Terri Lynn Weaver
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Terri Lynn Weaver
|image = Terri Lynn Weaver.jpg
|imagesize =
|caption = Terri Lynn Weaver in 2012
|state_house= Tennessee
|state = Tennessee
|district = 40th
|term_start = January 13, 2009
|term_end = January 10, 2023
|preceded = Frank Buck
|succeeded = Michael Hale
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|9|19}}
| birth_place = Mansfield, Ohio, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = Singer, songwriter, small business owner, and politician
| party = Republican
| alma_mater =
| residence = Lancaster, Tennessee
| website = [http://www.terrilynnweaver.com/ Terri Lynn Weaver]
[http://www.weaverhouse40.com/ Representative Weaver]
}}
Terri Lynn Weaver (born September 19, 1957{{cite web |url=https://capitol.tn.gov/house/archives/112GA/members/h40.html |title=Representative Terri Lynn Weaver |website=Representatives |publisher=Tennessee General Assembly |access-date=November 26, 2022}}) is an American politician who was a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives from 2009 to 2023. She represented the 40th district, which is composed of Smith, Trousdale, most of DeKalb, and part of Sumner counties.
File:Heritage Elementary STEM students fascinated with Corps Water Works 150518-A-BO243-278.jpg.]]
Biography
=Early life and career=
Weaver was born in Mansfield, Ohio. She moved to Dallas, Texas, with her aunt in the mid-1970s, where she played rhythm guitar in a local band.{{cite web|url=http://www.ibluegrass.com/vi_posting3.CFM?p__i=1110&p__r=&p__a=featu |title=iBluegrass.com Article – Terri Lynn Weaver |author=Glenda Ogden |date=July 17, 2001 |website=iBluegrass.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071024025149/http://www.ibluegrass.com/vi_posting3.CFM?p__i=1110&p__r=&p__a=featu |archive-date=October 24, 2007}} On June 23, 1979, she married Mike Weaver.
=Tennessee House of Representatives=
Weaver ran a campaign against incumbent Rep. Frank Buck (D) in 2006.{{cite web |url=https://sharetngov.tnsosfiles.com/sos/election/results/2006-11/en7th34-66.pdf |title=2006 Official Election Results Tennessee House of Representatives Districts 34–66 |website=Election Results |publisher=Tennessee Secretary of State |access-date=November 26, 2022}} Though Rep. Buck retained his seat in the House he later announced he would not run again.{{cite news |last=Humphrey |first=Tom |url=http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/feb/12/long-time-house-member/ |title=Long-time House member Buck will not run again |newspaper=Knoxville News Sentinel |access-date=March 26, 2013 |date=February 12, 2008}} Weaver was able to run another campaign the following election in 2008 and was elected to the 40th district of the Tennessee House of Representatives from 2008, filling Buck's vacant seat.{{cite web |url=https://sharetngov.tnsosfiles.com/sos/election/results/2008-11/tnh3466.pdf |title=2008 Official Election Results Tennessee House of Representatives Districts 34–66 |website=Election Results |publisher=Tennessee Secretary of State |access-date=November 26, 2022}} She serves in the 106th General Assembly as a member of the House Agriculture Committee, the House Children & Family Affairs Committee, the House Education Committee, the House K-12 Subcommittee, and the House Domestic Relations Subcommittee.
Weaver was indirectly responsible for the surprise 2009 Tennessee House of Representatives election of TNGA House Speaker Kent Williams, R-Elizabethton (and concurrently, the defeat of Rep. Jason Mumpower, R-Bristol) as Weaver's first vote within the House of Representatives sided with the Tennessee House Democrats on the recess motion prior to the January 14, 2009, vote for the Speaker of the House.{{cite news |last=Humphrey |first=Tom |url=http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/jan/14/williams-elected-as-house-speaker/ |title=Williams elected as House speaker |newspaper=Knoxville News Sentinel |access-date=March 26, 2013 |date=January 14, 2009}} The Tennessee House Republicans tried to block the recess, but lost on a 50–49 vote.
Weaver supported a Tennessee law that allows prosecutors to charge women with criminal assault if they use narcotics during pregnancy and the fetus or newborn is found "addicted to or harmed by the drug".{{cite news |first=Katie |last=McDonough |url=http://www.salon.com/2014/07/17/the_rights_favorite_new_quack_terri_lynn_weavers_dangerous_baby_science/ |title=The right's favorite new quack: Terri Lynn Weaver's dangerous baby "science" |work=Salon |access-date=February 12, 2017 |date=July 17, 2014}} The bill passed and Governor Haslam signed it into law. In 2016, the Legislature refused to renew it.{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/tennessee-pregnant-women-drugs_us_56e862b3e4b065e2e3d79320 |work=HuffPost |first=Melissa |last=Jeltsen |date=March 23, 2016 |title=Wave Goodbye To Harsh Tennessee Law Targeting Pregnant Drug Users}}
On September 13, 2016, Weaver was one of just two House Representatives who was opposed to the expulsion of fellow lawmaker Jeremy Durham over allegations of sexual harassment, campaign finance violations, and tax evasion. Sixteen House members abstained.
In February 2017, Weaver introduced a bill that would classify children born through artificial insemination as illegitimate, even if both parents are married and consent to the insemination.{{cite news |first=Amelia |last=Carlson |url=http://www.wmcactionnews5.com/story/34478833/proposed-bill-deems-children-born-through-artificial-insemination-illegitimate-children |title=Proposed bill deems children born through artificial insemination illegitimate children |work=WMC Action News 5 |access-date=February 12, 2017 |date=February 10, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170210231620/http://www.wmcactionnews5.com/story/34478833/proposed-bill-deems-children-born-through-artificial-insemination-illegitimate-children |archive-date=February 10, 2017}} Weaver defended the bill in a subsequent Facebook post, claiming it was intended only to repeal a statute that the state Attorney General had deemed unconstitutional. However, in reviewing Weaver's argument, Snopes concluded that it rests on a "fairly significant misreading" of the Attorney General's views and existing Tennessee law.{{cite web |first=Alex |last=Kasprak |date=February 17, 2017 |url=https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/tennessee-bill-children-illegitimate/ |title=Does a Proposed Tennessee Bill Classify in Vitro Children as "Illegitimate"? |website=Snopes |access-date=March 12, 2017}} The bill did not pass.
Weaver served seven two-year terms as state representative. In the August 2022 Republican primary, she lost her reelection bid to political newcomer Michael Hale.{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Xavier |title=Michael Hale defeats Terri Lynn Weaver for redistricted Wilson County State House seat |url=https://www.wilsonpost.com/community/michael-hale-defeats-terri-lynn-weaver-for-redistricted-wilson-county-state-house-seat/article_2b575fda-1481-11ed-8935-bb36dc35f7f9.html |access-date=November 26, 2022 |work=The Wilson Post |date=August 5, 2022 |language=en}} Hale went on to win in the general election.{{cite news |last1=Page |first1=Dwayne |title=Michael Hale Elected 40th District State Representative |url=https://www.wjle.com/news/michael-hale-elected-40th-district-state-representative/ |access-date=November 26, 2022 |work=WJLE Radio |date=November 8, 2022}}
=2021 storming of the United States Capitol=
Weaver traveled to Washington, D.C., on January 6, 2021, to protest the results of the Electoral College. She attended the event that led to the 2021 storming of the US Capitol. She said that she was "in the thick of it" but "there wasn't any violence going on here." She did not state whether or not she had entered the Capitol.{{Cite news |first=Cuneyt |last=Dil |date=January 7, 2021 |title=Several state lawmakers joined, observed US Capitol turmoil |url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-elections-west-virginia-electoral-college-34f93ca08799997ba96dce7a2921d087 |access-date=November 26, 2022 |work=AP News |language=en-US |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210107214328/https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-elections-west-virginia-electoral-college-34f93ca08799997ba96dce7a2921d087 |archive-date=January 7, 2021 |url-status=live}} The United States Capitol was breached and the incident led to five deaths.
Weaver said that members of antifa stormed the U.S. Capitol. The FBI stated there is no evidence antifa was involved in the attacks. Later that night she said it had been an "epic and historic day." Weaver also referred to those who stormed the Capitol as "patriots".{{cite news |last1=Allison |last2=Yu |first1=Natalie |first2=Yue Stella |title='Worst since the British burned the Capitol': Rep. Jim Cooper, staff describe chaotic scene in D.C. |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2021/01/06/capitol-riot-washington-dc-chaos-pro-trump-mob-tennessee-lawmakers/6573281002/ |newspaper=Nashville Tennessean |access-date=January 7, 2021 |date=January 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230817080750/https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2021/01/06/capitol-riot-washington-dc-chaos-pro-trump-mob-tennessee-lawmakers/6573281002/ |archive-date=August 17, 2023 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |last1=Dil |first1=Cuneyt |title=West Virginia delegate records himself storming U.S. Capitol |url=https://apnews.com/article/social-media-electoral-college-west-virginia-media-7c5635060b39f41337229511a26ed61d |access-date=January 7, 2021 |work=AP News |date=January 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210107130652/https://apnews.com/article/social-media-electoral-college-west-virginia-media-7c5635060b39f41337229511a26ed61d|archive-date=January 7, 2021|url-status=live}}
Community involvement
Weaver was previously chairman of Farm Bureau and is currently Vice Chairman of the Smith County Republican Party and Chairman of Smith County Republican Women. She is also a member of the Smith County Chamber of Commerce,{{cite web|url=https://smithcountychamber.org/terri-lynn-weaver/ |title=Smith County, TN Chamber of Commerce — |date=June 2012 |publisher=Smithcountychamber.org |access-date=March 26, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230817081157/https://smithcountychamber.org/terri-lynn-weaver/ |archive-date=August 17, 2023 |url-status=live}} the local Rotary Club, and the National Rifle Association of America.{{cn|date=August 2023}} Her musical talent lends her involvement as Chairman of the Lancaster Independence Day Parade and Host Musician of the Annual Christmas Eve Service. Weaver is a second lieutenant in the Tennessee State Guard.{{cite web |url=https://www.tn.gov/military/news/17253 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171022033650/https://www.tn.gov/military/news/17253 |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 22, 2017 |title=Representative Terri Lynn Weaver Completes Tennessee State Guard Initial Entry Training |author= |date=August 25, 2017 |publisher=Tennessee Military Department |access-date=October 21, 2017 }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [http://www.terrilynnweaver.com/ Official website]
{{Tennessee House of Representatives}}
{{January 6 United States Capitol attack navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Weaver, Terri Lynn}}
Category:Protesters in or near the January 6 United States Capitol attack
Category:21st-century members of the Tennessee General Assembly
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:Republican Party members of the Tennessee House of Representatives
Category:Military personnel from Tennessee
Category:People from Smith County, Tennessee