Joey Kennedy

Joey Kennedy, a Pulitzer Prize winner, writes a column each week for the Alabama Political Reporter. You can email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter.

Questions I’d like to ask; answers I’d never receive

By Joey Kennedy Alabama Political Reporter So I go away a few days and what happens? A sex scandal involving our Christian Gov. Dr. Robert Bentley and his top aide, the Mrs. Rebekah Caldwell Mason, breaks out. But really, this has been roiling in the background for months. And this kind of stuff happens all … Continued

March 30, 2016

True patriots would not act like this

By Joey Kennedy Alabama Political Reporter I’ve been away for a few days in Virginia visiting a long-time friend. This is a friend I have traveled to Cuba with a dozen times over the past decade and a half. We haven’t returned to Cuba since 2013; he’s developed Parkinson’s disease, and such long-distance travel isn’t … Continued

March 23, 2016

Trump is crazy, so we’ll elect Clinton

By Joey Kennedy Alabama Political Reporter Frankly, I was in Bernie’s corner. I knew he was a long shot. And he was. Hillary Clinton clearly has dominated the Democratic presidential race. That’s fine. She knows what she’s doing, and it’ll be great to elect a woman president. She will be elected. On the Republican side, … Continued

March 16, 2016

Be strong, Judge Walker, for Alabama

By Joey Kennedy Alabama Political Reporter Perhaps this is it. Perhaps Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard won’t be able to delay his corruption trial yet again. Perhaps we’re another day closer to putting this horrid scandal behind us. Or, should I say, away from us. What’s occurred will never be behind us. It’ll forever … Continued

March 9, 2016

Trump is a bigot. If you support him, own it.

By Joey Kennedy Alabama Political Reporter I’m getting some crap on Facebook because I made the following post: “Anybody who puts a Trump sign in their yard is saying: “I’m a bigot.” That’s what they’re saying. They’re welcome to do that, but they must understand that if they have a Trump sign in their yard, … Continued

March 2, 2016

Crucial time for animals in Alabama. Don’t go back; move forward.

By Joey Kennedy Alabama Political Reporters Today I’m writing about dogs. And cats. And the need for most of us to make sure our pets are spayed or neutered. Even rabbits. Even gerbils. All of ours are fixed. Unless you’re a reputable breeder, yours should be, too. But how is this politics? It’s politics because … Continued

February 24, 2016

The Republican way: We’ll tell you what you can do

By Joey Kennedy Alabama Political Reporter A Mountain Brook lawmaker wants to stop Birmingham from increasing its minimum wage. What better irony can there be? Mountain Brook is one of the richest suburbs in the state and is battling Birmingham, which has high poverty rates, over its decision to increase the minimum wage. Of course, … Continued

February 17, 2016

Guns and grade inflation

By Joey Kennedy Alabama Political Reporter I’m sure there are many bills in the Alabama Legislature I’ll take issue with this year. Heck, there will probably be some I support. But the one I’m not real happy about right now is HB12, a proposed constitutional amendment (like Alabama’s constitution needs another amendment) that would permit … Continued

February 10, 2016

Is the glass half full, empty or broken?

By Joey Kennedy Alabama Political Reporter Gov. Robert Bentley’s State of the State address Tuesday night was “encouraging.” (Meh!) The governor covered a lot of ground. He has to. It’s a long speech. Among the most encouraging proposals Bentley put forward was comprehensive prison reform: Getting rid of Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women and other … Continued

February 4, 2016

Delay is not Defense: Go to trial, Mike Hubbard

By Joey Kennedy Alabama Political Journal It’s time for this to end. It’s time for Alabama Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard to show that he’s not guilty of 23 ethics violations at trial. It’s time to end the delays, to end the limbo in state government, to end — one way or another — … Continued

January 27, 2016