Phil Williams

@nc5philwilliams.bsky.social

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Speaking truth to power - and the angry mob. NewsChannel 5 (Nashville) chief investigative reporter. duPont, Peabody awards. Pulitzer finalist. TIPS: [email protected]

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REVEALED: Confidential documents describe secret effort to elect lawmakers for school privatization www.newschannel5.com/news/newscha...

REVEALED: Confidential documents describe secret effort to elect lawmakers for school privatizationwww.newschannel5.com Confidential documents reveal that a group of school privatization groups actually work together to use their resources to try to buy seats in the Tennessee legislature.

What’s driving Williamson County politics? “This is some of the most privileged people in the whole United States of America, acting like they’re on the brink of unimaginable persecution.” (Gifting ⁦‪@washingtonpost‬⁩ article) wapo.st/3FWkmof

Why a bucolic Tennessee suburb is a hotbed of ‘Christian Nashville-ism’wapo.st The mix of religion, power, money and influence around Nashville and its suburbs makes it fertile ground for a Southern evangelical take on Christian nationalism.

7 Nashville police officers placed on administrative assignment after Covenant leak www.newschannel5.com/news/7-nashv...

7 Nashville police officers placed on administrative assignment after Covenant leakwww.newschannel5.com Seven Metro Nashville Police Department officers have been placed on administrative assignment during an ongoing investigation into the leak of The Covenant School shooter's documents.

Covenant families blame law enforcement officer for leaked images: 'How could you?' www.newschannel5.com/news/covenan...

Covenant families blame law enforcement officer for leaked images: 'How could you?'www.newschannel5.com In a small room inside Woodmont Baptist Church, Brent Leatherwood stood behind a podium talking on behalf of dozens of Covenant School parents, his voice constricting at times so he wouldn't cry.

Trump and allies plot revenge, Justice Department control in a second term. Advisers have also discussed deploying the military to quell potential unrest on Inauguration Day. (Gifting article) wapo.st/49mZXWU

Trump and allies plot revenge, Justice Department control in a second termwapo.st Advisers have also discussed deploying the military to quell potential unrest on Inauguration Day. Critics have called the ideas under consideration dangerous and unconstitutional.

“If the results in the poll were the same next November, Mr. Trump would be poised to win more than 300 Electoral College votes, far above the 270 needed to take the White House.” www.nytimes.com/2023/11/05/u...

Trump Leads in 5 Critical States as Voters Blast Biden, Times/Siena Poll Findswww.nytimes.com Voters in battleground states said they trusted Donald J. Trump over President Biden on the economy, foreign policy and immigration, as Mr. Biden’s multiracial base shows signs of fraying.

After several tough weeks covering elections in Franklin TN, anonymous Westhaven residents take out a full-page ad‬⁩, thanking local media who displayed “utmost professionalism, even when they encountered threats to their personal safety.” Thank you! 🙏

No court petition filed by Gabrielle Hanson challenging Franklin election, likely ending bizarre saga www.newschannel5.com/news/newscha...

No court petition filed by Gabrielle Hanson challenging Franklin election, likely ending bizarre sag...www.newschannel5.com Controversial mayoral candidate Gabrielle Hanson did not meet a midnight deadline to challenge her landslide defeat, despite her hints that she believed the election was somehow rigged.

BREAKING: Defeated Franklin mayor candidate Gabrielle Hanson doesn't see defeat, imagines conspiracy instead www.newschannel5.com/news/newscha...

Defeated Franklin mayor candidate Gabrielle Hanson doesn't see defeat, imagines conspiracy insteadwww.newschannel5.com Defeated mayoral candidate Gabrielle Hanson, refusing to accept her landslide loss in Franklin's city election, has now partnered with discredited election deniers in Arizona.

Have you seen this new NC5 billboard along I-65 in Williamson County? Franklin and Williamson County, we see you! We hear you! (Send me your tips: [email protected])

Happy Monday!

'This is what we want Franklin to be': Mayor Ken Moore sits down with NewsChannel 5 www.newschannel5.com/news/this-is...

'This is what we want Franklin to be': Mayor Ken Moore sits down with NewsChannel 5www.newschannel5.com Controversy after controversy surrounded Franklin mayoral candidate Gabrielle Hanson. With her loss, Tuesday's election winner is talking about the path forward.

With the news coming out of Maine, my thoughts are with Nashville’s Covenant School community who may be re-experiencing their own trauma! 🙏🙏🙏

What a nice gesture! An incredible card signed by a group of Franklin residents!!! ❤️❤️❤️

Will the Franklin election finally be over? Gabrielle Hanson raises concerns about voting machines #FranklinTnElection www.newschannel5.com/news/newscha...

Will the Franklin election finally be over? Gabrielle Hanson raises concerns about voting machineswww.newschannel5.com Gabrielle Hanson's complaint about a few minor voting issues Tuesday morning raises the question about whether a crazy election season in Franklin actually ends when the votes are counted.

Does anyone remember another political election in the country where the Patriot Front and other hate groups got so heavily involved? This feels like history.

WATCH: As final vote looms for Franklin mayor, Gabrielle Hanson defends her white supremacist friends www.newschannel5.com/news/newscha...

As final vote looms, Franklin candidate Gabrielle Hanson defends her white supremacist friendswww.newschannel5.com As voters prepare to go to the polls in Franklin, white supremacists once again make their presence known — and controversial mayoral candidate Gabrielle Hanson is refusing to distance herself.

Meet ‘Nashville’s Nosiest Bitch’—the Scourge of Corrupt Pols www.thedailybeast.com/meet-phil-wi... via @thedailybeast.bsky.social

Meet ‘Nashville’s Nosiest Bitch’—the Scourge of Corrupt Polswww.thedailybeast.com Investigative reporter Phil Williams has broken story after story about an extremely nutty mayoral race. He’s been delivering big scoops for 25 years.

WATCH: God's candidate for mayor? Critics say new Gabrielle Hanson video shows rise of Christian nationalism www.newschannel5.com/news/newscha...

God's candidate for mayor? Critics say new Gabrielle Hanson video shows rise of Christian nationalis...www.newschannel5.com New video shows how the increasingly bizarre campaign for mayor in Franklin is being viewed by some as a spiritual war.

Group revokes endorsements of Franklin's Gabrielle Hanson, Jeff Feldman after NC5 investigation www.newschannel5.com/news/newscha...

Group revokes endorsements of Franklin's Gabrielle Hanson, Jeff Feldman after NC5 investigationwww.newschannel5.com An influential Franklin conservative group has revoked its endorsements of Gabrielle Hanson for mayor and Jeff Feldman for alderman following a series of damning NewsChannel 5 investigations.

Gabrielle Hanson (who refused to denounce white supremacists supporting her campaign) doubles down - again! Her latest campaign message opposes historical markers memorializing lynchings in the Franklin. She calls them “racial terror markers.”

WATCH: Franklin aldermen deliver stern rebuke to Gabrielle Hanson: 'We will not be intimidated by you' www.newschannel5.com/news/newscha...

Franklin aldermen deliver stern rebuke to Gabrielle Hanson: 'We will not be intimidated by you'www.newschannel5.com An attempt to divide the city of Franklin may end up doing the exact opposite. Franklin's alderman said they are united at the expense of one of their own.

Defiant Gabrielle Hanson refuses to denounce hate group as Franklin aldermen deliver stern rebuke www.newschannel5.com/news/newscha...

Defiant Gabrielle Hanson refuses to denounce hate group as Franklin aldermen deliver stern rebukewww.newschannel5.com Members of Franklin Board of Mayor and Alderman rebuked Hanson Tuesday night, accusing her of sowing division in a once-peaceful community by inviting members of a hate group into the community.

BREAKING: New evidence may link mayoral candidate Gabrielle Hanson to white supremacist harassment campaign www.newschannel5.com/news/newscha...

New evidence may link mayoral candidate Gabrielle Hanson to white supremacist harassment campaignwww.newschannel5.com New evidence uncovered by NewsChannel 5 Investigates may link controversial Franklin mayoral candidate Gabrielle Hanson to a white supremacist effort to harass her critics.

MUST WATCH: 'I want you to know why I wrote it.' Franklin candidate defends social media post he says he didn't write www.newschannel5.com/news/newscha...

'I want you to know why I wrote it.' Franklin candidate defends social media post he says he didn't ...www.newschannel5.com A candidate for Franklin alderman is defending a pair of provocative social media posts. including one that he says he did not write threatening to use his guns against neighborhood teenagers.

“White supremacists show up 'to protect' Tennessee mayoral candidate.” On The Last Word, Ali Velshi highlighted our on-going investigation of what’s happening in Franklin, Tennessee. Thanks for shining the light, Ali! www.msnbc.com/the-last-wor...

White supremacists show up 'to protect' Tennessee mayoral candidatewww.msnbc.com In Franklin, TN, just south of Nashville, members of a white supremacist group showed up at a recent candidates forum to show their support for mayoral candidate, Gabrielle Hanson. MSNBC's Ali Velshi ...

BREAKING: Aerospace executive, apparel company operator, therapist? Franklin candidate's dubious bio www.newschannel5.com/news/newscha...

Aerospace executive, apparel company operator, therapist? Franklin candidate's dubious biowww.newschannel5.com He's a relative unknown running for office based on what he says is an incredible resume: a former aerospace executive, head of an apparel printing company, and even a trained therapist.

BREAKING: Franklin mayoral candidate Gabrielle Hanson shares posts from hate group, saying her opponent is “connected to Antifa.” Among the group’s messages that she shared: “You don’t want us showing up” and “remember there is no political solution.”

WATCH: White supremacist group delivers show of force for Franklin mayoral candidate Gabrielle Hanson www.newschannel5.com/news/newscha...

White supremacist group delivers show of force for Franklin mayoral candidate Gabrielle Hansonwww.newschannel5.com The often-bizarre race for Franklin mayor took a disturbing new turn this week as white supremacists made a show of force for Gabrielle Hanson.

EXCLUSIVE: Gabrielle Hanson fought Franklin Pride, but celebrated her scantily clad husband at Chicago Pride www.newschannel5.com/news/newscha...

EXCLUSIVE: Gabrielle Hanson fought Franklin Pride, but celebrated her scantily clad husband at Chica...www.newschannel5.com It's an image that goes against everything that Franklin alderman and mayoral candidate Gabrielle Hanson has told voters that she stands for.