" title="" occupy="Occupy" protests="protests" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Occupy Wall Street movement</a>) were camping out. In the early morning hours of October 28, 29 protesters were arrested when they refused to comply with the order,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-32" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[32]</a> and on the following day, 26 were arrested.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-johnson-33" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[33]</a> In both cases, the arrests were thrown out by General Sessions Night Court Commissioner Tom Nelson, who ruled that the state had no authority to set a curfew for Legislative Plaza.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-34" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[34]</a> Haslam stated the curfew was necessary due to deteriorating sanitary conditions and safety issues on the Plaza,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-johnson-33" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[33]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-35" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[35]</a> though critics, including the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_Liberties_Union" title="American Civil Liberties Union" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">American Civil Liberties Union</a>, which filed a lawsuit in federal court on October 31 to halt the arrests, have stated that the curfew is a violation of the protesters' civil rights.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-gee-36" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[36]</a><h4 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 17.92px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">2012<span class="mw-editsection" style="user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Haslam&action=edit&section=9&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: 2012" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>The $31 billion budget bill signed by Haslam for 2012 included $50 million in tax cuts, $560 million for construction projects, a 2.5% pay raise for state employees, and additional funding to offset anticipated tuition hikes at state colleges. In June, Haslam signed bills that eliminated the state's gift tax and reduced the state's inheritance tax and the sales tax on groceries.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-37" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[37]</a> He also signed the "Fast Track" bill, which provided cash grants to companies seeking to expand or relocate to Tennessee.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-38" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[38]</a>Tennessee was granted a waiver requested by Haslam from certain portions of the federal government's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Child_Left_Behind" title="No Child Left Behind" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">No Child Left Behind</a>standards. Haslam argued that the law's Adequate Yearly Progress model labelled some state schools as failures in spite of these schools having made substantial improvement.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-39" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[39]</a> In May, he signed a bill providing $37 million in grants for state schools. In July, Haslam called for an overhaul of the state's higher education system, with the intention of generating a higher number of college graduates in high-paying fields.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-40" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[40]</a>In March 2012, the legislature passed a bill protecting teachers who challenged scientific theories such as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_Evolution" title="Theory of Evolution" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Theory of Evolution</a>and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Warming" title="Global Warming" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Global Warming</a> in the classroom. Critics assailed the measure as a "monkey bill" that was little more than an attempt to allow<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creationism" title="Creationism" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Creationism</a> to be taught in science classes.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-41" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[41]</a> While Haslam refused to sign the bill, he also refused to veto it, effectively allowing it to become law. He criticized the bill for creating confusion rather than clarity, but pointed out the legislature had passed it by a large margin, and argued the bill would have no effect on the state's science curriculum.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-42" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[42]</a>On March 8, 2012, Haslam instructed his Health and Wellness Task Force to focus on the state's growing obesity problem, noting that nearly one-third of Tennesseans are obese.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-43" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[43]</a> In early April, he initiated the "Meth Stops Now" campaign, aimed at informing the public of the consequences of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methamphetamine" title="Methamphetamine" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">methamphetamine</a> manufacture.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-44" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[44]</a> In May, he signed legislation aimed at curbing prescription drug abuse.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-45" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[45]</a>On April 24, 2012, Haslam signed into law the Tennessee Excellence, Accountability and Management ("TEAM") Act, which established a new hiring system for state agencies and overhauled the evaluation standards for state employees by placing a greater focus on job performance rather than seniority.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-46" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[46]</a> The bill also makes it easier for executive branch employees to be hired and fired, establishes merit raises for high performing workers, and gives preference to veterans in job openings where applicants have equal qualifications.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-47" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[47]</a>In May 2012, Haslam signed a bill barring sex education instructors from encouraging "gateway sexual activity." Proponents of the bill argued it was necessary to clarify the meaning of abstinence, while opponents argued the bill's wording was overly vague, and could be construed to include behavior such as kissing and holding hands.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-48" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[48]</a> Other bills signed by Haslam in May included a measure requiring drug testing for welfare recipients, a measure providing grants to companies to pay for training expenses for recently laid-off workers,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-severalbills-49" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[49]</a> and a bill requiring <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon.com" title="Amazon.com" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Amazon.com</a> to start collecting sales taxes on online purchases by 2014.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-50" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[50]</a>After the General Assembly permanently adjourned in May, Haslam issued the first <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veto" title="Veto" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">veto</a> of his governorship. He vetoed a controversial bill that sought to end <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanderbilt_University" title="Vanderbilt University" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Vanderbilt University</a>'s "All Comers" policy, which required religious groups at the school to allow any student to join even if the student didn't share the group's religious beliefs. The legislature could not override the veto because it was no longer in session.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-51" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[51]</a> Haslam stated he disagreed with the policy, but didn't think it appropriate for the government to interfere with the policies of a private institution.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-52" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[52]</a>In December 2012, Haslam announced the state would not implement a provision of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patient_Protection_and_Affordable_Care_Act" title="Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Affordable Care Act</a> ("Obamacare") that allows for a state-run health care exchange. Haslam had considered a state-run exchange for several weeks, but argued the federal government had not provided enough information regarding costs of the program, and what had been provided consisted of draft proposals subject to change. "More and more I'm convinced they are making this up as they go," he said.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-53" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[53]</a><h4 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 17.92px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">2014<span class="mw-editsection" style="user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Haslam&action=edit&section=10&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: 2014" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h4>In April 2014, Haslam signed into law a measure allowing prosecution of a new mother with criminal <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assault" title="Assault" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">assault</a> if she had used<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcotics" title="Narcotics" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">narcotics</a> during pregnancy. The law has been criticised as discriminatory against women from poor rural areas with limited access to healthcare and addiction treatment facilities.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-54" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[54]</a> In July 2014, the first woman prosecuted under this law, Mallory Loyola, was arrested in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madisonville,Tennessee" title="Madisonville, Tennessee" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Madisonville</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monroe_County,_Tennessee" title="Monroe County, Tennessee" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Monroe County</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-55" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[55]</a><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Political positions[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Haslam&action=edit&section=11&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Political positions" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h2><table class="metadata plainlinks ambox mbox-small-left ambox-content" role="presentation" style="margin: 4px 1em 4px 0px; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 10px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(242, 133, 0); width: 238px; border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 1.25em; background: rgb(251, 251, 251);"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-image" style="border: none; padding: 2px 0px 2px 0.5em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg" class="image" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;"><img alt="[icon]" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg/20px-Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg.png" width="20" height="14" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg/30px-Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg/40px-Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="44" data-file-height="31" style="border: none; vertical-align: middle;" /></a></td><td class="mbox-text" style="border: none; padding: 0.25em 0.5em; width: 189.3px;">This section requires <a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Haslam&action=edit" style="text-decoration: none; padding: 0px !important; background: none !important;">expansion</a>.(September 2011)</td></tr></tbody></table>While he generally supports budget cuts, Haslam has suggested that the Republican Party is too often focused on scaling back government rather than making it work. "At the end of the day," he said, "I think the most conservative principle there is, is giving people a dollar worth of value for a dollar worth of tax paid."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-burns-56" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[56]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Gun laws<span class="mw-editsection" style="user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Haslam&action=edit&section=12&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Gun laws" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h3>Haslam was formerly a member of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayors_Against_Illegal_Guns_Coalition" title="Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition</a> but resigned early in 2009 and became a member of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Rifle_Association" title="National Rifle Association" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">National Rifle Association</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-57" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[57]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Abortion<span class="mw-editsection" style="user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Haslam&action=edit&section=13&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Abortion" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h3>Haslam is pro-life.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-george-58" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[58]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">LGBT equality<span class="mw-editsection" style="user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Haslam&action=edit&section=14&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: LGBT equality" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h3>Haslam opposes gay marriage, though he has stated that he wouldn't discriminate against gay employees, and prefers his administration focus on the economy and education, rather than hot-button social issues.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-george-58" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[58]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-woods-59" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[59]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Immigration laws<span class="mw-editsection" style="user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Haslam&action=edit&section=15&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Immigration laws" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h3>He has stated that he favors cracking down on businesses that employ illegal immigrants, and suggested he would sign a law requiring law enforcement officers to check the citizenship status of arrested individuals they suspect might be in the country illegally, if passed by the state legislature.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-george-58" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[58]</a><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Other<span class="mw-editsection" style="user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Haslam&action=edit&section=16&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Other" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h3>On January 11, 2012, Bill Haslam endorsed <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitt_Romney" title="Mitt Romney" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Mitt Romney</a> for the Republican nomination in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_United_States_presidential_election" title="2012 United States presidential election" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">2012 United States presidential election</a>. This announcement came on the heels of Romney's victory in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Hampshire_primary" title="New Hampshire primary" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">New Hampshire primary</a> on January 10.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-60" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[60]</a> Haslam's father was the Tennessee state co-chairman for the Romney campaign.In a 2013 interview with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politico" title="Politico" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Politico</a>, Haslam stated that many of the more controversial measures passed by the state legislature, such as the 2012 law protecting teachers who dispute <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_Evolution" title="Theory of Evolution" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">evolution</a> in class, were "frustrating and a distraction."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-burns-56" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[56]</a> He noted that in his travels across the state, "those aren't the issues I hear people bringing up."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-burns-56" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[56]</a><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Lawsuit against Pilot Flying J[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Haslam&action=edit&section=17&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Lawsuit against Pilot Flying J" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h2>In July 2014, Pilot Flying J, the nation’s largest chain of hybrid convenience store-gas stations, agreed to pay $92 million in fines to settle claims in a class-action lawsuit. The suit was brought by 5,500 trucking companies that claimed they were cheated out of promised rebates and discounts. Bill Haslam is a co-owner of the company, but has not worked for the company since the 1990s. The company is managed by his brother, Jimmy Haslam.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Haslam#cite_note-61" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[61]</a>...dad:was the second worst day of my life," he said. "When Jimmy, Bill and Ann’s mother died that was obviously the worst day of my life, but this was a very difficult day for me as well."Cynthia Haslam died in 1974. The couple had three children -- Jimmy Haslam, Ann Haslam Bailey and Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam.Jim Haslam founded the company in 1958 and saw it grow rapidly. Under Jimmy Haslam's leadership, Pilot has become one of the country's largest privately held firms, with more than 600 retail locations.For decades the Haslam family has wielded enormous influence in Knoxville's business, political and philanthropic circles, but Jim Haslam acknowledged the toll taken by the government investigation into allegations of fuel rebate fraud at Pilot.Seven employees have pleaded guilty and the company is defending itself against multiple civil lawsuits.