Author

Chip Brownlee

Chip Brownlee is a former political reporter, online content manager and webmaster at the Alabama Political Reporter. He is now a reporter at The Trace, a non-profit newsroom covering guns in America.

News / State

Boys State to host GOP, Democratic gubernatorial debates Tuesday, Wednesday

The American Legion Boys State program will hold two gubernatorial primary debates this week beginning Tuesday night on the campus of the University of Alabama. Boys State will host a debate for the Republican gubernatorial candidates on Tuesday, May 29, 2018, at 7 p.m. at Morgan Hall Auditorium. Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, State Sen. Bill … Continued

Chip Brownlee

May 29, 2018

State, Mo Brooks sue to block counting of immigrants in 2020 census

It’s long been feared Alabama might lose a congressional seat when reapportionment happens after the 2020 census, but Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall and Congressman Mo Brooks said that wouldn’t be a possibility if the U.S. Census Bureau would stop counting people who immigrated illegally to the United States in the census. The AG’s office — … Continued

Chip Brownlee

May 23, 2018

Poll shows Maddox pulling ahead in race for Democratic nomination

With endorsements from heavyweight Democratic groups like the New South Coalition’s campaign arm and the Alabama Democratic Conference, the Democratic party appears to be coalescing around Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox ahead of the June 5 primary. A new poll released by the Maddox campaign Tuesday backs up what the endorsements hint: Maddox appears to be pulling ahead … Continued

Chip Brownlee

May 22, 2018

Patricia Todd, state’s first openly gay lawmaker, insinuates Gov. Ivey may be gay

Alabama’s first openly gay lawmaker — Rep. Patricia Todd, a Democrat — suggested that Republican Gov. Kay Ivey is gay in a tweet posted to her account Tuesday evening. Ivey’s campaign responded immediately, calling Todd’s comments a “disgusting lie.” In the tweet, Todd wrote, “Will someone out her for God’s sake….I have heard for years … Continued

Chip Brownlee

May 16, 2018

Democratic Public Service Commission candidates launch campaigns in Birmingham

Two Democratic candidates for Alabama’s Public Service Commission launched their campaigns in Birmingham Tuesday night. Cara McClure and Kari Powell, both from Birmingham, went in together to kick off their campaigns for Place 1 and Place 2 on the PSC at Clubhouse on Highland in Birmingham Tuesday. Powell is a small-business woman in Birmingham who … Continued

Chip Brownlee

May 16, 2018

Sen. Doug Jones plans to vote against Trump’s CIA nominee

U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, D-Alabama, plans to vote against President Donald Trump’s controversial pick to lead the CIA, Gina Haspel, his office said in a statement Tuesday. Haspel, a longtime CIA intelligence official, ran a CIA prison in Thailand in 2002 when a captured Al Qaeda detainee, Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, who was accused of orchestrating a … Continued

Chip Brownlee

May 16, 2018

Cobb campaign worker charged with violating sex offender employment rules resigns

A field director working for Democratic hopeful and former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb resigned from Cobb’s campaign Friday after being arrested Thursday and charged with violating the state’s sex offender law. Paul Littlejohn III, 55, was convicted in 1985 of the rape and sodomy of a 30-year-old woman, according to Alabama Law … Continued

Chip Brownlee

May 14, 2018

Cobb field director charged with violating sex offender employment restrictions

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday arrested Paul Littlejohn III, the Jefferson County field director for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Sue Bell Cobb, charging him with violating Alabama’s sex offender laws. Littlejohn, 55, was convicted in 1985 of the rape and sodomy of a 30-year-old woman, according to Alabama Law Enforcement Agency records. He was released … Continued

Chip Brownlee

May 11, 2018

After Scott Dawson’s release of medical information, Gov. Ivey is the only GOP holdout

Birmingham evangelist Scott Dawson, one of four GOP gubernatorial primary candidates, became the third candidate to release medical information from his doctor on Tuesday. After Dawson’s release of his medical information, that leaves Gov. Kay Ivey, who is seeking her first full term as governor, as the only GOP candidate who has yet to release … Continued

Chip Brownlee

May 9, 2018

US Rep. Mo Brooks recognizes 53-year career of Huntsville pastor Jimmy Jackson on House floor

U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Alabama, recognized Huntsville pastor Jimmy E. Jackson for his 53-year pastoral career with a speech on the House floor. Brook’s floor speech paid tribute to Jackson, who has been the pastor at Whitesburg Baptist Church in Huntsville for the last 40 years. According to Brooks, Whitesburg Baptist Church has grown to … Continued

Chip Brownlee

May 9, 2018