FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — 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.
It follows NewsChannel 5's revelations about that candidate, Jeff Feldman, and his inflated campaign biography — a biography in which he claims to be a trained mental health professional, specializing in anger management.
So when NewsChannel 5 Investigates sat down with him to discuss his resume, we pressed him about his social media: "Since you say you have a background in anger management, let me ask you about some Facebook posts."
The posts came from the affluent Westhaven community where Feldman lives.
One post under Feldman's name warns teens who engage in mischief in the neighborhood:
"YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT THE FIRST QUESTION PEOPLE FROM CALIFORNIA ASK WHEN MOVING TO WESTHAVEN AND FLEEING COMMUNISM IS... READY FOR IT Y'ALL... HOW DO I GET MY GUNS AND AMMO MOVED WITH ME. PARENTS, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?
We read more of the post to Feldman, "We all will catch these kids and they and their parents should ALL hope the police catch them before we do."
"Yeah, I never posted that," the alderman candidate claimed.
The post ends cryptically, "Please come see me and I'll help you understand and teach you the phrase 'time to go to the train station.'"
As for the reference to neighborhood kids and "time to go to the train station," viewers note a potential Yellowstone reference to a place where people are taken to be killed. Not sure what the post meant, though. https://t.co/yVySCppxS5
— Phil Williams (@NC5PhilWilliams) October 7, 2023
Feldman claimed the post was fabricated.
NewsChannel 5 Investigates told him, "I got this from more than one person in this Facebook group."
"Ok, well, I did not write that," Feldman responded. "I wrote some things like that, yeah. But I did not write that exact post."
Then for several minutes, the alderman candidate went on and on about how out-of-control some Westhaven teenagers have become.
"They were lighting fireworks off on people's porches -- which I believe in Brentwood just happened and those people were arrested."
We countered, "So 'have you threatened them with guns' is the question."
"No, I didn't threaten them with guns and I have never threatened any kid," Feldman said.
On and on, he continued, suggesting the kids were dressed in black, signifying they were part of a larger plot.
"We call them Antifa because that's what they are," he explained
"And you're talking teenagers?"
"Well, is an 18-year-old a teenager? Is an 18-year-old a teenager?"
"Were these 18 year olds?"
"Well, they were all driving so they were at least 16."
"Ok, a 16-year-old is Antifa?"
"Who knows?"
NewsChannel 5 Investigates pressed again, "Do you know that they are Antifa? You're the one making the allegations, not me."
"Well, let me finish."
On and on, Feldman complained about the out-of-control kids.
We just wanted to know if he had written the post threatening them with guns.
"Nobody wanted to do anything about it," Feldman recounted.
We tried to bring him back to our question.
"Let me finish. I want you to know why I wrote it," he blurted out.
We wanted to know, "So you did write it?"
"I want you to know what I wrote of that, what I did write of that. I didn't write that whole thing. What I did write."
NewsChannel 5 Investigates asked, "So why should we believe that this is a fabrication?"
"Listen, I'm here, in a responsible way, to give you information that you think is important, OK?" Feldman said. "I'm running to help 90,000 people."
But we had also found another Facebook post from Feldman, sharing a message about people who put up signs showing their support for "Black Lives Matter," LGBTQ rights, and reproductive rights - with the message "hate has no home here."
That post he shared says "The most venomous people on earth are the ones with these signs by their house."
Feldman posted, "I'd add to this, be aware of the houses with Ukraine flags flying."
"Yeah, I posted that."
NewsChannel 5 Investigates asked, "Is that the type of thing someone should post if they are a person of faith if they are trying to unify the community?"
"Yes," Feldman shot back.
"So people who post that are venomous?"
"Yes."
"People who fly Ukraine flags are venomous?"
"Well' I believe they are venomous and they are short-sighted."
Feldman pointed to Franklin's Pride festival which some in the community had tried to ban.
"These are the people who are behind the sexualization of children. They are the people that want to have the gay festival in Franklin."
Again, we had questions.
"So people who have family members who are LGBTQ and support them, that is venomous in their mind?"
"No, they should support their family members, I believe that."
"But hate has no place here, no home here. And you are saying people who have those signs are venomous?"
"A lot of them do, yes. They are venomous."
The final decision is up to Franklin voters.
Early voting has already begun, with election day coming on October 24th.
Related: Aerospace executive, apparel company operator, therapist? Franklin candidate's dubious bio
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